my first pointed cue and my first wrap.

[snipershot]

I just finished it last night and it turned out pretty good. Its not perfect, and i know i need some improvement, but im pleased with my first attempt. Feel free to suggest things or tell me how ugly it is. All opinions welcome. Lol.

Joe

 

[snipershot]

More pics.......

 

[snipershot]

6 coco points into curly, cored with purple heart. Ringtail lizard wrap and solid deer antler joint. Weighs around 20 ounces without any weight bolt.

Joe

 

[cuejo]

I think it looks really nice joe!
You've come a long way

 

[KJ Cues]

WELL, SINCE YOU ASKED, Lol

I want to see you progress Joe, so I'm not being critical.
A good wrap job, be it linen or leather, should be EXACTLY on the same plane as the rest of the cue, ie, no step.
Blindfolded, you should not be able to detect a difference in height, only texture.
In this particular case, you should have cut the wrap-groove deeper to accommodate the wrap.
You can't make the leather thinner so you have to adjust the groove.
This is common procedure with leather wraps because they are never the same.
In all honesty, they can vary in thickness from end to end also.
If you're going for perfection, you have to go the extra mile.

KJ

PS - My door is always open to you Sir.
Should you ever have questions, please just ask.

 

[snipershot]

I want to see you progress Joe, so I'm not being critical.
A good wrap job, be it linen or leather, should be EXACTLY on the same plane as the rest of the cue, ie, no step.
Blindfolded, you should not be able to detect a difference in height, only texture.
In this particular case, you should have cut the wrap-groove deeper to accommodate the wrap.
You can't make the leather thinner so you have to adjust the groove.
This is common procedure with leather wraps because they are never the same.
In all honesty, they can vary in thickness from end to end also.
If you're going for perfection, you have to go the extra mile.

KJ

Thanks KJ. I measured the wrap at .042 and cut my wrap groove at .045 to make it slightly lower, but i didnt account for the texture of the wrap to be sticking out when it was wrapped around. I cut a black leather wrap for practice and it fit slightly below flush. Next time i will cut it deeper to accomodate the texture.

Joe

 

[snipershot]

I think it looks really nice joe!
You've come a long way

Thanks man! I appreciate it!

Joe

 

[KJ Cues]

Thanks KJ. I measured the wrap at .042 and cut my wrap groove at .045 to make it slightly lower, but i didnt account for the texture of the wrap to be sticking out when it was wrapped around. I cut a black leather wrap for practice and it fit slightly below flush. Next time i will cut it deeper to accomodate the texture.

Joe

Even though that wrap is hugely thick, your numbers are right.
Given it's thickness you might have wanted to save that one for a Predator with a 'Sport' or 'Lux' wrap replacement.
You wouldn't need to veneer the wrap-groove.

KJ

PS-I just thought of something that I meant to put in either of my last two posts.
If you intend on doing a lot of leather wraps I'd suggest that you build your inventory and build it big.
At least 10 of every texture and color you can get (embossed). Exotics you can buy as needed.
You want a selection that you can pick through to match the wrap thickness to the groove if you can.
At least getting them close will save you a lot of work. I've got maybe 250-300 wraps in stock.
Lately, I've been doing 5-6 a week. As a side-note, I allow .002" for the glue.

 

[DD Custom Cues]

Thanks KJ. I measured the wrap at .042 and cut my wrap groove at .045 to make it slightly lower, but i didnt account for the texture of the wrap to be sticking out when it was wrapped around. I cut a black leather wrap for practice and it fit slightly below flush. Next time i will cut it deeper to accomodate the texture.

Joe

I don't know how you measured your wrap groove but you said your wrap is .042 then your wrap groove should be at least double that at .084 so it is at least .042 on each side of the cue. Just mentioning this just in case you didn't consider both sides of the cue.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Guerra Cues]

Glue also adds up to the thickness, about 2 to 3 thou after dry, regardless of using wood glue or contact cement.
If you want to touch up the groove area specially if you don't want to mess up the finish, try using the router with a 5/16 dovetail router bit, then touch up the depth and touch it some sand paper to blend it in. The groove will be clean as a whistle. Try on a test piece and you will see.
Also, do not put glue on the seems, at all, don't worry, it will all glue fine. Glue on the seem adds width of the wrap 2 or 3 thou and will make the wrap overlap a bit and lizard don't stretch much.
Good job with the finish and the cue Joe, I am being sincere with my comment.

 

[snipershot]

I don't know how you measured your wrap groove but you said your wrap is .042 then your wrap groove should be at least double that at .084 so it is at least .042 on each side of the cue. Just mentioning this just in case you didn't consider both sides of the cue.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

I did. I made the cut on my tapering machine using the indicator i have mounted on it, so the router went in right at .045. I almost messed up and cut it .090 at first! Lol. I forgot to figure that you have to double the measurement! I was close to making more firewood, but luckily, i thought about it at the last second.

Joe

 

[JTs cuerepair]

Very nice

That's a pretty dam good job for your first time, The cue looks great but Honestly that white wrap has to go. I was never a big fan of white wraps unless it was Cortland . I really think your cue would look 100 times better with out that white wrap. Black with white spec linen ..
That's just my thought. You did a great job on the Cue, Congrats and keep up the good work.

 

[DanO]

Nice job.

I like to wrap my points with wax paper, then surgical tubing when glueing them in. I wrap my inlays real tight with just plastic wrap.

Real lizard is always a pain because of the variations in thickness and texture from the belly to the back. Start with cow hide embossed prints till you get used to dealing with the variation of the real stuff. Also your groove might be deep enough but make certain it is sharp enough. If not squared off at the ends, your leather will ride up the radius. Even if that radius is too much glue.

 

[cueman]

I did not read everyone's posts here so I hope I am not giving advice that has already been given.

You can mount a roller bearing on your tool post and run it on the leather at each end at a slight angle and press the ridges of the Ringtail wrap down. You can also go around it and press the ends down flat with the edge of something like the dull side of a knife.

 

[meridianblades]

Congrats Joe... great work

 

[snipershot]

Thanks for the advice and compliments fellas. I appreciate it.

Joe

 

[measureman]

I am not a cue maker so any technical advice is best left to the experts.
As i looked at each picture I was on board until i got to the wrap.
Honestly it's just nasty.
All in all it's a good looking cue.
You do what you want it's your work but the wrap looks awful.

 

[snipershot]

I am not a cue maker so any technical advice is best left to the experts.
As i looked at each picture I was on board until i got to the wrap.
Honestly it's just nasty.
All in all it's a good looking cue.
You do what you want it's your work but the wrap looks awful.

You dont like the look or the workmanship of the wrap?

Joe

 

[measureman]

You dont like the look or the workmanship of the wrap?

Joe

The look of the wrap. I don't like that wrap on that cue.

 

[Dirtbmw20]

Damn I'm impressed Joe !!! I would LOVE for my first cue to come out even half that good.