SSDiver2112
Escott Cues
A shop vac that I move from tool to tool.
My first tip install
- Thread starter SSDiver2112
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middleofnowhere
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"After I retire", can be a sad phrase. When you get to my age you know more than a few who never quite reached it. Those things you think you're going to do sometimes never get done.
I had an uncle who actually worked an extra 5 years at a job he had grown to hate just to get a little better pension. After he retired the first trip he and my aunt took he was killed in a car crash. I was probably only about 12 or 13 at that time but it made a real impression on me about how short and precious life is.
Absolutely agree, which is why I go all in with any hobby I decide to invest my time in.
middleofnowhere
Registered
in that small room you need some kind of air scrubber. you can make one yourself. a shop vac removes the big stuff but the small stuff that can hurt you a shop vac actually spewes in the air.
look on youtube and you will find some simple desighs that you can ues little more then a box fan and a filter.
here is some food for thought
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middleofnowhere
Registered
Life consists of a lot of choices and priorities. My wife and I chose to intentionally not have children. That may sound selfish and possibly it is but for us I think it made for a much better life. Especially when I look around at friends whose children have in many cases completely ruined their lives.
Ever since I was a kid there's never been enough hours in the day for me I have so many interests. Only about a week ago my wife asked what I'm going to do with my guitars she says you haven't played in a dozen years.
It just seems like you can't get rid of things that you somehow in the back of your mind believe you're going to do again. I walk out to my garage and I must be a thousand pounds of free weights out there some of them I've owned for probably 50 years. At my age I don't foresee ever lifting weights again or being a bodybuilder but I just can't part with them.
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SSDiver2112
Escott Cues
Thanks for that. I'll see what I can find.
middleofnowhere
Registered
middleofnowhere
Registered
one of the comments I made about having a real lathe was meant this way. You need a lathe, bandsaw, drill press, grinder to make your own cutters, some special and so on. But a lot of the things you use working on cues are not off the shelf. You make these things yourself. Some you may even invent for your own use. I see in your picture you have sleeves. I am sure you bought them but they are one of the things you make yourself as you need them, often in weird sizes. This it what the right tools can let you do as you expand your hobby.
Some may ask "why so many lathes" I have six. You set them up for certain jobs so you don't have to keep taking things apart. It is great to just step to a machine and do a job and move to another. I have three bandsaws. You pick them up here and there at garage sales and craigs list. In most cases pretty cheap.
Here is some of my stuff. The one big lathe is a 13" Sheldon with a 70" bed. I have had it over 40 years. I remember breaking a spring in my El Camino moving it. The other picture is hard to see but there is 4 lathes in that picture. You can see from the cobwebs and junk laying around I don't use them very much anymore. One picture didn't turn out it was to big.
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middleofnowhere
Registered
I have to add one more thing to this, depending on what you're doing you're working in your house. What you're doing can migrate throughout the house. It's amazing how fine dust seems to find its way everywhere.
I was once machine in cocobolo which I turned out to be allergic to and probably a year later the dust that It produced I was still finding in places on shelves and even inside cabinets that's a horrible that wood was to work with.
I should also add that using a proper dust mask is always a good idea.
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More food for thought…. If using a Shop Vac filter must be a HEPA or the dust goes right back into the room.
SSDiver2112
Escott Cues
The journey continues...
While having a bit of a fun, I am also getting a good learning experience with these house cues. Most house cues are not very straight. They need a lot of support and adjusting to run true enough to replace the ferrule. My original thoughts of just popping off that slip-tip and putting on a new tip are becoming more and more hilariously delusional. I've had to replace every ferrule so far, but it has been good practice. Here are a couple examples of what I am finding underneath the slip-tips:
Aside from the house cues I have done a few regular tips for people too. I'm glad for the practice before working on someone's nice shaft. One of these was my first break tip. He wanted to try a Bulletproof break tip. This was also my first non-leather tip. The sides took a little more effort than a simple burnish, but think it came out nice.
While having a bit of a fun, I am also getting a good learning experience with these house cues. Most house cues are not very straight. They need a lot of support and adjusting to run true enough to replace the ferrule. My original thoughts of just popping off that slip-tip and putting on a new tip are becoming more and more hilariously delusional. I've had to replace every ferrule so far, but it has been good practice. Here are a couple examples of what I am finding underneath the slip-tips:
Aside from the house cues I have done a few regular tips for people too. I'm glad for the practice before working on someone's nice shaft. One of these was my first break tip. He wanted to try a Bulletproof break tip. This was also my first non-leather tip. The sides took a little more effort than a simple burnish, but think it came out nice.
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tomatoshooter
Well-known member
It may be selfish but it's not like you have kids you are obligated to.
I didn’t have kids, I’m 55. My only regret in life. And it gets worse everyday. Nothing else really bothers me, all the decisions I made good or bad I’m ok with. But no kids-fuk me I screwed up
SSDiver2112
Escott Cues
My work on re-tipping the house cues at my neighborhood bar has been an invaluable learning experience. Being that 80% of the cues needed a new ferrule too I have gained a lot there as well. I had some cheap ferrules I had bought off of Amazon back when I started dreaming up my first DIY lathe. I figured they were good enough for practice and I could replace them later if needed.
With these nearly gone I ordered a couple Tomahawk rods after reading some interesting posts on it here about it. I ordered the plain rods since it was the least expensive way to go, and I could get more practice time on the lathe. It was very satisfying to take the raw material and turn it into something.
I learned I should remember to turn the diameter down before cutting it off. I did two so far, see a finished and fat-ass ferrule stage below. Tomahawk is a very nice material to work with.
With these nearly gone I ordered a couple Tomahawk rods after reading some interesting posts on it here about it. I ordered the plain rods since it was the least expensive way to go, and I could get more practice time on the lathe. It was very satisfying to take the raw material and turn it into something.
I learned I should remember to turn the diameter down before cutting it off. I did two so far, see a finished and fat-ass ferrule stage below. Tomahawk is a very nice material to work with.
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SSDiver2112
Escott Cues
So, it's been about a year since my first tip installation. Going off a recommendation between Thoroughbred and Ultraskin being a good choice, I went with the Thoroughbred medium tip first for no particular reason that I can remember.
I can easily recommend the Thoroughbred tip. It has been a great performer, low maintenance, and I have had zero issues with it (unlike my previous tip). I've shot some great games with it this week so I know I could probably go a bit longer with it, but I've been itching to try out the Ultraskin tips for comparison.
During my lunchbreak I installed an Ultraskin Ivory medium, so it will be ready to try out tonight.
Update: After a month of play, I have no complaints. I like the hit, it holds chalk with little to no maintenance, no mushrooming yet. Thumbs up!
I can easily recommend the Thoroughbred tip. It has been a great performer, low maintenance, and I have had zero issues with it (unlike my previous tip). I've shot some great games with it this week so I know I could probably go a bit longer with it, but I've been itching to try out the Ultraskin tips for comparison.
During my lunchbreak I installed an Ultraskin Ivory medium, so it will be ready to try out tonight.
Update: After a month of play, I have no complaints. I like the hit, it holds chalk with little to no maintenance, no mushrooming yet. Thumbs up!
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SSDiver2112
Escott Cues
I little disclaimer on my last post.
Technically the tip I just replaced is the second tip I put on my cue. I had improper shaping habits due to the problems I had with the Kamui tip, and realized I was overdoing it on this tip for no good reason. After a couple months I decided to remove it and start fresh with a better understanding of not over maintaining the tip. On the first tip I had left the clear pad from the Kamui on, but this one I took it off.
Technically the tip I just replaced is the second tip I put on my cue. I had improper shaping habits due to the problems I had with the Kamui tip, and realized I was overdoing it on this tip for no good reason. After a couple months I decided to remove it and start fresh with a better understanding of not over maintaining the tip. On the first tip I had left the clear pad from the Kamui on, but this one I took it off.
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Looks like the ferrule is moving.
Common with slip fit thin ferrules on low def shafts.
Well I do not do my own Tips, old retired guy few miles from me does.
His price are fair, he dabbles in Cue making, builds own CF shafts.
He is person who does good Tips at fair price. Never heard about say anything negative about guy or work.
His price are fair, he dabbles in Cue making, builds own CF shafts.
He is person who does good Tips at fair price. Never heard about say anything negative about guy or work.
SSDiver2112
Escott Cues
Thanks Joey,
The ferrule is solid. It has always looked like that. Looks like it is a glue line. It is smooth with no gap or movement. I tried to get a more zoomed and level photo.
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middleofnowhere
Registered
Have you ever tried it? I have done almost everything on my cues since I was a kid. A lot of guys get a kick out of it, it has nothing to do with cost.