need some help

rustysregular10

rustysregular10

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
whats the easiest way to get a good sized ding out of my shaft? i was in the pool room tonight and a guy bumped into my cue and it fell and now theres a ding in my shaft. im not mad because i know accidents happen, but i was wondering if theres a quick way to fix this at home.
 
A little spit and a lighter or match will raise the grain (don't burn the wood or overheat). Sand lightly with 600grit or higher paper (just the ding area). Repeat until the ding is gone.
You may need to apply a little paste wax and burnish the shaft after you are done.
 
Use the search option. This has been covered many times.

In short put a drop of water on the spot, then cover with a small piece of folded over tissue. Let it set until the tissue dries. Unless the wood was gauged it will popped out.

Don't rub with a glass because all you will be doing is compressing the wood around it.
 
Oh....forgot to mention if the shaft is sealed somehow you may need to scratch up the ding with sand paper first (probably not needed though).
 
Band Aids for Shafts

Ever see people put a piece of tissue or toilet paper on a shaving cut? Same thing. Take a paper towel and tear off small pieces, soak the pieces in water and stick it onto the ding. Repeat this process several times for stubborn dings. Another thing I've done with great results and no damage, is to wrap the area with a wet cloth, and use a clothing iron to heat the water in the cloth.
After you bring the dig out, light sandpaper and a burnish job should be all you need.
dave
 
Put a cloth over the dent and use a steam iron on it.

Doing this will raise the grain so you will need some micromesh to smooth it back down.
 
The easiest way I've found is simply getting a small drop of water exactly on the ding - and let it sink in and dry. I take a small piece of paper towel and twist it into a point, barely dip the end in water, and squeeze a drop out of the twisted end's point.

After it soaks in and engorges the wood, feel the spot - is it still indented? If so, repeat as often as necessary. When the area feels flush, used some extremely fine grit sand paper or steel wool in the general area, being careful not to take much wood off so to avoid creating a flat spot/area. A good ding may take 3 to 4 applications like this.

There are other processes too, like steaming, but I never needed to go to that length. This is so easy IMO.
 
Why don't you simply take the shaft to your friendly neighborhood cue repair person and have it done professionally. No muss, no fuss, and the cost is far, far less than if you make a mistake and have to purchase a replacement shaft. :smile:
 
i have thought of that, but wanted to see if there were some easy do it yourself methods first. the cue repairists here are very busy and i didnt want to trouble them with this minor defect if i could go ahead and take care of it. but thank you for the input.
 
rustysregular10 said:
i have thought of that, but wanted to see if there were some easy do it yourself methods first. the cue repairists here are very busy and i didnt want to trouble them with this minor defect if i could go ahead and take care of it. but thank you for the input.
Click to expand...

Learning to "Properly" take care care of your equipment and make small repairs is a good set of skills that will save you time and money and help you enjoy another facet of the game.

I've been re-tipping my own cues for over 20 years.
 
rustysregular10 said:
i have thought of that, but wanted to see if there were some easy do it yourself methods first. the cue repairists here are very busy and i didnt want to trouble them with this minor defect if i could go ahead and take care of it. but thank you for the input.
Click to expand...


I see your point, rusty, and taking care of one's own equipment can be very rewarding, but it does have it's pitfalls.
The only real way to get a dent out of a shaft is to steam it out and sometimes it takes more than one application, depending on the size and depth of the dent, before it actually comes out.
Another consideration is sanding the area that has been raised. If the shaft is not turned on a lathe while sanding you run the very great risk of flat spotting your shaft when you do it by hand. Don't let anybody tell you different on this second point. Cues are made round on a lathe and should be kept round by using a lathe.
Good luck, my friend. :)
 
thanks to all that have responded. i usually do as much for my cues as possible. i try to take real good care of them. i see alot of people are a fan of this steaming method, so i think im going to give this a try. usually after i play i go ahead and q wiz my shafts and then apply some burnishing fluid and burnish my shafts as well. but ive never really dealt with a big ding like this one, thats why ive asked for some help. but like i said thanks to all for the advice.
 
I take a Q-tip, dip it in water. Hold it over the ding and put a soldering iron over it. Repeat until it is the same level as the rest of the cue then give the shaft a light sanding.
 
To me, taking care of your own shafts when it comes to small dings like that, and even changing or shaping your own tips is just as vital as a grown man knowing how to tie his own necktie.
dave
 
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