Need your help on my first lathe!!!

Johnfan

Johnfan

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi guys. I am buying my first lathe to do general repairs. I just want the best quality lathe that you think is out there for general repairs. I will not make a cue. Just did not want to get stuck with a piece of crap thats underpowerd so I am here asking all of you for some help.

I saw that another guy ask for all your opinion on a "general repair" lathe but no one reply.

I saw a site call cuesmith.com but don't know if you guys have ever used their lathe.

Your help is greatly appreciated,

John
 
For general repair...a Unique Products Cue Companion will serve you well. Send a pm to Billiardbum for more info.
The Cuesmith/Hightower lathe you mentioned is a fine product and used by many also.
 
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Cuesmith

I have no experience with the Cue Companion, but I'll cast my vote for the Cuesmith lathes. I purchased Hightower's Mid-Size Cuesmith and have been very pleased. As delivered, it is an excellent lathe for general repairs. I've made my own modifications to add taper bars and am now making cues with this machine.

My only regret is not spending the extra money for the larger spindle bore option.
 
I purchased the deluxe cuesmith lathe with all the bells and whistles. Its a fantastic machine and for the extra money (verses just buying a repair type lathe) It allows you to expand and full out build cues instaed of just repairs. The cuesmith is less money than the unique for similar machines and every bit as good.
 
My vote would be for the cuesmith. I've had one for 8 years, drug it around to many tournaments in the back of the car and it's still going strong. Besides, Chris Hightower is super for after the sell service and help.

Barry c.
 
If you want some serious machines with very high precision and power for production cue making, then a few thousand dollars is not really going to cut it.

If you just want to do some basic cue repair, I think the Deluxe Cue Smith is good enough. I have one myself. I use it mostly for ferrule, tip and things like that.

This lathe is not easy for you to carry from places to places if that is what you want, because it is about six feet long. However, it is not a bad machine.

For about $3000, it is a great lathe, most likely the best in this price range. If you can afford it, I would not recommend going for the lower end model, because later on you may end up spending more money to upgrade, and still not have a set up as nice as if you had gone for the whole thing in the first place.

I do not know how to build a billiard wood thread pin with the Hightower. The Unique can do this.

The Unique is a great machine, it is a bit more money but is also very well designed. I cannot think of anything wrong with that, but it is a bit more money.

Some of the ferrule materials these days are not easy to cut, make sure you get yourself a set of carbide tools.

Richard
 
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