I have to say, neat design JB with the butt tubes. I actually designed something similar not knowing you have done the same. Is that what you place in all your cases right now?
New Cue Case Making Questions????
- Thread starter billiardshot
- Start date
and that type of tube takes a very long time and patients to get the liner on.... i would know...
Actually I hope I don't make a lot of money selling the interiors.If I turn into a case parts store then where does that leave us as a case maker? I am still on the fence about it but I figure that it's better to get our name out there through providing the interiors than nothing at all. And frankly I am flattered that some case makers trust us enough to do the most important part of their cases.
John you have gave a lot information on cue case, but you never know, you might one day offer a complete leather cue case project kit to be assemble by the buyer, as in Tandy leather project kit.
Thank you for what you have gave to the billiard world.
Here are some mystery questions for you all that are really cleverly disguised marketing?
How do you think we do this type of butt tube? How much longer do you think it takes to do each one? And why do we do it?
If I had to guess I would say that you set your saw blade so that the cut depth is the radius of the tube (about an inch) and you are set up to make the cut at the radius length (again about an inch) from the end. That way you can make both cuts without a changing the blade setting. Doing it this way would add very little time to the process.
As for the the fabric, I don't think that it would take me too much longer to do that either. Just cut the fabric at a 45 from the corner of the cut in the tube and stretch around like you normally would.
Overall it probably would only add a few minutes per case and sets you apart. Oh, and in the 2x4 I think I can almost make out a hint of JBBJ. :grin:
Don't you know that we are just using pre-made kits right now? It's on page 103 of the Tandy catalog.LOL. Who knows? Someday that may well be the situation. Not anytime soon though as I need all the parts we make for orders. The mob is growing restless if I don't get some work done.
I didn't mean any offense to you and I apologize if you took it that way.
I use a small hand held sander that would normally be used for drywall so it comes to a point on one end. This enables me to do the insides and roll it over to the outside effectively rounding the end. It honestly took very little time to do.
Duke of Aim: The tube is cut on the circle with a hacksaw to a predetermined depth. Then a section is cut out using tin snips. Then all of the edges are sanded and the corners rounded. We found that using the electric saw tends to get away from us on the cut depths and cause indentations where we don't want them. Also surprisingly it's just as fast with the hacksaw and tin snips as it is to do all the set up with the electric tools.
EvanandPeaches and Filluptieu: The liner is cut and sewn to a pattern of my own invention so that it slips over the top like a sock.
The reason we do it is correctly identified as being to add support to the top section of the case.
I do not like top loading cases where the cue is fully enclosed by the tube. In this type of case the only way to remove the cue is to tip the case so that the cues are pointing down to get them out or if the case has some sort of springs in the bottom which take up room. I do however like the security and structure provided by tube cases where the tube extends the full length of the body.
I actually thought of this method about 12 years ago and worked on it probably 8 years ago and never got around to implementing it full time. Basically doing the tube this way allows the case to have more structure while still allowing easy access to the cues without the need to add spacers or springs. The case is set up to accommodate 29" to 32" easily without the need for any adjustment. So as you can see Phillip people a world away can think of and build similar things. As I said before I see you as someone who will push the engineering boundaries of cue cases and that's a good thing. To me that is what makes a case maker not who can do the prettiest covering.
For additional structure we add in plastic panels that are bonded to the leather above the shaft tubes. These are covered by a layer of foam rubber and liner to insure that nothing but cushy goodness can touch the cue.
To be honest though I am not happy with the way we build cases right now for this section of the case. I have made many drawings to figure out a way to make the top of a multi-tube case as secure as a single tube case without sacrificing the aesthetic. The engineering is no problem if I want to add visible supports and perhaps the resulting look would become a signature style but I am determined to figure out a way that works and is invisible to the user. Anyway I am rambling........
EvanandPeaches and Filluptieu: The liner is cut and sewn to a pattern of my own invention so that it slips over the top like a sock.
The reason we do it is correctly identified as being to add support to the top section of the case.
I do not like top loading cases where the cue is fully enclosed by the tube. In this type of case the only way to remove the cue is to tip the case so that the cues are pointing down to get them out or if the case has some sort of springs in the bottom which take up room. I do however like the security and structure provided by tube cases where the tube extends the full length of the body.
I actually thought of this method about 12 years ago and worked on it probably 8 years ago and never got around to implementing it full time. Basically doing the tube this way allows the case to have more structure while still allowing easy access to the cues without the need to add spacers or springs. The case is set up to accommodate 29" to 32" easily without the need for any adjustment. So as you can see Phillip people a world away can think of and build similar things. As I said before I see you as someone who will push the engineering boundaries of cue cases and that's a good thing. To me that is what makes a case maker not who can do the prettiest covering.
For additional structure we add in plastic panels that are bonded to the leather above the shaft tubes. These are covered by a layer of foam rubber and liner to insure that nothing but cushy goodness can touch the cue.
To be honest though I am not happy with the way we build cases right now for this section of the case. I have made many drawings to figure out a way to make the top of a multi-tube case as secure as a single tube case without sacrificing the aesthetic. The engineering is no problem if I want to add visible supports and perhaps the resulting look would become a signature style but I am determined to figure out a way that works and is invisible to the user. Anyway I am rambling........
hey JB ill post a picture of my prototype tube and you let me know what you think. i think its pretty cool. similar to yours, but im glad to have you guys point me in the right direction though. without you guys i would never dream of doing something that would contribute to a sport i love so much!