opinionated options please

N

NJ_Qball

AzB Silver Member
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OK, I am about to have a cue made, and am having some problems. I have a very limited knowledge on woods, and I keep coming to the same color scheme every time. I have tried taking aspects of each cue posted here, veneers from one cue put on a forearm of another cue, etc...I have used Jacoby's site for veneer options, searched for woods in the gallery, for sale and cuemaker forums, but need help!

So, I am asking for opinions on a design. Simple direction: A dark colored forearm with a light/lighter colored point.

Stipulations
1. Please think of wood combinations that are unique, if even possible at this point.

2. Please include veneer colors from outside in

The cue will have 4 points (possibly boxed), 4 veneers - as of today. Ivory Hoppe ring, leather wrap, 5/16-14 piloted ivory sleeved over stainless steel half joint. This is all that I have decided on up to now.

I appreciate any inputs from this great forum. I have been spending quite some time thinking about this, but there are advantages to asking for help from more knowledgeable people.

Thank you
 
Have you considered something like an ebony forearm with something like tulipwood points? Birdseye maple is another option for the points, but in my opinion, maple is not an attractive point wood.

Sounds like you know almost exactly what you want. Have you considered just calling a cuemaker to get some brainstorms going?
 
Have the shafts made of virgin peanutwood and have the bottom half of the shaft hard chromed to match the joint. I've always wanted something like that.

The joint should be unique. How about a bolt action release? You place the shaft on the butt and lock the bolt down. To break down the cue, release the bolt. Now that would be cool.
 
You might wish to consider a cocobolo or even a dark East Indian rosewood (or Brazilian, if you can find it) forearm. There are a lot of lighter colored woods that work quite well with these woods...tulipwood, olivewood, osage orange, amboyna...maple will actually work quite well, but will need some really great figuring, a nice tiger maple, a quilted maple, or a super tight birdseye maple would do the trick. Holly will make the points appear like ivory. Satinwood is another choice.

I have a friend who recently had a purpleheart nosed cue with osage orange points completed, and it is simply a stunning combination. Osage orane isn't really all that orange...looks more like a golden yellow, especially against the purpleheart.

Lisa
 
In all seriousness, I am really liking these type of points like the attached pic:
 

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NJ_Qball said:
OK, I am about to have a cue made, and am having some problems. I have a very limited knowledge on woods, and I keep coming to the same color scheme every time. I have tried taking aspects of each cue posted here, veneers from one cue put on a forearm of another cue, etc...I have used Jacoby's site for veneer options, searched for woods in the gallery, for sale and cuemaker forums, but need help!

So, I am asking for opinions on a design. Simple direction: A dark colored forearm with a light/lighter colored point.

Stipulations
1. Please think of wood combinations that are unique, if even possible at this point.

2. Please include veneer colors from outside in

The cue will have 4 points (possibly boxed), 4 veneers - as of today. Ivory Hoppe ring, leather wrap, 5/16-14 piloted ivory sleeved over stainless steel half joint. This is all that I have decided on up to now.

I appreciate any inputs from this great forum. I have been spending quite some time thinking about this, but there are advantages to asking for help from more knowledgeable people.

Thank you
Click to expand...

Gabon ebony on the forearm shows off the points the best if the wood is lighter color.

I have always like stabilized burls. What I would do is make the forearm ebony, the points a stabilized burl like elm, maple, or redwood (see below). For veneers I would just use holly and black (2 veneers). For the butt I would just have butt of ebony and with holly bordered burl windows or a maple burl 2" ring centered on the butt with holly rings, and a short (3/4" ivory buttcap matching the short joint.

Burl is interesting to use instead of inlays. the figure pops against the ebony. You want really tight figure in these smaller pieces of wood.

The upper picture is stabilized redwood burl, the lower picture is my all-time favorite, maple burl.



Chris
 

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NewStroke said:
Have the shafts made of virgin peanutwood and have the bottom half of the shaft hard chromed to match the joint. I've always wanted something like that.

The joint should be unique. How about a bolt action release? You place the shaft on the butt and lock the bolt down. To break down the cue, release the bolt. Now that would be cool.
Click to expand...

Sick sick sick. You are a very sick man...but it does sound cool. Johnnyt
 
I like simple subtle looking cues like the Schon r-9 but I'm curious whether you have thought about the things that affect playability. Things like what type of tip, ferrule, shaft taper, joint, weight & balance point.
 
thanks

I am liking the rosewood forearm and the burl point idea so far. Never would have thought of that.


As for the business end.

Ivory ferrule, Kamuii Black SS, 1/2". 12.75mm.

I also have a OB Classic and Z shaft that will be used.
 
NJ_Qball said:
I am liking the rosewood forearm and the burl point idea so far. Never would have thought of that.


As for the business end.

Ivory ferrule, Kamuii Black SS, 1/2". 12.75mm.

I also have a OB Classic and Z shaft that will be used.
Click to expand...

Here's a cue that has burl on ebony. If you use rosewood, you'll want it to be a darker piece to contrast. Too much grain or too light and there won't be enough contrast.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=174268

Notice how the good the lighter veneers look on these points going into ebony? It's a shame more burl isn't used - it's a very distictive wood. Burl in itself is porous and weak. The stablized woods are fused with acrylic - so they are durable enough for points and rings. I don't think I would use them for a forearm or structure, however, unless I was sure it was very strong and cored.

This thread here shows quite a bit of what can be done using burl - it's very imaginative stuff if someone wants an exotic look. Check out the Mottey with the burl butt and boxed windows - that's cool!

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=178985


Chris
 
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Copy the wood combination of any Southwest cue. They are very tasteful and beautifully combined.
 
Great stuff

Thank you for supporting this thread. It is great to get such good ideas, especially since it would have taken me years to get half there.
 
Here's an example of cocobolo w/8 holly points (recut w/ambonya burl):

Good luck, Dave
 

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If you go with burl, make sure it's really stabilized, and keep it in stable humidity conditions!

A friend has had to send their cue (amboyna burl points) back for repairs twice because the wood moved.

-s
 
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