Probably a dumb post about sanding mandrels

cuejo

cuejo

Cue Repair tech
Silver Member
Ok
Getting more into building, I know...
Probably a waste of money :)

I'm thinking that there may be a need for two sets of sanding mandrels....
One for finished size, and one larger size for finishing size?

Am I totally out to lunch?
I just want all my cues to be interchangeable right from the start, and don't want to make any really dumb moves.
Thanks for any input :D
 
One is pre-finish, the other set is post-finish.

The pre-finish set is used for final sanding of the joints prior to apppling your finish.

The post-finish set is used for final sanding of the joints after the finish is applied to the cue.

So, the difference between the two is basically the thickness of your finish.

The post-finish set is the most critical one.

Kelly
 
Hi,

I got one set of mandrels last year and to be honest with you have had a hard time making it work in my shop.

I am now getting good results by taking my butt and shaft down to .844 micked. Then put .012 of epoxy coats on and then use the mandrells to sand both to .850. I then spray my finish on evenly and wet sand and buff all units.

Because now I don't overload the clear coat they match up very well. My problem was that I tended to put too much clear on and the edge got rounded slightly due to the surface tension factor and it was hard to sand the clear even.

Jmo,

Rick
 
I've been finishing my jump cues together, final sanding and applying finish and buffing.
This has worked really well, I like a nice sharp shoulder in my joints.

I really want to have universality so I am thinking Mandrels are the way to go.
I thought 2 sizes are probably required......
 
Two sizes are not really needed. The final size set is good enough.
You may or may not be happy using mandrels if you are after a super sharp corner. I have always rounded mine slightly and the mandrels have worked out really well.
 
cuejo said:
I've been finishing my jump cues together, final sanding and applying finish and buffing.
This has worked really well, I like a nice sharp shoulder in my joints.

I really want to have universality so I am thinking Mandrels are the way to go.
I thought 2 sizes are probably required......
Click to expand...

I don't think you need one.
Just make sure the handle joint size is all the same.
Make the shafts .002 oversized .
Use that handle as arbor ( indicate it dead nuts ) , use a ground toolbit with an angle towards the shaft. Take a little pass and little sanding without touching the handle joint collar. You's done.
 
Mandrels

cuejo said:
Ok
Getting more into building, I know...
Probably a waste of money :)

I'm thinking that there may be a need for two sets of sanding mandrels....
One for finished size, and one larger size for finishing size?

Am I totally out to lunch?
I just want all my cues to be interchangeable right from the start, and don't want to make any really dumb moves.
Thanks for any input :D
Click to expand...

If you are going to sink some money in madrels I would recommend John Rocker. I just received mine and I couldn't be more pleased. I tried some from another person on here and it was a disaster. You will receive a quality product dealing with John.
Marc
 
If I had to go back to using no arbors, i'd feel like I was stepping back to stone age.
 
For the best results,sanding mandrels are the only way to go.I use a sanding set and finish set,this way I know I have the same thickness of finish all the way around the butt and shafts.

Best Wishes,

Steve
 
When I was starting to make cues and making them for my brother to his specs he was not into standardizing. His idea was "custom" meant custom and no two cues the same including taper and diameter. This drove me crazy coming from a background in manufacturing from Toyota where everything is all about standards and doing everything the same way until proven different with data. When I got my own lathe I vowed that all my cues would be a standard joint size. Not only for ease to supply my customers with new shafts but also because it's just a better way of making cues.
 
Not having to sand/polish the butt & shaft(s) together and still have a perfect fit makes it all worth it for me. Doing two shafts with every cue makes it difficult to do the matching when finishing. Now I can build a butt, finish it, put it away, then build shafts & finish them and know they're perfect fit without ever testing. It's a level of comfort & confidence that you can never have otherwise.
 
qbilder said:
Not having to sand/polish the butt & shaft(s) together and still have a perfect fit makes it all worth it for me. Doing two shafts with every cue makes it difficult to do the matching when finishing. Now I can build a butt, finish it, put it away, then build shafts & finish them and know they're perfect fit without ever testing. It's a level of comfort & confidence that you can never have otherwise.
Click to expand...

I agree.
Now I just have to decide what sizes to go with.
I think I will have to make. Clear decision on the finish first as I'm sure auto clear will be a different thickness than the water based I'm using now

Thanks to everyone for the responses!
 
Don't use sanding mandrels. Different woods require different size joint for the cue to give the best hit. DPK has been doing this for years.
 
Last edited:
cuejo said:
Thanks guys
I like joeys idea best. It's the cheapest :)
Click to expand...

That will work until? You will sand through the clear on one side. Steve Lomax is correct. You should take his advice. I know cause I did. If Steve has something to say, it would be wise to listen.

JIm.
 
JoeyInCali said:
Not really.
Ebony at .855" joint ?
I don't think so.
Zircote, blackwood or cocobolo ?
Click to expand...

So then would you buy several sets of mandrels at different sizes for different woods so you can service them? Then keep a standard that all of your cues of that wood use that specific joint size?
 
If you are totally confident that you can keep the shaft hole & the pin centered and you know
how to use calipers, mandrels aren't really necessary.
Sharp corners at the joint are an invitation to chips in your finish. The joint is a flex-point.

KJ
 
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