Problem Installing Triangle Tips~!

jlrowe

jlrowe

Billiards,Boxing & Babes
Silver Member
I love Triangle tips and have used them almost exclusively for years. Like the feel of hit and they hold chalk really well, no scuffing and no miscues. But for the past couple years i have installed my own tips. And i have reduced my shaft size i use from 13 mm to 12 and 12.25 mm. so what im saying is when i used 13mm shaft i didnt have to cut the tip down from the factory they remained consistent. But now almost every time i install one and turn it down it is spongey. You can lift up on it with your thumb. I have tried burnishing the crap out of them and even applied thin layer of super glue to sides. but doesnt help much.
So any ideas from cuemakers how to eliminate this spongey effect???
 
jlrowe said:
I love Triangle tips and have used them almost exclusively for years. Like the feel of hit and they hold chalk really well, no scuffing and no miscues. But for the past couple years i have installed my own tips. And i have reduced my shaft size i use from 13 mm to 12 and 12.25 mm. so what im saying is when i used 13mm shaft i didnt have to cut the tip down from the factory they remained consistent. But now almost every time i install one and turn it down it is spongey. You can lift up on it with your thumb. I have tried burnishing the crap out of them and even applied thin layer of super glue to sides. but doesnt help much.
So any ideas from cuemakers how to eliminate this spongey effect???
Click to expand...

I do not know what you are using to cut these tips down with, but if it is not very very sharp it will it will shread the tip from the inside out.
 
give them a whack with a small sledge hammer, if they split, toss them. One thump, medium speed Please.
 
Are They From The Same Box. Sounds Like Dry Rot To Me. If You Dont Store Them Properly They Will Take On Moisture And Go Bad
 
Sounds like that could be my problem!

The other day i was installing a melamine ferrule and i thought the bit was pretty dull. So it makes sense this is probably been my problem. after i installed the triangle tip and took the final pass the tip didnt look even with the ferrule so i had to cut little deeper into the tip then hit it with sandpaper and burnish. What brand or type of 1\4" tool bit would you all suggest. I have a Hightower deluxe i use. Well I'm trying to learn to use.

manwon said:
I do not know what you are using to cut these tips down with, but if it is not very very sharp it will it will shread the tip from the inside out.
Click to expand...
 
jlrowe said:
The other day i was installing a melamine ferrule and i thought the bit was pretty dull. So it makes sense this is probably been my problem. after i installed the triangle tip and took the final pass the tip didnt look even with the ferrule so i had to cut little deeper into the tip then hit it with sandpaper and burnish. What brand or type of 1\4" tool bit would you all suggest. I have a Hightower deluxe i use. Well I'm trying to learn to use.
Click to expand...

I am not familiar with High Tower lathes, but I suspect Chris can help you out with what you need.

Take Care
 
JMHO but,Triangles are like LePros--buy a box of 50 and count on 20-25 being good(hope for the best expect the worse)same with Elks,triumphs!!
 
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HDR10 said:
JMHO but,Triangles are like LePros--buy a box of 50 and count on 20-25 being good(hope for the best expect the worse)same with Elks,triumphs!!
Click to expand...

I actually find more like between 30 and 40 that are good out of box. But I use a Durometer to test all tips before installing them, while nothing is perfect I would say that it is about 90% effective. I find that tips in any give box of Le pro's or Triangles will test out between 75 and 100 on the scale of hardness used. This way if some one wants a soft tip, I will use a tip between 75 and 80. If they want a medium I will use a tip between 80 and 88, and if they want a hard I will use a tip between 88 and 100. This way you dont have to throw so many away, and you can give certain customers the same hardness ever time.

I no this sounds like a great deal of extra work, but in my opinion my customers should get no less.

Take Care
 
manwon said:
I actually find more like between 30 and 40 that are good out of box. But I use a Durometer to test all tips before installing them, while nothing is perfect I would say that it is about 90% effective. I find that tips in any give box of Le pro's or Triangles will test out between 75 and 100 on the scale of hardness used. This way if some one wants a soft tip, I will use a tip between 75 and 80. If they want a medium I will use a tip between 80 and 88, and if they want a hard I will use a tip between 88 and 100. This way you dont have to throw so many away, and you can give certain customers the same hardness ever time.

I no this sounds like a great deal of extra work, but in my opinion my customers should get no less.

Take Care
Click to expand...
I agree!!not even looking at the hardness.I dont have the tester!but,''IF'' I scuff the back of a tip and it fuzz's up I save them for house cues(or broke kids) and scuff tips till I find one that doesnt!plus I have learned to 'press' all single layer tips and some of the multi layered!I even use a little water on all tips when cutting them(several times on some)
 
i find a higher number of good tips in triangle but i dont even waste my time with them anymore. i try to just do layered. only if triangles are requested will i do it but i push layered as much as possible. i even offer them at cost for new customers. if they dont like them i change them out. havent had one return yet. much more consistant. a good number of players dont understand the difference between layered and non layered but when they play with that new moori or everest for the first time more are speechless
 
jlrowe said:
The other day i was installing a melamine ferrule and i thought the bit was pretty dull. So it makes sense this is probably been my problem. after i installed the triangle tip and took the final pass the tip didnt look even with the ferrule so i had to cut little deeper into the tip then hit it with sandpaper and burnish. What brand or type of 1\4" tool bit would you all suggest. I have a Hightower deluxe i use. Well I'm trying to learn to use.
Click to expand...
It is not the brand of bit. You just have to sharpen it. Do you have a grinder? I like hss bits and I sharpen my bits often to keep them like a razor. Just takes a few seconds.
 
Press the Triangle in a vise before installing. If a crack line appears on the back toss it out. Trim half way to the ferrule with a like new sharp tool bit. I like the angle my Right Hand HSS bits are ground at for this job. Then come in from the back and trim it flush with the ferrule using a like new sharp utility blade. Triangle tips are hard to beat when installed properly. Also never cut a Triangle at low speeds. You need to be running between 1300 and 2000 rpms for them to cut clean.
 
If you cut a 13 mm tip to 12 mm and not use a concave live center and a snap-off blade you are asking for trouble. You can only cut a very limited amount of leather off of the outside of the tip with a tool and it not go wonky. Especially Triangles. Keep the tip compressed as you cut it. then burnish. This should fix your problem.
Edit: Chris is right spin that thing up fast.
 
RocketQ said:
If you cut a 13 mm tip to 12 mm and not use a concave live center and a snap-off blade you are asking for trouble. You can only cut a very limited amount of leather off of the outside of the tip with a tool and it not go wonky. Especially Triangles. Keep the tip compressed as you cut it. then burnish. This should fix your problem.
Edit: Chris is right spin that thing up fast.
Click to expand...

it should still play decent when it gets broken in right?
 
cueman said:
Press the Triangle in a vise before installing. If a crack line appears on the back toss it out. Trim half way to the ferrule with a like new sharp tool bit. I like the angle my Right Hand HSS bits are ground at for this job. Then come in from the back and trim it flush with the ferrule using a like new sharp utility blade. Triangle tips are hard to beat when installed properly. Also never cut a Triangle at low speeds. You need to be running between 1300 and 2000 rpms for them to cut clean.
Click to expand...

Also never cut a Triangle at low speeds. You need to be running between 1300 and 2000 rpms for them to cut clean.


Tap Tap tap, I forgott to say that in my post!!
 
I have been wetting the tip with my spit and finger...gals love it too! Triangles seem to have long fibers and even at high speed with a sharp blade you can still pull on the leather. Ever since I have been using this technique they cut down much easier and more consistently. I do this with each pass of my blade. In fact I do this on alot of tips.
 
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