Problems turning shafts

newo9277

newo9277

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi,
I'm new to making cues. I've made a few shafts that turned out fine, but lately my shafts have been turning out odd shaped like an egg. If you twist them in between your fingers you can feel them get thicker and thinner.
If anyone knows what i might be doing wrong, please let me know.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Owen
 
newo9277 said:
Hi,
I'm new to making cues. I've made a few shafts that turned out fine, but lately my shafts have been turning out odd shaped like an egg. If you twist them in between your fingers you can feel them get thicker and thinner.
If anyone knows what i might be doing wrong, please let me know.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Owen
Click to expand...

Sounds like they have a lot of run out and you are only taking material off of one side. How much are you taking off of them and what kind of shaft machine do you have?
 
Murray Tucker said:
Sounds like they have a lot of run out and you are only taking material off of one side. How much are you taking off of them and what kind of shaft machine do you have?
Click to expand...

I have a deluxe cuesmith lathe. it is cutting all sides of the shaft. It happens only on the middle of the shaft not on the ends. I thought it might be a dull router bit but i have change it to a new one and it still does it. I thought the bit was pushing it away instead of cutting it, causing vibration, and cutting uneven.
Owen
 
newo9277 said:
I have a deluxe cuesmith lathe. it is cutting all sides of the shaft. It happens only on the middle of the shaft not on the ends. I thought it might be a dull router bit but i have change it to a new one and it still does it. I thought the bit was pushing it away instead of cutting it, causing vibration, and cutting uneven.
Owen
Click to expand...


Make sure you're power feed is set pretty slow, maybe you're cutting too fast?

Rod
 
Might be the spur not driving the shaft all that well on higher feed rate.
If you are cutting towards the right, you need to slow it down too as oppose to climbcutting.
 
Same Problem

newo9277 said:
Hi,
I'm new to making cues. I've made a few shafts that turned out fine, but lately my shafts have been turning out odd shaped like an egg. If you twist them in between your fingers you can feel them get thicker and thinner.
If anyone knows what i might be doing wrong, please let me know.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Owen
Click to expand...

I also have a deluxe and ran into the same problem before I got my shaft machine. It mainly happened when I was trying to take too big of a cut. If the shaft had a slight wobble it would cut on the wobble side, which would then push it away from the bit on the opposite side creating an egg shaped cut. they are the worst in the middle because that is where they have the most flex (farthest from both centers) and are pushing away from your bit.

Try taking smaller passes with the lathe speed on low and the power feed on low too. You can also build a vertical mount for your router and use a 3 (or more) wing cutter. This got rid of the problem for me. If the shaft has too much of a warp just pitch it because it will give you problems all the way.

Disclaimer: I'm a rookie too and just wanted to throw in the 2 cents for what helped me, so I don't want you pros to assassinate me if you have a better way ;)
 
newo9277 said:
I have a deluxe cuesmith lathe. it is cutting all sides of the shaft. It happens only on the middle of the shaft not on the ends. I thought it might be a dull router bit but i have change it to a new one and it still does it. I thought the bit was pushing it away instead of cutting it, causing vibration, and cutting uneven.
Owen
Click to expand...

Don't run the lathe at too high an rpm maybe 300 at most and a slow feed. also don't have too much tension on the shaft. I don't know what your lathe weighs but you don't want any vibration. If it is a light weight set up you may want to beef it up a little, a heavier bench what ever. The thing is, it can be more then one thing and it can all add up to producing bad work.
 
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I use the same equipment, but have not experienced that problem Yet, although I have seen pictures of egg shaped before. Usually in dowel form though, due to a doweling machine more then likely.
I think this was mentioned, but Might also want to watch the tension, on your tailstock. If too tight It can cause a wobble, just as if it were too loose.
Also If that's not the case, check the shaft for movement. I just had a laminated shaft move before installing ring work & hardware that had a simular wobble to the one you mention. I knew It was out when I put It together, but the wobble was in the middle, so I just used it on a personal cue anyway. It was straight about 8-10 inches from the pin, and at the tip, but the middle of the taper had a wobble. One out of 5 had movement when I checked. The shafts had been kept in a rack. From now on I am hanging all of them. These were finished shafts, and were seasoned properly. It's weird that the laminated moved before the straight grains. I know they will warp also, but seems they would hold up better then a standard shaft would.
 
pressure

newo9277 said:
Hi,
I'm new to making cues. I've made a few shafts that turned out fine, but lately my shafts have been turning out odd shaped like an egg. If you twist them in between your fingers you can feel them get thicker and thinner.
If anyone knows what i might be doing wrong, please let me know.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Owen
Click to expand...
Owen,
Sounds like you are applying to much tail stock pressure, making the shaft bow while being turn cut. It only requires about 6-lbs or so.Try backing off with the tail stock pressure. You might need to have make a positive drive if you have slipage with little pressure
call me if need be, I'll help you out.
blud
 
newo9277 said:
Hi,
I'm new to making cues. I've made a few shafts that turned out fine, but lately my shafts have been turning out odd shaped like an egg. If you twist them in between your fingers you can feel them get thicker and thinner.
If anyone knows what i might be doing wrong, please let me know.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Owen
Click to expand...

Make sure you are using the slowest speed your headstock will run at. And run your powerfeed unit at 4.5 voltage. The Deluxe is barely slow enough to cut smooth shafts with a sharp bit. Some have added a second motor mounted behind the large motor and use a stretch belt up to the main motor just like the wrap motor hooks up to slow the lathe down more. Their reports is that they can cut shafts that barely need sanded after that with the router mounted vertical with the multi-position router bracked and 3/4" bit.
Chris
www.cuesmith.com
www.internationalcuemakers.com
 
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