Purchased cue blank, how do I store it?

[JoeyInCali]

Dead horse

 

[Slim Limpy]

............

 

[Type79]

This thread illustrates a problem with internet forums.

Two experienced and respected cuemakers gave definitive answers (#8/#9) but the thread continues. At that point and for all intents and purposes, the thread was basically over.

Hanging is fine, as is standing it perfectly upright. Regardless of previous advice, and assuming it is sufficiently oversize, do NOT seal it. You want it to do as much moving around ("warping") as it can while it's still big enough to re-center and re-cut. If you seal it up tight it's more likely to move AFTER the next cut or two - which may mean it's now too skinny to correct the centering properly.

Keeping a cue straight - butt OR shaft - is all about running a race between the wood wanting to move and the cuemaker cutting it down to size. The wood's goal is to contort into the shape it where it's most comfortable, and the cuemaker's goal is to engineer a "tie" right at the finish line of this race. In other words, the cuemaker wants to be taking his final light passes on the butt / shaft just at the same time that the wood has found it's most comfortable, relaxed state.

If you seal it up in its oversized condition you will inhibit the natural aging process, and during the next cut-down it will experience a greater shock at suddenly being exposed to ambient humidity. With butts this is less dramatic, of course, due to the shorter sections and the splicing techniques, but it still can be a factor.

If this advice runs counter to what other cuemakers have told you, consider this: top makers of fine furniture - I'm talking about the Tage Frids and Sam Maloofs of the world - would NEVER seal up various components during the build process. Wood is going to move, and it's impossible to prevent that natural occurrence. By allowing it to do all it's moving DURING the build process (instead of sealing it up tight until the very last cut) you can manipulate the process such that the wood is pretty much done moving right about the time you're done taking the last few finish cuts.

You're safe giving it a light coat of shellac or solvent-based sanding sealer to keep dust and crud out of the pores - both allow a fairly free flow of humidity into and out of wood, But applying Anchorseal, which is meant primarily for freshly cut wet or 'green' wood would be a mistake - as would wax, IMO.

TW

 

[louieatienza]

This thread illustrates a problem with internet forums.

Two experienced and respected cuemakers gave definitive answers (#8/#9) but the thread continues. At that point and for all intents and purposes, the thread was basically over.

If we're going to stifle heated discussion, there might as well be no forum. I actually find dissenting opinions interesting and more informative than a collectionof "yes men" marching in lock step...

 

[Type79]

If we're going to stifle heated discussion, there might as well be no forum. I actually find dissenting opinions interesting and more informative than a collectionof "yes men" marching in lock step...

Discussion, heated or otherwise, among informed and experienced parties is always useful.

 

[Thomas Wayne]

I rest my case.

You have no "case". Anyone with a grasp of 8th-grade English would realize my use of the word "assuming" was a qualifying condition for the statement that contained it.

But feel free to nit-pick; you do it so well.

TW

 

[Thomas Wayne]

I'd say figure out where the blank will end up being used (cuemaker, location) and just get it there in time to let it normalize to that atmosphere. As long as it's stored stress free I wouldn't think hanging would make much difference.

I'm surprised you didn't realize "hanging" IS a stress-free storage technique.


TW

 

[Thomas Wayne]

This thread illustrates a problem with internet forums.

Two experienced and respected cuemakers gave definitive answers (#8/#9) but the thread continues. At that point and for all intents and purposes, the thread was basically over.

Yup. With this thread I think I am finished ever offering advise to neophyte cuemakers. Having watched some DVD's and YouTube videos, they already know everything anyway.

TW

 

[BarenbruggeCues]

Yup. With this thread I think I am finished ever offering advise to neophyte cuemakers. Having watched some DVD's and YouTube videos, they already know everything anyway.

TW

I know it may be frustrating at times but I appreciate your insight given.
Not many 30 plus yr vets on this forum around to draw from.

 

[BarenbruggeCues]

They're anywhere from one to seven years old. All are near perfectly straight when rolled.

Why are you concerned about changing if the end result has been what you seek?

 

[louieatienza]

Yup. With this thread I think I am finished ever offering advise to neophyte cuemakers. Having watched some DVD's and YouTube videos, they already know everything anyway.

TW

Well it's the reason guys like you are needed here! It would be a disservice to the rest of the community if one remark stops you from contributing here.

 

[Slim Limpy]

...............

 

[Type79]

Oh, and remember, Type79, if forums were to be limited to being "among informed and experienced parties" only, this thread wouldn't exist. The OP, by asking a question, implicitly acknowledges his own lack of knowledge and insight regarding the subject matter, as do I. Nothing wrong with that.

That is neither what I said nor what I implied.

I said the question had been answered by two knowledgeable and experienced cuemakers. Had the subsequent posts that questioned their statements been detailed, they would have had some value, but they were not.

 

[BarenbruggeCues]

Well, kinda keep in mind why this thread is interesting to me.

I do know how to refinish vintage furniture and I am familiar with creating and finishing simple basic household wood projects with hand tools--trim, simple display racks, shelving, etc. but certainly no pool cue assembly experience. However, I'll put my handmade acrylic and wood chalker's against anybody's.

So the need to prep my blanks in case I ever want to have one or two made into cues for myself or someone else never crossed my mind before. The treatment I give them is strictly to make them attractive for display purposes.

And if there is a better treatment I can give them to properly preserve them, then reading a thread like this is well worth my time and consideration.

For example: I live in southern Wisconsin, so if I want them to be as dry as possible for the cuemaker (if that is what is preferable), then maybe I might strip the one I am going to send off in spring and let it dry out through the dry cold winter months without any finish at all.

Without this thread, I would never have even given an idea like that a second thought.

So, anyway, I now will spend some time Googling and hitting the lumber and wood
craft sites to investigate the questions this thread has raised for me concerning the need to store blanks properly and prep them for future cue builds when I decide to do that.

So I will proceed by investigating the relationship of humidity to wood storage and read up on that since my woodworking doesn't normally require any aging or drying of raw wood.

I'll pass on the bickering. All I care about is that this thread has motivated me to learn more about storing and displaying my blanks, which if anyone hasn't figured out yet, is very important to me. So, in my opinion, overthinking the subject matter is better for me than underthinking it.

Oh, and remember, Type79, if forums were to be limited to being "among informed and experienced parties" only, this thread wouldn't exist. The OP, by asking a question, implicitly acknowledges his own lack of knowledge and insight regarding the subject matter, as do I. Nothing wrong with that.

I probably under explained myself by asking a simple one line question.

You said the blanks were 1-7 yrs old and still straight? Correct?
Sounds to me like your doing "something" right if that's the case.
Or maybe just lucky? But I don't think so based what you said you were doing with the blanks.
Don't over think it.

 

[Renegade_56]

I'm surprised you didn't realize "hanging" IS a stress-free storage technique.


TW

Who said I didn't realize that, I merely implied hanging isn't "the only" way to store it stress free.

Do you really need to be right so badly?

 

[Ģüśţāṿ]

I greatly appreciate off of the responses but I certainly did not intend on any of "heated" discussions. To answer a few of the questions:

This is a full-splice (4 veneer) "blank", as some would call it, of nicely figured Bacote into a straight grain maple forearm.

The "blank" was built by Prather and I purchased it at SBE, as I mentioned. I am not sure how old it is, but I assume it's a fairly recent build. I do not know how long they store their wood for. I probably should inquire about this.

I am located just outside of Albany, NY and the cue is in a reasonably low humidity environment in my home.

I completely agree with the fact that the wood wants to settle in whichever way is most comfortable for it, but I do not know the best way to allow that to the happen - hence the thread....and yes I did a search for this topic prior to my post.

I currently have it stored upright with close to nil side-loading on it and I am rotating it's position every few days by a very small amount.

The butt is oversized for sure, but by how much??? I'm not sure, nor can I measure it until next week (currently away on business).

The cue maker I would have preferred to have build my "blank" into a beautiful cue is Jerry -R-. I love the solid feel of his cues and his taper is to my liking. Sadly I hear he is no longer taking orders, so I will have to look else where. I would like to have this built sometime before the end of the year, but I am in no rush.

I'm happy that I got this kind of response because I like to hear all different perspectives on the subject. Any more input is always appreciated.

Lastly - and I know this is all personal preference and feel - but which cue makers in your opinion build cues most similar to Jerry Rauenzahn?

Thanks all! :thumbup:

 

[KJ Cues]

You've made a fine choice.
Prather does excellent work and they have been for many years.
They were one of the first suppliers to me, almost 30 yrs ago.
They have built a reputation on doing quality work. Their wood is stable.
Their name, cues and cue-parts are well known throughout the industry.

I hang everything that I've cut, even from boards to insure that the wood sees uniform gravity.
Select your builder and send the blank to him when you're ready.
Have you considered allowing Prather to complete the blank for you ?
They can accommodate most any specifics you may have about the build.
Again, you've made a fine choice. Good Luck with your endeavor.

PS. Sorry that your thread got a bit heated.
Sometimes with CMs, it can be the nature of the beast.

 

[qbilder]

IMO, there's nothing you can do to prevent movement, nor induce it. The blank can lie flat in the back of your closet or it can hang. Neither way will help or hurt. I'm also in the don't seal camp. Leave it be.