reasonable cue lathe?
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torment
Guest
cue smith lathes and inlay machines...starting at $750...also sold 2 hour cue repair and building video-$50...point and inlay video-$50....cue building book-$70...website:www.cuesmith.com....call (770)684-7004 and ask for Chris........................got that from an ad in Billiards Digest...you probably already saw it, but i thought id post it in case you hadnt
In addition to www.cuesmith.com, you can check out www.uniqueinc.com and www.porper.com for lathes.
You didn't say what you're looking for (portable or something larger) but some people buy small metalworking lathes from places like Harbor Freight and adapt them for cue work.
Walt in VA
You didn't say what you're looking for (portable or something larger) but some people buy small metalworking lathes from places like Harbor Freight and adapt them for cue work.
Walt in VA
Thanks every one.........but
Okay allthe info was great but I have had a change of mind, I believe nothing is right unless you do it all your self..
so ifany one has any suggestions on where to start to build your own cue lathe that would be great. 'cause how better to know how it works than to have taken part in its creation.
Okay allthe info was great but I have had a change of mind, I believe nothing is right unless you do it all your self..
so ifany one has any suggestions on where to start to build your own cue lathe that would be great. 'cause how better to know how it works than to have taken part in its creation.
... if you think that you will save money by buying a standard lathe and converting it over to a cue lathe, you've got another thing commin', let me tell you..... if you want a taper attachment that will work like the ones on a cue lathe... you will have to disengage your carriage (what your tool post is one) and after that all the lathe is good for is tapering... unless you know how to do it 
i'm almost finished with my conversion... and i can taper without doing all of that crap..... Listen with all the time and money and equipment it takes to build a cue lathe, you will be better off buying a cue lathe, i kinda wish i did now, but if you want to buy enough machinery to have a machine shop.... you go right ahead, or pay someone else to make the parts for you...
thanks
Jon
Master of the Run-on Sentence
i'm almost finished with my conversion... and i can taper without doing all of that crap..... Listen with all the time and money and equipment it takes to build a cue lathe, you will be better off buying a cue lathe, i kinda wish i did now, but if you want to buy enough machinery to have a machine shop.... you go right ahead, or pay someone else to make the parts for you...thanks
Jon
Master of the Run-on Sentence
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Todd L
Guest
BiG_JoN:
What's the big deal with disengaging the carriage ( I think you mean cross slide)? I have a 12" x 36" metal lathe set up with a tapering bar (same as Hightower's bar) , and all it takes is ONE bolt to set the cross slide free. A couple of springs to keep the roller bearing running along against the taper bar and that's all there is to it. Granted, I did drop about $500 into this lathe to set it up for cues, but I think it is better in the long run - much more stout than a cue lathe and probably more accurate.
Todd L
Scottsdale
What's the big deal with disengaging the carriage ( I think you mean cross slide)? I have a 12" x 36" metal lathe set up with a tapering bar (same as Hightower's bar) , and all it takes is ONE bolt to set the cross slide free. A couple of springs to keep the roller bearing running along against the taper bar and that's all there is to it. Granted, I did drop about $500 into this lathe to set it up for cues, but I think it is better in the long run - much more stout than a cue lathe and probably more accurate.
Todd L
Scottsdale
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John G
Guest
It's probably not a good idea to attempt building a cue lathe.
First , the tooling costs alone wiil shock you
Second, unless you're a machinest and have access to a complete shop you may never get it to do all that it has to
accuratly
Third, unless you've been working on and/or assembling cues for a time you probably are not familiar with all that you'll need or how to use it.
I've been doing for a long time and my advice to you would be to purchase a cue lathe. Chris hightower builds a pretty decent product and he even has a book that will help you get started.
Joe porper builds a very nice cue lathe but it's a little pricy
In time if you stay with it and you decide you want to be a cuemaker you will have plenty of time to and the knowledge
to buy metalworking equipment and convert it
The plus is if you do this way you will get many years of service out of the small unit and add the versatility and accuracy of the wetal working equip. If not your not stuck for a bunch of money.
Good luck, John G
First , the tooling costs alone wiil shock you
Second, unless you're a machinest and have access to a complete shop you may never get it to do all that it has to
accuratly
Third, unless you've been working on and/or assembling cues for a time you probably are not familiar with all that you'll need or how to use it.
I've been doing for a long time and my advice to you would be to purchase a cue lathe. Chris hightower builds a pretty decent product and he even has a book that will help you get started.
Joe porper builds a very nice cue lathe but it's a little pricy
In time if you stay with it and you decide you want to be a cuemaker you will have plenty of time to and the knowledge
to buy metalworking equipment and convert it
The plus is if you do this way you will get many years of service out of the small unit and add the versatility and accuracy of the wetal working equip. If not your not stuck for a bunch of money.
Good luck, John G
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Todd L
Guest
Can't argue with you there John
Todd L
Scottsdale
Todd L
Scottsdale
Watch for cue lathes on Fleabay.
A cuemaker quits every week.
There are two in my town who just did.
One has a Porper lathe .
The other one has a Jet lathe who is selling it cheap.
The Porper Model B is quite pricey. Over 3 K brand new but it can be mounted with a router to cut V points. It has the taper bar too.
The Jet lathe is much heavier. He has a 6-jaw chuck to go with it. Good enough to install UniLoc pins on. I don't know if the Porper lathe is good enough for UniLoc pin installation. I will have to check the runoff.
My local cueamaker who does a ton of repair ( that's why he's doing cuebuilding full-time) has three metal lathes plus a shaft machine.
There's probably nothing wrong with a Porper lathe. But, it just looks like it won't last as long as a metal lathe. The Porper lathe and the like make cue assembly easier though. A monkey who orders blanks from Prather can make cues and stamp his name on it. Cuemakers lathe make repairs easier. Hell, with a Porper, you can just use a die to thread tenons. Pretty cheesy way of doing it but a ton of cuemakers don't even thread their ferrule tenons or collars.
One advice though. If you want to build or repair cues. Don't even think about it if you haven't watched a GOOD cueamaker/repairman in action for a looong time. If you don't have a machining background, take a machining class or you're gonna build firewood for a long time. Worse, you might lose a finger or two or damage your lathe. I've seen a few chucks get fed with tool holders/bits etc. in my machining class.
Btw, cueamakers don't make money. Just like pool players. If you make cues, make it a hobby and do it for the love of it. Or else, you'd quit too.
A cuemaker quits every week.
There are two in my town who just did.
One has a Porper lathe .
The other one has a Jet lathe who is selling it cheap.
The Porper Model B is quite pricey. Over 3 K brand new but it can be mounted with a router to cut V points. It has the taper bar too.
The Jet lathe is much heavier. He has a 6-jaw chuck to go with it. Good enough to install UniLoc pins on. I don't know if the Porper lathe is good enough for UniLoc pin installation. I will have to check the runoff.
My local cueamaker who does a ton of repair ( that's why he's doing cuebuilding full-time) has three metal lathes plus a shaft machine.
There's probably nothing wrong with a Porper lathe. But, it just looks like it won't last as long as a metal lathe. The Porper lathe and the like make cue assembly easier though. A monkey who orders blanks from Prather can make cues and stamp his name on it. Cuemakers lathe make repairs easier. Hell, with a Porper, you can just use a die to thread tenons. Pretty cheesy way of doing it but a ton of cuemakers don't even thread their ferrule tenons or collars.
One advice though. If you want to build or repair cues. Don't even think about it if you haven't watched a GOOD cueamaker/repairman in action for a looong time. If you don't have a machining background, take a machining class or you're gonna build firewood for a long time. Worse, you might lose a finger or two or damage your lathe. I've seen a few chucks get fed with tool holders/bits etc. in my machining class.
Btw, cueamakers don't make money. Just like pool players. If you make cues, make it a hobby and do it for the love of it. Or else, you'd quit too.
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