Well, I just posted a lengthy reply and it did not post right. So, get out the reading glasses and get comfortable. First, I modified a taig. Taigs are one of the most heavily modified mini lathes on the market. I have never encountered a group that was so negative about this. I do not see the metal workers complaining about ripping off eachothers decisions to add a lead screm to the thing. A longer bed is a very commonly sought after part. It may surprise people, but I have had just as many non pool people wanting this item as I have pool people. There are metal workers, hobbiest, fly fishing rod builders, etc... who would like one. At one time, I wanted a lathe to do simple work. I was not willing to spend thousands of dollars on a taig with a longer bed. Since it seemed like a simple construction, I decided to just build it. That is when I found out how hard it can be to make that bed. I spent a few years (slowly of course) jumping around from shop to shop. Now I have a friend who has finally gotten it right for a good price. It is still NOT the quality of Chris's bed. That bed is made by taig for Chris. That means that he is selling a bed made by taig for a taig product. It just so happens that taig has a few years of experience with taig products. I can't beat that. If anyone can talk taig or Chris into selling that bed for a reasonable cost, say $200, then I will gladly stop bothering my buddy at the shop to produce tighter and tighter tolerances. I am a genetics major in college right now and really do not need the extra workload anyways. For the ones who think that I have the ill intentions of getting rich off of someone else work, get real. As Homer said, anyone can buy a taig for $189 plus tax and shipping. So take that $200 and add in a tailstock, jacobs chuck, 3 jaw chuck, motor mount, mounting plate, pulley set, belt, dayton motor, tool posts, tool bits, radius turner, foot speed controller, steady rests, large and small bearings for the two steady rests, rack, gear, shaft, and screws. Then buy your high qualty steel, steel square, flat stock for feet, paint, bits, taps, and more screws. Next have a metals shop cut and grind on the bed. Finally, do some fabrication, paint, and assemble and tahdah all done. Of course you will have just spent nearly $700 wholesale. Since I sold this for $750, and only planned to sell it for $775-$800, I am hardly ripping anyone off even if it is not as good as a cuesmith. Again, as for the idea, it was there before the cuesmith and will be there after the cuesmith. When a new kid builds cues out of commonly used blanks, do those of you who also use that blank jump on him for stealing YOUR design? Did the auto industry jump on Suzuki for making cars since it has already been done? How about this, as Chris said, maybe he will have to make his lathes even better. Competition drives improvements in the market. We may now see an evolution in Hightower's products to an even higher level. Maybe he will decide (I hope Chris is reading) to market the mid-sized, with some down-grades of course, for say $850. I think this reduction may show him an increase in future revenue. Like most people who started playing with their camel joe cue, if the bug bites hard enough, they will want to upgrade very soon (and then again, and again, and again....). I have no ill intent towards Chris or his business. I usually always recommend him as one of the top three places to get lathe supplies, upgrades for the taig lathe, cue supplies, and informative materials. As for all of you who are ranting on and on about customer service, your right about Chris. He is very helpful and will work with you. This does not mean that I am the local con. I work very hard to help out anyone whom I work with. Chris will ultimately be around longer than me though (like I said, genetics major). As for parts, most of the cuesmith parts and taig parts can be purchased at any hobby lobby. As for the rest, I highly doubt that Chris will be turning people down for parts because they did not buy their original taig from him. He is not only nice, but also surely able to realize that a customer is a customer. So, if everyone could stop being so negative about everything all of the time, maybe you could finish this thread by talking about some of the positives surrounding all of the attempts to widen the cue machinery market. Even if they are not up to the high standards that many people have, many of these machines are just fine for the ones of us who want to do cue work with no desires of grandure. In my room, I put tips on for $1 plus the tips wholesale cost just to promote the game (maybe that is why I couldn't afford an expensive lathe). Any one else have a story about why they have or had a lathe without the intentions of making a boat load of money. Maybe you just liked the hobby. I'm done now, my fingers are bleeding a bit. Lets try to hear a little less negative outlashing and at the very least, a little mature (possibly positive) debate. Again, I mean no disrespect towards you, Chris, and I wish you a very prosperous business.
