Shaping a tip...help

jed1894

jed1894

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think I've bought every tip shaper there is out there and I still cannot get my tip perfectly shaped. I may be asking too much out of the products, or maybe a lathe is the only way to get it perfect, but I thought I would ask for advice. I'm beginning to think (someone said it here some time ago) that a 9" sandpaper shaper is the way to go and manually work the tip until it's right.

The products I have tried are UTT (you have to hold the shaft perfectly upright for it work), Cutrite (scratches ferrule), Trutip (won't do a dime and still not perfectly round), Willard shaper, numerous cubes, etc.

I know I can send the cue out to a professional, but that means mailing it off to someone. I live in a very rural area. I want to learn myself.

Anyone have any suggestions? I'm particularly interested in learning how to shape with just a sandpaper scuffer.

thanks, JED
 
I few years ago several of us here and on CCB made an apparatus that would spin the shaft and thereby allow better cleaning and tip shaping.

You get a rubber crutch tip and drill a hole in it. Get a 1/4" bolt about 2" long and thread it through the hole with the bolt head inside the crutch tip, a washer about 1" in diameter or larger,on the inside and outside and a nut on the outside.

Take a variable speeed electric drill with a lock on switch and use a bungee cord to tie it down to a 1x6 board about 4 ft long.

Insert the screw into the drill chuck and tighten it down and you have a great "lathe". The crutch tip holds the butt end of the shaft very nicely and I just hold the other end in my hand or lay it on a towel as it spins.

An az member named Rip had a nice design and might still have pics etc.
 
I use the 9" metal shaper from Cuetec while I'm here at college. Back home, a couple of the pool hall owners know me and will usually hook me up nicely.:)
 
JimS said:
I few years ago several of us here and on CCB made an apparatus that would spin the shaft and thereby allow better cleaning and tip shaping.

You get a rubber crutch tip and drill a hole in it. Get a 1/4" bolt about 2" long and thread it through the hole with the bolt head inside the crutch tip, a washer about 1" in diameter or larger,on the inside and outside and a nut on the outside.

Take a variable speeed electric drill with a lock on switch and use a bungee cord to tie it down to a 1x6 board about 4 ft long.

Insert the screw into the drill chuck and tighten it down and you have a great "lathe". The crutch tip holds the butt end of the shaft very nicely and I just hold the other end in my hand or lay it on a towel as it spins.

An az member named Rip had a nice design and might still have pics etc.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good weekend experiment.....Rip, if you're out there...what about those pics?
 
Charlie Edwards said:
http://www.trogdoncues.com/tip_shaper.htm
Click to expand...
I second this shaper as a carry-along. I've used one for the last 5 years and won't switch back to any other shaper.

For the home: If you can't afford a mini-lathe -> do yourself a favor and get a lathe pin for your shaft (around 10 bucks) and put that in your drill. You can get them from Chris Hightower, Atlas billiard supply, or a host of other lathe accessory stores. Mount your drill as best you can, attach your shaft, support it somehow [the towel method above works], and then you can spin the shaft and shape it nicely. (If you can afford all the shapers on your list, you can spend 10 bucks on a lathe pin...)

Lastly, don't get all worked up about shaping, as your tip will naturally deform to the shape that suits your style of play. In fact, if you don't break with your playing shaft, you shouldn't have to reshape your tip for months at a time - although it might need scuffing now and then. Get it close to a dime's roundness, and play a few sessions -> your tip will be perfect.

-td
 
JimS said:
Take a variable speeed electric drill with a lock on switch and use a bungee cord to tie it down to a 1x6 board about 4 ft long.

Insert the screw into the drill chuck and tighten it down and you have a great "lathe". The crutch tip holds the butt end of the shaft very nicely and I just hold the other end in my hand or lay it on a towel as it spins.
Click to expand...

My first "lathe" was an electric drill to clean shafts and help me retip my own cues. Lived in a condo, didn't have any room, so I mounted it to my wife's NICE dining room table. Told my kids not to tell their Mom (I took it down before she got home from work when I used it) --- some how she finally found out. She didn't say too much but a couple years ago she told me that I didn't need a work table (to pack up cues, sit at, etc) in my new shop - that the NICE dining room table (that is about 30 years old - nicked and badly needing to be refinished) was good enough!! I think she had the last word.
 
If you use a layered tip then you should use a blade if possible, requires a spinning device of some kind. For others, the sanding devices all work well, if you take your time. As td said, it will conform its shape to your style of play in either case
 
Jed,

Anytime I get a new tip put on my cue, I'll use it as is for about a week, which gives me time to break it in well. And depending on if the tip shrooms out, I'll take it back to my cue-man and he'll trim up the tip and I leave it as is.

When the tip is new, i have it scuffed on a lathe to a dime size, and i go from there. I just let the tip shape its self from natural play.

dont worry about having the perfect shape on the tip. If you use a layer'd tip, it shouldnt shroom out alot after the initial break in period. if you get the tip trimmed up after the break in period, it should hold shape for the life time of the tip.
 
Rich93 said:
The Wolfbite shaper set works for me. You get two shapers - a big one with rougher sanding material for originally shaping a tip, and a smaller one with less coarse sanding material for touch-ups. Here's the link:

http://www.wolfbite.com/tipshaper.htm
Click to expand...

I took some PVC pipe and cut it down the middle then put in the sandpaper w/sticky side.
 
jed1894 said:
I think I've bought every tip shaper there is out there and I still cannot get my tip perfectly shaped. I may be asking too much out of the products, or maybe a lathe is the only way to get it perfect, but I thought I would ask for advice. I'm beginning to think (someone said it here some time ago) that a 9" sandpaper shaper is the way to go and manually work the tip until it's right.

Anyone have any suggestions? I'm particularly interested in learning how to shape with just a sandpaper scuffer.
Click to expand...

9" shaper is the way to go... A lathe would be nice and all, but we don't all have one, in fact many pool rooms don't either.

Here's a rundown of the process...

1. Put your cue together so that you can stand up and handle the cue easier. Hold the cue vertical with the butt on the floor.

2. Take the shapper and hold it at about a 45 degree angle (maybe a hair more towards horizontal). Avoid shaping the tip at any angle more vertical than 45 degrees...you do not want to round off the "edge" of the tip, you want to leave a nice sharp edge - even height all around.

3. In a down and then off to the side motion hit and scrape the tip and rotate the tip slowly while doing this until you make one full revolution. Hold that angle the whole time, do the edge first.

4. Inspect what you have done, and repeat as nessisary. Make sure the height of that edge is even the whole way around. In the same motion, scrape here or there until it's good.

5. Now, the edge should be done. Tilt the shaper a little more horizontal and repeat the same motion holding that angle. Then tilt it more horizontal and continue doing this until you shape all of the way to the center of the tip.

6. Now pull out a nickel and compare your results. If you need to, start over... You'll get the hang of it in no time. No matter how bad you mess it up, someone down at your local hall could always take a minute and shape it up for you again, anyway...

Also, go with a nickel for the roundness of the tip. Everyone will try to jump out and tell you that a dime is better or this or that, just ignoure them...a nickel is fine. You are just learning to shape your tip, take it one step at a time...I personally do not like a dime, it's too round. The next thing you know, everyone will tell you to cut down your ferrule to 11mm, too....don't listen. 13mm & nickel, that's the way to go! :cool:
 
The willard shaper will clog up and stop being effective. You need to get a small brass brush to clean out the pores of the shaper and use it often if really removing much material.
 
You can buy all the 'aftermarket' shaper products out there, and they all work fine, whether they cost $10 or $30. However, a $.99 piece of sandpaper will do the same thing. There is no such thing as a TOO ROUND tip. Yes, there should be some 'edge' to the side of the tip...but if you just sand off the sides of the tip until it is round, you'll do fine.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top