Tapering a Shaft

[JoeyA]

How difficult is it to put a precise, but unique taper on a cue?

There are some cue makers who offer different tapers that you can order for your custom cue.

But do companies like OB1 or Predator provide custom tapers to their customers? Is it difficult (expensive) to provide a custom taper for a particular shaft?

I am getting to the point now where I am ready to just crank up the drill, buy lots of fine grit sand paper and whittle away on my shafts a little at a time, using the digital caliper to obtain the exact taper I am looking for. I have had local cue repair places do mediocre work and I have had regional cue makers do lengthy (time wise) taper work.

Does anyone provide a service that you could specify the EXACT taper and it could be provided for by using lathes/CNC/computerized equipment that would uniformly take the taper down to the precise dimensions you request at a reasonable cost money wise and time wise?

For example at the ferrule and every 1 inch afterward:
12.50, 12.50, 12.50, 12.50, 12.52, 12.52, 12.53, 12.53, 12.54, 12.54, 12.56, 12.56, 12.58, 12.58, 12.60, 12.60m, then a gradual cone shape increase to the diameter of the shaft at the collar. I guess I am just wondering if the precision is technically available to do this type of tapering automatically & economically instead of hand checking the taper every 30 seconds of sanding on a lathe.

JoeyA

 

[!Smorgass Bored]

How difficult is it to put a precise, but unique taper on a cue?

There are some cue makers who offer different tapers that you can order for your custom cue.

But do companies like OB1 or Predator provide custom tapers to their customers? Is it difficult (expensive) to provide a custom taper for a particular shaft?

I am getting to the point now where I am ready to just crank up the drill, buy lots of fine grit sand paper and whittle away on my shafts a little at a time, using the digital caliper to obtain the exact taper I am looking for. I have had local cue repair places do mediocre work and I have had regional cue makers do lengthy (time wise) taper work.

Does anyone provide a service that you could specify the EXACT taper and it could be provided for by using lathes/CNC/computerized equipment that would uniformly take the taper down to the precise dimensions you request at a reasonable cost money wise and time wise?

For example at the ferrule and every 1 inch afterward:
12.50, 12.50, 12.50, 12.50, 12.52, 12.52, 12.53, 12.53, 12.54, 12.54, 12.56, 12.56, 12.58, 12.58, 12.60, 12.60m, then a gradual cone shape increase to the diameter of the shaft at the collar. I guess I am just wondering if the precision is technically available to do this type of tapering automatically & economically instead of hand checking the taper every 30 seconds of sanding on a lathe.

JoeyA

This should be in the 'Ask The Cuemaker' section... imo
Doug
( I'll move it for you, because you're me pal )






.

 

[JoeyA]

This should be in the 'Ask The Cuemaker' section... imo
Doug
( I'll move it for you, because you're me pal )






.

Thanks! (Now if I can just remember to go over there and read the answers.
Joey

 

[!Smorgass Bored]

Humanitarian Award Candidate ?

Thanks! (Now if I can just remember to go over there and read the answers.
Joey

No problem, I'll call you long distance every hour and remind you...
Doug
( What are pals for.............. anyway )

 

[DaveK]

Doug
( What are pals for.............. anyway )

And what a lovely avatar you have today .... but where'd you get the picture of my house

Dave

 

[KMRUNOUT]

I have talked to Chris Hightower (check this out: http://www.cuesmith.com/) at the Valley Forge expo. He has a machine that allows you to set up a taper however you want-just as you described if you so desire. This would not really take a whole lot of time. I would imagine a cue maker that owns this machine might charge you $50 extra or so? The point is the technology is definitely available. Also, there are CNC lathes that could easily do this, but I imagine that the setup involved might be a little more extensive, and perhaps cost prohibitive (unless you're looking for 50 shafts!!)

Hope this helps,

Kerry

 

[djkx1]

And what a lovely avatar you have today .... but where'd you get the picture of my house

Dave

Thats my house buddy. If yours looks like it too, I think we need to talk about design theft. Stealing is not cool.

 

[JoeyA]

I have talked to Chris Hightower (check this out: http://www.cuesmith.com/) at the Valley Forge expo. He has a machine that allows you to set up a taper however you want-just as you described if you so desire. This would not really take a whole lot of time. I would imagine a cue maker that owns this machine might charge you $50 extra or so? The point is the technology is definitely available. Also, there are CNC lathes that could easily do this, but I imagine that the setup involved might be a little more extensive, and perhaps cost prohibitive (unless you're looking for 50 shafts!!)

Hope this helps,

Kerry

I will look into this. I would love to have different tapers to experiment with so I can decide once and for all what is the best taper for me.

Thanks,
Joey

 

[Poke N Hope]

If you retaper your Predator it will void your warranty.

 

[DaveK]

Stealing is not cool.

Cool ? It's ice cold man ! Sometimes I wonder about you Winterpeggers ... and thanks a lot for beating up on the Riders btw

Dave, feeling no remorse about hijacking this now duplicated thread

 

[JoeyInCali]

I will look into this. I would love to have different tapers to experiment with so I can decide once and for all what is the best taper for me.

Thanks,
Joey

Did you pick the best shaft for yourself yet?

 

[ShootingArts]

doing it yourself

Joey,

I see you talking about doing it yourself with a drill motor. That can be done of course but if it were me I would take about an hour ride to a friend's shop and use his cue lathe and tooling to do the job. Everything but the gas to get there is free.

Hu

How difficult is it to put a precise, but unique taper on a cue?

There are some cue makers who offer different tapers that you can order for your custom cue.

But do companies like OB1 or Predator provide custom tapers to their customers? Is it difficult (expensive) to provide a custom taper for a particular shaft?

I am getting to the point now where I am ready to just crank up the drill, buy lots of fine grit sand paper and whittle away on my shafts a little at a time, using the digital caliper to obtain the exact taper I am looking for. I have had local cue repair places do mediocre work and I have had regional cue makers do lengthy (time wise) taper work.

Does anyone provide a service that you could specify the EXACT taper and it could be provided for by using lathes/CNC/computerized equipment that would uniformly take the taper down to the precise dimensions you request at a reasonable cost money wise and time wise?

For example at the ferrule and every 1 inch afterward:
12.50, 12.50, 12.50, 12.50, 12.52, 12.52, 12.53, 12.53, 12.54, 12.54, 12.56, 12.56, 12.58, 12.58, 12.60, 12.60m, then a gradual cone shape increase to the diameter of the shaft at the collar. I guess I am just wondering if the precision is technically available to do this type of tapering automatically & economically instead of hand checking the taper every 30 seconds of sanding on a lathe.

JoeyA

 

[JoeyA]

Joey,

I see you talking about doing it yourself with a drill motor. That can be done of course but if it were me I would take about an hour ride to a friend's shop and use his cue lathe and tooling to do the job. Everything but the gas to get there is free.

Hu

OK. Thanks but remember you asked for it.
I'll get in touch with you in the very near future.
JoeyA

 

[ShootingArts]

no problem!

OK. Thanks but remember you asked for it.
I'll get in touch with you in the very near future.
JoeyA

I've got an easy chair and lot's of AC. I'll give you all the "supervision" you can stand. I do use that word very loosely.

Hu

 

[JoeyA]

Did you pick the best shaft for yourself yet?

I don't have one favorite yet.

Joey, do you have a favorite type of shaft and specific taper?
Thanks,
joeyA

 

[JoeyInCali]

I don't have one favorite yet.

Joey, do you have a favorite type of shaft and specific taper?
Thanks,
joeyA

Yes, the one I make for myself.
2 thousandths per inch for the first 10 inches then gets fat.
High tone maple shaft blank, ferrule optional and Kamui tip.

 

[JoeyA]

Yes, the one I make for myself.
2 thousandths per inch for the first 10 inches then gets fat.
High tone maple shaft blank, ferrule optional and Kamui tip.

sO WHATA IS the diameter of the ferrule? Ever use a bowling alley lane for shaft material?
Thanks,
JoeyA

 

[JoeyInCali]

sO WHATA IS the diameter of the ferrule? Ever use a bowling alley lane for shaft material?
Thanks,
JoeyA

Around 12.5.
No, but I do have baseball bat maple shaft blanks.

 

[SCCues]

Shaft tapers

I will look into this. I would love to have different tapers to experiment with so I can decide once and for all what is the best taper for me.

Thanks,
Joey

I know exactly what you are going through because i've been there myself. I own an older model Hightower cue lathe without any auto tapering attachments and i've re-tapered many shafts for myself and some of my friends. I start at the ferrule and take a measurement and then I measure every 2 inches back for 20 inches and I taper the shafts the hard way by hand sanding on the lathe. The results are good, but it's a lot of work if the shaft i'm working on needs a lot taken off. I'm very particular about the dimensions being right and i'd have to charge someone enough to cover my labor and time if I did it on a regular basis. I do most cue repairs and tapering shafts is my least favorite thing to do on a cue.

I solved my taper problems once and for all when I started playing with Predator shafts. I love the standard taper on a 314 Predator shaft and it suits me just fine.

James