Techniques to trim a cue tip?

If you are using a lathe, a high-quality "stanley" type blade works wonderfully. Single edge razor blades are too flimsy for safety IMO. I like Irwin or Lennox brand blades. They have a keen edge and hold their sharpness longer than the cheaper blades. There is technique to learn to do it safely and correctly. YMMV. Martin


troyroy78 said:
Could anyone tell me if this is really the best technique to trim doem a tip?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1rMR6SiGzo



Wondering what type of knife he is using to trim seems real sharp though.

Any input on the right techniques to trim a tip would be gratefully appreciated.



Thanks


Troy
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i've only watched, never tried my hand, but here's anouther videos on you tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9LOyy729ik

also there was anouther one posted here or on seyberts forum or you tube or somewhere, i forget where and cann't seem to find the posting, but here is that one.

http://s90374379.onlinehome.us/cues/replacing_tip.zip


the guy i usually go to uses a flat razor blade to cut off the old tip, then high speed steel bit in his tool post that he shapes and sharpens on his bench grinder himself to trim the ferrule, then once the tip is glued on and dried uses one of those curved chisel things he sharpens on the white wheel to trim and shap the tip before hitting it with fine sand paper to finish it up.
 
Blud turned me on to doing tips this wayabout 4 years ago. Works great. I just use snap off blades and a good knife handle. Snap the blade off about every 3 to 5 tips depending on what your cutting. Gotta spin her pretty good though. Trim and burnish in one shot.
 
JoeyInCali said:
If you charged broadcast fee for it, you might be retired now. From your real job of course. :D
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I bet it has been viewed a few times.... :p I don't mind sharing, and don't mind people distributing it at all. If it helps someone do a better job, it benefits all of us, IMO.
 
jazznpool said:
If you are using a lathe, a high-quality "stanley" type blade works wonderfully. Single edge razor blades are too flimsy for safety IMO. I like Irwin or Lennox brand blades. They have a keen edge and hold their sharpness longer than the cheaper blades. There is technique to learn to do it safely and correctly. YMMV. Martin
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Absolutely ! and in addition to that you may find it easier to dial your tool post in close to the edge of the tip with the tool cutter and lay the Razor blade flat against it and use the tool post as a surface guide while trimming the tip... this is much more precise and way safer than trying to completely freehand it, and the results are very consistant !


- Eddie Wheat - East Coast Cue Repair
 
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Sheldon said:
I bet it has been viewed a few times.... :p I don't mind sharing, and don't mind people distributing it at all. If it helps someone do a better job, it benefits all of us, IMO.
Click to expand...
It helped me a ton as I thanked u before. :)
30 house cues with Elk Master tips could have been daunting.
I know one repairman who just hates Elk Master.


I use the titanium edged blade.
Absolutely ! and in addition to that you may find it easier to dial your tool post in close to the edge of the tip with the tool cutter and lay the Razor blade flat against it and use the tool post as a guide while trimming the tip... this is much more precise and way safer than trying to freehand it, and the results are very consistant !
I do the same. Use a 3/8 blank toolbit. Top just a hair under center of chuck center.
 
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Thanks everyone

Thank you all for your advise on trimming a tip on the lathe.

I will try using the toolpost as a guide when trimming with a blade.

I tried freehand before but sometimes i market the ferrule using too much pressure, i have also found out that wetting the tip before trimming really makes the tip cut easier and generates less heat on the blade.


Thanks for the info guys highly apreciated considering there is no cue repair guy in Hong Kong.

Lucky i have my own taig lathe to mess around with.

Thanks


Troy
 
Tips Done Easy

Go to Unique Products and get a Cue Companion 3 and do all the tips you want and everything else in the repair world , instructional video included ... It was the first lathe I bought , only for repairs , but you can make sneaky's with it ... Call Jim or Bryan , they will help you ... It's all good ... Few Cue Pics 090.jpg

Few Cue Pics 028.jpg

Few Cue Pics 069.jpg
 
> In that video,the lathe is turning counter-clockwise,or towards him. This allows him to be using the Tina blade on the operator's side of the lathe. Trying to do what he just did on the back side is asking to have the blade jerked out of his hand,and sending either his hand or the blade into a spinning chuck.

This phenomenon is also true in reverse,if you set the lathe to turn clockwise,the safe side is around the back,and out front is where you can get hurt. My machine turns clockwise unless I reverse it,and while trying the method where a utility knife blade is used,but done out in front,the leather kicked the blade back. It jerked my hands towards the chuck,and I knew I didn't want to be holding on to a brand-new Irwin Bi-Metal when my hands hit the chuck,so I let go of the blade and got my hands out of the way as quick as I could. The blade hit the chuck,and shot it into the wall,sticking it almost 3/4 deep in the paneling behind the machine,thankfully. I'd have much rather have it stuck in the wall than my CHEST.

I know I shouldn't have been that close to the chuck to start with,but thought 3 inches out in front of the collet was plenty. I now do it a little different,combining methods.

I start by sticking about 4" out in front of the chuck,and using the blade,I just barely start to cut the tip from the bottom up,most of the time I get rid of 90% of the excess glue right then,reducing the amount of sanding needed. I also cut the tip back away from the ferrule about 1/16. I then move the tip back in the collet,and use the toolpost cutter until I get it almost flush. I pull it back out,and use the blade to trim it DNP then shape. I can use 400 from there and really clean up the ferrule,or if it's one of my few customers that properly chalks up and actually maintains their shafts,start with 600,then seal and polish.

In my experiene so far,the Ti-Nitride coated blades seem to stay sharp a little longer,but aren't as sharp out of the package as the typical Stanley.

The Stanley's are the most consistent as far as sharpness. I've tried the Irwin Bi-Metals twice,with mixed results. The first package of 5 was scalpel-sharp,and I got probably 15 tips out of each one,using them as a trimmer and shaper. The 2nd package wasn't anywhere close to as sharp as the first,and they were DONE after 2-3 tips each. Tommy D.
 
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