Testing a cue tip

Tap it on a hard surface, and note the sound it makes. It takes a while to learn to judge them, but once you do it's a pretty good method.
 
Sheldon said:
Tap it on a hard surface, and note the sound it makes. It takes a while to learn to judge them, but once you do it's a pretty good method.
Click to expand...

ditto. also i play with them personally first. if i dont like it i dont stock it. most great cuemakers are also good players. they understand what a good cue should feel like
 
On my first visit to Tony's shop (Black Boar), Tony mentioned that he used a hardness tester to get tips of the same consistency for all his shafts.
Here is a link to his web page that shows the tool in action...
The process may not be for everyone, but you do get a repeatable result by measuring for consistent hardness.

Just hoping to provide some additional ideas.
Myron
 
Sheldon said:
Tap it on a hard surface, and note the sound it makes. It takes a while to learn to judge them, but once you do it's a pretty good method.
Click to expand...

Tks Sheldon,I'll try that.

alpine9430 said:
On my first visit to Tony's shop (Black Boar), Tony mentioned that he used a hardness tester to get tips of the same consistency for all his shafts.
Here is a link to his web page that shows the tool in action...
The process may not be for everyone, but you do get a repeatable result by measuring for consistent hardness.

Just hoping to provide some additional ideas.
Myron
Click to expand...

Tks Myron, any other type of smaller tool that can be used?
 
I have something like one of those at work, I might check some to see the different rockwell
 
I bite them with the only two teeth I have left.
Bouncy test on the lathe cover works too.
 
I've wondered if a simple dial indicator with some way to put a standard weight on the plunger would work as a poor mans hardness indicator for tips.

Dave
 
DaveK said:
I've wondered if a simple dial indicator with some way to put a standard weight on the plunger would work as a poor mans hardness indicator for tips.

Dave
Click to expand...
Dumore hardness tester would do it.
 
icem3n said:
Tks Myron, any other type of smaller tool that can be used?
Click to expand...
icem3n

After I saw Tony's set up, I did a quick look around for some ideas and to see what is available in hardness testers.

Your thread will provide some additional ideas and I will be enjoying seeing everyone's inputs to how they test them. Not sure if I like the idea of biting into them myself as well (never know what fluids were in the leather at the time the tip was processed and some of the stuff may be toxic).

I did look around for hardness testers. There are many choices out there but some just too expensive just for testing tips if you buy new. For salvaged equipment, saw many deals on e-bay but they were huge units. I am sure there may be a way to build a device yourself and hopefully someone with machine tool building skills may have done just that.

Thanks for asking the question initially and I am still very interested in all the answers.
Myron
 
alpine9430 said:
icem3n

After I saw Tony's set up, I did a quick look around for some ideas and to see what is available in hardness testers.

Your thread will provide some additional ideas and I will be enjoying seeing everyone's inputs to how they test them. Not sure if I like the idea of biting into them myself as well (never know what fluids were in the leather at the time the tip was processed and some of the stuff may be toxic).

I did look around for hardness testers. There are many choices out there but some just too expensive just for testing tips if you buy new. For salvaged equipment, saw many deals on e-bay but they were huge units. I am sure there may be a way to build a device yourself and hopefully someone with machine tool building skills may have done just that.

Thanks for asking the question initially and I am still very interested in all the answers.
Myron
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They won't necessarily kill you. I've licked the back of thousands of tips before installation.

Dick
 
alpine9430 said:
I am sure there may be a way to build a device yourself and hopefully someone with machine tool building skills may have done just that.
Click to expand...

Hardness testers measure the depth of an indentation after pressing with a known pressure ... or Joeys teeth sink in to a certain depth when he bites down at a certain pressure, the smaller the indentation the harder the tip. As I mentioned, you can do this quite scientificly using a dial indicator with a known weight pushing down on the top of the plunger. The tip of the plunger will press into the tip 4 thou, or 5 thou, or however much, and by comparing you can determine which tip is harder and which is softer. The only problem with this method is calibration to hardness standards, like Brinnel or Rockwell ( :eek: ). You may be able to get some calibration data from known hardness standards.

Dave
 
Why?

rhncue said:
They won't necessarily kill you. I've licked the back of thousands of tips before installation.

Dick
Click to expand...
Out of curiousity, why you do that? After you sanded the glue side?

cencen
 
Buddha's Belly said:
Out of curiousity, why you do that? After you sanded the glue side?

cencen
Click to expand...

Moisture is what sets off super glue If there isn't enough moisture in the leather the super glue takes to long to set, if at all.

Dick
 
rhncue said:
Moisture is what sets off super glue If there isn't enough moisture in the leather the super glue takes to long to set, if at all.

Dick
Click to expand...
Never knew that and that is what makes this forum so valuable to me.

Thanks and apply that moisture...
Myron
 
tip hardness

Take a double side razor blade and stick the blade into the center of the tip measure the depth thickness with a digital caliper.
 
Measuring hardness is important but another important quality to quantify is the resiliancy of the leather. ( how fast it compresses when you contact the cue ball )

Just food for thought
 
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