Tip cutting tool for lathe

3andstop

3andstop

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Can any of you guys point me to a good cutting tool to use on a (make-shift) lathe that I put together using the front and back pieces from American Cowboy for cutting cue tips flush?

I've been using a very sharp wood chisel on a homemade tool rest, and its ok, but not knowing much about lathe cutting tools, I'll bet there is something much better I could buy to cut the tips. :)

thanks.
 
Joe Blackburn does shaping and trimming the edge using just a utility knife blade on a rest in his mini lathe. I think I saw a video of this on youtube....
 
I tried a razor knife blade and it wants to grab the leather too much, even when you try to very lightly go into the tip. It actually didn't work as well as this razor sharp chisel tip.

I'm hoping there is some type of specific cutting bit available like at Harbor Freight or somewhere. But I don't know the best type to get.
 
Does your lathe setup have a tool post with controlled movement?

If not, then any recommended tools won't do you any good.

My recommendation is to go back to youtube and watch those video's again. The ones showing the use of a razor or carpet knife blade. This really is going to be your best bet. It does take a little practice, but there is a reason all the cue makers and repair persons, who have the proper lathes and tools, still choose to use this method. It works best!

Don't forget to wet the leather. Wet leather cuts best.

Royce Bunnell
www.obcues.com
 
I had the same set up you had, and I know it's not easy.
After much trial and error, I found it was easiest to use very rough sandpaper. Use something like 60 grit and fold it over to be stiff or use it with a sanding block. It's not easy to use a razor on that thing.

I also messed up some shafts at first by not protecting the shaft from the wheels.

The last time I used it I came up with the best solution. Turn on your lathe like normal, and use a Dremmel tool with a sanding drum on it. The Dremmel tool will make very quick and easy work on the tip, so be slow and careful.
It can shape the tip in a few seconds.

You might be able to attach a sanding device on a drill if you don't have a Dremmel.
 
"best"

3andstop said:
Can any of you guys point me to a good cutting tool to use on a (make-shift) lathe that I put together using the front and back pieces from American Cowboy for cutting cue tips flush?

I've been using a very sharp wood chisel on a homemade tool rest, and its ok, but not knowing much about lathe cutting tools, I'll bet there is something much better I could buy to cut the tips. :)

thanks.
Click to expand...

I'll bet dollars to donuts that the folks unhappy with utility knives are using the ones with retractable blades. You can't control the blade movement on them and they work poorly. However, the utility knives with fixed blades work great! You are putting a fixed handle on your blade just like on your files and other tools. Gives you something to hold on to and you have better control of the blade.

To 3andstop, you do need a solid rest to work off of to use the utility knife effectively. When crowning a tip I find putting a brazed carbide cutting tool on my lathe and resting the blade of the knife on it perfect. The relief angle of the carbide is close enough to the perfect angle I can lay my blade flat on it. This is because using a sharp new blade of a utility knife or razor blade as a scraper the top half of the bevel needs to be 90 degrees to the work, not the blade itself. Get your rest very close to the tip and support your blade. support the shaft as close to the tip as possible too. The secret to good tips is a rock solid set-up. If you can't do these things then the wood chisel and honing it every tip or two may be the better option.

Final tip, I haven't tried the coated blades yet but the standard utility knife blades are substantially sharper than the heavy duty ones. I mark the blade every time I do a tip and I won't do more than two or three with one end of one blade. That's four to six tips per blade and pretty cheap compared to ruining a layered tip.

Hu
 
At one time I used to use a Tip Sander I bought from Seybert's. It was very effective. I used it to clean off any tip residue after I cut off the tip with a utility knife. After a couple of swipes, the ferrule was perfectly flat and clean - ready for a new tip.
If you're careful, you can just clean the ferrule on your lathe set-up with sandpaper wrapped on a wooden board. Be sure to hold it parallel to the ferrule.
You should get a clean, flat ferrule using either method.
I now have a cane tip/electric drill set-up and use a single edge razor blade to clean and prep the ferrule while spinning the shaft. Works great - be sure to wear safety googles to protect your eyes.
 
I also use a cutch tip/drill motor setup.

Anyone know of an inexpensive variable speed motor for cue tip work? Id like to replace my drill motor.

I have looked on ebay a few times and never seem to find what I want. Im thinking a sewing machine motor with speed control might work good.

Thanks for any TIPS of finding a motor :wink:
 
The lathe he has is for sale on eBay, costs less than $200. I bought the cheaper one and used my drill. It has a lot of run-out and sometimes has some wobble. most of the problem is how the makeshift arbor holds the shaft. There is no tool rest, when you put a sharp blade to the tip it will usually kick the blade back. I have managed to sometimes trim the tip flush with the ferrule, but trying to shape a curve in to the tip with a blade is near impossible.

Here is a pic of the cheaper lathe....

I think my Taig lathe got to the post office today, have to pick it up tomorrow.
 

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Improvise a tool rest using a large Allen wrench. I have a small vise that has a vacuum bottom for sticking. I can place the vise with the Allen wrench in it near the cue tip and use that as a steady rest. Works perfectly for cleaning the ferrule and I can shape a tip in a minute using a new single-edge razor blade. You should be able to adjust the shaft in the cane tip and adjust those rollers and placement for minimum wobble. Again, use safety glasses.
 
3andstop

U tube has some videos about lathe work. One I remember is showing how to use a fixed blade Utility knife to flush tips. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.
 
That sounds like a good idea. I was going to post.
2 pieces of 2x4 nailed together, flip it over like an upside down T.
Buy a small tool rest made for a wood mini lathe and available on EBay pretty cheap. Driil a hole in the 2x4 upright post and place the metal tool rest
in it. Now you have a moveable tool post. You should be able to keep the tool post steady and still be able to use both hands to hold the blade. If you find thats its wobbly, clamp the post to your work areas with a C clamp. Necessity is the mother of invention.
 
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I had, I repeat had a set up like that from cowboy billiards, I got tired of damgeing shafts and makeing tip replacement to much work.So I bought a taig set up and I am so much happier. It had a tool rest that it is easy to work off of. No guessing, just exactly takeing off what I want <,ED
 
Here are some photos of the make-shift lathe. I made an adjustable bed for it and an adjustable tool rest as well.

It all works ok but I will try all your suggestions.

Please note one poster asked about a variable speed motor. I purchased the variable speed rheostat foot pedal you see in the photos for 15 bucks on Ebay. I lock my drill on full speed and run it through this foot pedal. It works great.
 

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I just didn't loike tapeing up the shaft so the hard wheels wouldn't mark the shaft. Then I would have to clean all the tape off and clean the shaft, wax, burnish it. Nice job on the tool rest though !!<<ED
 
ARROWCRUSHER

I have a lathe with a through Chuck. But I still slide a rubber 1/2" or 5/8 ID hose over the shaft before chucking it. I am suggesting you use the same system on the Cue rest to protect the shaft.
 
I don't tape up the shaft. I use clear plastic hose sold at Home Depot for pennies a foot. The I.D. comes in different sizes and slide right over the shaft as a collet. I use a touch of painters tape at the end of the plastic hose to keep it from running up or down the shaft as it spins. :)

thanks for the compliment on the tool rest. I have to drill and tap a small set screw into that long nut to keep the angle iron more stable.
 
With the setup you have you shouldn't have any problems shaping a tip. I would do as Royce suggested in his earlier post and go to you tube and watch how the tip is shaped with a razor blade. Only takes a minute or so to get a perfectly shaped tip.
 
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