Tip Replacement Question...

jwe711

jwe711

The Great Cue Masters...!
Silver Member
I'm doing tips, ferrules and shaft reconditioning as a hobby...

I've done close to 300 tips since I started...and none have come off yet...at least until today...
I've been really proud of my record...but It was just a matter of time...if you know what I mean...

I put this tip on 3 months ago on Sept 27 2013.

My customer just contacted me and said it popped off, but that it had a miscue sound when he struck the cue ball...

How long should I warranty my work...on a simple tip replacement...
What is the norm...for this type of situation...

BTW, the cue was an old Huebler with an original shaft and ferrule...
and I put a Medium Ultraskin on it...

I don't think there was any defect in the tip or workmanship...

What would you pro's cue repair guys do...? and you guys who also do it as a hobby...do...?

My thought is to replace the tip...free labor, and ask him to pay for the new tip...and I think that is more than generous...but, I'm open to any suggestions...as to being politically correct, and also, handling this issue in the same manner that the more experienced cue repair guys would utilize.

Anyhow, Please lend me your thoughts, all will be appreciated...good or bad...

And, I know, I could simply put another tip on it for free...but I'm trying to find out where the barriers are for reasonable and rational operating terms...

Thanks,
jwe
 
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Btw, I do use orthodox tip installation methods, as I have discussed, observed, and watched studiously, cue repair by Ron Geyer, Joe Blackburn, Steve Lomax, and many others at some of the largest venues in the country...along with every video that has been publicized.
 
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I replace the tip for free no matter how long it has been. I guarantee my work.
If you ask them to pay for the tip, then they start adding up in their head the cost of the tip and the total you charge for the tip installed. At that point, they make a mental judgement on whether your labor charge is justified in their minds. They don't have to buy any equipment, they don't have to stock 15 different kinds of tips, they are just looking at the cost of that single tip installation.
My 2 cents,
Gary

FWIW, the tip on MY playing cue popped off at league on Sunday - wasn't hitting hard, no extreme English, it just went flying! Stuff happens.
 
GBCues said:
I replace the tip for free no matter how long it has been. I guarantee my work.
If you ask them to pay for the tip, then they start adding up in their head the cost of the tip and the total you charge for the tip installed. At that point, they make a mental judgement on whether your labor charge is justified in their minds. They don't have to buy any equipment, they don't have to stock 15 different kinds of tips, they are just looking at the cost of that single tip installation.
My 2 cents,
Gary

FWIW, the tip on MY playing cue popped off at league on Sunday - wasn't hitting hard, no extreme English, it just went flying! Stuff happens.
Click to expand...

Same as Gary. I just replace the tip for free.

THAT being said, I have one of the tip centralizers and if they bring me the old tip (and 99% do) I can put the same tip back on dead perfect.
 
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I have not had a tip pop off in a long time, knock on wood, but
when it does happen I replace with a new tip at no charge and
if they like their shaft reconditioned I also do that for no charge
for their trouble.
 
jwe711 said:
I'm doing tips, ferrules and shaft reconditioning as a hobby...

I've done close to 300 tips since I started...and none have come off yet...at least until today...
I've been really proud of my record...but It was just a matter of time...if you know what I mean...

I put this tip on 3 months ago on Sept 27 2013.

My customer just contacted me and said it popped off, but that it had a miscue sound when he struck the cue ball...

How long should I warranty my work...on a simple tip replacement...
What is the norm...for this type of situation...

BTW, the cue was an old Huebler with an original shaft and ferrule...
and I put a Medium Ultraskin on it...

I don't think there was any defect in the tip or workmanship...

What would you pro's cue repair guys do...? and you guys who also do it as a hobby...do...?

My thought is to replace the tip...free labor, and ask him to pay for the new tip...and I think that is more than generous...but, I'm open to any suggestions...as to being politically correct, and also, handling this issue in the same manner that the more experienced cue repair guys would utilize.

Anyhow, Please lend me your thoughts, all will be appreciated...good or bad...

And, I know, I could simply put another tip on it for free...but I'm trying to find out where the barriers are for reasonable and rational operating terms...

Thanks,
jwe
Click to expand...

Really?

ONE tip out of 300 came off and you would like to jack the guy for an
extra $3.00?

1. Put on a NEW tip for free - doing some extra stuff would not be amiss.

2. TELL him this is the only problem out of hundreds of tip installs
you have done. Say it surely must be due to the alignment of the planets.
Asure him his grandchildren can bring the cue back for a free replacement
tip 50 years from now.

3. Throw away the glue you used - adhesives have a limited pot life.
Especially super glue. Get a new tube/container.

Dale
 
pdcue said:
Really?

ONE tip out of 300 came off and you would like to jack the guy for an
extra $3.00?

1. Put on a NEW tip for free - doing some extra stuff would not be amiss.

2. TELL him this is the only problem out of hundreds of tip installs
you have done. Say it surely must be due to the alignment of the planets.
Asure him his grandchildren can bring the cue back for a free replacement
tip 50 years from now.

3. Throw away the glue you used - adhesives have a limited pot life.
Especially super glue. Get a new tube/container.

Dale
Click to expand...

I agree on the glue age.... I went a year with not a tip coming off.... then I had 3 pop off in a week.. I have no clue why. Changed my glue out and no more problems.....

Kim
 
I also guarantee my work,but I also educate my customer,esp new ones.

My regulars are all the type to take good care of their cues,so I don't have to go over this with them.

With new customers,I tell them that the tip is guaranteed with 2 exceptions.

Number one is if the cue is left in a hot or cold car,and comes off. I can just look at the tip and tell if the failure was caused by temperature.

Number 2 is if the cue gets knocked over in the poolroom,bar,wherever,and slaps a tile or concrete floor. I can also look at these and tell what caused it,as well as feel the tiny rocks that get embedded in the wood from an injury of this type.

I've gotten more of these back than I have temperature-related failures,except for one customer that left his Meucci in the car in 100 degree weather,and brought the same cue to me 3 times in a summer. I told him this was the last free tip,and a few months later the cue got broke in a barfight.

In my mind,there are ONLY 3 reasons for a tip to come off,with all over things being "normal".

The facing isn't FLAT. This can be caused by a dull cutter,or the chuck not being tight enough to hold it,and it backs away from the cutter.

(This comes up a lot when you see the last guy used a Tweeten sander improperly too.)

The back of the tip itself wasn't prepped properly,and IT wasn't flat.

Bad glue. Maybe the glue was old,maybe it was an inferior brand,or just improperly used. CA glues have gotten a LOT better over the years,and last longer than they used to.

Beyond that,if the tip comes off,it's either an issue with how the cue is treated by the owner,OR possible that the cue has a waxy/cheap ferrule material. I usually see these in import cues,but have also noticed that Predator ferrules need to be prepped a little different.

I've been using Loctite Professional for years,and plan on using it forever. I've had bottles last almost a year,and the bond is amazing. It's also pretty cheap compared to some of the exotic CA's,and readily available. Tommy D.
 
Tommy-D said:
I also guarantee my work,but I also educate my customer,esp new ones.

My regulars are all the type to take good care of their cues,so I don't have to go over this with them.

With new customers,I tell them that the tip is guaranteed with 2 exceptions.

Number one is if the cue is left in a hot or cold car,and comes off. I can just look at the tip and tell if the failure was caused by temperature.

Number 2 is if the cue gets knocked over in the poolroom,bar,wherever,and slaps a tile or concrete floor. I can also look at these and tell what caused it,as well as feel the tiny rocks that get embedded in the wood from an injury of this type.

I've gotten more of these back than I have temperature-related failures,except for one customer that left his Meucci in the car in 100 degree weather,and brought the same cue to me 3 times in a summer. I told him this was the last free tip,and a few months later the cue got broke in a barfight.

In my mind,there are ONLY 3 reasons for a tip to come off,with all over things being "normal".

The facing isn't FLAT. This can be caused by a dull cutter,or the chuck not being tight enough to hold it,and it backs away from the cutter.

(This comes up a lot when you see the last guy used a Tweeten sander improperly too.)

The back of the tip itself wasn't prepped properly,and IT wasn't flat.

Bad glue. Maybe the glue was old,maybe it was an inferior brand,or just improperly used. CA glues have gotten a LOT better over the years,and last longer than they used to.

Beyond that,if the tip comes off,it's either an issue with how the cue is treated by the owner,OR possible that the cue has a waxy/cheap ferrule material. I usually see these in import cues,but have also noticed that Predator ferrules need to be prepped a little different.

I've been using Loctite Professional for years,and plan on using it forever. I've had bottles last almost a year,and the bond is amazing. It's also pretty cheap compared to some of the exotic CA's,and readily available. Tommy D.
Click to expand...

The only thing I would add to this is if they use an ultimate tool tip burnisher and pull the layers loose. I tell all of my customers, once it starts to mushroom bring it to me and I will cut it and reshape it for the life of the tip so they won't mess it up. I keep a cue companion lathe with me with tips to do work while I am out. I only use the Loctite Professional glue as well.
 
Tip popped off

I had a tip pop off two years ago and I had a partner who put the tips on if I would buy them,I purchased a cue companion and I should have known something was wrong because I had to replace a few parts over the next few months most obvious was the pin handles that tighten the chuck kept breaking!
Then tips started flying every week I had them lined up to have the tip replaced ( not for long ) long story short he bought under a dollar tube of glue,gave me receipts for locktite,and I started losing customers...... He was charging full price for tip replacement of LePro's when I realized what he had done,we split and then the horror stories came flooding to me (I had started putting the tips on myself) I lost 95% of my customer base.
I have NOT gotten close to 50% of them back either! But I have had only one tip come off on me since,so my new customers are happy
All of this is meant for one thing......if you charge for tip replacement then replace it for the life of the tip (with the noted exceptions) FOR FREE no exceptions think back to the hundreds of cue tips you have installed...... Now imagine losing 95% of them over $3.00
Irish
 
Great advice from everyone...and Thank You to all who have replied and to those who sent PM's...
 
I would replace the tip unless I found out there was abuse like the use of a tip burnisher or other questionable tip tool.
 
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