From: Larry Cusumano
Subject: Tip Replacement (a how to)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.billiard
Date: 1997/05/14
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Pool Cue Tip Replacement My Way
Since this a subject that comes up quite frequently in this news group, I hope this post will answer some questions.
First let me make one thing clear, this is my method, I don't claim it is by any means the only way or even the best way. I replace
approximately a half a dozen tips a week and this method has evolved over the last 3 or 4 years mostly through trial, error and
experimentation.
Tools you will need: Sharp knife; (X-acto, Swiss army, single edge razor blade). File; (flat or mill bastard wider then the tip) or medium to coarse emery board, (the thick kind, ask your wife or your honey). Emery cloth; (180, 320 & 600 grit) or sand paper (medium and extra fine), I prefer emery cloth. Tip clamp; or some method of holding the tip in place while the adhesive dries, (a piece of elastic or wide rubber band stretched over the tip and secured to the shaft with a couple small rubber bands works fine). Dremel tool; (optional but real handy). A vice; (optional).
Tip tools: (shaper, scuffer, tapper or shaver, etc.). I recommend the "Ulti-mate Tip Tool", it has two different size shaping surfaces, a tapper, two abrasive surfaces to true up mushroomed tips and a tip burnisher to harden and burnish the sides of the tip after it has been reshaped. This and any other specialty pool items can be purchased through, Mueller's sporting goods, (1-800-925-7665), (
http://www.mueller-sporting-goods.com/) E-Mail, (msginfo@inetnebr.com) or your local billiard supply or pool hall.
There are lots of specialty tip replacing tools, most good ones are quite expensive and not necessary unless you plan to make this abusiness. Tip top sanders are inexpensive, unfortunately you get what you pay for. I find they create more problems than they solve. They clamp to the shaft therefore you have to protect the shaft from marring or denting, I used to use a piece of emery cloth, abrasive side out, wrapped four or five turns around the top of the shaft where the sander will be clamped. I also found they didn't sand the tip top level, but created a low spot closest to the clamp and a high spot furthest from the clamp. That can be remedied by rotating the shaft during sanding, I just found it a pain in the butt, mine not the cue's, so I rarely use it anymore.
Tips: I use Le-Pro tips for most cues, unless otherwise requested. Tweeten's "Elk Master" tips if a softer tip is requested and Triangle Tips for a harder tip. The choice is yours, no one well made tip is any better than any other tip. Tip performance has more to do with your shooting style and ability, and what you feel comfortable with. A softer tip in the hands of a novice to moderate player will probably give him or her a little more cue ball action and control, but they have to be replaced more often, on the other hand, the same tip in the hands of a super shooter may give way more cue ball action then is wanted.
Adhesive: The most commonly used, Tweeten's tip cement, contact cement, super adhesive for wood & leather, they're all satisfactory to one degree or another. However after trying many different types of adhesives, including epoxy over the years, I've come to rely on one product that works best for me. The adhesive I use is called "Weldbond". I prefer to let it dry overnight although it can be worked with in 2 or 3 hours. It can be found in almost any hardware store.
Method: Remove the old tip with your knife or razor blade, taking care not to nick or chip the ferrule, or yourself! A flat surface such as a cutting board is good here and not your sweeties vanity table. If you have a vice, clamp the shaft into it with about a 1/2" inch of the ferrule above the vice top, (you need some heavy protective material here to wrap around the shaft and protect it, I use a leather shaft burnisher or slicker and soft pine taped to the vice jaws). Once the tip is off, CAREFULLY scrap or shave any remaining leather or glue from the ferrule top and tenon (the exposed shaft top). Don't go digging into the ferrule top here, use an X-acto knife or straight edge knife and hold the blade edge level to ferrule top and the knife at a 45 degree angle.
When all or most of the old material is gone, switch to the file or emery board. Here again care is required, hold the file or emery board absolutely flat on the ferrule top and with short strokes carefully remove any remaining glue or leather residue.
If you have a Dremel type tool use the standard size drum sander to accomplish the same thing. Please be especially carefully not to mare the ferrule surface. Check to see that the surface is still level, use a file or emery board to correct any imperfections.
Tip Preparation: Remove the protective coating from the back of the tip by rubbing on 180 grit emery cloth or medium sandpaper in a circular motion, not to much pressure here, be careful not to round off the flat edges. Check the tip back, if the coating is gone from the edge but not the center take the emery board and using the end remove the coating from the center of the tip. I use the Dremel drum sander for this. If you choose to use a backed tip your ready to go. Place the tip on the ferrule and check to see that they match up properly, there should be no space between them. Holding them up to a light is a good way to check. This is less critical if you use Weldbond as your adhesive, since it will fill in small imperfections with out loss of strength.
Gluing: If you use Weldbond, place a small drop of glue on the tip back and ferrule, then spread the adhesive evenly over both surfaces. Allow the glue to set for a minute or two then put the pieces together applying enough pressure to squeeze out the excess glue, wipe with a paper towel. Tap the tip on the shaft once or twice, I just tap it on a hard surface, realign the tip and clamp in some fashion. If use a tip clamp be sure to protect the shaft in the manor described above for using tip top sanders. If possible let the tip dry overnight.
Tweeten Tip cement and contact cement are basically the same, cover both surfaces with a thin layer of cement and let dry for 5 to 10 minutes until the surfaces are tacky not dry, (if you touch the tip surface with a toothpick or match they should adhere enough to pick up the tip). Place the tip on the cue stick and press down firmly. Be careful with tip alignment here as these types of adhesives grip immediately and are difficult to realign. Tap the tip a few times on a hard surface to dislodge any air bubbles and get better tip adhesion. Remove any excess cement and clamp. Tweeten claims 10 minutes, I suggest 2-3 hours before shaping the tip.
Using Super glue or Krazy glue for wood and leather, place a drop on the cue stick surface then position the tip and press down firmly for about 20-30 seconds. There is no need for clamping. Wipe off any excess with a paper towel, if you get it on your fingers it comes off with nail polish remover. Unless of course you'd prefer to chew it off.
Shaping: Protect the ferrule with a couple of turns of masking tape or some such thing. If there is a large overhang, (oversized tip), place the tip business end down on a cutting board and trim the excess up to the thickness of the tape. Now take the emery board again and true up the tip sides. Hold the shaft horizontally and rotate it as you sand the sides until it is even all around. Proceed to shape the tip top in what ever manor you usually would. The emery board is handy in rounding the the sharp tip edge. If you have a vice handy the method I use to blend the tip and ferrule together is as follows. Clamp the cue in the vice horizontally with the tip pointed at you. Remove the masking tape from the ferrule, and starting with a 320 grit emery cloth, sand the tip and the ferrule together in the same motion you would use to shine a shoe. Using a rapid motion, after a dozen or so strokes rotate the shaft 1/4 turn and repeat until you've gone full circle. Once your satisfied the tip matches up with the ferrule all around then repeat the whole operation using 600 grit emery cloth to burnish the tip and the ferrule. (Note: Don't try this with sandpaper, you must use emery cloth or you may damage the ferrule).
Well that's it. You have finished, finally. OK, this may sound complicated but it is not. In fact while I have been writing this note I replaced two tips and a tip, plus ferrule on another cue stick. Not including glue drying the whole thing should take about 30min.
Good Luck;
LC
Larry Cusumano
HUDSON-WEST Cues & Accessories
Bayonne, NJ
