Tips on how to install leather wrap

Michael Webb said:
Well that someone. (lmao) thinks you haven't thought about it eneogh. Independence day.....maybe I'll hold your hand tomorrow. I'm a smartass sometimes.
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Don't tell me...let me play with it for a bit. I have a few days until I get to it. In the meantime, I have a little riddle of my own. What does this have to do with cues, and it's not what you're probably thinking...

http://openbuildspartstore.com/

I'll post my concoction in a couple of weeks once I work out the details. :grin:
 
wreiman said:
I caved and just ordered the Unique wrap jig........I know... I'm a TOOL
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You made an excellent investment. There is no better jig avaliable for installing leather wraps. The jig is only part of the equation.
 
If this were making me money, I'd buy a jig in a heartbeat if I thought it made my job easier and more reliable. Something like that is always a good investment for a pro. I probably have more tied up in soldering equipment than many have invested in their lathes. Most people would think that's crazy, but it's not a biggie when you use it for your business.
 
john coloccia said:
If this were making me money, I'd buy a jig in a heartbeat if I thought it made my job easier and more reliable. Something like that is always a good investment for a pro. I probably have more tied up in soldering equipment than many have invested in their lathes. Most people would think that's crazy, but it's not a biggie when you use it for your business.
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I expect it will pay off in a year or two. But I also wanted to put them one some of the cues I build.... not all... but some. I get a few requests a year for it... so you never know.
 
Michael: if you still feel like sharing, I'd love to hear your suggestion. Here's what I actually ended up doing this time around:

I did just use a straight edge. Took a couple of tries to get it right. I cut the ends separately, and I taped each end of the wrap down as I did it. I marked my centerline on each end of the channel, and cut one end first. Then I made a mental note of exactly where that side ended up on my centerline, and when I cut the other side I offset the straight edge slightly to try and match exactly where the first side ended up. Of course I got neither side absolutely perfect, but doing it like that, instead of blindly trying to split my line, reduced my error to something tolerable the second time around.

I also added double sided tape to the cue and rested the straight edge on that. It's a very thin tape, similar to masking tape, and I use it all the time in my shop for jigs and templates. I had to add a couple of layers of masking tape to the wrap to make up for the thickness of the double sided tape....at least for me it helped to minimize the distance between the straight edge and the wrap.

That double sided tape was really all I needed to keep the straight edge from moving. It looked a little scary, but I was pleasantly surprised when there was just absolutely no drama at all. It took a lot of head scratching, fiddling and experimenting to get to that point, but my second try really didn't turn out half bad, and it was actually pretty simple once I figured out a recipe that worked.

If anyone wants to know 10 different ways NOT to do it, let me know. I feel like I have a little expertise in that particular area now. LOL.

One thing I learned is the channel has to be absolutely perfect, or slightly low. Slightly too high is just no good. I wasn't sure so I did one end slightly low and one end slightly high. Next time, I'll make the channel as dead nuts perfect as I can, and if I have to I'll sand the back of the wrap slightly to make it perfect or just the tiniest bit low.

I also used Hightower's adjustable leather wrap template. Last time, I made a template from tape and paper, and honestly that ended up working just as well....but it took forever and I had to freehand the ends. With Chris' measuring/cutting template it literally took me about 5 minutes from the time the UPS guy delivered it to when I had a perfectly cut wrap, the first time, and with no drama. It was practically cheating, and even a total beginner like me can do it, and do it well. :)
 
john coloccia said:
I. Chris Hightower made a good point that it can be difficult to hold down the wrap doing it like this. I'm wondering how you managed it?
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Wrap the entire leather wrap with rings of masking tape from end to end using consistent pressure after gluing it all but the seam area. Then cut right through the tape and the two pieces of leather using the tool post and taper bar.

JC
 
JC said:
Wrap the entire leather wrap with rings of masking tape from end to end using consistent pressure after gluing it all but the seam area. Then cut right through the tape and the two pieces of leather using the tool post and taper bar.

JC
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Thanks, JC.
 
you could also try putting a straight edge in a tool holder and put that against the cue where you want to cut.
 
cuesdefuentes said:
you could also try putting a straight edge in a tool holder and put that against the cue where you want to cut.
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I tried that. It was one of the 10 ways that I couldn't get to work for me. :) It seemed like a good idea, but when I actually tried it I ran into a lot of problems. I'm not trying to imply it doesn't work/won't work...I don't know. It just didn't work well for me and how I tried it.
 
JoeyInCali said:
How do you do that with a straight edge?
Sounds to me, an L shaped bracket would be needed for that.
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Yeah, it sounds like a great idea until you actually try it...and then you realize that it doesn't hold the wrap down well, it's difficult to get a blade in there, the wrong part of the straight edge is against the wrap, etc etc.

I did try raising the straight edge in my quick change post so that it rests on top of the cue. That didn't work any better for a number of reasons, and even if it did now the straight edge is at an angle because of the taper, so I need to start offsetting things, etc etc.

Lots of details I didn't appreciate until I started trying out different schemes. :)

One problem I still have is that the seam came out very nicely, but I'm having trouble getting it to stay down. Little lips of leather along the seam keep lifting as I play with it. It looks worse and worse every day. Maybe I didn't cut the seam at just the right angle, or something stupid like that. I think it's stuck down well. Should the edges of the seam have contact cement on them too? I didn't do that.
 
John,
Leather wraps have been covered extensively here over the years. Have you tried searching the archives? They're really very helpful.
Gary
 
GBCues said:
John,
Leather wraps have been covered extensively here over the years. Have you tried searching the archives? They're really very helpful.
Gary
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Thanks, Gary. Yep, I look through them. I have Hightower's book too, and I've watched whatever videos I can find. That, and a little head scratching/bumbling is how I've gotten as far as I have so far. :) Lots of little details to get right, but it's fun.
 
I've paid for videos, books,and equipment. Have all cue man stuff and his videos. The leather wrap jig and attachment for his cue smith did help a lot. It wasn't too difficult to use or get it close. The seam was the hardest part. The first 2 had 1/2" long gap that I could see. The guy didn't notice till I told him. He knew I was starting out and I didn't charge much. So practice is key but after the first couple smooth sailing. Chris also answers his phone and is awesome at answering questions or issues using his equipment.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
I bought a Unique jig and haven't looked back. First 3 wraps I did with just a straight edge and I spent 45 minutes at least on each one just doing the seam. They came out lousy at best. Using a proper jig, I spend about 5 minutes doing the seam now, at most. Spend the money, it's well worth it, IMO.
Dave
 
Yes Sir Boys. Mr. D'Angelo sure made it easy for all of you with his fixture. He made it easy for Unique too. Imagine what Cue makers did before that. :confused:
 
Michael Webb said:
Yes Sir Boys. Mr. D'Angelo sure made it easy for all of you with his fixture. He made it easy for Unique too. Imagine what Cue makers did before that. :confused:
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It was a painful(thumbs and fingertips when pushing the seam) process. I would make a pattern and then sometimes still have to trim at the seam, using a razor and a stainless ruler. Amazing how leather seems to stretch at different amounts along the wrap.

Anyway, the Unique wrap jig has made it much easier to do a leather wrap. They are pricey but well worth it in time saved and quality of product delivered.
 
Michael Webb said:
Yes Sir Boys. Mr. D'Angelo sure made it easy for all of you with his fixture. He made it easy for Unique too. Imagine what Cue makers did before that. :confused:
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Probably what some of us are still doing. Develop the technique and keep the $500 in your pocket.
I'd say the greatest time investment is waiting for the Con/Cem to start to set (15 min x 2).
Cutting the seam with a straight-edge, 30 sec x 2. Closing the seam, 2 min tops.
Granted there's some detailing and clean-up to be done and that's generally where the difference lies.
Spend the time on detailing and you can get close to perfect.
Try to not make the task more difficult than it needs to be.
It doesn't take expensive equipment to it right. Your technique does that.
 
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