Uneven points
- Thread starter octy81
- Start date
And yes it is ok to send back if it is bothering you. He is a cue maker and should already be aware of how some customers can be.
Define uneven? Veneered? Nonveneered? Sneaky Pete? Once a cue is finished size, your options are either cheat by shaving the tips or make the cue smaller by off setting. Either way can be difficult.
All point channel's are usually cut even when making them. Run off can occur by not indicating while turning, uneven thickness in veneers, drilling and of course sanding.
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Chris has a section in his book about evening up points after tapering. I scratched my head the first two times I read through it and then decided just to chuck up a cue and actually SEE it. It made A LOT more sense but still made me want to chew through my wrists like a coyote.
There are a lot of factors. I learned the hard way what Michael was just talking about regarding indexing when turning. Rookie mistake.
Based on the picture. You could get more even but then you might have a mix of thick and thin tips.
Take a 12" forearm and cut 12 points, 10" long without touching at the base. I'd bet every maker on the planet they couldn't keep them visually even all the way through to finish. I'd give that bet to God himself & like my odds. Now take the same forearm and cut 4 points, 8" long that nearly touch at the base. A monkey could keep them even, although I have seen my share of top level builders who couldn't. Furthermore, the distance between the tips of a 4 pointer is much farther than that of a 12 pointer, so it'll be much easier to see a discrepancy on the 12ptr. You can see only 2 points at a time on the 4ptr where on the 12 you can see 5.
My point is that you can't judge all point designs the same. That 12 pointer will require some "cheating" to make those points visually even. I prefer to think of it as a maker caring, taking pride in his work & going the extra mile to ensure the new cue owner will be happy. "Cheating" would imply that the maker is doing something wrong, off handed. I don't see it that way at all.
My point is that you can't judge all point designs the same. That 12 pointer will require some "cheating" to make those points visually even. I prefer to think of it as a maker caring, taking pride in his work & going the extra mile to ensure the new cue owner will be happy. "Cheating" would imply that the maker is doing something wrong, off handed. I don't see it that way at all.
The points shown are a very good example of what I was mentioning with long, narrow point grooves. Those are nearly impossible to keep visually even without doing some scraping or sanding just before finish. As even as they are, I'd say the cue was put together quite centered & straight, so the maker did a fine job building the cue. Some light sanding of the longer point tips would bring them down to even with the others, and would take but a few seconds. If I had made that cue, I'd have manipulated those point tips to even. Call it "cheating" if you like, but you'd have been a very happy buyer, impressed with the even points and proud of your cue. But instead here you are with a very fine cue that shows slightly uneven points, asking if it's acceptable or not.
If that were a 4 point cue where the bases nearly touch, those points would have been visually perfect even, given the center line the maker was able to maintain during construction. This is why I said one point design cannot be judged against another.
If that were a 4 point cue where the bases nearly touch, those points would have been visually perfect even, given the center line the maker was able to maintain during construction. This is why I said one point design cannot be judged against another.
I remember back in the 60's we did not want cues with even point , They were Machine made , and the ones with uneven points were Handmade . We all wanted Handmade cues . Things have changed .
It is interesting at times.
I remember well my first veneered cue (which wasn't really all that long ago thinking about it LOL.) I think people who are just starting to think about building cues should take into serious consideration just how much firewood they're going to make.
Oh and right at the beginning of this video it shows someone in the Adams factory evening out points.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVlMQKx0_oM
I keep a forearm with vee grooves cut in it. In the drawer, just to show people who come here how delicate and precise points can be. It gives them a better understanding.
Thanks for all the feedback , I'm not in anyway disappointed with the cue , only reason I asked is because. I might sell it and there are people that seem to think it lessens the value of the cue , there where cue makers on facebook ripping this guy about uneven points talking about ( I wouldn't even let a cue with uneven points out of my shop and all types of crap ) it kind of discouraged me to even post the cue felt like I had to ask for less than I wanted. But again thanks for the feedback to all with positive remarks