Using a live cutter to replace a tip experiment .

[mortuarymike-nv]

We have no pool hall so I made a deal with a Bar owner where I play the most at that I would replace the tips on there bar cues for free in exchange for maintaining there bar sticks I get unlimited table time for free..

I thought I would try getting use to replacing tips with a Ridgid live cutter.
I thought I might start using the live cutter to do all my tip replacements.
And Bar sticks are great to experiment on.

Anyway I was installing elk masters tips and the live cutter was making the elk master tips swell up like a damn Marsh Mellow.
I guess it was heat that did it.
The carbide router bite was shape and almost new.
The live cutter seemed to work allot better on a layered tip then a single layered tip.
I think it is risky using live cutters to trim up anyones cue tip.
Triangle tip, sorry don't have a picture of the elk master tips that sweeled up.

 

[JoeyInCali]

Use a 4-flute end mill to trim the sides.
Trims em CLEAN!
You can use two layers of blue tape on the ferrule as caution marker.

 

[conetip]

I can tell you that the cutter needs to be very sharp to cut tip. Elkmasters are a good guide as to how sharp the tools are. The cutter needs to be about as sharp as a knife tool.
That is why I had a special diamond tool made and made the adjustable radius fixture.
Neil

 

[mortuarymike-nv]

Live trimmer

Use a 4-flute end mill to trim the sides.
Trims em CLEAN!
You can use two layers of blue tape on the ferrule as caution marker.

Yes I have trimmed into the ferrule's several times and had to start over.
Main reason I am practicing on bar cues.

The Live trimmer is hard to see exactly where its cutting .

I will order a 4 fluted mill end in.

 

[mortuarymike-nv]

Agreed

I can tell you that the cutter needs to be very sharp to cut tip. Elkmasters are a good guide as to how sharp the tools are. The cutter needs to be about as sharp as a knife tool.
That is why I had a special diamond tool made and made the adjustable radius fixture.
Neil

I agree the cutter needs to be extremely sharp and the router bit I was using destroyed several tips before remove the live cutter and used a sharp carbide cutter.

I am not sure if using a live cutter is the way trim tips flush with the ferrule or not.

 

[pescadoman]

I use one for house cues.

I honestly thought that would be good for Ki-tech softs, but I haven't tried it...

 

[mortuarymike-nv]

I use one for house cues.

I honestly thought that would be good for Ki-tech softs, but I haven't tried it...

I have used the live cutter on ultra skins and it worked good...

Elk masters has been the only tip the live cutter screwed has screwed up besides me cutting into a couple of ferules on house cues.

 

[conetip]

I agree the cutter needs to be extremely sharp and the router bit I was using destroyed several tips before remove the live cutter and used a sharp carbide cutter.

I am not sure if using a live cutter is the way trim tips flush with the ferrule or not.

here is a video of mine trimming a blue diamond tip I think. Elkmasters trim ok as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvqMPCfQbcM
some pics of my current set up for regular cues here and pics. http://forums.azbilliards.com/album.php?albumid=1569

http://forums.azbilliards.com/album.php?albumid=1709

What I do now, is I measure the ferrule diameter before doing any work on the cue. Tape with plumbers tape, replace tip. Set it up in my special Vee support. Trim the front radius 1st, nickel dime whatever they want. Then I set to trim the od. I take a cut to see the tip diameter. Measure it, then take the final cut to ferrule size plus 0.001 inch radius, 0.002 inch diameter bigger than the ferrule size. When the cutter goes past the end of the tip, it just touches the plumbers tape and most times removes the tape, but does not touch the ferrule. Sometimes a very thin layer of plumbers tape stays on the ferrule. Measure the tip. Layered tips I just leave, single tips I either sand with 600 paper or burnish. I try to never touch the ferrule at all when installing tips.Trying to find really sharp router bits that stayed sharp for more than 20 tips or so is almost impossible, especially with Elk tips. That is why the pcd cutter. I have not tried a pcd straight router bit to see how well they perform. They are available out here, it is just a matter of me buying one and trying it sometime.
The vee support I made was to get around cues that have out of round ferrules and shafts. The vee kind of gives it the best average of what is there.
Neil
Picture of a Masse tip Elk on it's own and some Laminated tip on the shaft.