what do you cut a one piece with?

J

jtrujillo707

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Hey guys, I just got the mid-size cuesmith lathe. I want to try making my first cue, obviously a sneaky. I have an old 17oz house cue. I have the book from chris Hightower, but I currently have it in storage under a bunch of boxes. I was wondering what are the recommended methods to cut the one piece into two? I have a dremel and i was thinking about ordering the dremel mount from chris. I just want to make sure this is fine or if their are better ways. thank you guys in advance!
 
jtrujillo707 said:
Hey guys, I just got the mid-size cuesmith lathe. I want to try making my first cue, obviously a sneaky. I have an old 17oz house cue. I have the book from chris Hightower, but I currently have it in storage under a bunch of boxes. I was wondering what are the recommended methods to cut the one piece into two? I have a dremel and i was thinking about ordering the dremel mount from chris. I just want to make sure this is fine or if their are better ways. thank you guys in advance!
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Miter saw, hand saw, or any saw that won't shred\splinter it. Your going to face it off later anyway. You might want to pull out Hightower's book before you get started, it will help.
 
I usually just use a parting tool on the tool post, but I have used a coping saw too. Like hard knock said you will be cleaning up the cut ends anyway.
 
jtrujillo707 said:
Hey guys, I just got the mid-size cuesmith lathe. I want to try making my first cue, obviously a sneaky. I have an old 17oz house cue. I have the book from chris Hightower, but I currently have it in storage under a bunch of boxes. I was wondering what are the recommended methods to cut the one piece into two? I have a dremel and i was thinking about ordering the dremel mount from chris. I just want to make sure this is fine or if their are better ways. thank you guys in advance!
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I'm sure this will make me sound like a jerk, but if you couldn't figure this one out on your own, you might want to look for a new hobby before you invest more into this endeavor.

There are no stupid questions, but the answer you are looking for might not be the most valuable.
 
DeeDeeCues said:
I'm sure this will make me sound like a jerk, but if you couldn't figure this one out on your own, you might want to look for a new hobby before you invest more into this endeavor.
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Nope, looks just fine to me.
At least the follow up question wasn't,
If you put the drill chuck in the tailstock,
How does it drill a hole if the drill chuck don't spin?
There's always hope!
 
dunno, though.....
anytime someone starts something almost completely new, there are so many unknowns, it's more about asking permission.
Like "I can take a dull steak knife and cut this off without too much damage, but is there something i just don't know to think about??
Next step up, maybe hacksaw, same thing. etc depending on the persons familiarity with tools.

The problem is, we don't just want to help these guys understand an efficient tool to use for a one time app.
What they need is to be initiated into is the whole concept & culture of tool acquisition.
There is no simple task that can't be repurposed as an opportunity to acquire more kit, or more materials.

If the household conversation goes like this:
"Hey, honey, where you going?"
"Guys on AZ said i need to get a cheap handsaw at the orange box store to cut down this cue i'm working on so i can go into business on the side and increase our disposable income"
"Wow! You rock, i'm remembering all over again why i married you. Hurry home, honey!!!"

We might have got the schmuck laid, but we failed him.

Lets try rewind:
"Hey, honey, where you going?
"Sweetheart, you are never going to believe the financial plan the investment guru's on AZ came up with considering every aspect of our current economic situation! I've made an appointment down at the bank to re-mortgage our house and invest in industrial machinery and a big stash of exotic lumber & build a workshop out back so we can become gazillionaires in the high rolling world of billiard cue manufacturing!"
"Do that big boy, and your exotic lumber is going to be the only wood that gets serviced around here!"
"It can't fail, dear; i'm off for my meeting with destiny! Don't wait up dinner for me!"
 
The cue making industry is dying a slow death because of gatekeeping. Why we can’t just help people is beyond me. I guess we prefer big box stores selling canned goods.

I had a great mentor in WilleeCue. Never once make me feel like I asked a dumb question or was too stupid to learn. I’m still learning how to make good cues.

I’m a pretty good guitar player too. There was a point in time when I didn’t know what a Floyd Rose was. I felt dumb asking but a guy showed me all the different bridges and put me on a good guitar instructor.

Now I’m producing music and mixing and mastering.

Everyone has to start somewhere.
 
Just FWIW - my post was meant to poke fun at all of us.
Hope it was not off putting to the OP.
I was serious, that most of us when starting something new, mostly need "permission". We think we have ideas how to do a given task, and then get bogged down in the details. Until we either take a chance, do "it" (whatever it is) and then are successful, or learn and move on. Or maybe someone gives us a gentle pat and says "it's not that critical, just watch out for xyz"

Hardknock cues gave a great answer first post.

The rest of us are just helping with a friendly initiation.
:)
 
Bishop said:
The cue making industry is dying a slow death because of gatekeeping. Why we can’t just help people is beyond me. I guess we prefer big box stores selling canned goods.

I had a great mentor in WilleeCue. Never once make me feel like I asked a dumb question or was too stupid to learn. I’m still learning how to make good cues.

I’m a pretty good guitar player too. There was a point in time when I didn’t know what a Floyd Rose was. I felt dumb asking but a guy showed me all the different bridges and put me on a good guitar instructor.

Now I’m producing music and mixing and mastering.

Everyone has to start somewhere.
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I'd argue that more gatekeeping was needed about a decade ago. It does no good for the industry to have a guy think he's a cuemaker because he read a book and produced a crappy piece of wood without any understanding.

About a dozen years ago I bought a custom cue from a guy. The photos looked good, but when it was in my hands, it looked like a middle school project. I let the guy know the problems and told him I was never going to use the cue. He replied that I should send the cue back to him in trade for one of his new ones because (and I quote here) he was, "...making cues as good as Timmy Scruggs now." I blocked his number and flagged his email address, because I didn't need to have any further communications with a delusional person.
 
DeeDeeCues said:
I'd argue that more gatekeeping was needed about a decade ago. It does no good for the industry to have a guy think he's a cuemaker because he read a book and produced a crappy piece of wood without any understanding.

About a dozen years ago I bought a custom cue from a guy. The photos looked good, but when it was in my hands, it looked like a middle school project. I let the guy know the problems and told him I was never going to use the cue. He replied that I should send the cue back to him in trade for one of his new ones because (and I quote here) he was, "...making cues as good as Timmy Scruggs now." I blocked his number and flagged his email address, because I didn't need to have any further communications with a delusional person.
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Well I can’t argue on behalf of stupidity and dishonesty. In fairness you make a reasonable point.

When I sell a cue I make it clear that I’m an amateur hobbyist. I’m actually way better at sourcing and stabilizing wood than I am making a cue. Honestly, because people have helped me.

No doubt we don’t want to feed the egos of those not up to par, but that shouldn’t mean we shun others.

I don’t see how gatekeeping up and comers protects us from anomalies in the industry.

20 years ago I’m thinking of a guy BHQ who made some relatively mundane cues. Then all of sudden he was making some real bangers.

Where are those cue makers today? I’d hate to think we’re gatekeeping them.

Sometimes we just need to ask dumb questions and reset our train of thought. Doesn’t mean we’re gonna shit the bed.
 
Bishop said:
Well I can’t argue on behalf of stupidity and dishonesty. In fairness you make a reasonable point.

When I sell a cue I make it clear that I’m an amateur hobbyist. I’m actually way better at sourcing and stabilizing wood than I am making a cue. Honestly, because people have helped me.

No doubt we don’t want to feed the egos of those not up to par, but that shouldn’t mean we shun others.

I don’t see how gatekeeping up and comers protects us from anomalies in the industry.

20 years ago I’m thinking of a guy BHQ who made some relatively mundane cues. Then all of sudden he was making some real bangers.

Where are those cue makers today? I’d hate to think we’re gatekeeping them.

Sometimes we just need to ask dumb questions and reset our train of thought. Doesn’t mean we’re gonna shit the bed.
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This is all very reasonable, but there should be an expectation of basic knowledge. Better, someone should try something and offer an analysis of why it didn't work before asking.

A college professor wouldn't let someone take a calculus course without knowing they had a grasp on the prerequisite courses. I actually saw something similar, a music major signed up for a junior level mechanical engineering thermo dynamics class (probably the second hardest class for a bsme). The prof nicely kicked him out. We asked about it and he explained that it would have been irresponsible for him to allow the kid to waste the time and money. That is what I was getting at in my response. Learn to walk elsewhere. Get knowledge of basic woodworking before spending time and money on precision craftsmanship.

Also, if the guy doesn't have the knowledge to cut a cue in half, do you think he is safe running a lathe?

You and bhq are different. You apprenticed, good choice. Bhq obviously had a base of knowledge and levered that into making some of the prettiest cues I've seen.
 
DeeDeeCues said:
This is all very reasonable, but there should be an expectation of basic knowledge. Better, someone should try something and offer an analysis of why it didn't work before asking.

A college professor wouldn't let someone take a calculus course without knowing they had a grasp on the prerequisite courses. I actually saw something similar, a music major signed up for a junior level mechanical engineering thermo dynamics class (probably the second hardest class for a bsme). The prof nicely kicked him out. We asked about it and he explained that it would have been irresponsible for him to allow the kid to waste the time and money. That is what I was getting at in my response. Learn to walk elsewhere. Get knowledge of basic woodworking before spending time and money on precision craftsmanship.

Also, if the guy doesn't have the knowledge to cut a cue in half, do you think he is safe running a lathe?

You and bhq are different. You apprenticed, good choice. Bhq obviously had a base of knowledge and levered that into making some of the prettiest cues I've seen.
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And this guy is in the prerequisite class, which also requires a teacher.

I was a corporate trainer in the law enforcement industry (probation/parole officers) for nearly 10 years. When I started in 2002 I literally had to teach people how to use a computer, let alone, our software.

I was at league one day and a teammate showed me his new cue (there's a pic of it around here somewhere - label said RB). He was very proud of it, I picked it up and thought - oof. I asked what he paid for it and he said "$350", unfortunately, my mouth sometimes work faster than my brain and I said "no you didn't", "I mean, it's not bad, has a good balance...." LOL.

The market will determine who is a good cue builder and who is not. What do I care if someone makes a crap cue or if some schmuck buys a crap cue? Eventually, (and to quote The Office) - these things have a way of working themselves out.

If I can give someone advice that will help them along, I'll do that, and I'm not afraid to ask questions, I can usually tell by the response if they're a "teacher" or not.
 
I answered the OP's question in a way I thought was good but I have to say in the back of my mind I was thinking like deedee and "really" . But I thought of an old employer of mine while building houses he would say" no question is stupid if you don't know the answer, but if you keep asking the same damn question you're just not paying attention"

I hope jtrutrillo707 doesn't get too discouraged if this is something he's really interested in, but he will at least need some basic skills to get started. The point if you don't have those basic skills, spending a bunch of money going down a rabbit hole might not be a great choice. The money could be spent on better things.

My advice to him is to pull that book out and get an idea if he can grasp the jist of it and still wants to continue. Then roam the threads to get insight. Then most of all give things a try and by all means ask the questions if you're having troubles. Some will give you a direct answer some will give you a hard time and make you think, others will tell you to get your hands dirty and figure it out. In the end they'll all serve a purpose on your path to learning.

-Robert- student of the school of hard knocks
 
Hard Knock Cues said:
I answered the OP's question in a way I thought was good but I have to say in the back of my mind I was thinking like deedee and "really" . But I thought of an old employer of mine while building houses he would say" no question is stupid if you don't know the answer, but if you keep asking the same damn question you're just not paying attention"

I hope jtrutrillo707 doesn't get too discouraged if this is something he's really interested in, but he will at least need some basic skills to get started. The point if you don't have those basic skills, spending a bunch of money going down a rabbit hole might not be a great choice. The money could be spent on better things.

My advice to him is to pull that book out and get an idea if he can grasp the jist of it and still wants to continue. Then roam the threads to get insight. Then most of all give things a try and by all means ask the questions if you're having troubles. Some will give you a direct answer some will give you a hard time and make you think, others will tell you to get your hands dirty and figure it out. In the end they'll all serve a purpose on your path to learning.

-Robert- student of the school of hard knocks
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Being the youngest of four kids I was the more technically savvy one so everyone came to me with questions. Eventually I started teaching in a manner a friend would later call "breaking it down to its simplest pieces", i.e. show every single step, every single time. The "learners" will get it, others, not so much.
 
Hard Knock Cues said:
I answered the OP's question in a way I thought was good but I have to say in the back of my mind I was thinking like deedee and "really" . But I thought of an old employer of mine while building houses he would say" no question is stupid if you don't know the answer, but if you keep asking the same damn question you're just not paying attention"

I hope jtrutrillo707 doesn't get too discouraged if this is something he's really interested in, but he will at least need some basic skills to get started. The point if you don't have those basic skills, spending a bunch of money going down a rabbit hole might not be a great choice. The money could be spent on better things.

My advice to him is to pull that book out and get an idea if he can grasp the jist of it and still wants to continue. Then roam the threads to get insight. Then most of all give things a try and by all means ask the questions if you're having troubles. Some will give you a direct answer some will give you a hard time and make you think, others will tell you to get your hands dirty and figure it out. In the end they'll all serve a purpose on your path to learning.

-Robert- student of the school of hard knocks
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I think maybe he thought of the obvious and maybe thought, it can't be that easy.

20 years ago I asked a cue maker friend about getting weight bolts to size. I thought it was probably done on a lathe which I was new to. He said, cut it with a hack saw.

The upside to stupid questions is they usually end up being someone's entertainment.
 
BarenbruggeCues said:
Bandsaw..........
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I have a metal cutting band saw that can drop down and cut a 57 inch cue in half. But cutting a one piece cue in the middle on a normal band saw does not compute to me. I cut 30 inch shafts in half on my 16 inch band saw to make coring dowels, but not sure how to reach that middle point on a wood cutting band saw like most cuemakers own.
 
jtrujillo707 said:
Hey guys, I just got the mid-size cuesmith lathe. I want to try making my first cue, obviously a sneaky. I have an old 17oz house cue. I have the book from chris Hightower, but I currently have it in storage under a bunch of boxes. I was wondering what are the recommended methods to cut the one piece into two? I have a dremel and i was thinking about ordering the dremel mount from chris. I just want to make sure this is fine or if their are better ways. thank you guys in advance!
Click to expand...
I would cut it with a cut off bit. No need for the Dremel for that. I have used a small hand saw on the lathe with the cue spinning. But I have also slipped with the saw that way and cut a groove or two where I did not want, while doing so many years years ago. So cut off tool bit is safest.
 
cueman said:
I would cut it with a cut off bit. No need for the Dremel for that. I have used a small hand saw on the lathe with the cue spinning. But I have also slipped with the saw that way and cut a groove or two where I did not want, while doing so many years years ago. So cut off tool bit is safest.
Click to expand...

I use a cutoff tool as well.
 
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