What does it take to learn how to make a cue?
- Thread starter seeker303
- Start date
seeker303 said:
I am NOT a cuemaker, I am only trying to get into it myself, so you can evaluate my thoughts as you see fit.
How much do you have? What I mean is what you want out of it sort of dictates your cost.
If you want to purchase the Hightower deluxe with taper attachments and such, get just enough wood to put together a few cues, maybe buy cone tapered shafts and finish up the taper so you are not completely from scratch, you could invest roughly $4000+ to get a bare minimum start (Deluxe machine, a sample wood starter kit from Chris, other needed material.
Do you want to to do a few cues with inlays?, get some chisels or add more money for a machine that will do inlays, do you want to do a good quality clearcoat finish job on it?, add more money and learn how to set that up properly so you don't harm yourself. Do you want to do points, linen wraps, leather, more to learn and different cuts on woods to make, maybe add a small saw, some more money.
About $20,000 would be an investment that could put together a pretty good shop with a main lathe and small lathe for repair/tip/ferrule, an inlay machine, some tooling, some wood stock, a saw or two for resawing handpicked lumber, and a small suppply of wood, etc. etc.
Someone mentioned Chris's book and such, so I answered your question from that perspective. I have no interest in advertising for Chris and there are other options, but he offers a viable option for people wanting to get a start.
Probably the largest investment is time and dedication and patience..and time..and patience...and...fortitude...
Kelly
seeker303 said:
http://www.cuemaker.com , read/download his written words section and 32 pages on machinery. Chris Book also. Cuemaker apprenticeship.
seeker303 said:
Tom, the first thing you need is the room to do it.
I started repairing cues in a two bedroom aptartment and it soon became clear that would not cut it.
The book that Chris Hightower sells will answer a lot of your questions and give you a good base of knowledge to start off with.
Videos from him and others like Unique Products will show you what tools are used and how it is done.
If you are lucky enough to live near a cuemaker willing to teach that would be the best way to go.
Just remember that all cuemakers have their own way of doing things.
How they do things could be different from the way you will do them.
What counts most is the end result.
Start small but keep in mind the equipment you buy today should be able to serve you as you gain experience. Dont go cheap as you will only hurt yourself in the long run. Buy good, proven equipment (used if possable) that will hold its value in case you decide to sell it all in a year or so.
I would recomend you start with a lathe from Chris Hightower, Unique Products, or Joe Porper and start doing repair work for the local players.
It wont take long for you to know if you have the knack for cuemaking.
Figure about $4000 to get your foot in the door as a cue repair person.
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seeker303 said:
To be honest, I started with a wood lathe, that I paid $50 for at a garage sale. Then I put a large chuck on it, that I bought used for $80. Then I added a DC motor & had an electrician install it...$300. Then I bought a cupped live center, that fit the tailstock, another $40. Then I bought a Willard tip machine, about $350 today. That only allowed me to do tips & sand shafts. Then I bought an Atlas machine lathe, that was much older than me. It came from a school that cut the shop classes. Cost was $800. Tooling set me back about another $200. Then I had a machine shop bore out the spindle hole to 1 1/8" & weld on a chuck from a pipe threader, to the BACK of the headstock...another $400. NOW I COULD MAKE Qs. Oh, I forgot the wood. Anyway that's what I started with. For 2 years I used these lathes & made about 10 Hustler type Qs a year, I still have the 1st one I made. OH MY GOD IS IT BAD. Anyway I put every dollar I made from Qs & repairs into A Porper lathe( about $3000 back then), & started to make ALL of my own parts. Then I bought one of Chris Hightowers lathes , with the inlay attachment, another $4000. Now, 20 years later I have 6 lathes A milling machine, 3 saws, drill press, $13,000 worth of wood & materials & still love making Qs & every thing is paid for...JER
If you get my book and videos as some have suggested and then are lucky enough to find someone to allow you to apprentice with them. DO NOT keep telling them that Chris said this or that. This gets on their nerves. People do things differently. I know it gets on my nerves when people keep calling me telling me that the person they are working with says I am wrong and their way is better. Then they want me to explain why my way is better. It is a waste of everyones time and energy. There are many ways to do things that will work. If it works and you like doing it that way then do it that way. Just learn from whoever teaches you and do it their way in their shop and do it the way you think is best when you are in your own shop.
Chris
www.cuesmith.com
www.internationalcuemakers.com
Chris
www.cuesmith.com
www.internationalcuemakers.com
cueman said:
Great comment Chris.
There is more than one way to skin a cat as the saying goes.
Your book is NOT the encyclopedia of cuemaking (there is no such book) but it is a great base of knowledge that someone with a bit of aptitude can run with.
Just like playing the guitar, cuemaking is not a skill that everyone can easily learn.
There are those that have the skills for it and it comes easy.
There are also those that should never be allowed near a power tool.
Your book can enable a person to evaluate and understand what it takes to make a cue and whether or nor he wants to invest the time and money.
Research money is always money well spent.
I can not understand how a cuemaker can say his way is the only right way to do something and keep a straight face.
If I have learned one thing in my five years of cuemaking it is to keep an open mind and always look for a better way of doing something.
There are the innovators.
There are the followers.
There are the nay-sayers.
The best cuemakers come from the first group.
I am just getting into cue repair/cue building myself. I bought a used cuesmith deluxe (4-5 months ago) and it is a very good machine for this kind of work. between the lathe, a very small amount of wood, and everything else you need just to do regular repairs (taps, center drills, tips, glue, ferrule material, joint material, dial indicator, ... the list goes on and on and I've barely started getting what I need to build cues) I've spent around $5000 cdn. I've really been consious of the cost of everything and tried to get things as cheaply as possible and I only have about $300 in wood in that figure. That being said I am having a fantastic time doing it and its a great hobby that will bring you in some bucks. I've recovered about $800 so far and I'm only doing half of the repairs that I will be doing and only getting any clients through word of mouth as I'm not really set up properly yet. I don't expect it will take that long to recover what I've put in(except I'll just keep buying stuff instead lol). I say if you like it, go for it. look for deals everywhere, read whatever you can find because you'll need all the info you can get. Good luck, and enjoy...
Matt LeClerc
Matt LeClerc
I'm getting myself setup to do custom cues aswell...I'll probably do only 8-10 cues a year as a hobby...I made one completed cue that I'll probably use for personal cue...it's real good looking with a leopard wood forearm and buttsleeve....I use a heavily modified wood lathe at the moment....I'm hoping in about 3-4 months to have a few cues for sale....
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seeker303 said:
Yes,
AE
and
Emilio
Pm me is you want contact info.
Regards,
Doug
1. A cue lathe if you just want to assemble cue parts.seeker303 said:
A metal lathe if you want to build cues.
2. Cue lathe, about 2 to 3 grand.
A metal lathe, taper machine and tooling, maybe 6 grand or so.
3. Your local maker and machinist if you want to build cues.
You can call Judd of Judd cues and pay for cuemaking lessons if he is willing to give one.
Matt what we need are some better sources for materials in Canada,with shipping,Now gst on almost everything,and those horrible amounts of brokerage fees you almost have to charge alot to make a dollar.I bought a gallon of nelsonite $20.00 US,$18.50 US shipping,$20.00 CDN brokerage fees.Strange_Days said:
almer said:
I agree, I have to search high and low to find everything but I find I make larger orders and it works out better. I got a business number, made a UPS brokerage account with them which cuts my fees in half and if you make large orders you still get charged a fairly small fee about $65 I think it tops out at which is not bad when your order is $900. That and just the GST no PST. I heard talk of atlas opening up shop in canada somewhere I hope something comes of it. If you find any good sources within Canada let me know
Matt LeClerc
PoolSleuth
Banned
seeker303 said:
I would try and find a LOCAL Cuemaker Close to where you live to spend a day or half day with in their shop. Who would be willing to answer your questions, and give you an honest assessment of what it taking in Time, money, Machinery, etc. to build Cues that people want to purchase.
There are many people building fine Cues, but FEW Cuemaker who live in Million Dollar Home, that Drive a New Car Annually from be a full time Cuemaker.
PoolSleuth said:I would try and find a LOCAL Cuemaker Close to where you live to spend a day or half day with in their shop. Who would be willing to answer your questions, and give you an honest assessment of what it taking in Time, money, Machinery, etc. to build Cues that people want to purchase.
There are many people building fine Cues, but FEW Cuemaker who live in Million Dollar Home, that Drive a New Car Annually from be a full time Cuemaker.
Of coarse there is Ferrari Joe. Not one but two Ferrari's to tool around in and a Vette for a work car.
Dick