What Woods Won't You....

nksmfamjp

Refugee...
Silver Member
Trust, related to stability, final cut figure appearance, etc?

What do you do if your customer says, but I really want x wood for example? Especially with metal ringwork? Core? Add plastic in the ringwork?
 
i hate zebrawood and most coco but i still use them. will never use snale wood for a forearm or butsleeve due to cracking issues.

your question is hard to answer, due to the fact it could cost you some bussiness depending on what you say.

good luck.

PS my fav is bocote, ebony, maple, tulipwood. figured id add a plus to it as well
 
One of the things a person must master in the journey of becoming a cue maker is learning how to use anything. When challenged with a tricky material, you have to choose what kind of cuemaker you are going to be. Are you going to refuse to use it because you aren't comfortable for whatever reason? Or are you going to invest the time & work in learning how to utilize that material and overcome your discomforts? With this quest comes experience and wisdom of knowing how to pick your battles.
 
One of the things a person must master in the journey of becoming a cue maker is learning how to use anything. When challenged with a tricky material, you have to choose what kind of cuemaker you are going to be. Are you going to refuse to use it because you aren't comfortable for whatever reason? Or are you going to invest the time & work in learning how to utilize that material and overcome your discomforts? With this quest comes experience and wisdom of knowing how to pick your battles.

that why you D MAN.....:thumbup:
 
Qbuilder,
Thank you for your candid response. I guess I didn't think about how my direct question might cost someone business, if they said that they didn't like it, or they had experience with it moving.

I was trying to get answers more like Maple/Purpleheart, etc can be used as is but, generally Bacote, Spalted woods, etc need coring, or slow turning, or some other treatment, can't be used with metal rings, etc..
 
Well, I don't like Zebra wood because you see it used by a lot of new/inexperienced cuemakers. It's cheap and you can get a alot of it. We built some SW style cue's a year ago, and he insisted on building one out of it. I have a few pieces of it but I refuse to build/design a cue with it. So I let him do all the work. I also don't like Malachite (sp) the green stone, pretty much because Dale Perry used the hell out of the material and every time I see it, I think, OH, Dale Perry.

Also, I don't build house cue conversion's anymore, pretty much because Someone pissed me off 3-4 years ago and I'd like all the ones in my shop to rot in hell. Of course my brother has told me he's going to be finishing some in the next year, primarily because a dealer wants me to make some with moose joints, so he'll do the work on those and I can just work on the higher end stuff. I don't think he likes it when I break one over my knee just to relieve stress.
 
Lignum vitae.
Good for nunchuks but not for cues .
FUGLY and I pity the cutter.
 
Lignum vitae.
Good for nunchuks but not for cues .
FUGLY and I pity the cutter.

I think it kind of stinks also. I made a set of lignum vitae claves for someone once, he thought they smelled nice and were beautiful.

Kelly
 
I like lignum. It & vera(s) have a grain and color that no other wood has. I find it to cut very smooth & clean, though is heavy and too oily to ever be dry. The oil that prevents it from being dry also makes it very, very stable. You just gotta learn how to use it or else refuse to use it. I have never personally seen it in a cue before that I can recall. I have some that has been in my shop for 7-8 yrs. and is finally at a point where i'm confident with using in a cue.

I have read from multiple sources that the USN uses lignum as shaft bearing in nuclear submarines because it is naturally lubricated, stable, and ultra quiet compared to oiled metal. That has nothing to do with cues but I thought it was neat.
 
Impregnated burls are a mess . Very beautiful but the dust is so fine it is a ***** to control and clean . I like snakewood . It takes more work and must be sealed properly . I don't like the pacific maples , they are beautiful but soft ...:sorry:
 
I have read from multiple sources that the USN uses lignum as shaft bearing in nuclear submarines because it is naturally lubricated, stable, and ultra quiet compared to oiled metal. That has nothing to do with cues but I thought it was neat.

As well, I have read many times they have been and are used as bearings in the marine industry.

Kelly
 
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