What's Your Story?

I am typing in the dark so please excuse spelling

1. What made you decide to start building cues?
I started doing websites in exchange for a cue. After being in there shop I deciced I would like to take a stab at it.

2. Did you ever quit, or almost quit? Why?
discouraged

3. Are you married and how does your spouse deal with you being a cuemaker?
She puts up with it.

4. Have any of you been taken to school for Career Day? How did that go?
no
5. Is this your only job? Is it a job/career, or just a hobby for you?
Hobby that at the time is sustituting for a job. My job whent to Mexico after 16 yrs of working there

6. What makes you keep building cues, even when times get hard?
I enjoy it.
7. Do you have any family members who work with you?
my son build some joint protectors
8. What kind of Birthday/Christmas gifts do your family members get for you? I could tell them I want a certain tool but instead i pick my gifts up myself.
 
Here's My Story
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1. What made you decide to start building cues?

There were three events. 1. After a local retailer did a hack job on tip replacement on two of my cues I "knew" I could do better. This led to doing work for league team members and others and necessitated buying a lathe for repair work. 2. A well known representative of the ACA (in a telephone conversation on my dime) told me I would never build a cue - essentially a circumstance similar to the one Chris Hightower relates. And, 3. After buying several custom cues (well known on this forum) and finding the finished product wasn't close to the hype they used to sell their product I decided to invest in myself and acquire the tools and knowledge to build a "better mousetrap"

2. Did you ever quit, or almost quit? Why?

There have been several long breaks due to illness and times when I thought I would never get back in to the shop. I am a survivor and not a quitter so I'll not likely quit until I am physically no longer able to carry on.

3. Are you married and how does your spouse deal with you being a cuemaker?

She has been a loyal and supportive spouse of anything I have done for 40years. 'Nuff said.

4. Have any of you been taken to school for Career Day? How did that go?

No. But every tournament I work or every visitor to my shop turns into a "career day" of sorts. Same questions just different people.

5. Is this your only job? Is it a job/career, or just a hobby for you?

I am "officially" retired so it is not a job. Hobby implies a certain casualness about it so I guess I would call it an "ego trip".

6. What makes you keep building cues, even when times get hard?

See #5.

7. Do you have any family members who work with you?

No

8. What kind of Birthday/Christmas gifts do your family members get for you?

We have come to disassociate gifts from events (except for our daughter) and give "surprise" gifts throughout the year, although "Santa" does always make a pit stop at our house.

Regards,
Stoney
 
JesPiddlin said:
Oh, c'mon, Dave. I'm assuming you got carried away and forgot what you were answering. :wink: :wink: Here's the rest of the questions...


2. Did you ever quit, or almost quit? Why?

3. Are you married and how does your spouse deal with you being a cuemaker?

4. Have any of you been taken to school for Career Day? How did that go?

5. Is this your only job? Is it a job/career, or just a hobby for you?

6. What makes you keep building cues, even when times get hard?

7. Do you have any family members who work with you?

8. What kind of Birthday/Christmas gifts do your family members get for you?
Click to expand...

sry pal.

ok i never quit. i was down for a month between upgrades. thats about it.

i am married with a very unique relationship. i dont care if she likes it or not:smile: but she is very understanding. we both deal poker. we dont live exactly a normal life. we sleep all day and work all night

no school yet

not my only job. love it but i dont care if i ever sell a cue. i have a first job that i love just about as much as cuemaking. even if i were on the tasc/searing level i dont think i would quit my job.

work alone no gifts on the cuemaking side alto i did make my wofe and son a cue already
 
Bump!!

I know there are more great cuemakers out there who would be willing to share their stories.....
 
1. I've played pool since I was old enough to push a chair around the table. Cues have always facinated me but I was never really exposed to custom cues until I was an adult. I love the game.

2. I've never thought about quitting. I feel this is what I was meant to do. I get more frustrated playing pool than working on cues. I think the cue ball hates me.

3. My wife is supportive. She's sees my passion. My family, on the other hand, wants me "reach my potential." I was going to college for biochemistry and then woke up one day, realized it wasn't a fit for me and quit. Its been cue ever since.

4. My kids aren't old enough yet but I am pretty sure I'll have a career day or two. My son Eli knows what I do and, on occasion, asks why people break their cues. Sometimes, I ask the same question.:confused:

5. This is my only job and they only one I want.

6. The more difficult it gets, the more motivated I become. I love the challenge. I try to learn more every day and never for one moment believe I know everything, believe there is only one way to do something, or believe I am the best. Any of those kill creativity and problem solving.

7. Nope, I don't work well with others.

8. This year I got a new table saw from my mom. My wife thinks I need to build some bunk beds. (for the kids, not us:grin-square: )
__________________
 
An out of work cuemaker told me one day that I ought to buy a lathe and he and I would start building cues. I thought on it and decided that since I liked to work with wood that this might just be right up my alley.

Never thought about quitting, just get frustrated at times.

I'm married and my wife is OK with it.

No career day.

Technically I am retired. I do cue building/repairs on a daily basis.

The reason I keep building is that I love to see something happen to a dull piece of wood (s). To be a good cuemaker, I feel like you must find your creative side.

My oldest son worked with me for a while, but now he's back at his regular job and lives too far away to build cues even part time.

Just call me on the phone and wish me happy birthday/etc.
 
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