So, I have had a question from a customer who has asked when is a good time to core wood. I usually Round the piece (if it's dry) then I like to wait a few weeks, maybe even a month, or longer, before I core (especially if it is highly figured birds eye, or a burl). Apparently another cue maker told him that he gets the wood, turns it, and cores it immediately. I would assume letting the wood sit a while when it is round would help the stabilization process and coring too soon would lead to more problems with warpage. Any thoughts from the cue makers would be appreciated, and especially if I'm wrong, please let me know.
When to core?
- Thread starter NJS Custom Cues
- Start date
I drill a smaller hole , let sit for a while.
Plug up that hole, recenter, turn true it up.
Let sit.
Drill final hole ( it's really boring now at this stage ).
Make sure you plug up the end inside the spindle so the air blows out the chips back out not thru the spindle.
Let sit with that final hole. If the test rod fits right, glue up the dowel.
This way I minimize twists imo.
If you drill and core (really early ) woods like burl woods, you will have twists imo.
Plug up that hole, recenter, turn true it up.
Let sit.
Drill final hole ( it's really boring now at this stage ).
Make sure you plug up the end inside the spindle so the air blows out the chips back out not thru the spindle.
Let sit with that final hole. If the test rod fits right, glue up the dowel.
This way I minimize twists imo.
If you drill and core (really early ) woods like burl woods, you will have twists imo.
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I go from square to round, dip in resolute and let it hang out for a month. Then I will core it out. I want the wood to be concentric to the core so, for me, coring with the wood so oversized ensures it will be if it were to have moved a little. My 2 cents.....
Hi,
I dowel, center drill, core drill and Gorilla Glue to the dowel the same day.
On non kiln dried wood, I let them hang out a long time (years). For kiln dried material I let them acclimate to my shop. I check all woods with a moisture meter until such time as the species is good to go.
When ever possible I don't buy non kiln dried material.
Rick Geschrey
I dowel, center drill, core drill and Gorilla Glue to the dowel the same day.
On non kiln dried wood, I let them hang out a long time (years). For kiln dried material I let them acclimate to my shop. I check all woods with a moisture meter until such time as the species is good to go.
When ever possible I don't buy non kiln dried material.
Rick Geschrey
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Your not wrong, Different strokes for different folks.
Do a search. There is a lot of info on here. :thumbup:
Coring is basically drilling a hole all the way through a forearm or handle section and then gluing a wood dowel inside of it to change the weight or keep it from warping.
Thanks for the info.
I may be a little off, but shouldn't the hole be filled as soon as possible to reduce the chance that the outer wood would shift making the insertion of the core impossible?
I have bored 1 3/8 rounds and let them sit for a month or 2 and I haven't seen any move. Then I put the core in them.
I have done some by boring and immediately coring and they didn't move either. I use a 1 piece full length core.
When a cue is down to .050 over size I hang them for a month to let everything stabilize and then finish them. None of them have moved either.
Buy good kiln dried wood. Let it acclimate to your shop for a reasonable amount of time and most wood will stay stable. (some species will not)
Kim
But if the wood DID move, wouldn't that make it nearly impossible to slide the coring wood into the hole? It seems that insertion immediately after would be the most sensible route. Is there a reason behind letting the outer wood sit before inserting the core?
You are correct, of course. I did it to see if I was buying good wood and if I was allowing it to acclimate long enough in my shop.
I figured that if it doesn't move before it's cored... It certainly won't move after it is cored.
I have read here that most CB's core immediately after boring..... but not all.
Kim
Hi,
After gun drilling the cored piece can expand or contract also if left for a period of time. I core, test size, then sand my dowel if need for the proper clearance for the gorilla glue.
Rick Geschrey
Trade secret.
yah, a giant hammer