Yet another lathe question...

OrigZaphod

OrigZaphod

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ok guys, Here is my delima, I am bored, No real hobbies left to speak of and also job is going SLOW...

So I want to get into cue repair and making as I have stated before, but right now finance's are very prohibitive to buying even a use cue lathe. Had a chance at a porper model b for 2500 but just cant swing that at the moment.

So what I was thinking of doing now, it picking up a cheap-o-lathe, like the one at menards for like 150.00 and trying my hand at Pens first. Also to get used to turning wood.

maybe get lucky and sell a boat of of pens to help save for a cue lathe.... :) (maybe offer to make matching pens for your custom cues, same woods etc... How hard can really small ring be?)

So my question is basicly, what should I look for in a lathe to do this on to get started with? I will most likly pick up the lathe they have that will hold up to 40" in length, just so it is not a worthless investment down the road..
 
Go to penn state on line it's a penn makeing supply co. they'v got some stuff . What ever gets you going do it , I waited to long just do it anything is better than nothing...Just my 2:thumbup:
 
looked there, but most of the lathes they have are mini lathes, and once I move up to a larger one and start cue repair, then that lathe is really not going to do any good.. *other then pens still
 
Do a search on UTube for pen making. Lots of good stuff there, but I'm afraid, other than the lathe, you probably need lots of other doodads and gizmos to make a pen.
You should have bought the wood lathe that you were originally looking at. You'd be amazed at the kind of things you can do on a wood lathe and it will come in handy for later cue work. I can make a honey dipper with my eyes closed. All my friends are now proud owners of my custom dippers. And it makes lots of chips for my smoker when smoking sausage. But pens are cool too, prolly sell quite a few around Christmas.
 
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OrigZaphod said:
Ok guys, Here is my delima, I am bored, No real hobbies left to speak of and also job is going SLOW...

So I want to get into cue repair and making as I have stated before, but right now finance's are very prohibitive to buying even a use cue lathe. Had a chance at a porper model b for 2500 but just cant swing that at the moment.

So what I was thinking of doing now, it picking up a cheap-o-lathe, like the one at menards for like 150.00 and trying my hand at Pens first. Also to get used to turning wood.

maybe get lucky and sell a boat of of pens to help save for a cue lathe.... :) (maybe offer to make matching pens for your custom cues, same woods etc... How hard can really small ring be?)

So my question is basicly, what should I look for in a lathe to do this on to get started with? I will most likly pick up the lathe they have that will hold up to 40" in length, just so it is not a worthless investment down the road..
Click to expand...
look under www.penturners.org,you will have days of reading,lots of the same principles in penturning apply to cuemaking as well,exotic woods,sanding,different finishes
 
Thanks for that link, great stuff there that will surely come in handy. BUT I guess I didnt word the question right.

I know just about any wood lathe will allow turning of the pen blanks, once I get the mandrel and chuck set up.

What I want to know is what type of chuck assembly i should make sure I get, #1 or #2, so I can add do it later for cue shaft work maybe or butt wraps. Stuff like that I should look for.


I just dont want to get a cheapo lathe that will be basically worthless for anything else other then table legs and honey dippers and pens later..
 
OrigZaphod said:
Ok guys, Here is my delima, I am bored, No real hobbies left to speak of and also job is going SLOW...

So I want to get into cue repair and making as I have stated before, but right now finance's are very prohibitive to buying even a use cue lathe. Had a chance at a porper model b for 2500 but just cant swing that at the moment.

So what I was thinking of doing now, it picking up a cheap-o-lathe, like the one at menards for like 150.00 and trying my hand at Pens first. Also to get used to turning wood.

maybe get lucky and sell a boat of of pens to help save for a cue lathe.... :) (maybe offer to make matching pens for your custom cues, same woods etc... How hard can really small ring be?)

So my question is basicly, what should I look for in a lathe to do this on to get started with? I will most likly pick up the lathe they have that will hold up to 40" in length, just so it is not a worthless investment down the road..
Click to expand...
Get the morse 2,a lot more accessories avaiable,get long bed if you can,you can make pool cue pens,if your around pool players they sell fast,sorry about pics
HPIM1664.jpg
 
The problem with most wood lathes, is there is not a large enough through hole in the head stock.
My wood lathe only has a 3/8 through hole to bolt stuff back against the face plate or what ever.
With a steady rest , and a taig lathe bed and carriage assembly, mounted on a base and set to centerline,on the wood lathe bed, then you can do replacement ferrules, tips, and other repairs.
Some wood lathes don't have a bed suitable for what I suggested, and also alot of wood lathes , don't have the head very true to the run of the lathe , unlike a metal lathe.
I used to own a home made lathe, that had an articulated work head and articulated tailstock,was on a bed that could hold 40 inches between centers. I regret selling it now, as it would be very usefull in cue making. Even though the articulated head ony allows for staight tapers.
There are alot of good skills learnt in pen making.
I like your idea of pens that are like the cue.
Neil
 
I am not being a smart ass, but if you can not afford a used Porper lathe, you can not get into cue repair. You can't use a WOOD LATHE to build or even do the most basic cue repair. You have to have a machine lathe or cue building lathe, to do repairs. It must have a hole in the headstock of at least 1 3/8" in diameter...JER
 
OrigZaphod said:
looked there, but most of the lathes they have are mini lathes, and once I move up to a larger one and start cue repair, then that lathe is really not going to do any good.. *other then pens still
Click to expand...

If you buy a Jet or similar mini lathe for pens, then step up later to cues, you can buy the bed extension for it. The lathe will only be good for doing sanding, and wraps (with mods) but it would still be useful. I have the 10" mini from Jet with the extension, and it functions very well for the intended uses mentioned. You could look around for a used metalworking lathe, just do some research as to how to judge condition, etc. before buying. I got my Atlas 10" years ago from a small gunshop for $200, to do shaft repairs, tips, etc. and since then spent approx. $500-$600 modifying it over time to be used for building cues. I also have a 7" Microlux metal lathe, that I use for tips, ferrules and many of the small things needed for building cues. If you want to try repairs only at this time, invest about $500 and go with something like that, and it will still be usefull when you upshift to building. I am trying to save up for a bigger lathe myself, but also need to expand my garage/shop and upgrade the power, etc. before I can even fit one into the shop.
Good luck and chose wisely, it makes things eaiser later on down the road:)
Dave
 
conetip said:
The problem with most wood lathes, is there is not a large enough through hole in the head stock.
My wood lathe only has a 3/8 through hole to bolt stuff back against the face plate or what ever.
With a steady rest , and a taig lathe bed and carriage assembly, mounted on a base and set to centerline,on the wood lathe bed, then you can do replacement ferrules, tips, and other repairs.
Some wood lathes don't have a bed suitable for what I suggested, and also alot of wood lathes , don't have the head very true to the run of the lathe , unlike a metal lathe.
I used to own a home made lathe, that had an articulated work head and articulated tailstock,was on a bed that could hold 40 inches between centers. I regret selling it now, as it would be very usefull in cue making. Even though the articulated head ony allows for staight tapers.
There are alot of good skills learnt in pen making.
I like your idea of pens that are like the cue.
Neil
Click to expand...
I sold the 3 bigger pens for $90.00 ea,they are just cheaper kits,ive sold some for $200.00 with the high dollar kits,i cant keep any samples on hand,been bust with cue stuff since a league playoffs started
 
BLACKHEARTCUES said:
I am not being a smart ass, but if you can not afford a used Porper lathe, you can not get into cue repair. You can't use a WOOD LATHE to build or even do the most basic cue repair. You have to have a machine lathe or cue building lathe, to do repairs. It must have a hole in the headstock of at least 1 3/8" in diameter...JER
Click to expand...

Not to be rude, but what a smartass comment. I am not trying to jump right into cue work, Hence the idea to start with PENS and learn how to use a lathe. Then save the money from selling the pens to buy a good cue lathe.

I guess, then what you are saying since I can not afford the 2500 bucks right off the bat now, then screw it huh? Kinda short sighted thinking..

I just want to know what to look for in a wood lathe that would be DOWN the ROAD useful in some way to work on cues, even if its just sanding and finishing.

Like response on the morse 2 instead of the #1, useful answer. Thank you.
 
almer said:
Get the morse 2,a lot more accessories avaiable,get long bed if you can,you can make pool cue pens,if your around pool players they sell fast,sorry about pics
HPIM1664.jpg
Click to expand...

Thats what I figured, how cool would a matching pen to your cue be? I figure to even learn how to do small inlays in the pens..
 
Hey Zaph, Jer was giving you good advice, and not being a smart ass. If you don't like the answers you get, don't ask questions. Ya wanna build cues, buy a cue lathe, ya wanna build pens, buy a pen lathe. Hows that for advice. Sorry, not trying to be a smart ass or anything.
 
Blue Hog ridr said:
Hey Zaph, Jer was giving you good advice, and not being a smart ass. If you don't like the answers you get, don't ask questions. Ya wanna build cues, buy a cue lathe, ya wanna build pens, buy a pen lathe. Hows that for advice. Sorry, not trying to be a smart ass or anything.
Click to expand...

You know, did either of you read my original post? Its states that I am looking to use the making pens as a way to 1) Learn how to turn wood, and 2) Maybe help offset the cost of a cue lathe..

Never did I say I wanted the first lathe to make cues on, I said I wanted advice on what to get so that when I DO MOVE into cue repair/making the lathe would not be completely worthless to that end.

Between the closed minded around here and the outright unhelpful condescending, This place is beginning to become a hangout for a select few it seems.

Just was asking for what to look for in a starter lathe, like head stock and taper type, live end etc, so that it wouldnt be a complete waste, and got one decent response, the rest are Either buy a cue lathe or basically go away...

Thanks..
 
OrigZaphod said:
You know, did either of you read my original post? Its states that I am looking to use the making pens as a way to 1) Learn how to turn wood, and 2) Maybe help offset the cost of a cue lathe..

Never did I say I wanted the first lathe to make cues on, I said I wanted advice on what to get so that when I DO MOVE into cue repair/making the lathe would not be completely worthless to that end.

Between the closed minded around here and the outright unhelpful condescending, This place is beginning to become a hangout for a select few it seems.

Just was asking for what to look for in a starter lathe, like head stock and taper type, live end etc, so that it wouldnt be a complete waste, and got one decent response, the rest are Either buy a cue lathe or basically go away...

Thanks..
Click to expand...

If I was in your predicament I wouldn't be looking for any equipment. Apparently you have a lathe suitable for making pens as you have said that you've been selling them and that is all you need at present. There is a big difference between precision metal turning equipment and wood turning lathes. For pens you use wood turning lathes for cues you need the precision of a metal cutting lathe. If you can make money selling pens that you make then go for it and make some money. As far as developing any skills on a wood lathe building pens that you could use at a later date in building cues you will learn in 3 or 4 minutes and that is sanding. You could become the greatest pen turner on earth with a wood lathe and it will not help you one iota in turning cues. You say you've got some information as far as head stock and taper size but once again, this is completely immaterial because the stuff you buy for the wood lathe is not suitable for the metal lathe and vice/versus.

Dick
 
First, maybe you need to state how much you can afford for a hobby. You gave the impression that you want to repair and build cues, but due to financial restrictions, are limited for buying equipment. Understandable, been there, done that. Then you said that maybe you would start with pens first, then use that to make money to put towards cue making equipment, and re-use that same equipment for cues. That's great foresight, but at the same time.....If all you can afford is about $150-$200 for pen building, then you need to save the pennies alittle longer as with most 'hobbies' everything has extra costs involved. I cannot speak for Jerry, but I believe his post was meant very sincerly to help, and was pointing out that you will need to spend some money, and if you don't have a basic amount to enter, then you need to re- think and save some more, even for pen turning. Ask Almer how much he has spent for the 'extras' like mandrels, drills, chucks, live centers, etc. above and beyond the original cost of the lathe.
IMO, Seeing that you've been here since 2005, and are serously considering this road, you should have already spent hours doing research thru the search feature, as this subject has been rehashed repeatedly, almost to death. Do some searching thru penturner websites and then compare the info from one to the other and make choices from there.
If you serously only think that only one post has been helpfull, then IMO, your looking with a restricted eye, as there has been some great advice given. Just my opinon.
Dave
 
Dave38 said:
First, maybe you need to state how much you can afford for a hobby. You gave the impression that you want to repair and build cues, but due to financial restrictions, are limited for buying equipment. Understandable, been there, done that. Then you said that maybe you would start with pens first, then use that to make money to put towards cue making equipment, and re-use that same equipment for cues. That's great foresight, but at the same time.....If all you can afford is about $150-$200 for pen building, then you need to save the pennies alittle longer as with most 'hobbies' everything has extra costs involved. I cannot speak for Jerry, but I believe his post was meant very sincerly to help, and was pointing out that you will need to spend some money, and if you don't have a basic amount to enter, then you need to re- think and save some more, even for pen turning. Ask Almer how much he has spent for the 'extras' like mandrels, drills, chucks, live centers, etc. above and beyond the original cost of the lathe.
IMO, Seeing that you've been here since 2005, and are serously considering this road, you should have already spent hours doing research thru the search feature, as this subject has been rehashed repeatedly, almost to death. Do some searching thru penturner websites and then compare the info from one to the other and make choices from there.
If you serously only think that only one post has been helpfull, then IMO, your looking with a restricted eye, as there has been some great advice given. Just my opinon.
Dave
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The search function - what a concept:)

Perhaps we need a sticky along the lines of:

'So ypu think you want to make cues'

To the OP if he is still reading,

I COULD make a PLAYABLE cue on my wood lathe(s),
with some apropriate and EXPENSIVE modifications. I could
also do repair work on a limited basis.

As far as selling the made-on-a-wood-lathe cues, given the
expectations of today's cue buyers - I MIGHT get a price that
would yeild a net profit of $1 per hour for my effort, but I doubt it.

YMMV

Dale<capitalizing for emphasis since 1997>
 
pdcue said:
The search function - what a concept:)

Perhaps we need a sticky along the lines of:

'So ypu think you want to make cues'

To the OP if he is still reading,

I COULD make a PLAYABLE cue on my wood lathe(s),
with some apropriate and EXPENSIVE modifications. I could
also do repair work on a limited basis.

As far as selling the made-on-a-wood-lathe cues, given the
expectations of today's cue buyers - I MIGHT get a price that
would yeild a net profit of $1 per hour for my effort, but I doubt it.

YMMV

Dale<capitalizing for emphasis since 1997>
Click to expand...

I did do a search, and found a lot on CUE MAKING, but that is not the question I asked!

I stated, that I am only looking to us what every lathe I buy, in some form in the future, for something with cue making, DIDN'T SAY would us it to build the damn cue! Said i hope to maybe make some money selling pens made on the WOOD LATHE to help off set the cost of an ACTUAL CUE LATHE!

I just wanted to know what to look for in the wood lathe so I wouldnt be stuck making pens only on in when I got a cue lathe. And Like I said, only on response was related to that question. Morse 2!!

People here generally seem to read only a part of a post and assume they have all the right answers.

I know I need a cue lathe to make the damn cues, been covered, even stated!
 
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