for doing pool stick repairs. I imagine it would involve something to spin
the shaft or entire cue, and I can do that with a little sewing machine
motor and a large O ring looking drive belt hooked up to the pedal speed
control from the sewing machine. A couple of ball bearing trucks that hold
the shaft steady.

I do not need a chuck to hold the work, I intend to lay it on two trucks
that have a set of ball bearing wheels, and have the O ring sewing machine
drive belt in the middle to hold it down into the vee of the trucks.

My question is how do I get everything just exactly perfectly level, 90
degree, etc? The shafts are tapered, so the centerline is obscured. One
end is going to be a little different than the other, tho they would have
the same centerline. Maybe have a sliding center shaft that is set true
to just bring to the center of the mounted cue, and adjust the cue to
center.

There isn't much that I can get a caliper on.

On the front, I want to use a piece of cold rolled 3/4" bar as a rest for
sanding, or resting a file, or perhaps a woodworking lathe tool.

My main question is how to get it all true, level, plumb, 90 degree, etc, as
the shafts and tips have to be right, and in line.

Any sites you can send me to that explain some of the basics of lathes, how
they work, how to set up? Is there a type of lathe, or workpiece holder
that would work for this that I might just buy already made?

This is for fairly exacting work, but not as exacting as metal machining.

Thanks

Steve

"Steve B" wrote in message
...

Any sites you can send me to that explain some of the basics of
lathes, how they work, how to set up? Is there a type of lathe, or
workpiece holder that would work for this that I might just buy
already made?

Steve

http://www.cuesmith.com/index.php?me...e_lathe_deluxe

jsw

On Wednesday, August 29, 2012 10:08:23 AM UTC-7, Steve B wrote:
for doing pool stick repairs. I imagine it would involve something to spin

the shaft...
I do not need a chuck to hold the work, I intend to lay it on two trucks

that have a set of ball bearing wheels,

My question is how do I get everything just exactly perfectly level, 90

Make/buy a cylindrical square that will fit on your 'trucks'; cement a
mirror to its end, and shine a laser pointer at the mirror. When the
reflected beam doesn't wobble with cylinder rotation, the mirror is
aligned with the rotation axis.
When the laser beam reflects back at the laser aperture, the laser is oriented
parallel to the rotation axis.
As for centering, the 'truck' has a different center for each diameter you
might rest on it, if I understand right.

Have you considered using a vertical rotation for the pool cue? Horizontal
causes flex issues that you don't need, and vertical parallelism
is easy to check with a string and weight...

"Steve B" wrote in message
...
for doing pool stick repairs. I imagine it would involve something to
spin the shaft or entire cue, and I can do that with a little sewing
machine motor and a large O ring looking drive belt hooked up to the pedal
speed control from the sewing machine. A couple of ball bearing trucks
that hold the shaft steady.

I do not need a chuck to hold the work, I intend to lay it on two trucks
that have a set of ball bearing wheels, and have the O ring sewing machine
drive belt in the middle to hold it down into the vee of the trucks.

My question is how do I get everything just exactly perfectly level, 90
degree, etc? The shafts are tapered, so the centerline is obscured. One
end is going to be a little different than the other, tho they would have
the same centerline. Maybe have a sliding center shaft that is set true
to just bring to the center of the mounted cue, and adjust the cue to
center.

There isn't much that I can get a caliper on.

On the front, I want to use a piece of cold rolled 3/4" bar as a rest for
sanding, or resting a file, or perhaps a woodworking lathe tool.

My main question is how to get it all true, level, plumb, 90 degree, etc,
as the shafts and tips have to be right, and in line.

Any sites you can send me to that explain some of the basics of lathes,
how they work, how to set up? Is there a type of lathe, or workpiece
holder that would work for this that I might just buy already made?

This is for fairly exacting work, but not as exacting as metal machining.

Thanks

Steve

I can't answer much about lathe work on pool cues, but I used to modify my
own when I played. I use an ordinary wood lathe. I used to play everyday,
and I liked the straight shaft of some of the better McDermott cues, but I
could never justify the price. Most expensive cue I ever owned was a
Diamond. Anyway I used hand pick Dufferin Banner cues at K-Mart as they had
the best wood for the price, and a better joint than most more expensive
cues. I would turn the first foot or so of the shaft straight and then
retaper back by hand, and then turn down the butt and thread wrap with a
heavy woven thread. I had a bit of a following and managed to sell a few of
them. If I placed in a bar room tournament I would sell my cue to anybody
who wanted to buy it. I once place third in a tournament and won a whopping
$20, and then sold me cue for more than first place won. He was ****ed.
LOL. I was never "good" but in the country bars where I played people bet
on me as often as they bet against. Used to play three calcuttas every
week, and bought my own option any time I could afford it.

I basically quit in 1988, so don't come looking for a game. I've got a nice
slate table in the house and in the last decade it has only gotten uncovered
at the holidays when lots of family comes around.

Anyway, there is a whole following of pool cue making and pool cue modifying
with small lathes. I've seen a few modified Taigs built for it, but I think
would preferred my 36" wood lathe. Now that I think about it that's
probably the first machine I ever worked on improving. Made my own adaptor
plate for it for a chuck.

Anyway, type in pool cue lathe on fleabay and look at some of the hardware
they show. You can probably make most of it yourself.

On 8/29/2012 10:08 AM, Steve B wrote:
for doing pool stick repairs. I imagine it would involve something to spin
the shaft or entire cue, and I can do that with a little sewing machine
motor and a large O ring looking drive belt hooked up to the pedal speed
control from the sewing machine. A couple of ball bearing trucks that hold
the shaft steady.

I do not need a chuck to hold the work, I intend to lay it on two trucks
that have a set of ball bearing wheels, and have the O ring sewing machine
drive belt in the middle to hold it down into the vee of the trucks.

My question is how do I get everything just exactly perfectly level, 90
degree, etc? The shafts are tapered, so the centerline is obscured. One
end is going to be a little different than the other, tho they would have
the same centerline. Maybe have a sliding center shaft that is set true
to just bring to the center of the mounted cue, and adjust the cue to
center.

There isn't much that I can get a caliper on.

On the front, I want to use a piece of cold rolled 3/4" bar as a rest for
sanding, or resting a file, or perhaps a woodworking lathe tool.

My main question is how to get it all true, level, plumb, 90 degree, etc, as
the shafts and tips have to be right, and in line.

Any sites you can send me to that explain some of the basics of lathes, how
they work, how to set up? Is there a type of lathe, or workpiece holder
that would work for this that I might just buy already made?

This is for fairly exacting work, but not as exacting as metal machining.

Thanks

Steve


If I understand what you mean, I think your biggest problem is gonna
be the flex in the cue. At a minimum, I think you're gonna have to chuck
the end in some fixture that can apply rotation without any side force.

mike fired this volley in news:k1nk9c$1jp$2@dont-
email.me:

If I understand what you mean, I think your biggest problem is gonna
be the flex in the cue. At a minimum, I think you're gonna have to
chuck
the end in some fixture that can apply rotation without any side force.

It's pretty simple, actually. It can be made exactly along the lines of
a fishing pole wrapping "lathe".

The cue may rest in ball bearing trucks, or it may just rest in felted
beds. Each bed is adjustable vertically and slightly tilt-able so that
the "rod" may run truly horizontal, and the beds support the rod along
their whole length.

At working points along the piece, weighted, hinged felt clamps the same
size as the matching bed pieces hold the piece down in its trucks or
beds.

It's better to drive the rod directly with a snug-fitting soft rubber
"chuck". A hollow metal cup lined with sponge rubber works nicely.
Different liners can be cut to fit different-size handles.


Dad built a half-dozen better and better versions over the decades. He
made every rod he fished with from 1950 on.

LLoyd

"mike" wrote

If I understand what you mean, I think your biggest problem is gonna
be the flex in the cue. At a minimum, I think you're gonna have to chuck
the end in some fixture that can apply rotation without any side force.

Upon thinking about this a little more, I envision four points of contact,
using some sort of pairs of wheels, with the sewing machine motor and drive
belt holding it down and providing rotation. Possibly more sets of wheels
pressing downward to hold it in position, and prevent flexing.

I could possibly need a fast rotation for sanding, or even turning, as one
would create a design on a blank as in making a table leg. Or just a slower
rotation for fine sanding, and removing a coat of old lacquer. Or to turn
down a wood shaft and place a linen wrap (a long piece of linen thread) for
a hand hold. I figure I will develop a tool rest over time as I learn to do
more, and become experienced.

I need a way to dress the entire length in an even manner, and something to
hold it while I cut/grind off the old tip perpendicular, and add another.
Also, possibly to cut off the end ferrule accurately for replacement.

For what I have seen, and the prices they want, I can make what I need for a
fraction of what they want, and I will never need the precision engineering
of their machines to actually make cue sticks. I already have enough
hobbies, honeydo projects, and spontaneous dam bursts to keep me busy.

Steve