# Pool Cue Blanks for Dummies



## skiprat

Don't get upset over the 'Dummy' word, it's just for fun.:wink: OK?:biggrin:

Here is a pictorial on how to make a pool cue blank with nice sharp corners and by using a simple jig, a router with a standard bit and the lathe just used for indexing.

It doesn't matter if you build a box over your wood lathe or make a template for you metal lathe. Remember, the lathe is only being used for the indexing. Unplug it before you start (Please:wink

I'll post all the pics first, which I think are pretty self explanatory and answer any question to clear up any queries.

There are just a couple of 'Rules' when using a standard router bit.

1. The 'Ramp' that the router moves along MUST move in both the horizontal and vertical planes by the SAME amount. 

2. Each cut cuts beyond the centre of the blank. This means that after the first cuts, you end up with a void that is easily filled with CA and sawdust as you go.

This blank was made with a pine dowel and an unknown dark hardwood quadrant. The pine is softwood but maybe with enough coats of CA, I'll be able to use it.
Remember that as the blank is turned down, that the dark spikes will shrink in length.:wink:


----------



## skiprat

Oh, I forgot to add.....

Routers can cut you quicker than any tool alive. Please be very careful.
The bit remains exposed until the job is finished. The instinct is to look at the cut you have just made as you take the router away. 

If you have ever 'been-there-done-that' , you're ok, because you will NEVER do it again:biggrin: DAMHIKT:doctor:


----------



## EBorraga

Skippy, looks like you've made some sneaky pete's before. You still amaze me with all the engineering that you do. I'm lucky enough to have access to a cue building lathe, that's about 3 minutes away, to cut all my points with. At first glance I would bet money that was a fullsize handle and not a pen blank.


----------



## Phunky_2003

Wow thats pretty impressive.  Wish I had the stuff to make a few of those.  I need about 6 for a project I am working on.  I've been working on some other ideas to get some made but as of yet I havent quite figured nothing out.  Your engineering skills still impress me.  Amazing!


----------



## seamus7227

very interesting! thanks for sharing Steve!


----------



## bitshird

Very impressive Steven !!


----------



## skiprat

I just noticed that the A and B in the sketch are a different way around from my reference points on the plastic guide. If the drawing is correct, then the A should be on the RHS and B on the LHS on the plastic.

But I'm sure you figured that out:tongue:

For those that build something like this, (or a box over the wood lathe bed,) then try to build it so that you don't need to move anything to glue and clamp the bits together.

The shape of the plastic guide I used is of no relevance, it's just used for other stuff too. 

Also please note that if you manage to get a perfect point bit ( any angle) then the cuts would be made only with a horizontal ramp. The vertical movement isn't needed because you would do the cuts from above the blank and not on the side, like this. 

To make nice long cuts like these, you will probably have to join your blank onto another one or make a plan to leave space for the router.

If there are any pics that need explanation or any questions please feel free to ask.:biggrin:


----------



## RAdams

Thanks again Steven! Once more you amaze me with not only your skill and ability, but your willingness to share it so freely. I will be adding this to my already insane list of "stuff i gotta try".


----------



## RAdams

That is amazing. I just went through all the pictures and am completely inspired. The finished blank really does look just like a butt. It just needs a rubber bumper and a threaded rod in the other end!


----------



## tim self

Steve, that is TOO AWESOME!  Will add it to the list of things to try.  Hope I can give it justice.


----------



## IPD_Mrs

Skippy,
Awesome tutorial.  Thanks for sharing your ingenuity and skills.  There are many more applications that this type of segmenting can be used for.  Now if you could just come up with a way that the wood shavings don't go all over the shop that would be a neat trick.


----------



## johncrane

Very nice work Stev!:biggrin:


----------



## aggromere

That's why you are one of my heroes on this site.  I don't think there is anything you can't do.  Now I gotta figure out what kinda router to get, etc. that will work on my lathe.  Any suggestions, it's a jet mini.


----------



## skiprat

MLKWoodWorking said:


> Skippy,
> Awesome tutorial. Thanks for sharing your ingenuity and skills. There are many more applications that this type of segmenting can be used for. Now if you could just come up with a way that the wood shavings don't go all over the shop that would be a neat trick.


 
Vacuum cleaner?? :tongue:




aggromere said:


> ...... Now I gotta figure out what kinda router to get, etc. that will work on my lathe. Any suggestions, it's a jet mini.


 
I used my 1/4 inch router because the base was small enough not to get in the way.  You guys get a different style of router to us. I think Porter Cable was the first to have the method where the motor body screws into the base to adjust the bit hieght. They are extremely rare here. But a neat design. But any router would work. Palm Routers are great but for some reason they are most often more expensive than their bigger brothers.


----------



## PTownSubbie

Skippy,

You are da man!! I can't believe some of the things you come up with!! Just incredible!!

Thanks for sharing! Definately going on my list of to do's...Right after my wife's list is done...Is there a possibility that will ever happen? LOL:biggrin:


----------



## PTownSubbie

BTW, how did you post more than 4 pictures in a post? I know...totally off topic


----------



## bracky1

Very useful tutorial Skip but where's the pen, WHERE'S THE PEN??? :biggrin:


----------



## skiprat

PTownSubbie said:


> BTW, how did you post more than 4 pictures in a post? I know...totally off topic


 
When you have filled up the 5 pics using the 'browse button' upload them and the 5 buttons are free again. :wink:



bracky1 said:


> Very useful tutorial Skip but where's the pen, WHERE'S THE PEN??? :biggrin:


 
Work has got in the way I'm currently sitting at the end of a tiny lane in a field outside London for a client to get here and give me access.
He said he'd be here at 8am.......it's 11.30 now
I just took a pic ( no-pic-didn't-happen:wink but don't have my cable to upload to my laptop. I'll should get time to make the pen tomorrow:biggrin:


----------



## Dustygoose

Wow, now thats thinking!!   I have a friend and his wife who want a cue pen and I have been scratching my head...  I don't have an indexing lathe though.


----------



## RAdams

Neither did I until a few hours ago!! Check out Indexius Maximus in the tools forum! Maybe get an idea or two from there!


----------



## PTownSubbie

Skippy,

I think I have worked this through in my head but I have to ask anyway...

When you use the router bit to cut your material away, the bottom part of the cut has a bit of a radius to it where you stop cutting due to the radius of the bit. When you put your colored wood into it, you don't worry about that radius. Right? Because the very end of the cut is going to be cut away anyway isn't it? Or is that where you talked about having to use CA and sawdust?

Hope that made sense....


----------



## EBorraga

when your in the uploading part, after you've hit upload, you can then browse again and upload more. After complete just click close this page. Then submit thread. Hope this helps a little.


----------



## skiprat

PTownSubbie said:


> Skippy,
> 
> I think I have worked this through in my head but I have to ask anyway...
> 
> When you use the router bit to cut your material away, the bottom part of the cut has a bit of a radius to it where you stop cutting due to the radius of the bit. When you put your colored wood into it, you don't worry about that radius. Right? Because the very end of the cut is going to be cut away anyway isn't it? Or is that where you talked about having to use CA and sawdust?
> 
> Hope that made sense....


 
Yep, spot on. You can see the ca in a couple of the pics ( 3rd and 4th cuts) and like you said, it gets cut off anyway. It is just to keep it solid to the section in the chuck.  In one of the pics I showed the dark quadrant rounded on one of the corners, this just takes up some of that gap. :wink:


----------



## philb

Great tutorial Skip!

Just wondering what angle the the inserts are cut at? Im assuming that the big takes out a 90deg slot, so the insert is a a 90 deg section? 

PHIL


----------



## skiprat

philbaldwin said:


> Great tutorial Skip!
> 
> Just wondering what angle the the inserts are cut at? Im assuming that the big takes out a 90deg slot, so the insert is a a 90 deg section?
> 
> PHIL


 
Yes Phil, 90deg. :wink:


----------



## RAdams

I went ot the bar yesterday and shot a handfull of games just trying to get ready for "Not-so-Fats Domino" (AKA Ernie) to visit and i got to looking at the house sticks. They actually have 5 points instead of just 4. Would that be possible to duplicate? Or is 4 "close enough"??


----------



## EBorraga

Ron, lay off the drugs man!! You sure they had 5 points. Never seen a house cue with 5 points. You could duplicate. They'd just have to be every 72 degrees instead of 90.

The pool cue I play with is an 8 pointer!!


----------



## PTownSubbie

RAdams said:


> I went ot the bar yesterday and shot a handfull of games just trying to get ready for "Not-so-Fats Domino" (AKA Ernie) to visit and i got to looking at the house sticks. They actually have 5 points instead of just 4. Would that be possible to duplicate? Or is 4 "close enough"??


 
Ron,

I might be off my rocker here but the number of points has to be a division of the number of indexing points on your lathe. I think most lathes have either 12 or 24 points which means 5 will not work. Well, it will work but it won't have equal space between the points.


----------



## RAdams

I get ya Fred!! 

And Ernie, I see what you are saying too. 

It is directly dependant upon how you are doing it. It has to be either divisable (sp) by 360, or by the number of index slots you have.


----------



## RAdams

EBorraga said:


> Ron, lay off the drugs man!! You sure they had 5 points. Never seen a house cue with 5 points. You could duplicate. They'd just have to be every 72 degrees instead of 90.
> 
> The pool cue I play with is an 8 pointer!!


 



You are the only person to tell me that! Most people tell me that i need pharmaceuticals (sp) and seek help!:biggrin:

8 points huh. That would be lights out in a 9-ball game! 

No really, I bet your stick is something to behold!! I will be hiding my nekked lady stick before you get here and playing with a house stick. It is an embarassment when it comes to sticks.. 

My Uncle has a stick that is supposed to be worth alot of money. It is some sort of specialty stick that is super tiny at the tip. It has a small crack just under the tip, so my uncle RARELY uses it anymore. It was given to him by someone in OKC that was a famous player. I think the stick, ironically enough, is an "Adams"?? Not sure... It's been years since I have talked to him about it, and the drugs (or lack thereof) plays tricks on my memory:biggrin:. I will have to give him a call and ask him about it..


----------



## EBorraga

Adam's is a cuemaker. They make some nice stick's and some cheap Balabushka Reproductions. My stick isn't worth much, considering what's out there. It sells for around $800.00. Chad Carter gave it to me about 4 years ago to test it out. Had to cut the shaft down and change the taper on it, but it plays good now. It's got a few dings in it. But I play with it just about every day. If I had a high priced cue, I couldn't hit a ball with it. I'd be worried I'd scratch it.


----------



## RAdams

Yeah, that's me 100%. If i can't break, shoot, carry my stick without worrying, then i am not interested. Now of course, with a $800 stick, I would probably break with a house stick anyway, but you get the idea.


----------



## EBorraga

Hey Steve, I know you used a 90 degree cutting bit. I have a v-groove cutter for my dremel. I'm gonna attempt to make a setup I can use on my lathe. I'll be cutting from the top, so will only need to adjust the depth of the cut. Does this sound right to you??


----------



## skiprat

Ernie, yes a V cutter needs only be done from above. How big is your cutter and do you think the Dremel will cut beyong the centre of the blank?  Good luck with it, please let us know if it works:wink:


----------



## EBorraga

Alright Steve 2 more questions for you.  How close to the actual size was the blank when you started cutting. Also about how long was the piece when it was finished?? 

I've got a dremel 300 series with a 1/2 v-groove cutter used for cutting points in actual pool sticks. I've got to do some mods on it to fit my lathe. It's designed for use on a Taig Lathe. Like I said my buddy makes cues and has several Taig Type Lathes, but I decided I'd make mine work. Also gonna have to index my chuck. But that should be a breeze.


----------



## RAdams

I am diggin the new sig Ernie! No regrets, No remorse!


----------



## Paul in OKC

You can also make a slide to come in from the side with the 90 degree bit. Would be a bit easier to adjust the angle, Just make a flat guide for the router and trun it towards the blank at the needed angle. I made a fixture similar to one shown in a previous post for a friend to use on a mill.


----------



## gr8danish

Out of curiosity, instead of "inlaying" the 4 point square dowels one at a time, why not replicate the way they actually make house cues? They are made using one larger square that has 2 V shaped cuts taken out on both 90 degree marks of the blank. (did that make sense?)

Google, "Full Splice Pool Cue Construction" if my explanation wasn't good enough


----------



## Willee

OR ... you can get a old broken pool cue from the bar or local pool room.
They are already made like that ... just bigger.
When you reduce the diameter the points will shorten (move toward the back end) so take that into consideration when you cut the blank.
It is best to cut your blank much longer than needed until you get the diameter close to the finished size so you can see where the points will be.

One pool cue = one pool cue pen.   Lots of waste.


----------



## aggromere

i buy maple and purple heart shaft dowels from cue components and use them to make larger diameter pens.


----------

