Thread: Pool Cues (Work in Progress).

What a terrific thread! It was like a Tom Sharpe book - I couldn't stop reading. Nice pictures and easy to follow documentary. Your finished cues look fantastic. Nothing less. Now the wheels are spinning. Could I do that? You should write a book.

Originally Posted by Purpleheart

Cool avatar mate.
Thanks also for the suggestions, there probably is some way for me to stop misplacing that little sucker.
Unfortunately, if the little handle was left in place (or fixed in place), it would bash into the tailstock at times. Otherwise I would have glued it in long ago !
Having a spot to put it all the time would be the go though, and it would have to be easy to grab at any moment. You've got me thinking !
You don't know how many times I've gone through the vacuum cleaner just trying to find it again !!

TRY MY TRICK stick a small rare earth magnet to a spot on the mill and just put it there thoughs magnets pull hard it should stay put .

Hey Purpleheart

I LOVED! this topic.

I have been playing snooker now for around 13 years and am currently ranked No14 in NSW. I have always been very keen to find out how Snooker-Pool cues are made, but have found it very hard to find anything, (almost some sort of secret).

Snooker cues are much different to pool cues.. Pool cues can get to ridiculous amounts of cash due to diamonds-ruby's etc embedded into the cue..

The top of the line snooker cues that the pros use (Parris Cues) would cost around $1200. These cues are usually around 59inch long, ash or Maple shaft, and an Ebony Butt, with maybe a few veneers for colour.

My cue is a Parris cue:

Ash shaft: Length 57" (145cm) Tip size: 9.5mm. Hand spliced Ebony butt with four secondary splices of Rosewood with green veneers and a single-facing of ebony with a green veneer. Ebony butt 22" long with joint 16" from end of butt. There is an S.D. joint in the end of the butt which can be used with both S.D. style extensions.
Weight range 17.5 to 19oz



Snooker players are also much different than pool players, its more about the performance than how it looks for a snooker player..

cheers
Dallas

Originally Posted by rodent

TRY MY TRICK stick a small rare earth magnet to a spot on the mill and just put it there thoughs magnets pull hard it should stay put .

Thanks for the suggestion. I ended up taking the easy way out (Hook and eye solution).

Hey Dallas147.

Glad you enjoyed the read. I've spent my share of time on the big and green too, but always enjoyed playing on a 4.5 * 9 more.

I guess it can be a bit daunting where to start when a player gets the crazy idea that they want to build cues. I mean, chances are that they are a player first and formost, and have little to no woodworking experience.

I find the snooker cue makers are the ones with the "secrets". They guard them like they are some kind of magic ritual. The crazy thing is they are soo simplystic in what they build, compared to the top pool cue builders, that I wonder why they bother. (Possibly the English influence coming through)

No secrets here !! There is more than enough info in this thread for you to build a cue just like the one in your picture.

Your cue looks quite "flash" for a snooker cue by the way. That usually tells me something about the owner.

(For those not in the know, Paris cues are the "Bees Knees" for snooker players)

Hmm, differences between snooker players and pool players. I'm not gonna buy into any of that.

Met a few good peeps on the scene, but the majority sadly.....

Anyhow, if you drop by the forum, I have started another similar thread. You might like to check it out from time to time.

Cheers - Ph.

Dont worry, ill be here..

PH- Cue making is what drew me into wood turning. My father in law awas a turner for 25yrs or so. He does alot of hallow forms, bowls,ect. Together we turned a two piece cue on his oneway wood lathe. I learned the hard way that a wood lathe may not be the preferred method. The joint work alone proved to be the cue's un-doing. At the end I came out with a new passion for wood turning and a cue that is off at the joint by a nat hair (as you know that is enough). It won't play but reminds me why I started turning. I am going to attempts to try again. No taper bar. No router, no metal/cue lathe. Your thread here was the first time I have seen any info by a cue maker/builder. They guard thier trade secrets like the Masons. Thank you for your article and may great posts. Happy turnings!

Hi Purpleheart,
I am new to the forum and just found this thread. Read it from beginning to end. Enjoyed it immensly! Informative, lots of deatails, photos and just simply great work. Congratulation! Looking forward to your other threads, I will be looking for them.
Andy

hi purple heart i am from england and i am bench joiner i am having a go at making a english snooker cue could you tell me the size of the timber for the splices i need to order i was thinking about 44mm x 18mm is that correct

regards

shaun

I've been looking for a good how to for a while. My dad is an avid woodworker and I've been trying to get him to make me a pool cue for ever . I have a question though, I reaaally like the inlays like on the poison cues. They are using rubber inlays with other odd material and metal inlays. Look in this category for example poison pool cues
any ideas or pointers to get looks like this?

Thanks again for your posts they will be a huge help? you building a pool table next .