Thread: Pool Cues (Work in Progress).

Time to cut that piece of WA She-oak down to size for use on the birds eye cue.

As it was not quite long enough, I am going to use some spacers to glue it a little higher on the cue. This will mean some trickery later, to fit another decorative piece right on the very end of the cue.

Also, gluing the strip of purpleheart on at the same time, which will make for a slightly different pattern.

Almost ran out of clamps........

Pict 1 - These little guys are the pinion gears which are used in the power feed unit, and the handwheel on the lathe.

Toward the end of my holidays, I was trying to get a lot of work done quickly, and probably didn't strip the lathe down and clean it as often as I should. As a result, 2 of these little guys got busted. In the past 3 or 4 years, I have only broken one of these, and that was when I set the power feed to return to the tailstock end of the lathe, got distracted, and it ran into the tailstock (which was locked down).

I have some more on order (from the states), and luckly I had a spare, but now I am down to only one (which must be shared between the handwheel and the powerfeed. This happened before I milled the rosewood butt, so I was very nervous and hoping I would not damage the last one before that operation was completed.

If anyone has any idea where I might obtain something like this locally, I would be very appreciative, as I have no idea even where to start looking.

I probably won't do too much serious turning under power until replacements arrive...... but that doesen't mean there isn't plenty to do.

Pict 2 - Handwheel and power feed. The lathe actually has 4 motors, and all of them are running on 110V (US style). Many thanks to my bro-in-law, the electrician (and drummer) who helped this happen.

Cheers...........

Cheers...

Also....who has one of these lurking under their workbench.

Just try going down to Dick Smith and asking for an American powerboard.

Many thanks to my Canadian buddy Brad for sending me this one.

I have told Brad before, I have a custom made one of a kind pool cue here waiting for him. All he has to do is come and get it !! )

Originally Posted by Purpleheart

Pict 1 - These little guys are the pinion gears which are used in the power feed unit, and the handwheel on the lathe.


If anyone has any idea where I might obtain something like this locally, I would be very appreciative, as I have no idea even where to start looking.


Cheers...

Purpleheart,
if you have a decent engineering workshop or machine shop nearby, take them along for a look at them, they should be able to cut those splines on a new shaft. probably be a damn sight cheaper than importing original bits from the states as well
BTW. i am enjoying your thread immencely

Thats a good idea.

However, its not the $12 that they cost, its the problem of needing the item now, and not being able to get it.

Anyhow, I ordered enough spares so hopefully I won't be in this prediciment again.

Got back to solving the problem on the bubinga cue. Milled off the offending area.

Had a look around in the bits and pieces bin, and found an old bit of ironbark floorboard. Cut it to size.

Glued in on.....look mum....no clamps this time.

Cheers......

PS - Glad your enjoying the thread Ironbark. You will no doubt approve of the choice of timber above.

Sorry Ironwood, got the name wrong .

Got the birds eye cue ready for its last glue up (at least for the moment).

The colours of the woods will look fairly nice together I think.

The glue up process is a fairly hectic time, with various little bits of wood needing to be made to hold everything in the right spot, and you can never be sure which way bits age going to want to slide till you start clamping them.

Guests who have chosen this moment to visit the workshop have often received a less warm welcome than they may have been expecting.:eek:

Originally Posted by Purpleheart

Sorry Ironwood, got the name wrong .

dont worry i get called much worse .

Pict 1 - The piece of ironbark glued on to the bubinga cue.

Pict 2 - In the lathe, ready to turn.

Pict 3 - Turning.....

Pict 4 - Almost there....

The replacement piece.........

Pict 1 - The bubinga butt is ready to cut to size. Faced off the butt.

Pict 2 - Parted off the excess at the joint area.

Pict 3 - Since I parted off the existing centre, I have to find the correct centre again. Although the chuck usually gets it right by itself (within a couple of thou anyway), I always check it, and adjust if necessary.

Pict 4 - Redrilling the new centre.

Pict 5 - Faced off some rod for the joint collar and the butt collar. Will continue work on these..........

Fascinating watching this thread, Purple.

What's the fan for that sits near the lathe?

Originally Posted by zenwood

Fascinating watching this thread, Purple.

What's the fan for that sits near the lathe?

Ok - answer no 1. The convertor which changes our voltage from 240 to the US 110 can (so I've been told - remember, I'm no electricial engineer) cause motors and other devices to run slightly faster and hotter. So it is to help keep the motor cool.

answer no 2. If answer no 1 is a pile of BS, it blows dust and crud away from the motor.

Well, its slow going on weeknights. I seem to spend more time cleaning up, than I do getting things done.

I sanded some strips down to use to trick up the joint collars, and butt collar for the bubinga cue. As this cue is made from offcuts, these pieces came from the offcut bin. (Just had to get some purpleheart in there somehow).

Glued it up to the rod. (Never enough hands when doing this).

I think by the end of the week, this butt will really start looking a lot like half a cue.