No lathe? How about this...

[Photoman]

I'd like to share a little trick that I have come up with. I wanted to think of a way to help do a better job on installing my own tips without spending the "big bucks" to get a specialty lathe, like a CueSmith.

I went to Home Depot and bought a 5/16 X 18 X 2" bolt (that is what my current cues use for joint threads). I hacked the head off and screwed it into the end of my Predator shaft, then chucked the protruding "headless" bolt into my portable, rechargeable drill. This little setup spins the shaft very nicely. It allows very precise trimming of a new tip, flush with the ferrule, with nothing more than a piece of 400 grit sandpaper and a scrap wood block. For shaping the tip after getting it perfectly flush and concentric, I take my Willard "Dime Radius" shaper, place it in my palm and spin the new tip into it with the drill for a perfectly finished radius!!

The battery pack on my drill provides enough weight, so that the whole above assembly, stands nicely on its own, on my workbench. For those of you with other types of joints for which you can't find a properly threaded bolt, locally, try Atlas Billiards Supply. They can supply individual joint pins for most of the joint types out there, including the Uni-locks. They have a $50.00 minimum order policy, but they sell tips, weight bolts, ferrules, unique tools, etc., so it's not hard to find other interesting and useful items that the DIY'er would like to have, anyway.

I'll even be a "supernice" guy and include the link to their site, for those of you that don't already have it stowed away with your "Favorites".

http://www.cuestik.com/Products.asp?GroupID=160

I hope this is helpful,

Tom

[Tanar]

I just finished ordering about a $200 order from Atlas and they are great to deal with. My tax return couldn't have come at a better time... :D

Tanar,

Yeah...they're awesome. I know from reading previous posts that you do tip installations for others. What did you think of my "poor man's lathe" idea?

Tom

[Photoman]

Tanar,

Yeah...they're awesome. I know from reading previous posts that you do tip installations for others. What did you think of my "poor man's lathe" idea?

Tom


OOPS! Forgot to login. That was me.

Tom

[dags_lax]

What an interesting idea. I would like to give it a try but I can not find anywhere in town that sells the bolt size/thread pitch that I need. I was wondering if Sybert's sells joint pins?

I don't have a need for $50.00 worth of supplies from Atlas but I could probably make up an order. If Seybert's doesn't sell joint pins and I cannot find another source, besides Atlas, that sells pins with out a minimum order policy I would be willing to order a batch and send them out to members of this forum for cost plus postage.

If any one knows of other sources for joint pins let me know. I need pins in the following sizes 3/8x10, 3/8x11, 5/16x14, and a unilock pin. I can get 1/4x20 and 5/16x18 bolts locally but if I have to place an order I might as well get a nice polished pin. Some of these sizes Atlas doesn't carry.

[Photoman]

What an interesting idea. I would like to give it a try but I can not find anywhere in town that sells the bolt size/thread pitch that I need. I was wondering if Sybert's sells joint pins?

I don't have a need for $50.00 worth of supplies from Atlas but I could probably make up an order. If Seybert's doesn't sell joint pins and I cannot find another source, besides Atlas, that sells pins with out a minimum order policy I would be willing to order a batch and send them out to members of this forum for cost plus postage.

If any one knows of other sources for joint pins let me know. I need pins in the following sizes 3/8x10, 3/8x11, 5/16x14, and a unilock pin. I can get 1/4x20 and 5/16x18 bolts locally but if I have to place an order I might as well get a nice polished pin. Some of these sizes Atlas doesn't carry.

Dags,

Glad someone is willing to try my idea.

I just quickly added up the 4 sizes you listed from the Atlas prices and it comes close to $40.00, anyway. Just add a couple of tips and you're there.

3/8X11 is pretty un-standard, but they supply it in a 3' threaded rod at about $20.00. The uni-lock pin is going to run about $15.00. Each of the others goes for about $3.00.

You're going to have to stock up on tips anyway, when you see how slick this rig works. They have Tiger, Talisman, Moori, Hercules, etc. I don't have any problem getting to $50.00 pretty quickly when I get to their site for things that I want.

Hell, $50.00 is a lot better than getting a portable tipper lathe for $600-$700. I guarantee this little rig will do every bit as nice a job and still allow me to drill holes and drive screws in other projects!!!

Tom