Pool cue tool to square off pen blanks

[farmer]

Tool
Rapid Cue Top Sander - Mueller's Billiard & Dart Supplies

Video on how this tool is used , FF to 13.40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UHlJUye9zI

Normally pool cue shafts are 14mm and smaller and these tools are made not to mark up a cue shaft.

I thought some of you might find this a thought .
PS I wouldn't use that coarse of sand paper .
I have one of these tools that I let my friend use that has a pool table .
They work good for what they were designed to do.
That is to square off the end of the cueat a flat at a 90 degree angle .

Open to comments .
I have one of these tools I used on pool cues shafts for years.

 

[jttheclockman]

Just another way. The thing I do not like about it is no pressure on the sandpaper wheel and we use higher grit paper so it will not bite into the blank well. Just my 2 ¢ The thing is we all should have the transfer punches if you are serious about pen turning and we all have a lathe. Flat face plate and some sand paper and drill chuck for tailstock. All tools as pen makers we should have.

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

I think you'll find that the sandpaper wheel is able to float up and down, as the handle is turned there would be a small amount of downward pressure applied.
I can't see why a finer grit of sand paper can't be used.
As for your last comment, NOT all tailstocks are square to the face plate, I know mine has about 1/8" movement with a drill chuck mounted, even more when a transfer punch is fitted.
Kryn

 

[Jim Smith]

One other consideration is that the size of the opening to hold the Pool Cue is rather small and round. A large percentage of the blanks I square off are not round and none of them are small enough to fit that machine. Just a thought...

Jim Smith

 

[jttheclockman]

I think you'll find that the sandpaper wheel is able to float up and down, as the handle is turned there would be a small amount of downward pressure applied.
I can't see why a finer grit of sand paper can't be used.
As for your last comment, NOT all tailstocks are square to the face plate, I know mine has about 1/8" movement with a drill chuck mounted, even more when a transfer punch is fitted.
Kryn

That was my point the wheel floats so there is not much downward pressure thus you would be doing a skip sanding and that is not good. Yes it probably can be changed out to a higher grit paper but then the first thing applies even more. Can not help you with your tailstock. Good luck with that. I have no problem and alot of other people here have no problem.


I am not saying it can not be used. Like everything when there is a will there is a way.

 

[farmer]

14 mm to 15mm shaft

One other consideration is that the size of the opening to hold the Pool Cue is rather small and round. A large percentage of the blanks I square off are not round and none of them are small enough to fit that machine. Just a thought...

Jim Smith

Hi Jim
For the guys who own wood lathes

I was thinking of drilling the blank, ( Drill press ) turning the blanks to size and then putting the round wood or acrylic piece in the machine to get a true 90 degree surface.

 

[jttheclockman]

Mike

I believe that if you own a wood lathe or even a metal lathe there are better ways to square the end of a pen blank. That tool is a specialty tool designed to do exactly what you shown it to do. If you have one because you are a pool cue maker than it may be worth a try. But I believe no pen maker is going to buy that tool to square ends of blanks. It is not designed for what we do. Works for what you do which are 2 different things. Can it work, probably but not efficiently. The money for that can be spent far better tool for pen turners. Again my opinion and I love giving out my opinion for free. :biggrin:

 

[Paul in OKC]

I could see that working ok. If the shaft is in a bearing or good bushings it is not going to 'wiggle' when turned. My concern would be that you have to turn the blanks to a point and trust that they are turned concentric with the tube before you can use it. That is where I wouldn't trust it myself. The cue makers I know have metal lathes of some sort, and use the lathe and a tool bit to clean the ends before retipping.

 

[farmer]

Owning lathes

Mike

I believe that if you own a wood lathe or even a metal lathe there are better ways to square the end of a pen blank. That tool is a specialty tool designed to do exactly what you shown it to do. If you have one because you are a pool cue maker than it may be worth a try. But I believe no pen maker is going to buy that tool to square ends of blanks. It is not designed for what we do. Works for what you do which are 2 different things. Can it work, probably but not efficiently. The money for that can be spent far better tool for pen turners. Again my opinion and I love giving out my opinion for free. :biggrin:

If you wish to keep on attacking me or some of the other members in here you are only making yourself look bad or worse .

Personally I would prefer if we could just go our own ways without out creating any issues at all.

I have asked this of you before a couple of times ...............



Truth
I own 4 lathes and have access to three more large metal lathes .
I also own a 3 axis CNC wood router that is down right now .
And a bunch of other wood working machinery .

And I am active turner .
I don't wish to enter into any sarcastic dialog just because I started a thread hopping to help others members .

So please leave me alone, your suggestion that I don't own a lathe is nothing but drama .
Reread this thread because not once did i say I was having a
issue squaring the end of a piece of wood. NOT ONCE >

 

[farmer]

The tool

I could see that working ok. If the shaft is in a bearing or good bushings it is not going to 'wiggle' when turned. My concern would be that you have to turn the blanks to a point and trust that they are turned concentric with the tube before you can use it. That is where I wouldn't trust it myself. The cue makers I know have metal lathes of some sort, and use the lathe and a tool bit to clean the ends before retipping.

It doesn't wiggle ,I have one ..
I wouldn't use it on a cue if it wiggles and cue shaft is a round piece of wood about the same size as some of you all make pens ..
And they are not using a bearing ..

How did this topic get off on what cue makers use
Tool wasn't made for cue makers .

 

[Curly]

How did this topic get off on what cue makers use
Tool wasn't made for cue makers .

Your title for the thread and your first post that links the tool which says it is for pool que squaring might be a reason the thread ran in the direction it has.

Looks like a good tool for what it was intended to do because a pool cue doesn't rely on being square to a tube like a pen does. Since many have a problem drilling a hole down the middle of a blank relying on the outside as the tool does to align with may not be best or a consitent method.

 

[jttheclockman]

Wow Mike. Had a bad day did we. So when you say open for comments I now realize that means not me. Got it. Thanks. Good luck to you and happy turning.

 

[Paul in OKC]

Well, haven't seen any harsh words or attacks toward you here, and you said it was a pool cue tool, so...... If it works for you, great. there is more than one way to skin a cat, and square a pen blank.