Introducing myself

[qbilder]

There's several folks here that are into knife building. You might consider getting into making knife handles.

I have a friend in Alaska who makes knives. He's pretty good at it. I used to give him wood but haven't been in touch with him in several years. I don't know if he still does it or not. I'd certainly be interested in trading wood for a nice custom hunting knife, though. I got some killer exotics.

 

[BuddhaKat]

I have a friend in Alaska who makes knives. He's pretty good at it. I used to give him wood but haven't been in touch with him in several years. I don't know if he still does it or not. I'd certainly be interested in trading wood for a nice custom hunting knife, though. I got some killer exotics.

Guaranteed he's still doing it, unless he's lost both arms or is dead.

 

[Rookie1]

Nice pics. Welcome.

 

[PA Plumber]

Wow. Great pics.

 

[Brmorgan]

Awesome stuff.

I'd be interested to see pics of the rough assembly and glue-up before turning it round.

 

[betterbuilt]

Awesome stuff.

I'd be interested to see pics of the rough assembly and glue-up before turning it round.

I'd be interested also.

 

[qbilder]

Here's one with tulip rose, ebony, ivory & topped off with a black dyed elephant ear leather wrap. This cue was built for Joe Rogan, the host of Fear Factor & UFC, and comedian.

 

[qbilder]

More of the cue:

Sorry for so many pics. It's a complex job, lots of steps but these pics give a general idea. Thanks for looking

 

[Walt41]

Awesome work, really like the idea if putting wood to use that would otherwise be compost.

 

[BobL]

Great pics!

One question - how do you get these tapered grooves so consistent, I can't see a motorized cross feed of any kind?

 

[fatjoe]

Price???

Hey gbilder, whats your price for building a custom stick?I know materials must play a big part, but if a fella wanted a decent stick that wasn`t too fancy, what would be an average price? You can send me a private message if you don`t want to reveal your prices.Thats if you even sell them.Let me know either way. I`m sure some of the other members might be interested in prices as well. Thanks, fatjoe.

 

[qbilder]

The cross slide is spring loaded & has a bearing that rides against a taper bar. You can see the bearing against the bar in the pics. Without CNC, it's the only way I can get a high level of accuracy & exact repeatability.

 

[qbilder]

Hey gbilder, whats your price for building a custom stick?I know materials must play a big part, but if a fella wanted a decent stick that wasn`t too fancy, what would be an average price? You can send me a private message if you don`t want to reveal your prices.Thats if you even sell them.Let me know either way. I`m sure some of the other members might be interested in prices as well. Thanks, fatjoe.

They range in price due to complexity & materials. I'm actually booked indefinitely. I'm pretty lucky about that. I will say that they go for enough to buy me lots of fun toys for sawing & such!!! This cue here would cover the cost of just about any entry or lower mid level band mill. However, it takes me many months to build one, sometimes longer due to the stability of the wood. Everything has to be very straight and stay straight and that takes time. Basically, I do a little bit then let it sit for a few weeks, do a little more let it sit, etc. If it moves or warps at any point, it's trash & I start over. It's not uncommon to build the cue 2-3 times before getting acceptable results. It's a PIA but I enjoy it & it funds all my hobbies, including itself.

One of the things I love about milling wood is that I get to use some of the most bizarre, figured, and/or unknown woods and i'm in control of every aspect so I don't have to wonder about where it came from or how long it has cured. With the exotics, I have to let them sit for a minimum of one year just to be sure they are going to be worthy of use. Using poorly seasoned wood in a pool cue is counterproductive because it'll likely have lots of internal stress, which causes warp. I'd like to eventually get enough obscure domestic woods cut & seasoned that I can do a run of cues made entirely of USA wood. That's where the milling comes in to play

 

[BobL]

The cross slide is spring loaded & has a bearing that rides against a taper bar. You can see the bearing against the bar in the pics. Without CNC, it's the only way I can get a high level of accuracy & exact repeatability.

Clever! I'll have to remember that idea.

 

[qbilder]

Clever! I'll have to remember that idea.

I wish I could take credit for it, but it's actually a standard option on that piece of equipment. Taper bars are pretty typical jigs in a cue making shop.

 

[BobL]

I wish I could take credit for it, but it's actually a standard option on that piece of equipment. Taper bars are pretty typical jigs in a cue making shop.

Yeah come to think of it I use tapered pieces on other WW machines, like table saws and routers, I just didn't think about using them on a lathe. The last time I used a taper was to cut the tapered ally leg for this tool.

 

[Leroy in Kansas]

This is fantastic. Looks like you have an investment in machinery, as well as time.
I don't post much on the A.S., just read and learn. Fantastic place for that. Thanks for sharing your craft. Leroy

 

[BIG JAKE]

Hey qbilder-those are some gorgeous sticks. You have a good eye for contrast and figured woods. How did you get started making que sticks? Anyway, thanks for giving us a look into your life. It was a pleasure and hope to see more posts from you in the future.

 

[Frank Boyer]

Sorry for so many pics. It's a complex job, lots of steps but these pics give a general idea. Thanks for looking [/QUOTE]

Keep the pics coming. The more detail, the better. Awesome work!

 

[jimdad07]

Incredible work, that is some major talent.