New to metal lathes

[Bill PilkingtonParticipant @billpilkington38650]

Hi,my name is Bill.Never owned or used a metal lathe. Have turned on a wood lathe. I make snooker cues( 1 piece) but want to make jointed cues, which require brass joints. Hence the need for a metal lathe. Will post questions in the relevant topics.

[Bill PilkingtonParticipant @billpilkington38650]

Seeking advice

[VicParticipant @vic]

Hi Bill welcome, ask away. I was surprised to see that one of the top cue makers (they were making a cue for Ronnie O’Sullivan) didn’t use a lathe in a video I saw. They did all the shaping on a bench with a plane. The video didn’t show the making of the metal parts though. Mass produced cues do seem to be lathe made however, I guess it’s quicker.

[Bill PilkingtonParticipant @billpilkington38650]

Hi Vic, the cue John Parris was making for Ronnie O’Sullivan is a 1 piece cue, which are indeed planed by hand. But jointed cues are a different thing.400mm butt (ebony) easily turned on wood lathe. But it’s drilling into end grain for jointed cues, and into butt end of both types of cues for small extensions to screw into that a metal lathe is needed.Also for fitting the ferrules. Hope that makes sense.

[VicParticipant @vic]

I found the video. They do use a lathe but the boss seemed to say it was only for jointing?

**LINK**

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Welcome Bill.

If you are looking for some one to one tuition / demonstration, if you give your location, (Town / Country) you may well get offers of some help, face to face.

You will certainly get advice on here, but seeing directly will be make things clearer, and help you decide on what size or make of machine you need, and how to set it up, and grind tools etc.

It seems likely that you will need to learn how to screwcut, rather than use Taps and Dies. If this is the case, you will definitely need personal help, or it will take a long time, and waste time and material, doing at a distance.

Howard

[Bill PilkingtonParticipant @billpilkington38650]

Howard thanks for your advice, you are right with everything you say.I live in Bolton north west England

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Hi Bill,

Is there a Model Engineering Club anywhere near you? If there is, do join, and seek help and help.

Wigan, Rochdale, or Urmston all seem to be within 15 miles..

Take a look on Google

Most Clubs are friendly and folk will be happy to advise and help you on how to set up your machine and explain the strange new patois of the M E world.

Howard

[Jeff DaymanParticipant @jeffdayman43397]

Bill P- there are several responses to your "holding in headstock" thread. Just letting you know. Might be wise to ask the moderators to combine the three threads you started into one, since they all concern the same issue of machining cues to fit brass threaded joints.

[Bill PilkingtonParticipant @billpilkington38650]

Thx Jeff, will do.

[Pete WhiteParticipant @petewhite15172]

How about using a fixed steady on a much smaller lathe than you would need to pass a cue through the spindle ?

Pete

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