Re: Cue Stick Designs

In the past I've done work for cue stick builders. Nothing special
here, any precision CNC machine with a high speed spindle will do
the job. The inlays are done as if the cue stick was a flat
surface, the fact that it's round and tapered isn't a major issue.

A requirement with inlaying of this type is having a machine with a
fast enough spindle to use very small cutters to minimize the radius
left in the point ends. Generally, some hand work with a small
chisel will be needed to sharpen points even with very small cutters.

An accurate machine will not have problems with fit of the inlays,
but even if they aren't a perfect fit colored epoxy glue will make
the seam invisible.

The machines shown in the URL's you referenced are manual pantograph
types. They're okay, but CNC is so much easier and versatile. I
expect one of the small hobby machines like a Sherline converted to
CNC would do the job for you. Control software supporting cutter
radius compensation will make life much easier cutting and fitting
inlays. I'm sure other list memebers will be able to give
recommendations and cost estimates since I'm not familiar with the
smaller machines and control software.

Doug


--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "jdbunn2002 <jd_bunn@m...>"
<jd_bunn@m...> wrote:

> I am new to this group and am trying to learn CNC.I will be
> purchasing some equipment in the near future and going through the
> learning process (until the $$$ runs out). I am interested in

buiding

> a CNC device to put designs in Custom Made Cue Sticks. It would

have

> to be pretty accurate. It would have to cut the pocket in the Cue
> Stick and cut out the inlay material to fit in the routed out

pocket.

> The inlay would need to fit like glove. Of course as you know a

cue

> stick is tapered, so this would have to be considered. At the

stage

> of production that this would be done the cue stick section would
> only be about a 14" to 16" and would have a center bore hole on

each

> end. I have listed below some links of some machines that use
> patterns to create the desired results. It would seem that one of

the

> designs that is used for engraving could be modified to accompish
> this task. If I had a machine that would create this from designs
> that I could create in a drawing program on a computer and then

get

> this trasferred to a CNC machine it would really make me a happy
> camper. If anyone could give me some help on this or guide me in

the

> right direction I would really appreciate it. I e-mailed John
> Kleinbauer at kleinbauer@e... and he informed me that he had
> been down that road before and that it was no longer of interest

to

> him, so that road is now closed. I can follow instructions fairly
> well. In the links below you can see some the designs and what the
> finish products look like.
>
>
> J. Bunn
> jd_bunn@m...
>
> http://www.cuesmith.com/main/inlay/index.php
>
> http://www.barringercues.com/barprecinmac.html
>
> http://www.poolcueinlaymachines.com/inlaymachine.htm
>
> http://www.pbg.net/cues/