Cue Tips

[stoichen]

Hi,

I need to re-tip my cue, any suggestions as to the best brand of tips to use and where to get them.
All my local sports shops should be re-named sports-clothing shops as their range of equipment is abysmal.

cheers!

Stu

[reverse_side]

Stu, I've normally got mine from John Lewis in the past, there's one not too far away from you in Glasgow's Buchanan Galleries; bit expensive at 3 for £3 tho.

I've just found out last week that our snooker club bought a shed load of them last year for a 're-tipping' service no-one used, so I'll be tapping up the guy who never re-tips anyone's cue! If you belong to a club or have a few mates that would chip in some money together, buy them in bulk from a specialist; you can get a box of 50 for only £24.95 inc Vat. The club might get them even cheaper, chalk too.

http://www.titansports.co.uk/acatalog/tips.html

I've not bought anything from these guys, but they supplied and fitted some very good tables to our Club.

You asked what tips are the best; the pros either use Elkmaster or Blue Diamond. Elkmasters are softer and give better feel & control but wear out quicker, I prefer Blue Diamond as you don't need to re-tip so often and they still grip really well.

Also, I've played since I was 10 and I'm 26yrs older now, but I've come across a good way to ensure your tip goes on quickly and stays there. If you have any problems with tips breaking off, I used to, I'll post up the technique; Superglue can be brittle and epoxy resins can be fiddly needing both a clamp and time to cure.

Hope this helps, cheers, Dave.

[stoichen]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for your reply. I managed to get some Elkmaster tips, clamp and tip cement and sorted my cue out today. I'm just desperate for a chance to get down the club for a game now.
I've only had my own cue for a while and tried to replace the tip once before. Since I replaced it, I just haven't been happy with the feel at all. Not sure whether this is because of a botched job, inferior tips (they weren't Elkmaster or Blue Diamond anyway) or whatever but i'm hoping i've got it sorted now.
I'd still be interested in hearing about your technique, and i'm sure other members of the forum would be as well if you don't mind posting it.
Anyway, thanks again and I'll let you know how I get on.
Stu

[reverse_side]

Cheers, I know the 'eager feeling' - a tingle in my back tells me I'm ready for an important match that's coming up, crazy innit.
'The Technique'... I find that adding a kind of wafer inbetween the tip and ferrule fixes the tip on like a limpet and doesn't allow glue to seep up into it and petrify the leather fibres either.
I saw some wafers in a dusty box in my first club 20yrs ago but I actually use kitchen towel now - humour me.
Cut every trace of your old tip off, add a small drop of Superglue *GEL* to the ferrule, lower a sheet of kitchen towel on it (as though yr trying to balance the sheet on the tip) and smooth it down with the flat blade of a hobby knife (a little glue squeezed out the edges is okay), leave it to dry for a few minutes, tear most of the sheet off and then trim the excess glue and overhanging paper around the ferrule until all that's left is a perfect circle of glued on paper sitting on the top, ensure any excess glue's gone and the wafer's flush and flat, get your tip and with another drop of GEL on the paper wafer put the tip on the ferrule and align it perfectly before pressing down hard onto the absorbent surface, hold if for 10 seconds and you're done.
I normally stand it in the corner upside down with my extension attached for extra weight to make sure and trim any more glue that's seeped out.
The logic is that each layer welds itself to the next because it's more slightly more porous than the standard wood&brass being glued to a tip.
I've also found that I don't need to sand my tips as much as I did; chalking it shapes and banging an old ball on the tip saves smacking too many balls around before it settles into a nice dome.
Enjoy your game when y'get a chance and I'll see if Steve-D or John-P replies to my email about the chances of hosting a Tournament in a 3,000 seater West End Theatre!

ttfn, Dave.