# Snooker cue finish



## JasonOwen (5 Mar 2011)

Ok heres a challenge for you guys..

I am making a Snooker cue, ash shaft with a rosewood butt.

There are 2 parts to this 
1. How do I get the enhardnced grain fifnish on the ash?
Im so far thinking along the lines of mixing ebony dust with a grain filler. Now would I want to use an oil based or water based grain filler?

2. What final finsih can I use.
Baring in mind it must be very tactile and smooth, not get sticky with sweaty hands especially on the ash shaft.
Im so far thinking about grain filler, loads of very fine sanding, then linseed oil, sand, oil again, then maybe some sort of silicon spray?? Just not sure if the Linseed oil will give me a nice sheen finish?
Bees Wax has been pretty much disregarded as possibly too sticky?
Shellac has been mentioned to me but havent a clue how to use this? 

Really appreciate any help here and more than willing to experiment.


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## yellowbelly (5 Mar 2011)

1 The enhanced look you refer to comes with age and use
2 The butt part is best finished with a 2 pack lacquer flattened down between coats and finally after at least 4 coats flattened and then burnished
Now the top section does nt want to be shiny due to reflection from the light above the table to achieve the used look that you are after, a light first coat rubbed down and the dust wiped off,then (if you can spray) go over it with a spirit patina (I reccomend Walnut) it drys instantly and appears like a dust wipe this off with a clean rag or tissue leaving it in the grain and give a final coat after drying cut it back with OOOO Trollul to give a nice satin smooth finish :wink:


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## JasonOwen (5 Mar 2011)

The enharnced look isnt an age thing, Im after the grain enharncement, where the grain is filled with black.


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## yellowbelly (5 Mar 2011)

JasonOwen":1b2ufqgc said:


> The enharnced look isnt an age thing, Im after the grain enharncement, where the grain is filled with black.


 Believe me it is, through being continually moved over the bridge made with your hand :wink: Look at new cues and this enhancement you mention goes right up to the ferrule where as old cues would be discoloured on the fore where it moved in the cueing action.


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## JasonOwen (5 Mar 2011)

Ok, so tell me more about the laquer approach?
What make do I need to buy?
I have got spraying facilities im afraid 
What sort of finish will this give me?


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## yellowbelly (5 Mar 2011)

JasonOwen":fs5k1nhq said:


> Ok, so tell me more about the laquer approach?
> What make do I need to buy?
> I have got spraying facilities im afraid
> What sort of finish will this give me?



Oh sorry I take it that you have nt actually done a cue yet then? But you tell me about the enhanced finish.
I have done cues, snooker tables, roller scoreboards and cue stands going back to the early 60's when all cues were one piece either maple or hickory spliced with rosewood and ebony
My preference would be Morrell's a/c 5**3/440(the ** denote sheen% level)its a 10:1 mix it can be sprayed or brush finished coat on coat so no need for a basecoat, recoatable after an hour but the longer between coats the better the finish will better, as I said a minimum of 4 coats flattened in between with 240 to start with after the first and second coat and then newspaper from there on.
the 2** in the code are sheen levels from 10%(5103)semi matt up to 90%gloss(5903) and so on if you want to go further after the final coat T-CUT or BRASSO will give a nice deep finish to the butt


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## JasonOwen (5 Mar 2011)

Ha ha ok ok, Im listening now.
Sounds good, not a technique ive come across so may be the one im looking for. 
Will give it a go 
Thanks for the help


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## Hudson Carpentry (5 Mar 2011)

I have never made one but have seen them being made by the company that makes them for the pro's (A tv program not in person). To get the grain black they used something like this http://www.tonetechluthiersupplies.co.u ... flyer.html. They didn't turn them round either, did it mostly by draw knife by hand in a jig they made for the job.


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## JasonOwen (6 Mar 2011)

Ah thats the stuf, brilliant find. Thank you.
No lathes involved, just me, a jig and a jack plane.
Appreciate the help


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## Muina (6 Mar 2011)

I re-finished my cue about a year ago, I used a Dark Oak staining beeswax finish to get the grain to really stand out, then a couple of coats of Danish Oil (I also sanded the last foot or so of the tip with 400 grit to avoid sticking but that's just personal preference)

Anthony


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## Racers (11 Mar 2011)

Hi,

I have seen a video of hand made cues whaer they covered the whole cue in thick black paint and sanded it down when it was dry. It looked a shocking thing to do but they said that was the way they filled the grain.

I can't remember where I saw it and can't find it on the web.

Pete


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## yellowbelly (11 Mar 2011)

Racers":2mjz1v7r said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have seen a video of hand made cues whaer they covered the whole cue in thick black paint and sanded it down when it was dry. It looked a shocking thing to do but they said that was the way they filled the grain.
> 
> ...


The spirit Patina that I reccomended completely covers the cue and is then wiped off leaving the patina in the depth of the grain


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## JasonOwen (15 Mar 2011)

Someone has recommended Osmo Hard wax oil, anyone used this? Its for flooring I think. Would it give me a good shineu smooth non sticky finish on ash?


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## jdw6 (6 Jun 2011)

yellowbelly":2y4dp5en said:


> Racers":2y4dp5en said:
> 
> 
> > Hi,
> ...




Hay yellowbelly, what exactly is spirit Patina?


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## yellowbelly (10 Jun 2011)

Spirit Patina is a meths based spirit (obviously) in which spirit based stains(powder) is dissolved to the desired colour its sprayed on to the piece(drying almost instantly like a powder)after first sealing and can be either wiped off with a dry cloth or a dry colour mop across the grain leaving the patina in the grain and coated over with the finishing coat


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