How often do you change your tip?

[googlefooger]

Right now I am considering changing my tip, because it seems to be getting a little flat.

I was wondering, how often do you change your tip and what tips do you use?

[snookerloopy83]

Hey google. it really depends on how often you play mate. as an example i play 5nights a week for around 2-4 hours a time. I change mine once every 5-6 weeks. someone who plays less (which is most as i have too much time on my hands during the day!) would be less. As a rule the best time would be when the tip is getting close to the ferrel. Well done on your 38 break yesterday!

[googlefooger]

I play everday for a few hours, so I might change it soon, because it is getting a little shorter than it was when I first got the cue.

And thanks, the next target is 40:):)

[Robert602]

I like to experiment with my tips, when I put a new one I try different brands/sizes tips, ones I don't like normally last about a week before I chop em off. When I'm happy with one though, I tend to leave it until it wears quite well down, maybe 3 months. (I play once a week ish).

As for brand, I've always been happiest with blue diamond, but it's another thing that's down to preference. Elkmaster and BD are the big two, I'd always suggest going with one of them first if you just want a pretty mainstream, quality tip. Either way it'll most likely be better than the one that came with your cue.

[googlefooger]

I suppose I just sandpaper it down when I want my new one?

[Semih_Sayginer]

i change the tip when it needs done

that is, when its too small to be good consistency (particularly when the edges are too close to the ferrule), or its damaged.

i use different types of tip, depending on what cue its going on and also depending what the cue gets used for. (9 ball, snooker etc....)

[Robert602]

I suppose I just sandpaper it down when I want my new one?
Depending on how well it's stuck you should be able to just push it off with your thumb, or failing that you can cut it off with a sharp knife.

I wouldn't use sandpaper as:
a) it'll take all day
b) it leaves a smooth surface, you need some roughness for the new tip to stick
c) and thirdly you don't want to sand your ferrule. As it is, it'll be perfectly flat, and you should aim to keep it that way. Scraping the crud off with a blade rather than sanding it off ought to be kinder to the ferrule.

Once you've got all the old tip off, cut the new one roughly to size with a blade, (try to cut in a downwards direction only), then glue it on with superglue gel or tip cement (avoid liquid superglue), leave to set and then finish off with blade and sandpaper (again in a downwards direction to avoid pulling all the fibres apart).

Make sure when you glue it that's it's stuck all the way around. Don't be alarmed though if it comes sraight off when you start using it, that occasionally happens. Just sand the glue off the tip, scrape the ferrule clean and try again. Some people say using a wafer of tissue paper between the ferrule and tip helps it bond better, might be worth trying if you're having trouble.

[googlefooger]

Thanks for the advice, when the time comes I'll definitely try that.

[Semih_Sayginer]

Thanks for the advice, when the time comes I'll definitely try that.

ive retipped hundreds of cues. i always use light sandpaper (W/D) to ensure a smooth finish for the new tip.

less than 3 off those ive retipped have came off.

[Robert602]

ive retipped hundreds of cues. i always use light sandpaper (W/D) to ensure a smooth finish for the new tip.

less than 3 off those ive retipped have came off.
In that case, semih sounds like the guy you should be listening to. I've retipped maybe 50, had 4 or 5 come off.

How do you prepare the surface of the tip, out of interest?

Do you see where I'm coming from about concern for the ferrule though? It's quite hard unless you know what you're doing to keep a surface flat while sanding it. Brass isn't that tough.

[Semih_Sayginer]

robert

not saying youre wrong, as some people i know say the same, but ive found it makes little difference

ill post how i retip cues in a mo

[Semih_Sayginer]

- cut off the old tip at the ferrule with a sharp knife

- put sandpaper on a table

- hold the cue upside down and sand the top of the cue in a circular motion, so that you dont wear out one side more than the other

- turn the cue around and lightly sand the top down to a very smooth finish

- measue the ferrule width

- choose a new tip at least 1/2 a mm bigger in diameter than the ferrule

- sand the flat side of the tip in a circular motion, again so that the tip doesnt get sanded lop sided

- put a small spot of superglue gel on the flat side of the tip, covering less than half of the area with glue, as it will spread out.

- prss the tip down onto the prepared cue and hold in place with your thumb, pressing down firmly for about 2 minutes or so

- leave the cue to stand for at least 10 minutes, but longer if you can. absolutely no need to leave overnight or similar ridiculous times

- turn the cue upside down again. press down on the cue slightly and, using a sharp knife, trim the excess of the tip. pressing down on the cue will hel to stop the blade of the knife separating the glud tip from the cue.

- once youve turned the cue around and trimmed down the overlapping part of the tip your cue is nearly ready to use

- use sandpaper to slightly dome the tip always going from tip middle to the sides. never upwards, moving down grade of paper unto a finish where you like your cue tip to be shaped

- use the finest sandpaper you can source and spin it around the ferrule a few times, and then do the sides of the tip with it also

- to shine the ferrule, use worn fine sandpaper on it, spinning the cue around it, then use the paper side to buff it, spinning the cue around again.

- chalk the cue and your off

[..KiD DyNaMiTe..]

I only changed when needed, I got it changed about a month ago 'cos I was virtually hitting the ball with my ferral, but before that a good few months.

[snooky147]

When I was playing I would leave putting a tip on till the last moment,, until I was nearly hitting the ferrule. I never played well with a new tip for weeks .

[Semih_Sayginer]

also, when retipping, if you havent got superglue gel and intend using superglue then you need to prepare the bottom of the loose tip once its been sanded or else the normal superglue will seep through the tip and can possibly make it go "off"

to do this you:-

- take the already sanded tip and burnish the flat end on an old varnished bit of wood so that you get a smooth/shiny finish. the tip is now sealed and ready for application with normal superglue.

[dannyd0g]

also, when retipping, if you havent got superglue gel and intend using superglue then you need to prepare the bottom of the loose tip once its been sanded or else the normal superglue will seep through the tip and can possibly make it go "off"

to do this you:-

- take the already sanded tip and burnish the flat end on an old varnished bit of wood so that you get a smooth/shiny finish. the tip is now sealed and ready for application with normal superglue.

More mysterious posts Semih ;-). What do you mean by "burnish the flat end" ?

Ive had the same tip on for years (though I have only been playing very intermittently) and the edge is now down to the ferrule in one spot - so it badly needs re-tipping.

[Semih_Sayginer]

if the edge of your tip is near the ferrule then you need to change it ASAP as you can damage the ferrule by hitting the ball with it and also chip the balls.

what i meant by "burnish the flat end" is:-

if youre using superglue gel, it wont seep into the tip when you put glue on it and stick it on the cue

if youre using normal liquid superglue, IT WILL seep into the tip and in a lot of cases make the tip go "off" unless you seal the flat end that is to be glued. to seal the flat part of the tip youve just sanded you can burnish it on an old varnished bit of wood. this will result in a shiny surface on the part of the tip to be glued, and the liguid superglue wont seep through the tip.

[dannyd0g]

I see. Thanks Semih - i will do this before I next play. Fortunately it hasnt quite got so bad yet that the ferrule has actually made contact with a ball, but its not far off getting to that stage.

Do you bother with one of those re-tipping plastic clamp things with the pull down ring on it ?

I used to have one, but it has gone missing.

[Semih_Sayginer]

ive used them. made from different materials. plastic, wood etc....

a lot of them mark your cue, if your not very careful

no need to use them at all

if the preparations to the cue and to the tip are done correctly and you use a sharp blade when cutting the excess away (and make sure you press down on the cue when trimming to help stop separating the new tip from the cue) then you should have no problems.

[dannyd0g]

Thanks Semih.

[Semih_Sayginer]

Thanks Semih.

not a problem DD

if i think i know, or in fact i do know about a subject ill post my thoughts and opinions to try to help.

if anyone chooses to use such help, and it works, then it was worth it.

im not a loony all the time

[googlefooger]

A lot of information to take on board, but I suppose it's pretty simply if you get it right. my tip isn't down to the ferrule right now, so it doesn't need chaning just yet, but when it does I'll refer to all this info you've given me, it's much appreciated.

PS Semih, will the 'cue cement superglue' seep through the tip or not?

[Semih_Sayginer]

i wouldnt use tip cement to put a tip on if i was given it for free.

superglue gel OR superglue (or ill wait until ive got either)

[googlefooger]

I got some cue tip cement, the stuff with Ronnie and Jimmy smiling on the front of the packet; hopefully that will be alright.

[Semih_Sayginer]

I got some cue tip cement, the stuff with Ronnie and Jimmy smiling on the front of the packet; hopefully that will be alright.

its garbage.

ask any cuemaker or reputable cue seller

[Semih_Sayginer]

saying that, best of luck with it.

:)

[Watford]

Semih's right Ronnie and Jimmy are smiling because they are getting paid to peddle that ****e!
They wouldn't smile if they had to use it!

[Semih_Sayginer]

Semih's right Ronnie and Jimmy are smiling because they are getting paid to peddle that ****e!
They wouldn't smile if they had to use it!

thanks watford (i know youll know its rubbish)

[Cessy143]

not a problem DD

if i think i know, or in fact i do know about a subject ill post my thoughts and opinions to try to help.

if anyone chooses to use such help, and it works, then it was worth it.

im not a loony all the time

I disagree !! :D

Seriously though, I recommend superglue also.

[Watford]

For me it's got to be superglue gel!
Accept no substitute!
My Dad swears by Araldite but it's far too much ****ing about for me!

[googlefooger]

Damn, that was a waste of £2.99!!!

I should have just got some superglue from the house, lol

[Mitsuko]

So far I haven't replaced my tip :rolleyes:

But I've only had it 5 days :)

On my previosu cue it would take a while for me to change.

[lbs]

every time I have a bad day!
turns out to be pretty often! :D

[Cue_147]

I re-tip my cue every 4 months and i play quite alot.

As for what glue i use, its normally Evo-Stick but it takes 24hours to dry and ive never had one full off. I do keep superglue gel in my case though.

[googlefooger]

I've tried sticking it on to my other cue (which the tip got ripped off, got caught in the netting of corner pocket and got ripped off), I need to get it down, but I sanded down a millimetre of the ferrule:( which was annoying.

[Semih_Sayginer]

if youd cut the remains of the other tip off correctly with a sharp blade and sanded the remains until the cue and outside edge of the ferrule was free from any "debris" then you would have lost less than 1/10 of a mm.

the more you do retipping, the better youll be at it

[Watford]

That's very true I once put 5 on in a day I just wasn't happy with the result!
I have been known to resort to buyin missive 13mm tips for my 9mm cue to give me more to work with!
I hate retipping and playing in a new tip!
I try to get as lon as pos out of a tip!

[Watford]

I'm talking rubbish again!
That should say I try to make a tip last as long as pos!
Even though my tipping has improved with practice I still might take it to a cue doctor next time!

[craigslater]

I tend to go through a lot of tips as i play anywhere between 2-6 times a week for about 3-4 hours a night, mainly pool, once a week for snooker.

i hate using a new tip aswel, i dont usually let anyone use my cue, but when i have just retipped my cue i tend to borrow it out for a few weeks so other people bed the tip in for me.

I use the wooldridge single layer tip which seem to bed in very quickly and are very consistent straight away, i use normal superglue but after reading a few thread on here im going to change over to the gel.

Im also thinking of trying the talisman's again, i used the normal superglue last time and i think it seeped into the talsiman making it super hard which could be the reason why i didnt like it very much.

Adr147's tip guide is very useful i will be following that next time i re-tip my cue.

[Semih_Sayginer]

i basically "learned" this by watching someone retip John Higgins' cue many years ago


- cut off the old tip at the ferrule with a sharp knife

- put sandpaper on a table

- hold the cue upside down and sand the top of the cue in a circular motion, so that you dont wear out one side more than the other

- turn the cue around and lightly sand the top down to a very smooth finish

- measue the ferrule width

- choose a new tip at least 1/2 a mm bigger in diameter than the ferrule

- sand the flat side of the tip in a circular motion, again so that the tip doesnt get sanded lop sided

- put a small spot of superglue gel on the flat side of the tip, covering less than half of the area with glue, as it will spread out.

- prss the tip down onto the prepared cue and hold in place with your thumb, pressing down firmly for about 2 minutes or so

- leave the cue to stand for at least 10 minutes, but longer if you can. absolutely no need to leave overnight or similar ridiculous times

- turn the cue upside down again. press down on the cue slightly and, using a sharp knife, trim the excess of the tip. pressing down on the cue will hel to stop the blade of the knife separating the glud tip from the cue.

- once youve turned the cue around and trimmed down the overlapping part of the tip your cue is nearly ready to use

- use sandpaper to slightly dome the tip always going from tip middle to the sides. never upwards, moving down grade of paper unto a finish where you like your cue tip to be shaped

- use the finest sandpaper you can source and spin it around the ferrule a few times, and then do the sides of the tip with it also

- to shine the ferrule, use worn fine sandpaper on it, spinning the cue around it, then use the paper side to buff it, spinning the cue around again.

- chalk the cue and your off