2022-10 October  

Making a Pool Cue Carry Case

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Member, Bill Orpen, outlines the approach taken to make a Carry Case for a Pool Cue, for his good friend 'Mick'.  There's many side stories to this article, which would best be asked of Bill directly, so let's leave that aspect aside.  As for the woodworking information, here goes!

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The design was based on gluing a series of alternating coloured timbers together, and then routing out the inner cavities to suit a collapsable pool cue.  In addition, some cavities were made for accessories such as cue chalk.  Hinges were added, along with insets of coloured tokens for decoration on top side.

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The challenge of this project, was, that it was a surprise birthday gift, and had to hold a precious cue, Mick's favourite.  So getting the dimensions of that cue, were vital to  the design of the case - but that is the other story not mentioned here, as to how that measurement was discovered!

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The project started back in February 2022, and has been kept secret until after the birthday handover.  But that also coincided with the timing of the BE-IN-IT competition at the Club, where Bill took off a 2nd prize for his nice efforts with the case.  For the record, Karin Orpen, one of the Judges, stood aside from the judging of this category item.

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Process

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1.  Strips were string tied and then clamped

2.  Then the bundled was sanded 

3.  Glue was applied between strips and clamped to dry

4.  Now laminated, the bundle was sliced length ways, to become the two halves of the case

5.  A flat section was then added, to what would become the inside of the case

6.  Sections were then routed,  to provide the place for the cue to be stored

7.  Felt lining and hinges added

8.  Decorative tokens were inset into the top cover for 'show' when closed and carried

9.  Oiling and polishing. 

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Ready for a professional Pool Player!       Happy Birthday, Mick!       

 

[Thanks for sharing the story, Bill]

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