As you improve your skill and domination over the pool table, you would start paying more attention to how small changes in the pool equipment affect your gameplay. Amateur players who have practiced for a long time on pool tables might want to explore using different cue tips to see how each one goes with their performance. This guide will help you understand what you need to do to replace the cue tip of the stick.
- Practice with an old cue: Replacing the cue tip is delicate work and you would get better at it with experience. Start with an old pool cue stick and use a knife to cut the tip off as close to the wood of the stick as you can. Then clean and sand the surface to make it completely level and smooth. Repeat the sanding process on the bottom of the new tip too.
- Use a small amount of glue: Once you get a level surface, apply a small drop of glue to the back of the tip and to the stick and carefully place the tip on the stick. Make sure that it is as centered as possible. Also, do not use excess glue or else it would spill over the sides.
- Maintain pressure: Once you have centered the tip over the stick, press down hard without moving it off center. Use a rubber band on the cue stick to hold the tip firmly in place until the glue dries.
- Sand the tip to make it smooth: After around half an hour, remove the rubber band and use a knife and some sand paper to carefully get rid of any overlapping cue tip edge. You may then use the sandpaper on the tip to smoothen it into a slight dome.
Rounder tips make it harder for you to shoot straight shots, but they help you spin the cue ball with more accuracy. If you are not sure about repairing your cue tip, it is always best to use the help of a professional who will do it for you.
