Cognoscenti Joint Protectors
My customer wanted a set of matching joint protectors for a nice Cognoscenti cue with 4 shafts. I was unaware that the Cog came with an oddball thread so the job got more complicated very quickly. I will show you some of the steps I took to finish this job. I admit to overkill here but if I ever need to make another set of Cog JPs, I'll be ready.
Here's an overall look at the cue. I wasn't thrilled about making matching trim rings but it was OK, the customer didn't want to pay for them anyway. The easy way out - cheaper, too - was to make matching inlays: a large set of 5 for the butt JP and four smaller sets of 5 for the shafts. However, I needed some way to hold the JPs so I could machine, paint & polish them. Since the Cog's threads are "different", I had to make a set of drivers to suit. Fortunately, I had the butt & one shaft from which I could take measurements.
This is the quickie set of Juma drivers I made for the Cog. I made the male driver first, using the shaft as a gage for the threads. The female driver was easier since I was able to use the male driver as a gage.
This shows the "handles" I made to support the JPs for clearcoat. One handle for the butt JP and four handles for the shaft JPs. The replaceable tape protects the wood so they will last a lifetime.
The shaft JP pins were made from canvas based phenolic rod. The material is definitely strong enough for this application and is much easier to machine than aluminum. The pins were threaded on one end and machined for a slip fit into the ebony shaft JPs. This method of attaching the pins was simple, yet secure.
Here's the finished set after a few coats of clear.
And another look at the JPs next to the buttsleeve.
Thanks for looking!