How to Fix a Pool Cue

Fix any serious dents or gouges in your cue with wood filler. Sand the dried filler down and cover it with a few light coats of varnish, sanding lightly between each coat.

Cracking is much harder to fix. Vertical or diagonal cracks can be the most difficult to deal with. The closer the stick is to breaking if the crack continues, the more likely it's not worth fixing. Use your wood glue, and open the crack as much as you can without risking a break. Spread the wood glue into the crack with a small 1-inch brush. Take your bench clamps and cinch the crack shut with them. Set your cue up where it can lay straight as the glue dries.

Purchase the broken portion from a second-hand store if your cue is a two-piece cue and you can find a suitable replacement for the damaged end. Many two-piece cues are interchangeable with others because of the universal design techniques used to make pool cues. You can often create your own hybrid design from two ends that weren't even meant to be screwed together.

Use your repair kit for cue tip application and repair. Get a kit with a shaping tool included. Before applying the new tip, all remnants of the old one must be removed. Use your sandpaper to remove any excess leather clinging to the cue.

Scuff up the flat side of the tip before placing it on the end of the cue. Use one drop of the Super Glue on the end of the cue to fasten the tip, but be as precise as possible with the placement. The glue will dry fast and you will have to start over if you don't get it right.

Shape the tip with your tool, which should also have a depth and curvature gauge. Sand the edges of the tip slightly, and round the top of the tip to your liking. Finally, use your iron to burnish the edge of the tip. Place the edge of the tip directly onto the bottom of the iron, and roll the cue around to singe the entire rim of the leather.

Ideally, tip application and replacement should be done on a lathe. "Pocket Lathe" kits can simulate a lathe, but nothing's better than the real thing. Some pool halls have machines in-house and will replace your tip for a small fee. It's always better to get a professional to handle the job if you can afford it.