You can save some money by changing your pool cue tips yourself.  Most professionals charge between $12 and $15 dollars in labor for every pool cue that is repaired, so replacing the tips on your house cues or custom pool cues can save you a bundle when you do it yourself.  It's very easy to do even if you do not have a professional cue lathe.  Remember to let the tip "set up" for at least an hour before playing, longer if possible.

You Will Need:

• New tips
• Razor blade in a knife
• Fine grit Sandpaper
• Tweeten's cement, Barge cement, or Superglue Gel
• Tip clamp
• Rasp
• Disposable cloth or paper towels
• Acetone or Nail polish remover

Step 1

Remove the old tip.  If it is really old then it will simply fall off with a slight tug.  If it is still glued on pretty well then take the razor blade and scrape off the tip.  Make sure to remove any leather material or old glue that is on the ferrule.  You want a clean surface on which to attach the new tip.  Be careful not to gouge the ferrule because that will create air pockets under the tip and cause your tip to pop off later.

Step 2

Lightly sand the top of the ferrule.  It is important to have a clean smooth surface.  Use your paper towels and acetone to wipe away any dust.  Do not get the acetone on the wood or your new tip.

Step 3

Select your new tip.  Pool cue tips come in size 11mm to 15mm.  However the most common size is 13mm.  Eyeball your ferrule and pick the closest size.  It is better to err with too large of a tip than too small.  If the tip is too big then you can use your razor blade to trim off the excess after your new tip has dried before shaping.

Step 4

Rub the back of the tip on the fine grit sandpaper and score the tip with the razor blade.

Step 5

Open the Tweeten, Barge, or SuperGlue Gel and keep off of your hands.  SuperGlue Gel works the best because it sets more quickly.  Put a small amount of glue on the bottom of the tip and the ferrule.

Step 6

Carefully place the tip on the ferrule being cautious of oozing glue.  Wipe the glue away with the acetone dampened paper towels if gets on the side of the pool cue shaft.

Step 7

Put the tip clamp on the stick and let it sit for an hour or more.  You want even pressure.  You can also use a rubber band to wrap around the cue then pull up to the top of the tip.

Step 8

Check the tip before removing the clamp.  It should be firmly attached to the ferrule.  Remove the clamp and gently rock the tip between your fingers.  If there is movement go back to step 1 and use more glue on the retry.

Step 9

Use the fine grit sandpaper to smooth out the joint area and remove any excess glue. 

Step 10

Shape the tip with your rasp.  If you have a large amount of tip overhanging the ferrule edge, you can cut the excess off with your razor knife and then sand the joint area.  Apply plenty of chalk and you are ready to play.