Photos: Hanover Park craftsman makes nationally-sought pool cues
Tim Prince discovered one of his life’s passions nearly 40 years ago, by accident. The Hanover Park resident was a high school drafting student attending a competition at the Illinois Institute of Technology. During a break, he and some classmates wandered into the student lounge. Noticing an open pool table, they started playing. He was hooked and Prince has combined his love for billiards and his skills as a craftsman to become a nationally sought-after pool cue maker.
Prince installs some intricate inlays into a cue he is building Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 in his workshop at his home in Hanover Park.
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Prince uses a high powered lathe in his workshop to refinish a pool cue shaft Wednesday, March 25, 2026 in Hanover Park.
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Tim Prince, right, talks with his friend Randy Hanlon, of Carol Stream, while they play pool at Pyramid Sports Bar & Pizzeria Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Addison.
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Prince’s intricate cue work has received high praise from both players and other top cue makers.
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Sawdust flies as Prince uses a lathe to work on a cue that he is building Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 in Hanover Park.
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Prince’s dog, Gracie, is his constant companion in his Hanover Park workshop Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
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At the request of his friends, Prince finally made himself a custom cue to keep and play with. Here he uses it to play nine-ball at Pyramid Sports Bar & Pizzeria Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Addison.
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Mike Mueller of Roselle, left, talks to Tim Prince about some adjustments to his cue Wednesday, March 25, 2026 in Hanover Park.
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Prince trims and shapes a tip for a customer in his workshop Wednesday, March 25, 2026 in Hanover Park.
Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
Prince uses a lathe to turn a cue in his workshop Wednesday, March 25, 2026 in Hanover Park.
Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
Prince does high quality work including many intricate inlays in his workshop Wednesday, March 25, 2026 in Hanover Park.
Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
Custom pool cue builder Tim Prince displays some of his current work Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026 in his workshop at his home in Hanover Park.
Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com