Complete Fullsplice Build step by step

hillscues

American Craftsmanship
Silver Member
Very nice work and great cue!!

Isn't that considered a "Half Splice" cue??

What would you sell a cue like that for??

Thanks, no its not a half splice the butterfly splice behind the fullsplice does not affect the hit what so ever , I've tried it both ways still hits and feels the same. you can put them side by side one with the butterfly one without you won't be able to tell the difference . now the short splice does not feel as stiff as the fullsplice. Thanks D Hill
 
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poolhustler

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks, no its not a half splice the butterfly splice behind the fullsplice does not affect the hit what so ever , I've tried it both ways still hits and feels the same. you can put them side by side one with the butterfly one without you won't be able to tell the difference . now the short splice does not feel as stiff as the fullsplice. Thanks D Hill

Per Craig Rittel.........

"Today in two-piece cue construction the Full Spliced technique is not normally used. The only cue maker currently using this construction that I am familiar with is Joel Hercek who was trained and took over the Custom Cue operations designed by one of the greatest cue makers of all time Burton Spain. This is due to the cost of materials, man-hour’s required, and a lack of interest by the general public. However, in my opinion this construction technique is the highest level of the cue makers art, may it never fade into history.

The next construction technique used is the Short Splice. In this technique the butt of a cue is constructed using a forearm that is fully spliced and then doweled to another piece of wood under the cues wrap, which in turn is doweled to the wood or materials used in the construction in the lower portion of the cue below the wrap."
 

poolhustler

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Per Mark Bear........

"Half Splice vs. Full Splice

What difference does it make anyway?

True full splice cues were the first pool cues made utilizing two piece construction because it was the only way to join two pieces of wood together without using pegs, dowels or nails. The inferior hide glues of the day demanded a large surface gluing area which the full splice design provided. Little did they know the ultimate playing pool cue had been created. The first notable cue maker understanding the importance of the full splice design was Herman Rambow. When he left Brunswick he continued to use Titlist blanks until Burton Spain began to furnish custom cue makers with his own improved full splice design. George Balabushka was another notable who regularly purchased Spain’s blanks. Because of the strength, stability and balance, it is the ultimate marriage of function and beauty.

In the years that have followed, cue construction has evolved into many forms. Most of these forms have been short cuts but still giving the overall appearance of a full splice cue. Today, short splice cues are the most common cue in the market place. Why? Easier, less time consuming, less expensive, and overall more cost effective.

The difference between a full splice and a half splice cue is simply the way it is constructed and the way in which it plays. The half splice cue is made of four separate pieces of wood (forearm, points, handle and butt sleeve) pinned, doweled and glued together. Conversely, the full splice cue is made of only two pieces of wood joined together, not involving the use of pins, dowels or other hardware, but by truly splicing two woods together with the most modern day high tech adhesives. The clear advantage of the full splice cue is its ability to provide not only far superior strength and clean aesthetic lines, but most importantly the pure fluid feel of the ultimate “working cue”.

In a half splice cue the woods are joined together at the end grain with a threaded rod and it is this flat bearing surface that reduces and alters the natural hit of the cue. The full splice cue has no flat bearing surfaces what so ever. The connecting pin in a short splice cue is generally 3-4” long. The connections in a full splice cue are the four points running 1/3 of the length of the cue, each being 10-11” long providing approximately 80” of uncompromised integrated structural integrity, without a single flat bearing surface. That relates to approximately 80” of feel and sensitivity, which cannot begin to compare to a flat faced 3-4” pin and dowel system.

Perhaps Burton Spain put it best. Not all cues are great “working” cues, but “the greatest “working” cues are made from full-spliced, four-prong blanks”, and “George Balabushka seems to have known this a long time ago.” It would be difficult to find a more credible and qualified team of spokes people for the full splice design than Herman Rambow, Burton Spain and George Balabushka."
 
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poolhustler

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Per Wiki.......

"The easiest way to explain a full splice pool cue is to think of a bar cue. A bar cue is made of two pieces of wood that are spliced together to form a pool cue. Usually due to cost of mass production, most companies use inlays rather than splice points. A pool cue with inlays can be simulated to look as if they are real splice points. One other splice point to mention is the short splice. It is not as cheap to produce as inlaid cues, but they are still cheaper to produce than the full splice. A short splice cue is based off of a normal three piece design. The forearm contains the short spliced pieces, the forearm is then attached to the handle, and finally the handle is attached to the butt. With this method the splice is only in the forearm and does not continue the length of the cue like a full splice cue."
 

LGSM3

Jake<built cues for fun
Silver Member
Per Craig Rittel.........

"Today in two-piece cue construction the Full Spliced technique is not normally used. The only cue maker currently using this construction that I am familiar with is Joel Hercek who was trained and took over the Custom Cue operations designed by one of the greatest cue makers of all time Burton Spain. This is due to the cost of materials, man-hour’s required, and a lack of interest by the general public. However, in my opinion this construction technique is the highest level of the cue makers art, may it never fade into history.

The next construction technique used is the Short Splice. In this technique the butt of a cue is constructed using a forearm that is fully spliced and then doweled to another piece of wood under the cues wrap, which in turn is doweled to the wood or materials used in the construction in the lower portion of the cue below the wrap."

if you had all this info then why would you ask the question? If you had in fact seen a Spain or Hercek blank, then you would know the cue that Mr. Hill built was inspired by there design. Burton was the originator of the butterfly at the base of the points

Oh yeah, good job Darrin...beautiful cue
 

poolhustler

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
if you had all this info then why would you ask the question? If you had in fact seen a Spain or Hercek blank, then you would know the cue that Mr. Hill built was inspired by there design. Burton was the originator of the butterfly at the base of the points

Oh yeah, good job Darrin...beautiful cue

I actually was not sure of the differnces, so I used a little feature on the internet called "GOOGLE" !!!

What I read differed from what Mr. Hill said, so I posted it up for him to read.

And yes.. I agree... Gorgeous cue!!

I would love to know what a cue like that would go for, but seems he chooses not to disclose that.
 

hillscues

American Craftsmanship
Silver Member
Cue is finished , will be posting in the for sale section . hears the link http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=2724768#post2724768

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JeaLouS44

Awesome John
Silver Member
Great Thread

Awesome cue. I've been trying to explain this to my friends for a long time.
This will make it easy.
 

tableman

New member
Silver Member
Excellent post! You should consider making a dvd with full details/measurements and stats. I'll buy the first one :thumbup:
Thanks for sharing. Beautiful cue!
 

cueball981

Struggling Cue Artist
Silver Member
Mr. Hill, a most excellent example of the full-splice method. You might know of the maker who built my current cue, Wayne Holmes, who also used a similar method to build his full-splice cues.

My cue is similar in the forearm using Ebony. The wood really brings out the brilliance of the veneers. Though mine is only a 4 point FS, there is a lot of similarities in the overall look. I chose to use only 3 veneers and Purple Heart for the points. Here's a few pics to show another example of the process and final result. Thanks again for sharing such a GORGEOUS cue!

Chris :O)

Purplexed.jpg


Purplexed2.jpg


Purplexed3.jpg


CHRIS-FINAL-PHOTOS-forearm-007.jpg


CHRIS-FINAL-PHOTOSforearm-004.jpg
 

Lexicologist71

Rabid Schuler fanatic
Silver Member
One of these days, I want to make my own full splice cue. I have access to the equipment, but the owner doesn't think it can be done. Grrrr. He doesn't think coring can be done either.
 

Lexicologist71

Rabid Schuler fanatic
Silver Member
if you had all this info then why would you ask the question? If you had in fact seen a Spain or Hercek blank, then you would know the cue that Mr. Hill built was inspired by there design. Burton was the originator of the butterfly at the base of the points

Oh yeah, good job Darrin...beautiful cue

Uh, if I could make a full splice, I wouldn't cut it off and use a dowel. I don't splice anything when I make a 'short splice' cue. I cut grooves and inlay wood and that's how most do it.
 
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