Here is a very rare cue built by Frank Ball of West Palm Beach, FL. Frank passed away in 2002, and is known to have built less than 300 cues in total during his life. This cue is even rarer due to the fact that it is signed and dated by Frank. One of the most unique components of the cue is the 22" extension that comes with it. Frank built all of the components of his cues except the screws, tips, etc, and he designed the butt to accept the extension, so the shooter could easily reach every shot. This cue is in good played condition...a couple of very light bumps, and you can feel the silver rings through the finish. The wrap is a sweet chocolate leather just installed by Cory Barnhart.
Also, with this cue comes a Dennis Searing shaft with matching ringwork and ivory ferrule. This is a seriously nice piece of wood...what does Dennis get for a shaft these days?
Specifications:
-Butt: 15.2oz
-Extension: 21", 12.3oz
-Shaft 1: 3.7oz, 12.3mm, Aegis ferrule, unsure of tip
-Shaft 2: 3.5oz, 12.25mm, Aegis ferrule, unsure of tip
-Searing shaft: 4.1oz, 12.7mm, Ivory ferrule, unsure of tip
-3/8x10 wood to wood joint with black phenolic joint rings
-Fancy double silver and black ringwork with 6 triple dashes at A/B/D/E and an extra one above the split butt
-Thin black phenolic ring at C
-Nice, dark cocobolo forearm
-Six razor sharp points (3 high/3 low) of curly maple
-Beautifully executed chocolate leather wrap (by Cory Barnhart)
-Nice, dark cocobolo butt sleeve in the SW style, with curly split between the two fancy rings
-Ivory Hoppe ring right above the butt cap
-Black phenolic butt cap
-Has a screw insert under the bumper to receive the 22" extension
-Signed and dated between the points, "Frank Ball 4-27-01"
SOLD!! Thanks!
Joe
[/IMG]
From the Blue Book:
Maker of pool cues from 1987 to 2003 in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Frank Ball was a woodworker all of his life, doing carpentry and making custom furniture. He played a lot of pool when he was younger. One day in the mid-1980s his son Randy accompanied Frank to a local cuemaker´s shop to have a minor repair done. On the way home, Frank told his son that he thought he would enjoy making cues. He already had much of the equipment and was familiar with the necessary materials. By 1987 Frank had made his first cue. Early Frank Ball cues had 5/16-18 piloted stainless steel joints and Delrin butt caps. A dozen or so had "Frank Ball" laser engraved on the buttcaps. Frank changed to a black linen phenolic butt cap in 1997, and changed to a 3/8-10 flat-faced linen phenolic butt cap in 1998.
Frank made everything in his cues by hand except for the tips, screws, and bumpers in his one-man shop. He made his own short-spliced blanks, or could inlay points with a manual pantograph if the customer preferred. Frank tried to select the best woods he could find and would always use A+ grade pure white maple for his shafts. He only used ivory in a couple of his cues. He made a bumper that can be unscrewed so that a 22-inch extension can be screwed into the back of the cue for greater reach on long shots. Although there are no identification marks, Frank Ball cues made up until the late 1990s can be identified by their unique joint rings with black and white triple-stacked veneers. He stopped using these in his last four to five years of cuemaking, preferring to use a more modern type of ring. Frank was retired and made cues part-time primarily for enjoyment, with most of his cues being sold to local players. He made 10 to 20 cues each year, so his total production over 15 years was fewer than 300 cues. Frank spent 70 to 80 hours building each cue, and during the last five years all the cues he made were custom orders. The cues Frank made from 2000 on are considered to be his best work. Frank died in April of 2002, about a month after making his last cue.
Also, with this cue comes a Dennis Searing shaft with matching ringwork and ivory ferrule. This is a seriously nice piece of wood...what does Dennis get for a shaft these days?
Specifications:
-Butt: 15.2oz
-Extension: 21", 12.3oz
-Shaft 1: 3.7oz, 12.3mm, Aegis ferrule, unsure of tip
-Shaft 2: 3.5oz, 12.25mm, Aegis ferrule, unsure of tip
-Searing shaft: 4.1oz, 12.7mm, Ivory ferrule, unsure of tip
-3/8x10 wood to wood joint with black phenolic joint rings
-Fancy double silver and black ringwork with 6 triple dashes at A/B/D/E and an extra one above the split butt
-Thin black phenolic ring at C
-Nice, dark cocobolo forearm
-Six razor sharp points (3 high/3 low) of curly maple
-Beautifully executed chocolate leather wrap (by Cory Barnhart)
-Nice, dark cocobolo butt sleeve in the SW style, with curly split between the two fancy rings
-Ivory Hoppe ring right above the butt cap
-Black phenolic butt cap
-Has a screw insert under the bumper to receive the 22" extension
-Signed and dated between the points, "Frank Ball 4-27-01"
SOLD!! Thanks!
Joe
From the Blue Book:
Maker of pool cues from 1987 to 2003 in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Frank Ball was a woodworker all of his life, doing carpentry and making custom furniture. He played a lot of pool when he was younger. One day in the mid-1980s his son Randy accompanied Frank to a local cuemaker´s shop to have a minor repair done. On the way home, Frank told his son that he thought he would enjoy making cues. He already had much of the equipment and was familiar with the necessary materials. By 1987 Frank had made his first cue. Early Frank Ball cues had 5/16-18 piloted stainless steel joints and Delrin butt caps. A dozen or so had "Frank Ball" laser engraved on the buttcaps. Frank changed to a black linen phenolic butt cap in 1997, and changed to a 3/8-10 flat-faced linen phenolic butt cap in 1998.
Frank made everything in his cues by hand except for the tips, screws, and bumpers in his one-man shop. He made his own short-spliced blanks, or could inlay points with a manual pantograph if the customer preferred. Frank tried to select the best woods he could find and would always use A+ grade pure white maple for his shafts. He only used ivory in a couple of his cues. He made a bumper that can be unscrewed so that a 22-inch extension can be screwed into the back of the cue for greater reach on long shots. Although there are no identification marks, Frank Ball cues made up until the late 1990s can be identified by their unique joint rings with black and white triple-stacked veneers. He stopped using these in his last four to five years of cuemaking, preferring to use a more modern type of ring. Frank was retired and made cues part-time primarily for enjoyment, with most of his cues being sold to local players. He made 10 to 20 cues each year, so his total production over 15 years was fewer than 300 cues. Frank spent 70 to 80 hours building each cue, and during the last five years all the cues he made were custom orders. The cues Frank made from 2000 on are considered to be his best work. Frank died in April of 2002, about a month after making his last cue.
Last edited:
