"Why" is a LD shaft LD? Special wood?
- Thread starter Pangit
- Start date
Well, they're known to reduce squirt, which is an improvement. It hasn't been shown that greater "radial consistency" makes a practical difference in playability.
It's not just a preference; it's a practical disadvantage - if you don't chalk regularly, how are you reminded to do it before you miscue?
I've done lots of controlled tests comparing shafts and tips - never saw a difference.
pj
chgo
I have also done some tests and analysis related to this topic. Low-squirt shafts offer a slight spin advantage, but the effect is not significant. More info and supporting resources can be found here:
Regards,
Dave
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That lamination has nothing to do with lower squirt and lamination resists warpage?
Both things are so well known that I think it's on you to prove otherwise.
pj
chgo
Apparently you missed the part of your quote that was in bold.
You're asking if I have proof that Predator's motive for laminating their shafts is to resist warpage?
No, that's my opinion based on the fact that it's the only practical reason to do it. Going to that trouble in order to market a solution to a problem that nobody thought existed (and in fact didn't) doesn't sound very plausible to me.
pj
chgo
Let's try this a third time. Note the part in bold lettering. Proof? You can prove that it is lower grade maple that cue makers use for laminated shafts??
Bob
Why would someone cut perfectly good shaft wood into laminates?
To make perfectly good laminated shafts...
I believe the high cost in wood for normal shafts is that you have to keep it in storage for long periods before making a cue out of it. For laminated shafts, I would guess that this storage time is either much lower or non-existant.
I don't think anyone said anything about "saving money" as a motivator, though indirectly they could. Making money might be a more appropriate motivator
The cue builders generally pick only the best shaft wood for their shafts. This is mostly due to the fact that one large piece to make a shaft using a non-homogeneous material ends up being a low percentage proposition. Every cuemaker worth his salt knows this. Every one of them tell you how selective they are and they reject X percent of shaft wood.
But, what happens to all that other shaft wood... the less desirable shaft wood? You can pie slice it, match up like pieces (good pieces, whatever) from the other shafts that were pie sliced and piece them back together in a pie laminate to salvage what otherwise would have been firewood and build a pretty good shaft to boot.
To me, there's no question that laminating wood to make a shaft is one way to make a good shaft out of what would be less superior wood.. i.e, wood that was otherwise rejected by cuemakers.
Freddie <~~~ IMNSHO
Since I build each shaft from a single board of wood I would differ with your thoughts on how laminated shafts are made. No wonder some people don't think laminated shafts are worth a shit, they have no idea how they are made. As for picking pieces from various boards that look the same... good fu*king luck.
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Again, I can only speak for myself. When the boards get to my shop they are stickered and stacked with weight on top of them, stored and processed to a given thickness over a one year period. Then the pieces are cut and glued and start the turning process, hanging the whole time, which takes about a year. How many cuemakers hold their shaft wood a minimum of 2 years? Once again, people have no idea how everyone makes what they do. You talk about the high cost of wood for normal shafts but don't give a thought to the cost of wood for laminated shafts.
Probably, but I don't care enough to try. You seem to care a lot - can you prove it isn't?
pj
chgo
Many high end cue makers hold their wood for 2 years or longer. Low end cue makers probably not so long.
I never said you couldnt do what you say to salvage wood but i have priced shaft wood by grade fron top to bottom there isnt enough difference to justify buying it and going to the extra work. As for them using radial consistency you may be correct that it is just a marketing pitch but it does provide for a very consistent hit and performance that may be more consistent from shaft to shaft. I use predator and find if i go from one to another of the same model they are close to identical and i like the way they play but then thats just my opinion but absolute truth for me.
Buddy Hall marked his solid maple shafts so he could orient them in a certain way for each shot. He thought it made a difference in feel, performance, or both. I don't know whether any other pros did it before Buddy. Bob Meucci got his idea for the red-dot shaft from Buddy. Clever marketing? Perhaps. But I don't doubt that it has some effect on performance as well. It's not hard to believe that wood bends differently depending on how the grain is oriented.
It absolutely does make a difference in the flex of the wood ask any trim carpenter who has had to trim a wall that runs on a radius.
Of course it makes some difference. But I doubt it makes much difference, or that it would matter much to playability even if it did. The fact that shaft flexibility has little or no effect on squirt tells me that.
pj
chgo
More power to you. My thoughts aren't my thoughts. But, let's just pretend I never had a single discussion with those that have been doing it for let's just say years and years (I presume much longer than you).
Freddie
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