Predator 314-2 warped?

[Slh]

I bought a predator 314-2 some month ago. I didn't pay much attention if the shaft was straight when it arrived home. This morning I noticed when I put the shaft on the table the middle section of the shaft is not touching the cloth. The joint part and the ferrule are touching. If I roll the cue on the table the tip is not leaving the table.
The middle secrtion of the shaft is like on this video, but mine obviously doesn't wobble like that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyisQ4YbX_w

I opened this thread because some people say the shaft is warped and others say it is normal that the shaft is not entirely touching the cloth.

 

[Neil]

..............

 

[Maniac]

I'm going to tell you that if you let it, this will "get inside your head" and mess with you while you're playing.

If the tip is NOT leaving the table, go and play with that shaft and never look back and forget about it and move on.

I'm dead serious. I have seen this condition mess with the heads of several poolplayers in my time.

FTR, I have shafts that roll like this too and I use them regularly without hesitation and/or worry.

And......what Neil said.

Maniac

 

[Maxx]

I'm going to tell you that if you let it, this will "get inside your head" and mess with you while you're playing.

If the tip is NOT leaving the table, go and play with that shaft and never look back and forget about it and move on.

I'm dead serious. I have seen this condition mess with the heads of several poolplayers in my time.

FTR, I have shafts that roll like this too and I use them regularly without hesitation and/or worry.

And......what Neil said.

Maniac

Good point: roll it on the table, if it looks good when you are standing up it is okay. If you have to get down to table level and look for variations in the taper you (in my humble opinion) are being to picky.

As they say in the trades, "we're not building a watch here", don't sweat the small stuff.

 

[poolguy4u]

Good point: roll it on the table, if it looks good when you are standing up it is okay. If you have to get down to table level and look for variations in the taper you (in my humble opinion) are being to picky.

As they say in the trades, "we're not building a watch here", don't sweat the small stuff.

:smile:

Sounds like how some sellers on EBay do it....

 

[TATE]

If you have a pro taper on it, the middle won't touch the cloth. Roll it, does the gap stay the same? If yes, then it is straight. Or, you could just look down it and slowly turn it and you will be able to see a warp in it.

This is 100% correct. Most pool shafts have two separate and distinct tapers, so only the tip and the joint end touch the table. If it's warped, you can easily see the gap changing.

 

[droveto]

If the gap between middle of shaft and table stays the same when you roll it, it's straight. If the gap changes in distance when you roll it, return it.

 

[poolguy4u]

If the gap between middle of shaft and table stays the same when you roll it, it's straight. If the gap changes in distance when you roll it, return it.

Most production cue companies don't warrant a shaft with a taper roll. LOL!

Not a defect from manufacturing.

 

[Slh]

This is 100% correct. Most pool shafts have two separate and distinct tapers, so only the tip and the joint end touch the table. If it's warped, you can easily see the gap changing.

We tried another 314-2 and every part of the shaft is touching the surface.

 

[Slh]

Also if somebody want to provide some pic of his 314 ( taking care of showing if the middle part of the shaft is touching) I would appreciate that very much.

 

[Slh]

update:
I rolled the cue on the table and the gap between middle of shaft and table is definitely changing ( slightly). The cue has a taper roll for sure, but as long this doesn't affect how the cue plays I'm not worring too much.

 

[poolplayer2093]

I bought a predator 314-2 some month ago. I didn't pay much attention if the shaft was straight when it arrived home. This morning I noticed when I put the shaft on the table the middle section of the shaft is not touching the cloth. The joint part and the ferrule are touching. If I roll the cue on the table the tip is not leaving the table.
The middle secrtion of the shaft is like on this video, but mine obviously doesn't wobble like that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyisQ4YbX_w

I opened this thread because some people say the shaft is warped and others say it is normal that the shaft is not entirely touching the cloth.

a little taper roll is to be expected after a few years. but the short amount of time you've had it is probably a bad sign. i'd watch out for it warping out right. lot of people seem to be having these problems with the 314-2 shafts. the old school ones were built way better

 

[poolplayer2093]

I'm going to tell you that if you let it, this will "get inside your head" and mess with you while you're playing.

If the tip is NOT leaving the table, go and play with that shaft and never look back and forget about it and move on.

I'm dead serious. I have seen this condition mess with the heads of several poolplayers in my time.

FTR, I have shafts that roll like this too and I use them regularly without hesitation and/or worry.

And......what Neil said.

Maniac

best playing shaft i've ever hit with had some roll to it. i never let little things like that get to me but you're 100% right. so many players are so snobbish about their equipment. i play with a lower end mezz and i'm happy with it. i went through my fancy cue phase but some guys won't bother with a cue unless it's fancy and usually worth more than 1k. they consider anything under 1k too low end.

 

[poolplayer2093]

update:
I rolled the cue on the table and the gap between middle of shaft and table is definitely changing ( slightly). The cue has a taper roll for sure, but as long this doesn't affect how the cue plays I'm not worring too much.

it won't effect the play until it gets real bad but honestly if you can you should return it. you paid good cash for the thing it shouldn't be warping so soon. and if you wait they might say you mistreated it and not cover the warped shaft
if you want to ride it out with that shaft just keep an eye on it. it rolling that much in the amount of time you've had it isn't exactly a good sign.

 

[Slh]

it won't effect the play until it gets real bad but honestly if you can you should return it. you paid good cash for the thing it shouldn't be warping so soon. and if you wait they might say you mistreated it and not cover the warped shaft
if you want to ride it out with that shaft just keep an eye on it. it rolling that much in the amount of time you've had it isn't exactly a good sign.

I bought the shaft from an user in this forum. Also I should send the shaft to the usa and I don't think is worth to do it

 

[TheThaiger]

I bought the shaft from an user in this forum. Also I should send the shaft to the usa and I don't think is worth to do it

No one can say for certain if there's a problem unless you do a youtube video.

The middle of a 314-2 should NOT touch the cloth when rolled. I suspect your friend's has been turned down, or the taper altered in some way. Only the tip and joint will be in contact with the table on a new, unadulterated one.

You will notice a warp (or taper roll as big as the one in the video) VERY easily by sighting it like a rifle. It will be obvious. If you're not sure, there isn't a problem.

I've got shafts that are warped and have taper rolls, and they don't affect the way the cue plays at all. The Z shaft I put onto my sneaky has a misaligned joint, and the the shaft lifts off the table by about 2 cms, and that doesn't affect play either.

Sink a few balls and you'll forget all about it. But I really don't think there's a problem with this shaft - as I've said, if there is one, it'll be really obvious.

 

["Popeye"]

I sold the cue to him brand new. The shaft and butt were rolled and sighted before cue was shipped. I've contacted the buyer via IM and will offer a full refund with two terms: he covers shipment back and lists duty of $50 so I don't pay additional costs.

 

[Slh]

As I said I'm still satisfied. If the taper roll doesn't affect playability there's no reason to worry.
I'm just wondering how a straight cue can warp in only a couple of months. Probably the quality of these shafts is not that good.

 

[8-ball Rat]

As I said I'm still satisfied. If the taper roll doesn't affect playability there's no reason to worry.
I'm just wondering how a straight cue can warp in only a couple of months. Probably the quality of these shafts is not that good.

For what it's worth.....

I have three Predator 314-2 shafts right now. On all three of them, the tip and collar stay on the table when rolled. There is space between the middle of the shaft and the table cloth when rolled...and there is a TINY bit of variance on two of them that I can see, if I'm at table level and looking.

I'm no world beater, for sure...but all three shafts play identical, and they all play great.

I used to let that kind of thing get into my head, too...but have learned after hundreds of cues/shafts passing through my hands that it is, in fact, no problem at all.

Have fun with it! They play good. Real good.

 

[Zippo]

Well, it can be the change in humidity and temperature. I have a 314^2 shaft too and every winter it develops a noticeable taper roll but in the summer it is dead nuts straight.

Maybe it can be useful if you get one of those cue hangers to try to decrease the taper roll and then burnish your shaft everyday you play.

As I said I'm still satisfied. If the taper roll doesn't affect playability there's no reason to worry.
I'm just wondering how a straight cue can warp in only a couple of months. Probably the quality of these shafts is not that good.