mark up on pool products

[scdiveteam]

The more I read, the more I understand but unfortunately others don’t follow along or at least take the time to read what is being talked about. This is not about dark shafts and light shafts. I’m not discussing anything about color. This is about wiggle grained shafts and shafts with knots in them despite the fact that these detractors will affect the “performance” of the player. I don’t know about you but if I’m stroking a shot, the last thing I want is the distraction of a knot in my shaft especially in my line of sight nor wiggle grain to look at that is falling off the shaft.

One of my favorite shafts almost looks like tiger maple all the way down the shaft, but I agree that if you get distracted by the shaft then they are not for you! They dont bother me because I dont look at the shaft when I play, lord knows there are enough things distracting me as it is. Joe if you have some of those like in the picture straight and cut like those for $3-$4 then I will buy some for sure! I make myself a new cue every year to play with as a tribute to my dad, so I am always looking for my ugly shafts. I only have a few left in the shop. Joe you are right that 99.9% of the players want a pretty white clear shaft, but I cant play with a white shaft. I would make most people cringe if they saw what i do to my shaft while I am finishing my shaft...they are a pretty worn dark blueish color before I hit the first ball with them

I have over 500 darker colored shafts I culled myself. These shafts are very heavy.

I also get shafts that are lighter and have no blems or streaks.

Before a doing a custom order, I ask the customer if they want the ugly shaft or the lighter colored ones.

According to my little survey sample, survey says.

50% want light one and 50% want darker and heavier ones.

Everyone has their view and ideal about shafts.

Rick

 

[eddie0776]

I have over 500 darker colored shafts I culled myself. These shafts are very heavy.

I also get shafts that are lighter and have no blems or streaks.

Before a doing a custom order, I ask the customer if they want the ugly shaft or the lighter colored ones.

According to my little survey sample, survey says.

50% want light one and 50% want darker and heavier ones.

Everyone has their view and ideal about shafts.

Rick

Hey Rick, before Joe responds let me lol!! He is talking about the grain and knots in the wood not the color. I do like the knots and dark shafts but most dont like the grain. I will post a picture of mine shortly so he will know what I am talking about.

 

[JoeyInCali]

Where's the bucket of corn?

 

[eddie0776]

Here are mine. This shaft is only a few weeks old but I got it that dark before I hit a ball with it. The figure is all the way down the shaft and it plays good!

 

[galipeau]

This conversation has reached a.............

 

[carguy]

non-straight shaft grain

Am I missing something?

Some people like dark colored shaft wood. I kind of like it myself.
But that's not what this is about, is it?

Does anyone know someone who prefers a shaft with tons of grain runout to one with very little to no runout, all other things being equal?

Not "figure", we're talking runout and knots.

Not me.

Robin Snyder

 

[JoeyInCali]

Am I missing something?

Some people like dark colored shaft wood. I kind of like it myself.
But that's not what this is about, is it?

Does anyone know someone who prefers a shaft with tons of grain runout to one with very little to no runout, all other things being equal?

Not "figure", we're talking runout and knots.

Not me.

Robin Snyder

Got a source who guarantees those kind of shafts?
I know a few locals who got crap from someone who claims his shafts are
God's gift to cue makers.

 

[carguy]

Got a source who guarantees those kind of shafts?
I know a few locals who got crap from someone who claims his shafts are
God's gift to cue makers.

Get real Joey.
I scrap the duds just the same as you do.

I can't guarantee that all the wood I buy has straight grain.
I can only speak for the wood I USE.

Robin Snyder

 

[JoeyInCali]

Get real Joey.
I scrap the duds just the same as you do.

I can't guarantee that all the wood I buy has straight grain.
I can only speak for the wood I USE.

Robin Snyder

Exactly.
And the supplier sure wouldn't take them back.
Even if you paid $20 for each and a nice story.

Hell, we have no freedom to talk about suppliers here.

 

[Canadian cue]

Clear and straight grained material is always the best choice when it comes to mechanical properties. This isn't folk lore that is subject to opinion, it is fact. To suggest otherwise is ridiculous.

 

[JoeyInCali]

Clear and straight grained material is always the best choice when it comes to mechanical properties. This isn't folk lore that is subject to opinion, it is fact. To suggest otherwise is ridiculous.

Clean as in no sugars?

Sugars are kinda funny. Sometimes they don't show up until a few passes .
If you buy squares and pay top dollar for them, you're a sucker imo .
Cuestock only sells their premium stock in dowels .
That way, you can clearly see the orientation and any sugar marks .
http://cuestockinc.com/Dowels-Hard-Maple_c18.htm

 

[carguy]

Exactly.
And the supplier sure wouldn't take them back.
Even if you paid $20 for each and a nice story.

Hell, we have no freedom to talk about suppliers here.

But wait a second. I don't think that was the topic.
The topic was, or at least evolved into, whether wood with runout and other defects like knots was suitable for shafts.

Did anyone focus on price besides you? Well OK, Joe mentioned it but his point was on the mark: why use wood with obvious flaws if you don't have to?

I bought some shaft wood from you a few years ago: nice wood! Virtually no runout and certainly no knots. You would have not sold it to me if it had defects. I knew it would be OK because I bought it from you and I knew you share my high standards.

I have no axes to grind, I just need defect-free wood to use.

Robin Snyder

 

[scdiveteam]

Hey Rick, before Joe responds let me lol!! He is talking about the grain and knots in the wood not the color. I do like the knots and dark shafts but most dont like the grain. I will post a picture of mine shortly so he will know what I am talking about.

Eddie,

I understand what you are saying but quite frankly I don't know if a small knot or a little grain run out on a shaft is a big deal or not.

I did a big repair biz for over 13 years and had a ton of shafts between centers. Other than them looking bad I could not tell you honestly if twisted grain shaft wood plays any worse or has a tendency to wrap.

If a cue shafts is straight, plays good and stays straight it seems to me it is a good shaft. Now does someone want a cue shaft with knots? No

Rick

 

[Dave38]

How did this get from a discussion of severely over-priced tips to how a pretty highly regarded cuemaker sells 'ugly duckling' cues with full disclosure and same attention to construction, and a HUGH price break from the awesome line of cues he makes? Joe has called them defective, and accused Eric of putting out a defective product. Who the F@#$ is he to call them defective???When has He tested them or held one in his hands?...never... He hasn't even built a cue since ...........well......anybody ever seen a Barringer cue since his ebay fiasco? Or before that? Enough said on that....
I personally will take a shaft on a cue with all the knots and twisted grain you want to put in it, as long as it's straight and plays well.
It's ok to like a pretty shaft, but isn't the main importance on HOW it PLAYS vs HOW IT LOOKS? Most of the players I talk to in my area don't care how the shaft looks...they care about if it's straight and does it play well...nothing more or less.
Joe is a supplier..only..not a builder...and therefore has a lot at stake to sell his product, so of course he will say it needs to be the prettyist white-ist wood to be the best. Straight grain is nice, but in my experience......doesn't mean it'll stay straight when your done. Even Joe has sold his share of 'Pretty' shaftwood that cannot and will not stay straight, but he ALWAYS blames the cuemaker for not knowing what to do properly. I have been on that side with his auctions on Ebay about 10 years ago and watched how he treated anyone that complained. Most of the shaftwood I was 'LUCKY' to win was crappy at best and most that stayed straight the longest were the ones with the most runout.... go figure....I musta done something wrong....:grin-square:
Just my opinion, from my experiences,
Dave

 

[carguy]

"How did this get from a discussion of severely over-priced tips to how a pretty highly regarded cuemaker sells 'ugly duckling' cues"
***The thread did morph quite a bit but I don't think it turned into a "Let's jump on Eric" thread. He obviously makes fine cues.
I think discussion of shaft wood is always interesting.***

"I personally will take a shaft on a cue with all the knots and twisted grain you want to put in it, as long as it's straight and plays well."
***Me too, especially that "plays well" part, but I think most people want both and I can supply that for what amounts to small change.***

"Most of the players I talk to in my area don't care how the shaft looks.
***Well, they definitely care around here.***

Just my opinion, from my experiences,
Dave
***Likewise***

Robin Snyder