Tip diameter
- Thread starter Charles Hartfield
- Start date
Hank, Howdy Doody, Dude:
- In order for the curvature to fit on your tip it must have a radius no smaller than half the tip's width. For a 13mm tip, that's a radius of 6.5mm or more (= any US coin).
- In order for your tip to reach the miscue limit without hitting on its edge, its curvature must include an arc of at least 60 degrees. For a 13mm tip, that's a curvature radius of 13mm or less (= US coins up to a quarter in size).
So a 13mm tip should have a curvature radius somewhere between 6.5 and 13mm (= any US coin from a dime to a quarter).
Since a smaller radius means you'll hit farther from the edge of your tip at the miscue limit, I think rounder (smaller coin) is better.
pj
chgo
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The other day I miscued and thought I'd rough up the tip a bit. About 20 minutes later I look at the tip and noticed I hadn't struck the cue ball dead center. Center of tip was still rough.
How would that kind of play flatten a tip?
I rarely hit center ball, but my tip never needs flattening, always more rounding. How do we explain that?
pj
chgo
You don't usually hit very far from center?
Well, yes, but if you come off-center on average only far enough to get to a 15-degree slope on the ball, that will tend to make your tip flatter, I think.
So to make it rounder takes an average tip offset greater than half maximum? I can see that for billiards, but pool?
pj
chgo
I suspect my tip stays roundish because I chalk the edge but it's hard to be sure. Whatever is happening, I never have to reshape my tip after installation.
I only reshape mine every several weeks, so it’s not a major difference.
Do you not chalk the center?
pj
chgo
Not much.
I used a 14mm tip with a nickel radius for decades and never had a problem with miscuing or putting max spin on the cue ball. Ralph Greenleaf preferred 14mm tips for some reason, too.
I also used a 21-ounce cue.
I can not count the number of people who have commented on how much I can juice the cue ball, if needed.
If you have HAMB using a variety of different specs, you don’t need ask what works best for YOU.
I also used a 21-ounce cue.
I can not count the number of people who have commented on how much I can juice the cue ball, if needed.
If you have HAMB using a variety of different specs, you don’t need ask what works best for YOU.
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No real need to chalk the center. Only reason IMO for even using chalk is to not miscue. Can't miscue on dead center.
Of course if your stroke is squirrely, you might think otherwise.
BTW I chalk everything. Habit and never thought otherwise.
Thanks Bob Jewett.
Maybe now I can afford the ultra premium/$$ chalk, if I can change a 45 year habit.
Jim Buss told me it doesn't matter what radius he gives me, eventually the tip will conform to how you play.
Don't know if that's a good thing or not, or if true. Sounds logical although.
I've heard it before from reputable players - but my own experience is different. And I wonder why tip shapers are always rounded, never flat.
pj
chgo
Marketing is why the radius. Why is there a radius in a piece of chalk? Maybe to promote drilling the hole.
Old school was rolling the tip over a piece of sand paper, like 100grit against your box case.
The Lou Butera (sp?) Tip tapper was revolutionary.
Today its a flat card shape impregnated with diamond or carbide.
I haven't filed/sanded a tip other than the initial install for 40 years
Roll the tip. Never file unless something seriously wrong. Unless you enjoy new tips every month or 3.