Marking your cue

nataddrho

nataddrho

www.digicue.net
Silver Member
For a specific reason, I would like to add non-permanent marks to my cue. I'd like to make a mark every diamond (12.5") along the length of the cue. I'm willing to forfeit the first mark from the tip if it interferes with bridging and sliding.

The marks will be used to measure the distance between the OB and CB, or, the OB and a rail.

The best I can come up with is painters tape. Any other ideas?
 
Measuring would be useful in practice, but not allowed per some or most rules. It would not be the intended purpose of the cue. I don't believe using fingers is allowed, but I have never been called for the three finger check to see if a ball will go past another.
 
Inaction said:
Measuring would be useful in practice, but not allowed per some or most rules. It would not be the intended purpose of the cue. I don't believe using fingers is allowed, but I have never been called for the three finger check to see if a ball will go past another.
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Since that would make the cue a de facto measuring device those marks would be illegal i'm pretty sure. The cue must must be used as intended, to strike the cb and not as a measuring tool. Ok for practice tho. Have a marked practice shaft and one un-marked for play. All this being said i've seen cues used to measure kick shots. Some places that's a foul and other's its not. I think adding marks would put you over the line as far as a foul goes.
 
nataddrho said:
For a specific reason, I would like to add non-permanent marks to my cue. I'd like to make a mark every diamond (12.5") along the length of the cue. I'm willing to forfeit the first mark from the tip if it interferes with bridging and sliding.
Click to expand...
Since the table already has these markings, perhaps you could put a set of rings on your butt at 1/10 the diamond spacing and have more precision. {But see below}
nataddrho said:
The marks will be used to measure the distance between the OB and CB, or, the OB and a rail.
Click to expand...
Pretty sure this is not a legal use of the cue. For instance, simply taking your hand off the cue while it is on the table is a foul.
Using the cue as a pointing device is legal, using the cue as a measuring device is specifically not.
 
I haven't tried this (or the option below, so proceed at your own risk), and it would probably need to be redone periodically, but a tiny dash of white out would probably be non-permanent and easily removable, easily visible, last for a little while, and would probably be felt less and be easier to stroke with it on there than tape.

Another option could be a tiny thin dot or dash of glue of a kind that doesn't bond well with or sink into wood (or carbon fiber if that is the type of shaft you have), the kind that would come right off very cleanly with one good scratch from your fingernail. There are a number of types of glues and adhesives that would fit this bill but you might have to experiment a bit on a scrap piece of maple that is similarly smooth to your cue shaft to determine which works best. A lot of hot glues would probably work well, lapidary dopping sticks might work well, there is tons of stuff out there and some of it would work well for sure. This method would come with the benefit of being "semi-permanent" in the sense that it should last much longer and stay on there until you decide to pop it off with your fingernail.

Fred Agnir (Cornerman on AzBilliards) if I recall correctly is/was a glue expert by occupation and could likely give some great glue/adhesive suggestions for this purpose if interested in pursuing this avenue.
 
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Pencil. KISS method. I forget where, maybe a book, maybe a video, but someone recommended it for a solution to keeping consistent bridge length. Might have been an Anthony Beeler video.

Found it:
 
MitchAlsup said:
Since the table already has these markings, perhaps you could put a set of rings on your butt at 1/10 the diamond spacing and have more precision. {But see below}

Pretty sure this is not a legal use of the cue. For instance, simply taking your hand off the cue while it is on the table is a foul.
Using the cue as a pointing device is legal, using the cue as a measuring device is specifically not.
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The hand off cue rule has been amended in BCAPL/CSI, its no longer a foul. I have seen people use the end of their cue and their fingers to mark distance of a ball from rail for rail first shots. SVB does this often and have never seen a foul called on him. Not sure what rule sets they play by but so far it seems to not be problematic.
 
nataddrho said:
For a specific reason, I would like to add non-permanent marks to my cue. I'd like to make a mark every diamond (12.5") along the length of the cue. I'm willing to forfeit the first mark from the tip if it interferes with bridging and sliding.

The marks will be used to measure the distance between the OB and CB, or, the OB and a rail.

The best I can come up with is painters tape. Any other ideas?
Click to expand...

hmmmm, if it was something I wanted to do I would get some painter's tape and put two pieces of it side by side leaving a small gap wherever I wanted a mark -- then I'd use a Mr. Clean Eraser and/or some Soft Scrub to rub the gaps to deep clean the shaft at those points, then remove the tape and theoretically have some light ring marks left where I cleaned.

Eventually, at the conclusion of whatever experiment this is, I'd just clean the whole shaft.

Lou Figueroa
 
Since you are willing to forfeit the first mark from the tip (12.5"), measure 25" on a well blued shaft and clean the last four or five inches.
Nobody will know. :rolleyes:
 
I definitely would not use a pencil on wood, especially when marking cross-grain. It will scratch the fibers and you will have a time hard getting it out.

If you do, the best bet would be to use the side of a #2 pencil and rub in the direction of the grain the width of the mark.
 
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Good ideas!

My favorite, and most clever suggestion, is lfigueroa's suggestion of cleaning a stripe, assuming I am using a wood cue. I am however using a carbon fiber shaft, which probably opens more possibilities of marking with some sort of white dot or adhesive.

Alternatively, I have been using my finger as a mark, and then just moving my cue over to the nearest rail and measuring the diamonds between the tip and my finger. Its an extra step, but no mark needed.

Why?

I'm working on a product idea, where part of your job as a consumer, will be to know the OB to CB distance. Much like the Predator Break Speed app. What is going to be the easiest way to make this measurement quickly? Asking players to mark their cues isn't going to fly, now that I've explored this avenue.
 
nataddrho said:
Good ideas!

My favorite, and most clever suggestion, is lfigueroa's suggestion of cleaning a stripe, assuming I am using a wood cue. I am however using a carbon fiber shaft, which probably opens more possibilities of marking with some sort of white dot or adhesive.

Alternatively, I have been using my finger as a mark, and then just moving my cue over to the nearest rail and measuring the diamonds between the tip and my finger. Its an extra step, but no mark needed.

Why?

I'm working on a product idea, where part of your job as a consumer, will be to know the OB to CB distance. Much like the Predator Break Speed app. What is going to be the easiest way to make this measurement quickly? Asking players to mark their cues isn't going to fly, now that I've explored this avenue.
Click to expand...
What's wrong with a taper measure? If your measuring can't use it in competition anyhow
 
nataddrho said:
For a specific reason, I would like to add non-permanent marks to my cue. I'd like to make a mark every diamond (12.5") along the length of the cue. I'm willing to forfeit the first mark from the tip if it interferes with bridging and sliding.

The marks will be used to measure the distance between the OB and CB, or, the OB and a rail.

The best I can come up with is painters tape. Any other ideas?
Click to expand...

What about something like these?

1640199336157.png
 
Cocoa said:
What's wrong with a taper measure? If your measuring can't use it in competition anyhow
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Nothing! Tape measure is fine, but maybe a little clumsy unless its a small one, and clips to your back pocket or something.

Maybe a small inexpensive measure wheel. That's not a bad idea.

(I'm not worried about competition/rules right now)
 
nataddrho said:
For a specific reason, I would like to add non-permanent marks to my cue. I'd like to make a mark every diamond (12.5") along the length of the cue. I'm willing to forfeit the first mark from the tip if it interferes with bridging and sliding.

The marks will be used to measure the distance between the OB and CB, or, the OB and a rail.

The best I can come up with is painters tape. Any other ideas?
Click to expand...
Liquid chalkboard markers. I use them in the shop all the time.
 
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