Custom Revo Weight Choices - balance point

P

Poolfiend

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Now that Predator allows you to choose between 3.5oz, 4.0oz, and 4.5oz; how would you go about deciding which weight is going to be best.

Assuming you are ordering the shaft for an existing butt, I guess you could just decide what you want your total cue weight to be and let that guide your decision.

I'm wondering if it's worth it to find the balance point with another shaft on the cue and decide if you want more or less weight forward just based on feel.

Is there some generally accepted ideal balance point for a cue?
 
MattPoland

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I feel like anyone sensitive to a balance point should have a weight bolt kit and focus more on moving them forward and back in the butt. I’m not sure I’d let shaft weight be a driving factor in balance expectations.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
GoldCrown

GoldCrown

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
With any cue I ever owned it was a matter of I liked it or didn't. Especially shafts. Never considered it's weight.
 
J

jrctherake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Poolfiend said:
Now that Predator allows you to choose between 3.5oz, 4.0oz, and 4.5oz; how would you go about deciding which weight is going to be best.

Assuming you are ordering the shaft for an existing butt, I guess you could just decide what you want your total cue weight to be and let that guide your decision.

I'm wondering if it's worth it to find the balance point with another shaft on the cue and decide if you want more or less weight forward just based on feel.

Is there some generally accepted ideal balance point for a cue?
Click to expand...

Do this:

Find a revo shaft that will fit your cue.

Weigh the shaft.

Subtract the shaft weight from "your ideal" shaft weight.

Use ^^^^^^^^^^ result to add lead tape to the bottom two inches of the shaft.

Take medical paper-tape (very thin and will not hurt the shaft) and put one layer around shaft. Then weigh out enough of the lead tape to make the shaft equal your desired weight and put it on top of the paper tape.

Run a few drills with it.

Add a little and do the drills again.

Take some off and do them again.

Other that^^^^^^^^:

Weight bolts in cue butt or a mid-cue extension.

Good luck,

Jeff
 
JoeyInCali

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
Poolfiend said:
Now that Predator allows you to choose between 3.5oz, 4.0oz, and 4.5oz; how would you go about deciding which weight is going to be best.

Assuming you are ordering the shaft for an existing butt, I guess you could just decide what you want your total cue weight to be and let that guide your decision.

I'm wondering if it's worth it to find the balance point with another shaft on the cue and decide if you want more or less weight forward just based on feel.

Is there some generally accepted ideal balance point for a cue?
Click to expand...

These days neutral balance point is around 18 to 19 inches from the bottom when the cue is joined ( 58" cue ).
Below 18 would be rear balanced.
Beyond 19" would be considered forward balanced.
 
J

jrctherake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JoeyInCali said:
These days neutral balance point is around 18 to 19 inches from the bottom when the cue is joined ( 58" cue ).
Below 18 would be rear balanced.
Beyond 19" would be considered forward balanced.
Click to expand...

True.....

And depending on where his cue butt is balanced will determine which shaft weight he would want to order.

The cue butt weight as a whole doesn't matter when talking about balance. I learned a long time ago that a heavy and light cue can have the same balance point or two light cues may differ in balance point by a great deal.

Some people don't think it matters. To me, its very important.

Jeff
 
pinkspider

pinkspider

Crap user name, I know.
Silver Member
MattPoland said:
I feel like anyone sensitive to a balance point should have a weight bolt kit and focus more on moving them forward and back in the butt. I’m not sure I’d let shaft weight be a driving factor in balance expectations.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...

if you need a forward balanced cue it helps if your shaft is on the heavier side of things. theres only so much you can do with weight bolts. If you like back balanced cues it's easier to get what you want.
 
J

jrctherake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
pinkspider said:
if you need a forward balanced cue it helps if your shaft is on the heavier side of things. theres only so much you can do with weight bolts. If you like back balanced cues it's easier to get what you want.
Click to expand...

Another true statement.

I have to have a forward balanced cue. I prefer my cues balance point between 19.5 and 20 inches from very end of butt when butt and shaft together.

Its hard to get that with most production cues. What I've always done for production cues to move the point that far forward is to have the wood drilled out of butt......

Only thing is, it's not usually a good idea to remove the entire amount from the same area. I had my cue guy take a .24" bit with a very long extension and remove half of desired weight from about two inches behind the A-joint. Then use a 3/8" bit to take the remaining weight as far back as possible without damaging weight bolt threads in case I decide to sell or trade it.

^^^^^^^^^^^ way has worked very well for me. It keeps the butt more balanced IMO, and will not change the hit the maker intended......much...lol.

Just make sure your cue guy knows what he is doing and make sure you know what you want before doing it cause its easy to remove wood from a-joint area but extremely hard to put back....if at all.

Lead tape and paper tape is your friend for RnD.

Jeff
 
pinkspider

pinkspider

Crap user name, I know.
Silver Member
jrctherake said:
Another true statement.

I have to have a forward balanced cue. I prefer my cues balance point between 19.5 and 20 inches from very end of butt when butt and shaft together.

Its hard to get that with most production cues. What I've always done for production cues to move the point that far forward is to have the wood drilled out of butt......

Only thing is, it's not usually a good idea to remove the entire amount from the same area. I had my cue guy take a .24" bit with a very long extension and remove half of desired weight from about two inches behind the A-joint. Then use a 3/8" bit to take the remaining weight as far back as possible without damaging weight bolt threads in case I decide to sell or trade it.

^^^^^^^^^^^ way has worked very well for me. It keeps the butt more balanced IMO, and will not change the hit the maker intended......much...lol.

Just make sure your cue guy knows what he is doing and make sure you know what you want before doing it cause its easy to remove wood from a-joint area but extremely hard to put back....if at all.

Lead tape and paper tape is your friend for RnD.

Jeff
Click to expand...

One trick I picked up is, if you have a non-insert joint (ie 3/8-10, radial, etc) is to experiment by adding washers in between your shaft and your butt so you can see if adding a certain weight around the joint area can shift the balance closer to your ideal. If it does and if you have space in your shaft (measure the depth first) you can add a weight like lead putty or something. I’m not sure if it is reversible though.

Mezz also has a sws shaft weight system that pretty much does the same thing. But usually a denser shaft is more ideal
 
J

jrctherake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
pinkspider said:
One trick I picked up is, if you have a non-insert joint (ie 3/8-10, radial, etc) is to experiment by adding washers in between your shaft and your butt so you can see if adding a certain weight around the joint area can shift the balance closer to your ideal. If it does and if you have space in your shaft (measure the depth first) you can add a weight like lead putty or something. I’m not sure if it is reversible though.

Mezz also has a sws shaft weight system that pretty much does the same thing. But usually a denser shaft is more ideal
Click to expand...

Great minds think alike. I did the washers a few times. Only reason I didn't mention it was because I only had bigger (diameter wise) washers and I almost :eek: damaged my table because the washers was sticking out a lot and I forgot about it and got in my normal stance with cue close to level.

It would have really, really sucked because it was less than a week after a recover.

It works like a charm though. Great suggestion.

Jeff
 
pinkspider

pinkspider

Crap user name, I know.
Silver Member
jrctherake said:
Great minds think alike. I did the washers a few times. Only reason I didn't mention it was because I only had bigger (diameter wise) washers and I almost :eek: damaged my table because the washers was sticking out a lot and I forgot about it and got in my normal stance with cue close to level.

It would have really, really sucked because it was less than a week after a recover.

It works like a charm though. Great suggestion.

Jeff
Click to expand...

high five.. i think OP by now should have more than enough info to work with. plus a bonus tip not to try the washer experiment on his own table lol :D
 
S

Ssonerai

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I like the washer idea and will probably experiment with it.

However, NB for the less familiar/machine oriented: Not all washers are created flat. Grade 8 & mostly grade 5 usually are. Plain old stamped "washers" often aren't & can even sometimes have burrs that will mar if not damage the joint faces.

Main point being if you stack up a couple or 3 plain unflat washers for an experiment, and your cue seems to shoot funny, is it due to the weight/balance or is it due to no longer being straight with the washers installed?

smt
 
pinkspider

pinkspider

Crap user name, I know.
Silver Member
Ssonerai said:
I like the washer idea and will probably experiment with it.

However, NB for the less familiar/machine oriented: Not all washers are created flat. Grade 8 & mostly grade 5 usually are. Plain old stamped "washers" often aren't & can even sometimes have burrs that will mar if not damage the joint faces.

Main point being if you stack up a couple or 3 plain unflat washers for an experiment, and your cue seems to shoot funny, is it due to the weight/balance or is it due to no longer being straight with the washers installed?

smt
Click to expand...

exercise prudence i guess?

well if the faces have burrs definitely its risky placing it against the joint face of your cue. if the washers arent flush and theres a gap in between then i wouldnt risk hitting a ball if there a risk that i may damage the shaft threads

i cant speak for jeff but for myself i would just get into my shooting stance and stroke the cue. i wouldnt even bother to strike the ball. im only interested to see if the balance point shifts sufficiently/favourably enough before i bother to explore further. if you happen to have a friend that has the mezz powerbreak 2 the washers are pretty handy for this if the pin can fit through hole. assuming that theres enough clearance of course
 
P

Poolfiend

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks everyone for the thoughtful advice and suggestions.

My cue weighs exactly 16oz without the shaft. It's a cog so it's a little shorter than standard.

I measured the balance point this morning with a 29" shaft that weighs 3.8oz. It felt pretty good and the balance point was 18.25" from the butt. I think I'm going to go with the 4oz shaft. That will put the cue at exactly 20oz with about an 18.5" balance point.

Thanks again.
 
S

surffisher2a

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mcdermott has an H series cue that has a system designed to custom set/adjust your balance point on the fly.

Since I am just starting my quest to get better at pool, i went ahead and ordered one since I may be trying a couple different shafts in the future to see what I like best.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top