Cue balance

mortuarymike-nv

mortuarymike-nv

mortuarymike-nv
Silver Member
I have this old green label mali wrapless African Mahogany butt.

The shaft was warped when I bought it and I tried straightening it for about a year and gave up.
The cue sat in the corner for years and I had never hit a ball with it.

All of the woods I have used in the past are heavier woods .

My plan is to redo this cue the way I want to, not to original and I already know this old mali just is not worth it .
I will never get my money back out of this cue and my time is a free be and looking more for the experience and to bring this old Mali Back to life.

This is kind of out of my experience because I have never worked with wood used in a cue that is so lite.


It had a 5/16 x 18 brass pin I am switching it to a 3/8x10 SS pin

With the butt of the cue striped no pin , no collars, no weight bolt Does have the but cap on but I am going to machine some of it off and I am going all deer and elk antler ferrule collars and butt cap.
Right now the cue weighs about 9.4 oz.
The weight bolt 1/4x 2 wood screw that is not included in the 9.4 weight couldn't of made any difference .....

I have the cue stripped ( removed the finish ) slight roll in one piece but removed 030 on the retaper .

My target weight if 19 oz and it would be nice if the weight and balance point is a little bit adjustable.

I would like the balance point at 19 to 20 inches from the bumper end of the butt.
The 3/8 x 10 pin will weigh about a 1oz

I can do a 1/2 weight bolt system and be able to drill and tap about 10 inches .

The weight bolt will be about 6 long to make up I figure to make up 5 oz worth a of weight needed .
I think the new shaft will come out to be around 3.8 to 4.0

I have had insane thoughts of drilling the joint pin a few inches deeper and putting a weight bolt in there and maybe cutting the cue close to where the top of the wrap would be and putting in weights there .

What is the best way ?
 
Last edited:
spktur

spktur

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
mortuarymike-nv said:
I have this old green label mali wrapless African Mahogany butt.

The shaft was warped when I bought it and I tried straightening it for about a year and gave up.
The cue sat in the corner for years and I had never hit a ball with it.

All of the woods I have used in the past are heavier woods .

My plan is to redo this cue the way I want to, not to original and I already know this old mali just is not worth it .
I will never get my money back out of this cue and my time is a free be and looking more for the experience and to bring this old Mali Back to life.

This is kind of out of my experience because I have never worked with wood used in a cue that is so lite.


It had a 5/16 x 18 brass pin I am switching it to a 3/8x10 SS pin

With the butt of the cue striped no pin , no collars, no weight bolt Does have the but cap on but I am going to machine some of it off and I am going all deer and elk antler ferrule collars and butt cap.
Right now the cue weighs about 9.4 oz.
The weight bolt 1/4x 2 wood screw that is not included in the 9.4 weight couldn't of made any difference .....

I have the cue stripped ( removed the finish ) slight roll in one piece but removed 030 on the retaper .

My target weight if 19 oz and it would be nice if the weight and balance point is a little bit adjustable.

I would like the balance point at 19 to 20 inches from the bumper end of the butt.
The 3/8 x 10 pin will weigh about a 1oz

I can do a 1/2 weight bolt system and be able to drill and tap about 10 inches .

The weight bolt will be about 6 long to make up I figure to make up 5 oz worth a of weight needed .
I think the new shaft will come out to be around 3.8 to 4.0

I have had insane thoughts of drilling the joint pin a few inches deeper and putting a weight bolt in there and maybe cutting the cue close to where the top of the wrap would be and putting in weights there .

What is the best way ?
Click to expand...



What I think is one of the best ways, if you have the equipment, is to drill the bolt hole deeper and thread it then use a 3/8 set crew type screw. This will you to play with the balance a little by screwing the set screw in and out.
 
JoeyInCali

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
The best way is a secret.
No risk of buzzing like what has already been suggested.
It will come to you if you think and look hard enough.
 
JC

JC

Coos Cues
Kim Bye said:
How about buying 3/8-10 in rod form and just make a longer joint pin?
Click to expand...

Where can a person buy this other than the billiard suppliers? Are cues the only application for the thread so it's made just for us?
JC
 
J

john coloccia

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JC said:
Where can a person buy this other than the billiard suppliers? Are cues the only application for the thread so it's made just for us?
JC
Click to expand...

The only 3/8-10 I've ever heard of, other than cues, is Acme threads. I assume that the threaded rod is rolled. Once you make the dies, it doesn't cost anymore to make than any other thread so it's not really as big of a deal as you might initially think.
 
Last edited:
Kim Bye

Kim Bye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Cuefits sells a 3/8-10 die, if you feel like making your own.
You will need a lathe with a collet chuck to hold the work piece secure though..
 
JoeyInCali

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
Kim Bye said:
Cuefits sells a 3/8-10 die, if you feel like making your own.
You will need a lathe with a collet chuck to hold the work piece secure though..
Click to expand...

Would you really want a 6" long joint screw?
Tapping that deep of a hole dead straight would be a real challenge.
And that thing would be susceptible to buzzing.
 
J

john coloccia

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JoeyInCali said:
Would you really want a 6" long joint screw?
Tapping that deep of a hole dead straight would be a real challenge.
And that thing would be susceptible to buzzing.
Click to expand...

Not that you'd want to sell something like this, but is there a reason you couldn't just fill it with #12 lead shot/epoxy mixture and plug it at the same time? Since he's switching to 3/8, the plug will get bored away anyway. Would that still buzz? Anyhow, just curious.
 
JoeyInCali

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
john coloccia said:
Not that you'd want to sell something like this, but is there a reason you couldn't just fill it with #12 lead shot/epoxy mixture and plug it at the same time? Since he's switching to 3/8, the plug will get bored away anyway. Would that still buzz? Anyhow, just curious.
Click to expand...

All I can say is, do a mock-up and do your tests .
Stick it in the trunk of your car for a few days .
See what happens.
 
Kim Bye

Kim Bye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JoeyInCali said:
Would you really want a 6" long joint screw?
Tapping that deep of a hole dead straight would be a real challenge.
And that thing would be susceptible to buzzing.
Click to expand...

Maybe not quite that deep.
How about plugging the hole with a heavier wood like ebony and installing a longer than usual joint pin.
As long as the threads are nice and tight, the chance of the epoxy cracking and cause a buzzing sound would'nt be any higher than a normal joint pin install would it?
 
J

john coloccia

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Michael Webb said:
Are you actually suggesting people do some R&D work. Oh, your not nice. Lmao....just kiddin
Click to expand...

Already started...I happen to have a bag of #12 shot here that I use as a beater bag when I'm doing fret work. I'm not going to ruin a cue to do it, though. I'm just building an extension. Good opportunity to practice installing that 3/8-10 pin with a shoulder that I just got, and I wouldn't mind having an extension anyhow....who cares if it ends up rattling.

Incidentally, here's a funny mistake: my mother happened to be over playing with the grandkids, and she came into the shop to see what I was up to. I got so distracted that I proceeded to install one in a shaft I was finishing up. Doh! Looks like I'll get some practice installing phenolic inserts too. :embarrassed2:
 
P

pdcue

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
mortuarymike-nv said:
I have this old green label mali wrapless African Mahogany butt.

The shaft was warped when I bought it and I tried straightening it for about a year and gave up.
The cue sat in the corner for years and I had never hit a ball with it.

All of the woods I have used in the past are heavier woods .

My plan is to redo this cue the way I want to, not to original and I already know this old mali just is not worth it .
I will never get my money back out of this cue and my time is a free be and looking more for the experience and to bring this old Mali Back to life.

This is kind of out of my experience because I have never worked with wood used in a cue that is so lite.


It had a 5/16 x 18 brass pin I am switching it to a 3/8x10 SS pin

With the butt of the cue striped no pin , no collars, no weight bolt Does have the but cap on but I am going to machine some of it off and I am going all deer and elk antler ferrule collars and butt cap.
Right now the cue weighs about 9.4 oz.
The weight bolt 1/4x 2 wood screw that is not included in the 9.4 weight couldn't of made any difference .....

I have the cue stripped ( removed the finish ) slight roll in one piece but removed 030 on the retaper .

My target weight if 19 oz and it would be nice if the weight and balance point is a little bit adjustable.

I would like the balance point at 19 to 20 inches from the bumper end of the butt.
The 3/8 x 10 pin will weigh about a 1oz

I can do a 1/2 weight bolt system and be able to drill and tap about 10 inches .

The weight bolt will be about 6 long to make up I figure to make up 5 oz worth a of weight needed .
I think the new shaft will come out to be around 3.8 to 4.0

I have had insane thoughts of drilling the joint pin a few inches deeper and putting a weight bolt in there and maybe cutting the cue close to where the top of the wrap would be and putting in weights there .

What is the best way ?
Click to expand...

Well 'cored' cues are all the rage - core it with something heavy, Wenge is about as dense
as ebony and costs about 1/8 as much.

Dale
 
mortuarymike-nv

mortuarymike-nv

mortuarymike-nv
Silver Member
I guess I was worried over nothing

Been waiting for the stain to dry
I found out what all thread I have is 3/8x 11 and I am out of the 3/8 x 10 ss all thread .

I went ahead and drilled and taped for the 3/8 x 10 for the joint pin
And drilled and tapped a 9.5 inch half inch hole in the butt for weight bolt and put in four half in set screws for weight bolt .

I screwed the shaft on and without joint collars and butt cap and bumper and without a finish the total cue weight is 17.4.

I am thinking the elk antler butt cap and joint collars and finish will equal 2.0oz .

Right now my balance point is eighteen and a quarter inches and I have room to change the balance .

I am happy so far with the results, thanks everyone .
 
mortuarymike-nv

mortuarymike-nv

mortuarymike-nv
Silver Member
Cored cues

pdcue said:
Well 'cored' cues are all the rage - core it with something heavy, Wenge is about as dense
as ebony and costs about 1/8 as much.

Dale
Click to expand...

Hi Dale .
Little embarrassed , I have made a hand full of cues , some of those cues are jump cues and because I don't really know what I am doing I have been using BEM with purple heart handles because its the best and most inexpensive materials I have.
Haven't really faced balance issues or weight .yet

The exotic wood I have , I have had for about 8 years and It was bought from other cue makers going out of business so allot of it has been drying for 10 to 17 years .
If that makes any difference ?

I don't plan on making allot of cues, but I do want them to last for decades.
So what ever that takes , if I have to core cues so be it .

Are cored cues the best ?
 
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