Help - Wood to wood joint last 3 turns tight - what to use

PoolFan101

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have a cue that is a wood to wood joint , the shaft is would with no metal insert . Just threaded wood and the butt has a metal joint bolt . When I am putting the shaft on and the last 3 turns it get tight and harder to turn and makes a screeching sound. I have to give more effort to finish tightening . What can be used on this to make it easier to turn , I was told pledge spray but wanted to know what else you would recommend. Thanks
 

Sunchaser

Belgian Malinois
Silver Member
Is it by chance cross threaded? I know that sounds dumb, but ive seen wood threaded cues get screwed together wrong and thats what it sounds like. If you have a tap you could chase the threads. Best of luck.
 

63Kcode

AKA Larry Vigus
Silver Member
Best to contact the maker. Mine will do this sometime when they go to a extremely dry area. I send a tool to fix it when it happens.

Without knowing anymore we would just be guessing.

Larry
 

PoolFan101

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
the cue screws together fine just gets tight toward the bottom. and then screws off easier, would the pledge hurt anything. I did not know of I could use something like a wood wax or the like. I was told to use pledge .
 

triley41395

You'll shoot your eye out
Silver Member
the cue screws together fine just gets tight toward the bottom. and then screws off easier, would the pledge hurt anything. I did not know of I could use something like a wood wax or the like. I was told to use pledge .

I don't think I would use pledge or any other products that are liquid or wet. Had a McDermott that was tight and took a bar of ivory soap and rubbed a little on the pin and it was a lot easier to screw together.
 

Ssonerai

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If the thread is too tight, it could split the shaft. Say if it is in a dryer area than where it was made. If you have had the cue a long time, the risk is probably low.

I use Trewax brand wax. Works well and has a nice natural smell. (Carnauba).

Would not use pledge furniture polish, it is oil based and may have silicone in it. They do make a pledge paste wax if that is what you refer to. Never tried or smelled it.

Beeswax also works, but is more difficult to apply, especially in a thin coat. An un-mushed lump or build up is hard enough to possibly cause a mechanical problem, if you don't apply thinly only to the screw, or dissolve it before use.

Other brands of pastewax work, but stink, like Johnsons, or Butcher's wax
I don't think Minwax is a good product, (gummy) and it also smells bad.

If thin paste wax does not make a significant difference, you may need to have the cue re-tapped by the maker.

smt

PS, I hate to argue with people methods that work. But as a carpenter i always avoided soap such as ivory, because it is hygroscopic (draws moisture out of the air) and rusts fasteners. I do realize pins are stainless.
 
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Dave38

theemperorhasnoclotheson
Silver Member
Is it a McDermott? If so, may need to run a tap thru. I am not a big fan of using anything on the pins for a variety of reasons. Main one is most will attract and trap dirt like chalk dust from your case, etc. and short time later problem is back and worst that before.
Dave
 

Terry Aeschliman

Terry Aeschliman
Gold Member
Silver Member
Tight threads

I absolutely would not used anything on them. The threaded portion in the shaft needs to be chased with a tap. Take your cue to a cuemaker/repairman.
 

Ssonerai

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I use mostly G10 3/8 -10 pins. Only ever installed 2 stainless 3/8-10 by request.
When making a shaft, i tap it, saturate with thin superglue while the shaft spins in the lathe to dry. Then re-tap. Then wax with Tre-wax. I also use Tre-wax as the tap lube when tapping after superglue. So there's a little in to start.

My feeling is that this (thin Trewax paste wax) preserves the wood threads longer than steel or fiberglass rubbing on the bare wood with friction.

As mention early, i would never use a soap or detergent product. Oil ("pledge" e.g.) could work, but contaminates the cue in the joint area if it would ever need repair.

Most cue makers on here have more experience than me, and i am an iconoclast anyway. Will continue to use Trewax on the wood joint 3/8-10 shafts i make. :)

As also stated earlier & by several of us - be sure you don't have a deeper problem or the shaft can split.

smt
 

Mike Rys

Blind Owl
Has the cue always had a binding issue for the last 3 threads? Have you recently changed butt or shaft?
If so, the threaded hole may not be threaded deep enough for the current pin length. A plug tap has a tapered end and the threads at the bottom of the hole will always be shallower. This would cause binding if the pin engages these shallower threads. Measure the difference between the length of the pin and the depth of the hole. If the difference is more than 1/2 inch, run a plug tap through the hole. If the difference is <1/2 inch, use a bottoming tap.
 

PoolFan101

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks for replying and the help , I Appreciate it. Johnsons floor wax did the trick . screws together very easy now. Thanks
 
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