Cuemaker Manufacturing Tolerances

Racky BallBoa

Registered
With regards to the specified diameter dimension along a 10" "pro taper" such as 12.75mm, what is the cuemaker's typical acceptable tolerance variation? maybe plus or minus .2mm?
 

cueman

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
With regards to the specified diameter dimension along a 10" "pro taper" such as 12.75mm, what is the cuemaker's typical acceptable tolerance variation? maybe plus or minus .2mm?

That sounds like a reasonable margin. But I would think we should shoot for closer than that. I would think .05 mm plus or minus would be a better target..
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
With regards to the specified diameter dimension along a 10" "pro taper" such as 12.75mm, what is the cuemaker's typical acceptable tolerance variation? maybe plus or minus .2mm?

What's a "pro taper " ?


Did you want it 10" straight ????
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
From what I read, a "pro taper" starts with a specified diameter like 12.75mm at the tip end of the shaft and gradually gets larger to around 13.50mm at a point 10" back. No, I don't want it straight

Well, that's the problem.
There is NO CLEAR definition of a "pro-taper" these days .
So, there is really no tolerance you are trying to find out .
1 3/4 MM taper in 10 inches is A LOT. Most would consider that a conical taper.
1 3/4MM taper to the MIDDLE of the shaft ( 14.5" mark ) is still considered a stiff taper these days . Most would consider 1 1/4 MM to the middle a "medium stiff" taper.

When Meucci made their " 17" pro-taper" infamous, the first 17" of the shaft hardly had any taper . Thus, the whippy reputation.

But, in today's popular belief, yours is not a pro-taper.
.007" per inch of taper from the tip to the 10" spot is actually nowhere near the popular belief of what a pro-taper is .

Joey~I think we should ask more qualifying questions more often before answering~
 

Racky BallBoa

Registered
Well, that's the problem.
There is NO CLEAR definition of a "pro-taper" these days .
So, there is really no tolerance you are trying to find out .
1 3/4 MM taper in 10 inches is A LOT. Most would consider that a conical taper.
1 3/4MM taper to the MIDDLE of the shaft ( 14.5" mark ) is still considered a stiff taper these days . Most would consider 1 1/4 MM to the middle a "medium stiff" taper.

When Meucci made their " 17" pro-taper" infamous, the first 17" of the shaft hardly had any taper . Thus, the whippy reputation.

But, in today's popular belief, yours is not a pro-taper.
.007" per inch of taper from the tip to the 10" spot is actually nowhere near the popular belief of what a pro-taper is .

Joey~I think we should ask more qualifying questions more often before answering~

Thanks for your elaborate response. Funny you should mention Meucci's "whippy" reputation for some of their cues, that was exactly my first impression. Maybe someday the majority of cuemakers will get together and establish some general manufacturing standards and define some of the grey areas.
 

cueman

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Thanks for your elaborate response. Funny you should mention Meucci's "whippy" reputation for some of their cues, that was exactly my first impression. Maybe someday the majority of cuemakers will get together and establish some general manufacturing standards and define some of the grey areas.

It has been done to an extent.
Pro taper is straight for so many Inches.
Modified pro taper gets very slightly larger first so many inches.
Carom taper is pretty much conical
Snooker taper is pretty much conical.
European taper is pretty much conical.
 

Ssonerai

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Maybe someday the majority of cuemakers will get together and establish some general manufacturing standards and define some of the grey areas.

Maybe for "manufacturing". Maybe for mass market so the customer can differentiate based on "theory". Maybe for laminated cues with a strict control to average the performance. Maybe when graphite cues ever become the standard.

But wood is a non-uniform material. The custom cue maker strives to optimize what he believes is optimal performance for a given game or application or customer.

The day after any standards were set, someone would present cues modified by a few percent one way, and another by a few percent the opposite direction, and some customers would proclaim them better. :grin:

Also depends on things like do you modify the performance of a shaft by making it hollow, or by making it small diameter or somewhere in between.

smt
 

Racky BallBoa

Registered
It has been done to an extent.
Pro taper is straight for so many Inches.
Modified pro taper gets very slightly larger first so many inches.
Carom taper is pretty much conical
Snooker taper is pretty much conical.
European taper is pretty much conical.

Nice breakdown of tapers and their subtle differences and similarities.
 

Racky BallBoa

Registered
Maybe for "manufacturing". Maybe for mass market so the customer can differentiate based on "theory". Maybe for laminated cues with a strict control to average the performance. Maybe when graphite cues ever become the standard.

But wood is a non-uniform material. The custom cue maker strives to optimize what he believes is optimal performance for a given game or application or customer.

The day after any standards were set, someone would present cues modified by a few percent one way, and another by a few percent the opposite direction, and some customers would proclaim them better. :grin:

Also depends on things like do you modify the performance of a shaft by making it hollow, or by making it small diameter or somewhere in between.

smt

Good points. Lots of options and variables for sure.
 
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