Joint Protectors for 3/8x10 joint pin

If it looks like this pin http://www.proficientbilliards.com/cues/Tascarella/woodpin/pages/DSC00233_JPG.htm, then there's a good chance they might, but maybe someone else can tell you for sure. it looks like the same pin that I have used in a few cues, and the shafts from those cues interchange with McDermott.

Greg

Contact Jimothy (Jim) Baxter on AZ.
He will make you a spiffy set for a 3/8ths X 10.
And, for a decent price as well.

Looks like the standard 3/8-10 to Me.

acousticsguru said:

Is it? Thank you! Tried to put on old wooden McDermott JPs, female fits on the butt but is a bit loose until it touches the flat face, whereas the male won't fit into the shaft to begin with, so wasn't sure…

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

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Well, the top picture is the one I'm trying to tell from, and It's a little fuzzy, but it looks standard "V" bottom from what I can see. Are the bottoms of the threads shaped in a "V", flat, or curved profile? either way I suppose It's still Possible that It's slightly undersized, as well as the tap used to thread the shaft. That could result in the loose female fit, and the tight male fit that you describe. Have you had the set of caps in question on a McDmermott, and know for a fact that they even fit those. The only reason I ask is I have ordered sets of joint caps from supply houses before and were sent the wrong thread pattern. Just saying It happens, but if You are sure they fit the McDermott, then the thread patterns or pin sizes could be different.

If the male cap fit, and the female was tight one then I'd say send it to me and I'd open It up some for you, but since It's the male you would be messing with the shaft of the cue, and you don't want to do that.

I've never worked on any of his cues, so could not tell you anything for sure without seeing it in person, but from other examples of his work it looks Like he has used different thread patterns in his cues.

Hopefully someone will chime in that knows for sure, but if not You could try contacting one of the JP makers as someone suggested, possible they have made a set for one in the past and can better answer the question.

Wish I could be of more help.

Greg

acousticsguru said:

I'm European used to metric etc., so I apologize for what may seem a silly question: are all 3/8x10 joint pins the same, or are there different types? Pete Tascarella has just informed me they no longer make joint protectors, and now I wonder if I could order ones that are made to fit e.g. a McDermott with the (similar-looking) flat-face wood-to-wood joint? Thanks in advance!

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

Click to expand...

Just some regular delrin caps will work fine, The male caps from McDermott will most likely not fit because Mr. Tascarella uses the correct hole size for his shafts to match the screw he is using.
Example:

I use a different hole size on my 3/8X10's (.285) because my tap is made special for the screw I use. I don't like the sloppy fit a 5/16's hole gives because the screws O.D. along with the pitch is not full size as in most cases in this industry. It all depends on where the screws are being made, I haven't seen two suppliers offer the same size yet.

Michael Webb said:

Just some regular delrin caps will work fine, The male caps from McDermott will most likely not fit because Mr. Tascarella uses the correct hole size for his shafts to match the screw he is using.
Example:

I use a different hole size on my 3/8X10's (.285) because my tap is made special for the screw I use. I don't like the sloppy fit a 5/16's hole gives because the screws O.D. along with the pitch is not full size as in most cases in this industry. It all depends on where the screws are being made, I haven't seen two suppliers offer the same size yet.

Click to expand...

Thanks Mike, That was My best guess, because it sure looks the same as the pins I have used in several cues. Even out of the same batch, some measured different then others, so i actually had to group them into 2 different size categories, and I used 2 different taps. Sometimes the one with a smaller minor was just right, and others had to be opened up with the standard size tap. It wasn't a huge difference, but It doesn't take much when trying to get that perfect fit. Sometimes that is not enough though and the hole needs to be larger as well.

I know with a cue in hand I can size or make a JP pin fit these threads regardless of the hole size in the shaft, as well as most mechanics or cap makers could surely do the same, but from the info the OP has giving in regards to McDermott caps not fitting, I'm hesitant to give advice on where to purchase them, not knowing if the caps I recommend were made with a reduced pin for fitting on several makes of cues or not. I make My own for my cues, and the last time I bought sets I think I got them from a certain wholesale supplier, and It does seem like they were reduced size, although I cannot be sure of that, and besides that was quite some time ago, so the caps they have now could be different for all I know. I'm sure the same caps could be found on Ebay, or from some of the guys that do retail sales on here.

acousticsguru said:

@ Greg & Michael: Thanks guys! I had to look up some terminology to figure this out, but believe (hope…) I got the gist now.

@ Greg: I got those wooden joint protectors from Jim himself at the McDermott factory 22 years ago - I'd merely forgotten I still have them (the cue long since sold, apparently without JPs).

There's an additional problem, perhaps: Pete informed me the joint diameter of my Tascarella appears to be under .840 (I don't have a gauge slide measuring in thousands - all metric over here) - does this mean off-the-shelf Delrin 3/8x10 JPs would be too wide to begin with?

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

Click to expand...

The JP's being too wide would actually be better then them being too small. The important thing for protection of a cue joint is that They cover the edges. Then they not only protect the faces and pin, but the edges from finish chipping as well. Generic/off the shelf caps are usually sized a hair larger so that They will fit several joint diameters. When the JP's are custom made for a cue they can be made to more closely fit the cue joint though.

Even when I custom make them for my cues I size them just a tad larger, although that difference in size is so small that it's hard to tell from a distance that they don't fit completely flush. I can make them flush just prefer them a hair larger, so that's how I usually make them.