Uni Lock ? why

PoolFan101

PoolFan101

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello ,

I was browsing thru some Predator cues and seen alot of them are Uni Lock joint . What is the reason behind the Uni Lock and are they supposed to be better than the tradional joint . Is the Uni Lock a better joint . I never played with a cue that had one. DO you perfer a Uni Lock and why . I have played with some older predator cues that played really well and I liked them. But it seems alot of cues are using the Uni lock joint now.
 
iusedtoberich

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Predator bought the Uni-Loc company about 10-15 years ago. Since then, all Predator cues have shipped with the Uni-Loc joint. I think there have been a few small exceptions over the years, where they used the Radial joint instead (Radial is also from the Uni-Loc company).

Whether its better or not than other joints is a lot of opinion:)
 
MattPoland

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I like the speed of screwing and unscrewing with Uniloc. But I have had a number of times that it came loose and I noticed on an awkward tinky shot. I don’t love that.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
Michael Webb

Michael Webb

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just like all joints. Uni loc is another option. Absolutely nothing wrong with it. I install it in a lot of my cues as well as others.
For those that have a problem with it coming loose, simple joint facing does the trick. For those that bind a little putting the cue together. Clean the joint screw and inside the brass insert with an alcohol pad. If the joint screw is all scratched, have it polished.
I polish all joint screws and inside all my inserts. Many screw manufacturers use a tumbler polisher. It's ok but not really good eneogh in the final product.
 
Thunder Thighs

Thunder Thighs

I'm your Huckleberry
Silver Member
Michael Webb said:
Just like all joints. Uni loc is another option. Absolutely nothing wrong with it. I install it in a lot of my cues as well as others.
For those that have a problem with it coming loose, simple joint facing does the trick. For those that bind a little putting the cue together. Clean the joint screw and inside the brass insert with an alcohol pad. If the joint screw is all scratched, have it polished.
I polish all joint screws and inside all my inserts. Many screw manufacturers use a tumbler polisher. It's ok but not really good eneogh in the final product.
Click to expand...

Nice post 👍🏼
 
S

skogstokig

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
been playing 7 or 8 years with uni-loc, never had a joint seize up and it has come loose maybe 5 times. so it's really not a problem. the quick unscrewing i don't care about, it's nice to have it but three seconds more or less doesn't matter to me
 
Michael Webb

Michael Webb

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Black-Balled said:
That guy...got some good stuff always.

I recall many complaints of this pin type seizing up I'm the past.
1- is this still an issue?
B: is (was) it a scratched/ dirty pin the presumed culprit re the seizures?
Click to expand...


Yes, the main culprit is dirt build up inside the insert. Scratch joint screws add to it. All joints are subject to dirt build up. On uni loc it's noticed more because of the tight tolerances. Take an alcoholic wipe, wrap it around a Q-tip and swirl it around the inside of any brass insert, not just the uni loc. See if it doesn't come out black.
On the Cue makers end, it takes no time to polish the components for an added preventative.

IMG_200820_144327-1.jpg
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IMG_180920_185553.jpg

Hope this helps.
 
M

MitchAlsup

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
PoolFan101 said:
Hello ,

I was browsing thru some Predator cues and seen alot of them are Uni Lock joint . What is the reason behind the Uni Lock and are they supposed to be better than the tradional joint . Is the Uni Lock a better joint .
Click to expand...

Faster (not necessarily better or worse)

I never played with a cue that had one. DO you perfer a Uni Lock and why .
Click to expand...

I like the ones I have (4) versus my only cues without 3/8 (8 set that came with pool table) and Lucasi Jump cue.

I have played with some older predator cues that played really well and I liked them. But it seems alot of cues are using the Uni lock joint now.
Click to expand...

Predator sells a lot of buts and people want to add different shafts--thus other have to install Uni-Loc.

But Uni-Loc is not better or worse--practically any means to couple the shafts together that is:
a) not too heavy
b) adequately stiff
c) not to hard to screw together
d) not to hard to screw apart
works just as well as ANY other joint mechanism
All joints in larger scale use are essentially equal in creating a shootable cue.
 
MattPoland

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Michael Webb said:
Just like all joints. Uni loc is another option. Absolutely nothing wrong with it. I install it in a lot of my cues as well as others.

For those that have a problem with it coming loose, simple joint facing does the trick. For those that bind a little putting the cue together. Clean the joint screw and inside the brass insert with an alcohol pad. If the joint screw is all scratched, have it polished.

I polish all joint screws and inside all my inserts. Many screw manufacturers use a tumbler polisher. It's ok but not really good eneogh in the final product.
Click to expand...


What is a simple joint facing?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
FairladyZ

FairladyZ

The Boss Stooge
Staff member
Moderator
Silver Member
I've never had any trouble with my unilock, Brunswick GC5 anniversary edition cue, which I read was made for Brusnwick by Predator....but I am not really sure.
 
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