31" butt w/various length shafts. Problems???

Maniac

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
I'm having a 31" butt made for me by Dave Jacoby. I've also ordered an OB Classic in 30" length. I currently use cues of 58" length. All of the mentioned butts and shafts I will be using have the same 5/16x14 piloted SS joint. If I mix and match these shaft combos, I could have basically three different configurations (aside from the basic 58" cue length).

1.) 29" butt w/30" shaft for a 59" cue length
2.) 31" butt w/29" shaft for a 60" cue length
3.) 31" butt w/30" shaft for a 61" cue length

I am planning on trying all of these various shaft/butt combos (with Jacoby, Predator 314-2, and OB Classic shafts) when I have everything here at the house together. I am 6'1'' tall with really long arms and have shot with a borrowed 60" cue and liked it a lot. My original plan was to have the 31" butt made and use the 29" shafts with it. Now I am planning on experimenting with all the different setups just to see what comes out of the mix.

What problems do you foresee that I might experience with this? I fully understand the concept of cue balance points and personally prefer a cue that is weighted a slight bit rearward. I'm thinking that this may go well for me in getting a longer cue with the weight a slight bit rearward.

What do y'all think???

Maniac
 
Maniac said:
I'm having a 31" butt made for me by Dave Jacoby. I've also ordered an OB Classic in 30" length. I currently use cues of 58" length. All of the mentioned butts and shafts I will be using have the same 5/16x14 piloted SS joint. If I mix and match these shaft combos, I could have basically three different configurations (aside from the basic 58" cue length).

1.) 29" butt w/30" shaft for a 59" cue length
2.) 31" butt w/29" shaft for a 60" cue length
3.) 31" butt w/30" shaft for a 61" cue length

I am planning on trying all of these various shaft/butt combos (with Jacoby, Predator 314-2, and OB Classic shafts) when I have everything here at the house together. I am 6'1'' tall with really long arms and have shot with a borrowed 60" cue and liked it a lot. My original plan was to have the 31" butt made and use the 29" shafts with it. Now I am planning on experimenting with all the different setups just to see what comes out of the mix.

What problems do you foresee that I might experience with this? I fully understand the concept of cue balance points and personally prefer a cue that is weighted a slight bit rearward. I'm thinking that this may go well for me in getting a longer cue with the weight a slight bit rearward.

What do y'all think???

Maniac
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Chris Bartram uses a 31 inch butt and 29 inch shaft and has been using this combination for about 10 years now. He was the first to ask me to build this combination but since then I have built around 15 cues with the same dimensions for other people who had hit with his cue and liked it. Be forewarned that the cue won't fit properly in a lot of standard cases however.

Building the cue with these dimensions have both benefits and drawbacks however. You keep the standard length shafts so the shafts are not whippy and if you use an after market low deflection shaft you can pick one up anywhere without changing the feel of the cue. The longer length helps many as far as reach and comfort as people keep growing taller and longer limbed. One major drawback is weight and balance. The balance will move rearward and it is much harder to keep the weight down as you are trading the 2 inch of weight of a 1/2 inch diameter shaft for 2 inch of weight at 1.250 at the very rear and largest part of the cue.

Dick
 
rhncue said:
Chris Bartram uses a 31 inch butt and 29 inch shaft and has been using this combination for about 10 years now. He was the first to ask me to build this combination but since then I have built around 15 cues with the same dimensions for other people who had hit with his cue and liked it. Be forewarned that the cue won't fit properly in a lot of standard cases however.

Building the cue with these dimensions have both benefits and drawbacks however. You keep the standard length shafts so the shafts are not whippy and if you use an after market low deflection shaft you can pick one up anywhere without changing the feel of the cue. The longer length helps many as far as reach and comfort as people keep growing taller and longer limbed. One major drawback is weight and balance. The balance will move rearward and it is much harder to keep the weight down as you are trading the 2 inch of weight of a 1/2 inch diameter shaft for 2 inch of weight at 1.250 at the very rear and largest part of the cue.

Dick
Click to expand...


Lol my weinstock with the concho star is built like that, longer butt and shorter shaft...it BARELY fits in my whitten lol. When I picked up a really nice luggage style case I tried to put it in it and i just ended up getting pissed off lol.
 
Dick,

Couldn't you add the extra 2" at the front of the handle where the diameter is only .840"? :killingme:

Actually, if you're adding 2" and maintaining your joint & butt diameters, the extra 2" is in the middle of the wrap.
 
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KJ Cues said:
Dick,

Couldn't you add the extra 2" at the front of the handle where the diameter is only .840"? :killingme:

Actually, if you're adding 2" and maintaining your joint & butt diameters, the extra 2" is in the middle of the wrap.
Click to expand...

Your correct, It's added in the middle of the butt I guess as I keep the same diameters at each end.

Dick
 
My original plan was to have the 31" butt made and use the 29" shafts with it.
Click to expand...

better plan.not only for balance but i don't like the way long shafts feel or play.
 
dave sutton said:
Btw the it's George cases fit like 32" total. So 31+. For pin
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I use an "It's George" 2 X 4 case that I purchased in 1992. I just measured my cue that uses a radial pin and a short Southwest type bumper and with a joint protector my butt is exactly 31 inch from the bumper to the top of the protector and I must force the lid down slightly to get the clasp to function. If the cue was a 1/4 inch longer, I doubt that I would be able to close the lid. Newer "It's George" cases may have different dimensions however.

Dick
 
just measured the cue 57 1/2" with a balance at 18"

30 1/2" butt

27" shaft

the joint is a .820

if you go back to 28" or so where the joint would normally start the forarm is at .845

the cue kept its normal dimensions the joint just moved up to a higher position still keeping the overall taper.
 
greyghost,

Thanks. That's good information. My mind is lot more at ease since reading some posts here and where I posted this question on the Main Forum. I believe all is going to be well with whatever length combination I settle on.

Now, if the stuff would just hurry up and GET HERE!!!

Maniac
 
thats got me thinking now.......

Maniac said:
greyghost,

Thanks. That's good information. My mind is lot more at ease since reading some posts here and where I posted this question on the Main Forum. I believe all is going to be well with whatever length combination I settle on.

Now, if the stuff would just hurry up and GET HERE!!!

Maniac
Click to expand...

Any time buddy. I'll know one thing is for sure with that cue. If the shaft and butt were equal in length to each other.
(IE: 28.75" both sections =57.5" total cue length)

The cue would not be as stiff nor would it shoot as straight with a longer shaft with the taper staying the same. The shorter shaft reduced the total mass of the shaft which in effect gave it more spine. I wouldn't want to move the joint any higher up on a cue than that tho I don't think, especially if using a steel joint as is on my cue.

The more I think about it the more I think that it can even effect the straightness of the cue also. If a joint is not perfectly square in relation to the shaft/butt alignment or the face is off or better yet an off-center Pin installation or even a slight warp in the forearm will throw off the tip of the cue less when the center pivot point of the angle wether it be 0º offset (perfect straight)or off a few degrees and crooked (in this case the joint is the pivot) the closer the change from 0º is to the tip the closer the tip will stay to center with the whole cue.

Basically if the cue is warped in the butt-sleeve and thats where you hold it the tip will be well off center, If the warp is at the joint area then the shaft will be closer to original center when compared to the same degree of warpage further down the cue. The total length linearly along with the angle magnifies the distance of the tip from original center.

Hope that makes sense,
Grey Ghost
 
greyghost said:
Any time buddy. I'll know one thing is for sure with that cue. If the shaft and butt were equal in length to each other.
(IE: 28.75" both sections =57.5" total cue length)

The cue would not be as stiff nor would it shoot as straight with a longer shaft with the taper staying the same. The shorter shaft reduced the total mass of the shaft which in effect gave it more spine. I wouldn't want to move the joint any higher up on a cue than that tho I don't think, especially if using a steel joint as is on my cue.

The more I think about it the more I think that it can even effect the straightness of the cue also. If a joint is not perfectly square in relation to the shaft/butt alignment or the face is off or better yet an off-center Pin installation or even a slight warp in the forearm will throw off the tip of the cue less when the center pivot point of the angle wether it be 0º offset (perfect straight)or off a few degrees and crooked (in this case the joint is the pivot) the closer the change from 0º is to the tip the closer the tip will stay to center with the whole cue.

Basically if the cue is warped in the butt-sleeve and thats where you hold it the tip will be well off center, If the warp is at the joint area then the shaft will be closer to original center when compared to the same degree of warpage further down the cue. The total length linearly along with the angle magnifies the distance of the tip from original center.

Hope that makes sense,
Grey Ghost
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Yeah, it all makes sense. That said, of all the cues I own I have as of yet to have a problem with ANY warpage on any of them. I'm hoping 'ol Dave Jacoby sends me a butt as straight and nice-shooting as the others I have from him. And, I hope the 30" shaft Royce Bunnell sends me is as straight as the worst shaft I own ( a have a few with a little bit of runout, but not enough to get quirky over). At the very longest possible combination that will be available to me, I can't see three extra inches causing any serious problems. If so, I'll mix-and-match everthing I have until I get the best combination for me.

Take care bro'. I'll post when I've tried it all out and give a review. It's gonna be 5 or 6 weeks though.

Maniac
 
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