a question for cue makers

[BillPorter]

In a cue that does not have a weight bolt, there is almost always the hole or cavity where the weight bolt would go. It makes sense to have the option of putting a weight bolt in later, say if the cue were sold to someone who wanted a heavier cue. But wouldn't it make for a more solid hitting cue if that hole were not there? If you wanted to fill in the hole, what would you suggest using to fill it? A dowel rod glued into the hole? Just wondering fellows....Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have.

 

[BLACKHEARTCUES]

In a cue that does not have a weight bolt, there is almost always the hole or cavity where the weight bolt would go. It makes sense to have the option of putting a weight bolt in later, say if the cue were sold to someone who wanted a heavier cue. But wouldn't it make for a more solid hitting cue if that hole were not there? If you wanted to fill in the hole, what would you suggest using to fill it? A dowel rod glued into the hole? Just wondering fellows....Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have.

Some times there is a headless bolt, deep inside that hole. Even if there is just an empty hole, it doesn't seem to affect the hit at all...JER

 

[Sheldon]

People are way too fascinated by holes.

If it were that big of a deal, the hole in a predator shaft would make the cue play like crap, no?

You will probably never notice the difference between a butt with a hole cut in it, and one of similar weight and balance unless you take the bumper off. The sound changes a little when you do that.

 

[Canadian cue]

If Predator can have a cavity at the business end of the cue without adverse affects I don't think you should worry about one at the back.

 

[Fat Ivory]

If Predator can have a cavity at the business end of the cue without adverse affects I don't think you should worry about one at the back.

That's a big "if", putting us back to square one, imo.

 

[TellsItLikeItIs]

In a cue that does not have a weight bolt, there is almost always the hole or cavity where the weight bolt would go. It makes sense to have the option of putting a weight bolt in later, say if the cue were sold to someone who wanted a heavier cue. But wouldn't it make for a more solid hitting cue if that hole were not there? If you wanted to fill in the hole, what would you suggest using to fill it? A dowel rod glued into the hole? Just wondering fellows....Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have.

I've yet to see a cue that did not have some sort of hole in the butt end. It might just be a screw hole to hold a rubber bumper on, it might be a hole to accept a press fit rubber bumper, it may also be a hole to accept weight bolts. Additionally, it might have been drilled (deep) to lighten the back end of the cue (alhough depending on the wood species, that may have to be a very deep hole).

I've known some makers to fill a deeper hole with expanding foam to "dampen sound". Personally, I don't think it would make enough difference to even notice.

Yes, you could dowel it, or you could fill it with foam. Would it "make for a more solid hitting cue"? It's likely that it would make some difference. Anything you might do to a cue along those lines would make some difference. Would you be able to detect it though?

 

[JoeyInCali]

If Predator can have a cavity at the business end of the cue without adverse affects I don't think you should worry about one at the back.

A lot of people hate that hollowed-out feeling.
Soft ferrule and hollowed-out end equals a lot less feel imo.

 

[PetreeCues]

I say take the Pepsi challenge and you will lose. If you could take 2 identical cues, one having the hole and the other not, you couldn't accurately tell them apart based on hit only.

As for what to fill it with, if you must, the bolt that was meant for it would be best. You could use aluminum if you want little weight added. If aluminum adds too much weight, then most anything you fill it with will add too much weight. I would suggest Epoxy next, but that would weigh a little something also.

Lastly, on the list of best solutions, I would think, would be to make a maple dowel, threaded on the outside to match the threads and screw it in there. However, good luck getting that out, should you ever want to.

 

[Canadian cue]

A lot of people hate that hollowed-out feeling.
Soft ferrule and hollowed-out end equals a lot less feel imo.

Is that before or after they found out that the hole was there to begin with. Makers go to great means to be sure there are no empty pockets in the cue but is it in vain? The question still remains if a solid will transmit vibes better than a tube.

 

[MVPCues]

The question still remains if a solid will transmit vibes better than a tube.

Sure it will, but you don't grip the rubber bumper with your hand, the hollow being talked about is below your hand. How much difference can it make? The feel of the hit has to travel all the way down the shaft through the forearm to the handle where you grip..and then to the butt, and any difference the hollow would make has to give additional feedback back up through the handle for you to "feel" it?

Maybe I am wrong, but that is how I look at it.
Kelly

 

[BillPorter]

Sure it will, but you don't grip the rubber bumper with your hand, the hollow being talked about is below your hand. How much difference can it make? The feel of the hit has to travel all the way down the shaft through the forearm to the handle where you grip..and then to the butt, and any difference the hollow would make has to give additional feedback back up through the handle for you to "feel" it?

Maybe I am wrong, but that is how I look at it.
Kelly

The more I think about it, the more I'm thinking that it's the SOUND the cue makes when it strikes the cue ball. I have a cue with a flat-face, radial pin joint that, in my opinion, had a somewhat funny (not solid?) sound at impact with the cue ball. It wasn't the tip as I had just had a custom cue maker replace the tip. There was no weight bolt (I have sometimes traced odd sounds at impact to a loose weight bolt). I took a dowel rod that was about the same diameter as the hole in the butt, squeezed a little wood glue into the hole in the butt, and tapped the dowel rod firmly into the hole. When the glue dried, the cue definitely played differently, and better, in my opinion. As I said at the start of this post, I am now thinking it was more a change in sound than feel. It just seemed a more solid "thunk." Lower pitched, perhaps? Anyway, it led me to wonder if there might be some advantage in filling the hole. BTW, thanks for the replies to my original post!!