Ask the Cuemaker...cue xrays....

bubsbug said:
Ok! Why stop there though! X-ray machines in our day in age is old technology.

Then again I would do anything for shits and giggles!! If I could do it for free!!
Click to expand...

Why use a backhoe when a shovel will suffice?
 
I have worked in the Radiology field for a little over 20 years. The equipment keeps getting better and better with newer technology, using lower doses of radiation while producing far superior images. I used to work with one Radiologist who is a world expert in determining the age of old swords for a British museum, using a CT scanner mainly. Back then the CT scanner was alot better technology for his purposes.
I now work in Special procedures/ cardiac cath where we have the newest xray equip. available. The detail that we can produce now is amazing compared to even a couple of years ago. Just like computers, whatever you think is the newest, best out there when you buy it is already out of date.
If anyone is in the Boston area and would like to see what their cue looks like under high def fluoro, contact me. I can make hard copies of the xrays and burn images, or a complete study onto a cd to take home and view on your computer. I've xrayed almost everything imaginable over the years.
Happy New Year! Vinny
 
bandido said:
Why use a backhoe when a shovel will suffice?
Click to expand...

So My back doesnt get hurt! Hey, Hey, Hey! Seriously thought these other imaging machine could show you a crack, or cheeching inside the wood near the center. IT would show some soft mushy part or even diseased wood near the center. No comparison, give me the Bachhole!!

Ps I worked in cardiac cath for 2-1/2 years, I know what you mean.
 
bubsbug said:
In my opinion I think this is a waste of time and resources. To most of you, I seriously doubt that you could interpret any real value to them. One needs trainning in this field. Light and dark areas have meaning as well as the obvious. As far as alignment goes everything is altered to some degree once internal parts are installed and then turned again. If everything looks good, feel good, hit good, Why x-ray it. X-ray is a Diagnostic tool. for sake of cues it would be very obvious if an insert, screw, or pin was broken.

So I beg the question WHY??
Click to expand...


your missing the obvious ..... this guy is trying to identify someones work....

and anyone who knows can identify most old cues from an x-ray without any

training.
 
merylane said:
your missing the obvious ..... this guy is trying to identify someones work....

and anyone who knows can identify most old cues from an x-ray without any

training.
Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree with you. He is doing it for Shits and Giggles. He is doing it for a learning experience. In message below he is asking for advice on how to do it.


I hope to have a chance next week to put a couple of cues through an xray machine that is made for inspection purposes...first how should I do it? My plan was to put, say, 4 butts in the machine and then take a shot of each 90 degree rotation, for 4 pics total.

Then what am I likely to see...obviously the metal and wood will show up differently...and possibly any voids, cracks or wood/wood interfaces might show up well too...is this right, and what else am I likely to see and what should I plan on looking for?

Any advice on this topic is appreciated...Thanks

It sure would be nice to find some Diamonds though!
 
DrJ said:
In case anyone's interested, here's the pics I have of another cue...this one, I think, is made from a different type of blank, but I'm not sure...and again, I'm not really sure of what I'm looking at in all the pics....
Click to expand...
As in Medical Radiology, a full view is required before doing magnifications. Magnified views can somewhat throw off dimensional interpretation.

I'll take a stab but dimensions stated are approximations.
The A-joint construction is of the tenon on the forearm variety. Tenon is approximated at 5/8" diameter with a 3/8" dia x 10tpi metal bolt. Small quantity of trapped air at the distal and inferior end of the tenon is visualized.

Fluorograph with magnified view of the distal end of the A-joint metal connecting bolt is visualized with minor overbore of the handlewoods recieving cavity. A void is noted, measuring approx. 5.5mm x 6mm.

Second magnified section presented is that of the main joint. A metal joint sleeve and thick decor ring is visualized. Grayish density, between the joint sleeve and decor ring and other side of decor ring, is the product of superimposition of wood, phenolic and adhesive densities thus displaying this higher density than the lighter wood only density. Joint pin is 5/16" x 14tpi. The metal decor ring is approx. 22mm dia x 1.5mm thick. Unremarkable joint pin bore depth with sufficient amount of adhesive filling the slight overbore.
 
DrJ said:
WOW...thanks a lot for the info...attached below are some pics of the cue involved, it's the one that makes the click sound when I push sideways on the shaft.
Click to expand...

Have you tried zeroing in where the click is emanating? Meaning, have you first tried another shaft (call this shaft #2) on this butt to find out if the sound comes from shaft #1 or the butt? If there's no clicking sound with the butt and #2 shaft combo then the problem is most likely with shaft#1. Once this is determined then determine if the sound is coming from the ferrule end or joint end of shaft #1.

Check if there's a gap between the ferrule-to-shaft jointing face by looking at this area against a light source while pushing sideways on the ferrule. Check all around the ferrule/shaft jointing area for a light gap.

Let me know what you find and if you've pinpointed the cause of the click. If not, then, check the shaft decor ring area as above. Check too if the brass threads have worn loose and if the pilot too is loose against its recieving cavity in the stainless sleeve of the butt. If this combination, worn threads of the brass insert and worn pilot, exist then "cricketing" would result.

DrJ said:
When I started this, I didn't even have a clue what a tenon in a cue was...and yes, I wanted to get an overall view but for some reason I couldn't do it...the scanning head had a laser sighting device and whenever the head was moved farther from the target it automatically increased the magnification to an even higher level (almost like it was working backwards)!?! There might have been a way to override this behavior...but the person actually pushing the buttons on the machine didn't tell me about it....
Click to expand...

Magnification happens when you move the subject closer to the source of radiation. I, of course, am assumint that the focal-film/receptor distance of your machine is fixed. So the scanning head that you described above may actually be the receptors.
 
DrJ said:
Yes the click happens with any shaft...and it's hard to localize beyond seeming like somewhere around the a-joint/forearm area...but I'm gonna get this cue out and try again to localize it when I can....
Click to expand...
Possibly A-joint facing adhesive failure. Find out where the noise is the loudest mark it with a piece of tape. Your going to need to do 4 x-ray views, 90 deg seeparation, with tension to determine the exact location of the problem above.

There are 2 ways of fixing the above if determined to be the problem. One is a major undertaking, replacing the handle to redo the A-joint area and the other is minor.

The problem can also be on the other side of the A-joint area which is towards the forearm. It's considered more complicated as the v-spliced points may be involved. Keep your fingers crossed and hope that its not.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top