Balance Point Opinion
- Thread starter zy112
- Start date
Are you including the bumper in your measurement? Someone is going to tell you to measure from the tip to account for the different length cues—I think it's much more common your way. Anyway, 18.75", not counting the bumper, does seem neutral. That's where the balance point is on my Schon. Yukon Ed
21"
My cue balances at 21" from the end of the buttcap but it is a 60" cue so that is equal to a much more common 19" balance point on a 58" cue. However I have moved my hand back on my stick a lot recently, 4-6". Afterwards I was playing around with house cues and noticed I really liked the balance on some of them. Turned out they were 18 ounce 58" cues with the balance point only 17" from the end of the butt cap. My cue is very light so I'm going to add an ounce near the buttcap to move the balance point back and see how I like it.
Hu
My cue balances at 21" from the end of the buttcap but it is a 60" cue so that is equal to a much more common 19" balance point on a 58" cue. However I have moved my hand back on my stick a lot recently, 4-6". Afterwards I was playing around with house cues and noticed I really liked the balance on some of them. Turned out they were 18 ounce 58" cues with the balance point only 17" from the end of the butt cap. My cue is very light so I'm going to add an ounce near the buttcap to move the balance point back and see how I like it.
Hu
don't like them over 19.5 or back beyond 18. 18.5 to 19 is just right on a 58 inch cue.
18.5-19 pretty typical
Around 19" seems real typical. Some cues balance a little further back, some a little further forward. I doubt very seriously that you have an issue with the cue moving the balance point 3/4 of an inch. If it does anything at all it may make you change your hand position very slightly on the cue. However we move our hands all over the grip area anyway on various shots.
Hu
Around 19" seems real typical. Some cues balance a little further back, some a little further forward. I doubt very seriously that you have an issue with the cue moving the balance point 3/4 of an inch. If it does anything at all it may make you change your hand position very slightly on the cue. However we move our hands all over the grip area anyway on various shots.
Hu
WOW The balance point of a cue the most WORTHLESS statistic about a cue there is. IT MEANS NOTHING
Think of where you hold the cue. Your hand is the Fulcrum of a teeter toter.
How much weight is behind your hand(how fat or thin is your butt or how is it constructed)
How much weight is in front of your hand(many different shaft tapers and diameters and construction techniques).
Now if you cared how much forward or downward weight from your hand to the tip (thats where everthing happens) that would be different.
I recommend shooting a ball not releasing the cue going over to a digital scale resting the tip on it and holding the cue as light as possible get a weight. (yes it won't be exact but it will give you an idea of how much forward weight is imparted on the cueball.(thats what really matters)
You could have the same "balance point" as another guy. But depending on how the cue is made you might have enormuous forward weight going out to the tip and him very little. But where the cue balances could be the same in the middle of the cue.
If you can give an actual physics based reason why this statistic matters I'm all ears.
Last I recall the tip is where the "tires meet the pavement" not some arbitrary point in the middle of the cue but maybe someone could shed some light on why this "arbitrary" point in space is important.
Yes this is MY opinion I've only been playing for 40+ years there is that possibility I'm wrong.
Think of where you hold the cue. Your hand is the Fulcrum of a teeter toter.
How much weight is behind your hand(how fat or thin is your butt or how is it constructed)
How much weight is in front of your hand(many different shaft tapers and diameters and construction techniques).
Now if you cared how much forward or downward weight from your hand to the tip (thats where everthing happens) that would be different.
I recommend shooting a ball not releasing the cue going over to a digital scale resting the tip on it and holding the cue as light as possible get a weight. (yes it won't be exact but it will give you an idea of how much forward weight is imparted on the cueball.(thats what really matters)
You could have the same "balance point" as another guy. But depending on how the cue is made you might have enormuous forward weight going out to the tip and him very little. But where the cue balances could be the same in the middle of the cue.
If you can give an actual physics based reason why this statistic matters I'm all ears.
Last I recall the tip is where the "tires meet the pavement" not some arbitrary point in the middle of the cue but maybe someone could shed some light on why this "arbitrary" point in space is important.
Yes this is MY opinion I've only been playing for 40+ years there is that possibility I'm wrong.
You need to include the bumper in the measurement as it is part of the overall weight of the cue when played. Up to about 19 and 1/2 inches, or so, is about right. Some players like the 'feel' of the balanced cue weight to be forward, others prefer a toward the butt feel. Me? I prefer the former. 
As an engineer, I don't think physics is the answer here. It is FEEL. You haven't ever picked up a cue that feels ackwardly weighted to you? I have. I'm not conducting a science experiment, just curious about "average" parameters and what the extremes are. Not even trying to get into hit, anything, just how a cue feels in your hands based on the balance point.
What he said... :thumbup:
I posted a poll about that a while back.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=174416&highlight=balance
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=174416&highlight=balance
I pulled this off of Black Boars web site because I think it is relevant here.
It always intrigues Tony to see a person stick out his index finger in an attempt to establish the balance point of a cue...
You could take a very heavy piece of wood, 29” long and establish a balance point, and then a very light piece of wood, 29” long with a steel joint on one end and a steel weight pin on the other and establish the same identical balance point.
...Congratulations!! You’ve established a balance point. The question is - do you think these cues play the same? Finding the balance point tells you only where the balance point is. It does not reflect the distribution of weight in the cue.
It always intrigues Tony to see a person stick out his index finger in an attempt to establish the balance point of a cue...
You could take a very heavy piece of wood, 29” long and establish a balance point, and then a very light piece of wood, 29” long with a steel joint on one end and a steel weight pin on the other and establish the same identical balance point.
...Congratulations!! You’ve established a balance point. The question is - do you think these cues play the same? Finding the balance point tells you only where the balance point is. It does not reflect the distribution of weight in the cue.
I wish I could ask them about that. Are they saying Black Boar cues are made without regard to the balance point?
There are several factors which affect the way a cue plays. Balance point is one factor.
I agree balance is a factor, I just think Tony was stating that weight distribution was much more important than where the balance point is.
There is nothing wrong with preferring one point over another, personally, I tend to worry more about weight distribution, taper and type of construction. (full splice, half splice ect)
Balance point- no Bolt
So if you're not adjusting the balance point with a weight bolt wouldn't that make the balance point of the unweighted cue a more natural indicator of weight distribution? I'm looking into having a cue made and was debating letting the cue not contain a bolt for this reason.
So if you're not adjusting the balance point with a weight bolt wouldn't that make the balance point of the unweighted cue a more natural indicator of weight distribution? I'm looking into having a cue made and was debating letting the cue not contain a bolt for this reason.
Its more than just feel. As an Engineer maybe I can peak your curiosity to check this out.
Take 2 cuesticks.
One extremly light from the aspect of the ratio of the weight from your hand to the tip(rear weighted cue) and one extremely heavy(forward weighted).
Try an open bridge topspin shot over another ball that you really have to stroke for shape. See which one has more control through the shot and which one skips right off the cueball and tell me again how the balance of the cue is a feel thing.
Take 2 cuesticks.
One extremly light from the aspect of the ratio of the weight from your hand to the tip(rear weighted cue) and one extremely heavy(forward weighted).
Try an open bridge topspin shot over another ball that you really have to stroke for shape. See which one has more control through the shot and which one skips right off the cueball and tell me again how the balance of the cue is a feel thing.
How do you determine weight distribution?