Barbecued Maple shafts

[youngstownkid]

I turned this one slower because of how much I spent on the blank. As you know, pics just don’t do figure justice. Everyone who has seen or hit it really likes it. Straight as can be. Because it’s a bit lighter you end up with a little more feel. I hit with this shaft about a week, then the tip came off (when using superglue I realized after 20 minutes or so that the glue went bad and wasn’t setting so I used 5 min epoxy instead. Lesson learned.)

 

[WilleeCue]

I have always preferred shaft wood that is of the honey color over the white stuff but that is a personal preference.
I am not a very high level player either.
I have cut down a few hundred maple rounds and one thing I have learned is stressed wood will warp from the first cut.
Relaxed, stress free wood will stay straight thruout the process.
Perhaps by the time I have cut a few thousand shafts I will be able to expertly grade them but for now the blanks I buy only about 50% make it to a cue.
Point is ... I am no expert and need to depend on the ability of others who are more experienced to advise me accurately on the wood they sell.
From what I read you do not have the level of experience that gives me a warm and fuzzy about spending top dollar on shaft wood.
Just being honest here.
Another thing is that most cue customers avoid any figuring or coloring in shafts.
They want the nice white, straight grain and the more ring counts the better they like them.
So if I am going to make a cue and plan on selling it ... that is the shaft wood I look for.

 

[CuesDirectly]

I have always preferred shaft wood that is of the honey color over the white stuff but that is a personal preference.
I am not a very high level player either.
I have cut down a few hundred maple rounds and one thing I have learned is stressed wood will warp from the first cut.
Relaxed, stress free wood will stay straight thruout the process.
Perhaps by the time I have cut a few thousand shafts I will be able to expertly grade them but for now the blanks I buy only about 50% make it to a cue.
Point is ... I am no expert and need to depend on the ability of others who are more experienced to advise me accurately on the wood they sell.
From what I read you do not have the level of experience that gives me a warm and fuzzy about spending top dollar on shaft wood.
Just being honest here.
Another thing is that most cue customers avoid any figuring or coloring in shafts.
They want the nice white, straight grain and the more ring counts the better they like them.
So if I am going to make a cue and plan on selling it ... that is the shaft wood I look for.

Good post, you said you like the darker color at times?

Try the Prather Kielwood shafts. I have done some in the last few years, I just did two more this week and another customer is going to send two more soon. They are darker in color and they all turned real nicely. The two this week went down to a final taper at 12.5 mm for 14" and no push out while cutting, that is something that most likely will not happen with the curly maple who's grain runs one side and off the other in 6".

I keep a constant stock of Curly Maple, enough for at least 150 cues right now, not one bit has been made into a shaft from that stock and the grain is real straight.

 

[ideologist]

The grain straightness and growth is part of playability. Just call these "unsorted barbecued shafts"