Best way to store your cased cues... vertical or horizontal?

[greyghost]

i been meaning to pitch it around.

would you guys be interested in a wooden wall rack that would hang the cues by the ferrules?

I have a prototype drawn up and just never got around to making it....if theres some interest I'll build a few and show you.

No matter what nothing is going to beat hanging the cue like that.....go to a cue makers shop and look at how they store the wood, hanging.....

 

[mnorwood]

i been meaning to pitch it around.

would you guys be interested in a wooden wall rack that would hang the cues by the ferrules?

I have a prototype drawn up and just never got around to making it....if theres some interest I'll build a few and show you.

No matter what nothing is going to beat hanging the cue like that.....go to a cue makers shop and look at how they store the wood, hanging.....

I'm in. What are you going to call it? The Keeb x2000zx cue hanger? For no real reason make the thing out of titanium, more people will buy it.

Seriously, that sounds like a hell of an idea. It makes perfect sense to me.

 

[robertno1pool]

Cue Storage

I have a cue storage rack that rotates each cue 1/7 of a turn ever ten (10) days - unless there is an extended power outage - in which case I install a hand crank and count each set of ten (10) days with a piece of chalk on the wall of a climate and humidity controlled cellar.

Or I can switch on the the solar back up during an outage, but only on days when it is not too cloudy.


Usually I have to give it 1/4 or 1/7 turn by hand-crank on Feb 29th during a leap year. (this works out to 1/28 of a revolution - or - approximately 12.875 degrees)






OK - Maybe I do not have this type of storage system.



If I had Tikkler's collection - this would be peanuts.


It is a very good question whether to store horizontal turning cues like wine bottles, store butts pin up, pin down, (same with shafts), or whether shaft hangers (or butt hangers) work.

I suspect in areas of big humidity swings or temperature swings, or moving out of these areas - warping could be worse.

You would think some of the elderly cue makers would be a great source for this information.

(Making Popcorn)

 

[greyghost]

I have a cue storage rack that rotates each cue 1/7 of a turn ever ten (10) days - unless there is an extended power outage - in which case I install a hand crank and count each set of ten (10) days with a piece of chalk on the wall of a climate and humidity controlled cellar.

Or I can switch on the the solar back up during an outage, but only on days when it is not too cloudy.


Usually I have to give it 1/4 or 1/7 turn by hand-crank on Feb 29th during a leap year. (this works out to 1/28 of a revolution - or - approximately 12.875 degrees)






OK - Maybe I do not have this type of storage system.



If I had Tikkler's collection - this would be peanuts.


It is a very good question whether to store horizontal turning cues like wine bottles, store butts pin up, pin down, (same with shafts), or whether shaft hangers (or butt hangers) work.

I suspect in areas of big humidity swings or temperature swings, or moving out of these areas - warping could be worse.

You would think some of the elderly cue makers would be a great source for this information.

(Making Popcorn)

i don't have any idea if the shaft hangers work as far as taking a warp out and straightening the cue. But i will say that in normal conditions in a home that hanging a cue Plumb is the best way to store it. Every cue maker I know has always hung their wood that way....it just makes sense as gravity would keep her straight as there would be no side forces exerted on the cue....

rub some extenze on it and hang it w/ a weight and your cue is guaranteed to grow from 58 to 60" in two weeks or less or your money back lmao

the extenz cue rack (what a retarted name)
Grey Ghost

 

[Maniac]

I have recently started to microwave mine, i'm hopeing it will make me a better player.

Damn Eric, that's a helluva BIG microwave !!! I could for sure cook me a big ol' meatloaf in that sucker :grin::grin::grin:!!!

Maniac

 

[bob c]

Joint Protectors

IMO if you are storing cues that have been taken apart, joint protectors are of critical importance in keeping unwanted moisture from entering both butts and shafts where the end grain is exposed.

Store them vertical (my preference), horizontal, hanging from the ceiling, or leaning against a wall, if the end grain is exposed you are inviting warpage.

 

[roberthans]

Hanging rack

I am also building a rack that holds a cue vertical with the weight pulling the cue straight. You may as well us gravity to help keep the cue straight. Working a system that holds securely without putting too much pressure on the ferrule has been a pain.


(Remember there is no gravity the Earth sucks.)

 

[Tramp Steamer]

I think that both positions are acceptable, but would give the nod to horizontal. In that position the shaft and butt are fully supported along their respective lengths.
A more important consideration would be temperature and humidity. Especially heat.

 

[zy112]

this was our discussion before: http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=76952&highlight=storing+cues

Apart from humidity, extreme temperatures, & the very nature of the wood as a non-stable material that contribute to warping, gravity can also cause the cue to warp.

TO sum things up, in a vertical position, the entire cue is being pulled by gravity in only one direction. If it's in a horizontal position, the entire length of the cue is being pulled at different rates (just see what happens to the telephone/electric lines between poles). More so the mass of the cue is not evenly distributed due to its tapered construction.

IMO, it's still better to store your cues vertically inside the case if you're gonna store it for a LONG time. HOWEVER, it's a good practice to move your cues from time to time so that the wood fibers are not STRESSED (imagine yourself standing up on both feet or putting more weight on the other foot for a long time, you'll feel the stress in a few minutes unlike when you move from time to time, you'll be able to stand longer). Again, just MOVE the cues, I'm not saying that you have to rattle them inside. Another reason for moving the cue(s) is that the case is not really standing perfectly vertical unlike when the cues are hanging like a pendulum...

I guess one of the reasons why RIP's cues warped inside his dealer case is that there's more STRESS to the shafts' tip area coming from joint as there's more mass present there... just like an inverted pyramid or standing on your hands. There'll even be more pressure to the tip area if the case's interior doesn't have a snug fit feature (like that of memory foams). If the tube has a snug fit on the shaft, especially shaft is stored tip down, then it's almost like hanging the cue as the opening is hugging the thick joint area resulting to less, or none at all, to the thinner tip area.

Of course it takes TIME for gravity to really act on your cue. If you use your cues often like several times a week, then I guess it doesn't really matter much if you cues are stored horizontally or vertically.

Pretty insightful info, but I think my opinion would differ slightly. Everyone is aware of gravity, but if you have studied physics or statics there is also a normal force. Sum of the forces = zero... but, who has there cues exactly vertical. Not me, probably not most, mine are propped at an angle. Which would put a minor force somewhere towards the middle of the shaft. This could probably be looked at a thousand ways and pretty hard to prove anything. One this is for sure, shafts warping sucks!

 

[cajunfats]

Wt...

....

rub some extenze on it and hang it w/ a weight and your cue is guaranteed to grow from 58 to 60" in two weeks or less or your money back lmao

the extenz cue rack (what a retarted name)
Grey Ghost

,hahahaha I may want my friends phone number back. JK,Ghost. I have a 2x4 George case and the 2 butts and 4 shafts hold each other firm and I lay it flat for longer periods. The main concern is temp changes and high humidity. Always allow for transition to room temperatures,and frequently wipe the cue with a clean cotton towel.