I have a break rak with a radar, and I've done lots of experimenting with lots of people and myself. Lighter seems to be better...just a tad lighter, like in the 18's. I believe that the tip has more than anything to do with the speed of the cueball...that and technique.
Here's where technique is important: everyone says that accuracy is so much more important than speed.. They're right...but why?
Here's what I found. When I lightened up my break I started to record higher readings on the radar. I couldn't believe it. The speed of the break seems to be largely dependent upon where the cue tip contacts the cue ball. The highest readings came from dead center hits on the cueball. If I was a 1/2 tip off center, I lost 1/2 to 1 mph. 1 tip...1-2mph, etc.
So by hitting them softer and focussing on accuracy, I was able to increase my break speed quite a bit, so smashing the break at near full speed is stupid, IMO.
Also, the same logic applies to the head ball, what I learned, is that if the cue ball contacts the side rail at all after the break, it was a dirty break. You can break at least 3 mph slower that someone else, if the cueball doesn't go to the rail, and get better results, cuz 100% of the energy of the cueball has transferred into the rack. If the cueball contacts the side rail, you wasted 20% or more of your speed.
In summation...the reason why everyone sais that accuracy is better than power is cuz when you combine the loss of speed with the cueball and the loss of energy transfer into the rack...you're losing 1/2 of your power when you don't have complete accuracy.
Just my .02
Anyone is welcome to fool around with my break rak if y'all are in myrtle beach ever. Free of course
