Building a 60" cue

M

Mitchorama

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If I look at a basic cue which is 58” it is divided in half 29” shaft and 29” butt. The butt is further broken down with the Bumper to the wrap at 4”, Wrap at 12”, and the forearm/joint at 13” for a total of 29”. So if I wanted a 60” cue built I have come up with two options:

First Option; Make it a 30”/30” split with the shaft at 30” and butt at 30”. The question is where do you add the 1” too?
A: to the Butt cap,
B: to the wrap,
C; to the forearm
D: add ½” to Butt cap and Forearm.

Second Option; Keep the shaft at the standard length of 29” and make the Butt 31”. With this option buying extra shafts is a lot less expensive if you want to try out a Predator, OB-1, or Dominiak shaft. But how does the Integrity of Butt hold up? Where do would you add the extra 2”?
A: to the Butt cap,
B: to the wrap,
C; to the forearm
D: add 1” to Butt cap and Forearm.

lastly what about the weight? What about the balance point? Thanks, Mitch
 
I do a 30/30 split.

You don't change the characteristics of the shaft at all.

I add 1/2 in to the forearm and handle, keep the butt sleeve the same.
The cue looks the same as a 58 inch until you stand them nesx to each other.

Be aware that a 60 in cue will not fit into a lot of cases.

Kim
 
60 cue

whammo57 said:
I do a 30/30 split.

You don't change the characteristics of the shaft at all.

I add 1/2 in to the forearm and handle, keep the butt sleeve the same.
The cue looks the same as a 58 inch until you stand them nesx to each other.

Be aware that a 60 in cue will not fit into a lot of cases.

Kim
Click to expand...

That is very true. I play with a 60" cue and getting a case to fit it is a nightmare. If you want joint protectors.....FORGET IT!!!!!!!!!!

Mine is split 30/30 and Just like Kim said added 1/2 to forearm and 1/2 to handle.

Jeff:thumbup:
 
whammo57 said:
I do a 30/30 split.

You don't change the characteristics of the shaft at all.

I add 1/2 in to the forearm and handle, keep the butt sleeve the same.
The cue looks the same as a 58 inch until you stand them nesx to each other.

Be aware that a 60 in cue will not fit into a lot of cases.

Kim
Click to expand...

It's just opinions but I have to totally disagree with you when you say that an inch difference on the shaft makes no difference. I've found that it makes a pretty large difference in playability. With good players who are attuned to slight differences in playability and performance it makes a tremendous difference. I've made a number of 60" cues, also 62 and 64 inch cues. Most of the 60" ones are 31/29. The lengths of shaft/butt are discussed with the purchaser before hand as are the proportions of the butt.

Dick
 
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rhncue said:
It's just opinions but I have to totally disagree with you when you say that an inch difference on the shaft makes no difference. I've found that it makes a pretty large difference in playability. With good players who are attuned to slight differences in playability and performance it makes a tremendous difference. I've made a number of 60" cues, also 62 and 64 inch cues. Most of the 60" ones are 31/29. The lengths of shaft/butt are discussed with the purchaser before hand as are the proportions of the butt.

Dick
Click to expand...

I know of one of your customers that plays very very good pool with his 31/29 cue. I read a post from you about this a while back and made a sneaky for myself with those measurements, and it was a whole different animal than a standard cue. I did like it though.

Joe
 
snipershot said:
I know of one of your customers that plays very very good pool with his 31/29 cue. I read a post from you about this a while back and made a sneaky for myself with those measurements, and it was a whole different animal than a standard cue. I did like it though.

Joe
Click to expand...

There's a good player out of Columbus Indiana named Denver Barger who started it all. Chris Bartram was playing some one-hole near Col. and Denver told him to try his cue with one of my shafts and Bartram loved it. Bartram is short and used to be heavy but absolutely hates longer shafts as it makes them whippy. Actually, Bartram's cue is not just 2" longer, it also has an 8" extension.

It's been stated that cases are hard to track down which is absolutely true.

Dick
 
rhncue said:
It's just opinions but I have to totally disagree with you when you say that an inch difference on the shaft makes no difference. I've found that it makes a pretty large difference in playability. With good players who are attuned to slight differences in playability and performance it makes a tremendous difference. I've made a number of 60" cues, also 62 and 64 inch cues. Most of the 60" ones are 31/29. The lengths of shaft/butt are discussed with the purchaser before hand as are the proportions of the butt.

Dick
Click to expand...

I cannot tell the difference between a 58 in cue with a 29 in shaft and a 60 in cue with a 30 in shaft. You just hold it in a different place, about 1 inch from one another. I shoot the same with either length.

My personal opinion is that the difference is in the mind of the player. Shafts don't get whippy from adding 1 inch to the length.

Kim
 
It is just that 30" shafts are so expensive. But as it has been said before if you go with a 31" butt and add the pin with a protector on it there are very few cases that the butt will fit in. Mitch
 
JoeyInCali said:
Or two.
Imo, a 60" will need a fatter joint collar size .
Click to expand...

Why would you need a fatter joint? Don't over think it. The length only increases 1 inch for each half of the cue.

I add the inch to the tip end. The joint size stays the same. The butt increases about 12 thou.

no problem

Kim
 
whammo57 said:
Why would you need a fatter joint? Don't over think it. The length only increases 1 inch for each half of the cue.

I add the inch to the tip end. The joint size stays the same. The butt increases about 12 thou.

no problem

Kim
Click to expand...

I don't care about the flex at the bottom of the butt.
I care about the flex in the middle of the cue and at the stroking area.
I can keep the bottom size the same .
12 thou? Is that your butt taper ? 12 thou per inch ?
 
Long cues

I'm with Dick.
A 30" butt with a 29" shaft works so well and is so popular that very many of the cues I've built lately are configured that way. Let 'em hit a few balls and it's a done deal. Players love 'em.
A 31" butt works very well too. So do even longer lengths for even taller players...I've gone as long as 34". It didn't play well at all for me, but the extra-tall player it was made for loves it, since he grips it so much farther back. As long as it puts 4-5 ounces on the bridge hand (milage may vary), the cue will feel "balanced". It's a combination of where the balance point is compared to where the player grips the cue. If the cue is held farther back, this puts more weight forward on the bridge hand, so the C of G needs to move rearward to compensate.
Many people I've spoken to believe a longer butt makes the cue butt heavy. In fact, the opposite is true. For example, measure the amount of weight on the bridge hand (or tip) with your favorite cue, held where you usually do, then put on an extension, hold the cue farther to the rear, and repeat the measurement. The cue will now have more weight on the bridge hand. This may be OK or not, depending on the player, but usually they will think it's nose heavy.
Move the balance point back until you have your 4-5 ounces on the bridge hand and it will feel balanced again.
I think we are very sensitive to the weight our bridge hand carries, perhaps more so than to overall cue weight.
I don't make 30" shafts any more. I don't think they work as well.
Wheee!! Coffee!

Of course, just my opinion.

Just one other thing, when we try an unfamiliar cue, we kind of squirm around on the butt til we find our comfortable spot. I believe we are adjusting the weight on the bridge hand to our liking.
Robin
 
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I wonder how a 58" cue with a 28" shaft and 30" butt would play?
Never mind speculation....has anyone tried it?

Robin

Stiff, I think.
 
JoeyInCali said:
I don't care about the flex at the bottom of the butt.
I care about the flex in the middle of the cue and at the stroking area.
I can keep the bottom size the same .
12 thou? Is that your butt taper ? 12 thou per inch ?
Click to expand...

So it's more like 14 thou per inch....(13.79)........ does that make a difference....??

Kim
 
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rhncue said:
There's a good player out of Columbus Indiana named Denver Barger who started it all. Chris Bartram was playing some one-hole near Col. and Denver told him to try his cue with one of my shafts and Bartram loved it. Bartram is short and used to be heavy but absolutely hates longer shafts as it makes them whippy. Actually, Bartram's cue is not just 2" longer, it also has an 8" extension.

It's been stated that cases are hard to track down which is absolutely true.

Dick
Click to expand...

I didn't wanna name names, but Mr. Bartram is who I was referring to. He has had quite a bit of success with that cue size.

Joe
 
I like even splits, and most "good" cases will accomodate a 30/30 split cue.
I've got a 6'+ wingspan, and the "standard" 58" cues have never cut it for me. I've played with 60-64" cues that were monster hitters. Thinking to the contrary is totally subjective, and imo, just plain wrong.

<-------Does'nt like to play with cues that were made for "little" people.:grin:
 
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