Buying a used cue that is listed as straight.

Mikiemopa

Mikiemopa

pechauer dealer
Silver Member
I'm kind of new here, but not to billiards. Have bought lots of cues over the last 14 years. I've bought three used custom cues on here, all listed as straight, 1 out of 3 ended up being straight, not saying a big wobble. But enough that you don't need to get down on the table to see it. The one the guy listed as the butt being straight and the shaft has taper roll , but a put it on my drill and the shaft rolls very will, so I rolled the butt on my table, and I can see the joint moving up and down. Is this the norm on here. Making me not want to buy anymore used cues and just order new ones. I still have my first cue which is a cheap viking, dead straight 14 years later. Seems I have had better luck with production cues being straight.
 
You probably will...

Mikiemopa said:
I'm kind of new here, but not to billiards. Have bought lots of cues over the last 14 years. I've bought three used custom cues on here, all listed as straight, 1 out of 3 ended up being straight, not saying a big wobble. But enough that you don't need to get down on the table to see it. The one the guy listed as the butt being straight and the shaft has taper roll , but a put it on my drill and the shaft rolls very will, so I rolled the butt on my table, and I can see the joint moving up and down. Is this the norm on here. Making me not want to buy anymore used cues and just order new ones. I still have my first cue which is a cheap viking, dead straight 14 years later. Seems I have had better luck with production cues being straight.
Click to expand...

You're much more likely to have better luck with production cues being straight...

That's because they're production. They can afford to throw out the one in 15-25 cues on a production line that warp when they cut them down all at once...

Custom cue makers typically will take longer to turn down wood and cues than production houses because they CAN'T afford to throw away warped cues after putting so many hours into them...

Now here's where this statement is going to start to make sense.

Most cue maker's will not put out a warped cue; however, the advantage to turning them down all at once and being willing to throw out the ones that warp lead to very little cues with stressed wood out there.

Yes a knowledgeable cue maker can limit the number of cues that will warp, many by coring their cues, but habits can cause even cored cues to warp.

If cuemakers would take a lesson from the production cue makers and when turning their cores would turn them down all at once and throw out any that warp, then less cored cues would warp in the long run because there would be fewer cues that have stressed wood.

Although very few cored cues will warp anyways.

Now many cuemakers are going to say that once you properly stress relieve the wood, it shouldn't warp.

And that is mostly right, but any time you start out with wood that was stressed tangentially to the length of cu, it is more likely to warp in the long run than non-stressed wood.
The problem that you're running into is that even though a slightly warped cue won't affect play at all (especially a slightly warped butt) many people just don't like the idea of paying so much for something they see as being defective, so the warped cues are more likely to be for sale when the warp IS discovered.

Jaden

p.s. be prepared now for this to be assaulted as poppy cock and horse crap blah blah blah....
 
video

you could always ask for a video of the shafts being rolled .
any more everyone can do it with there cell phone.

not to start any type of strife but wood moves .................................

I had one shaft that was warped , 2 months later I am standiing in the cue makers shop and the shaft is straight . Wood moves......................

some cue dealers offer a no qustions asked return policy on used cues .

I do, but I dont normaly have very many used cues on hand .
MMike
 
I'm not so much complaining about the maker, its the sellers not being truthful on there listing , I've bought several ordered custom cues and I'd consider all of them straight. I always thought a good production cue maker to only put out a straight product. Most custom cue maker will fix a warped cue to the original owner , so it make me wonder why they just don't send it back rather then pawn it off on someone else.
 
Jaden said:
You're much more likely to have better luck with production cues being straight...

That's because they're production. They can afford to throw out the one in 15-25 cues on a production line that warp when they cut them down all at once...

Custom cue makers typically will take longer to turn down wood and cues than production houses because they CAN'T afford to throw away warped cues after putting so many hours into them...

Now here's where this statement is going to start to make sense.

Most cue maker's will not put out a warped cue; however, the advantage to turning them down all at once and being willing to throw out the ones that warp lead to very little cues with stressed wood out there.

Yes a knowledgeable cue maker can limit the number of cues that will warp, many by coring their cues, but habits can cause even cored cues to warp.

If cuemakers would take a lesson from the production cue makers and when turning their cores would turn them down all at once and throw out any that warp, then less cored cues would warp in the long run because there would be fewer cues that have stressed wood.

Although very few cored cues will warp anyways.

Now many cuemakers are going to say that once you properly stress relieve the wood, it shouldn't warp.

And that is mostly right, but any time you start out with wood that was stressed tangentially to the length of cu, it is more likely to warp in the long run than non-stressed wood.
The problem that you're running into is that even though a slightly warped cue won't affect play at all (especially a slightly warped butt) many people just don't like the idea of paying so much for something they see as being defective, so the warped cues are more likely to be for sale when the warp IS discovered.

Jaden

p.s. be prepared now for this to be assaulted as poppy cock and horse crap blah blah blah....
Click to expand...
WTF????

Where did this knowledge come from
 
I have a hand many cue with a butt that is warped. Although the warp is there it doesn't affect it's play-ability. My cue and I continue to smoke through players. This much I can tell you, the second I noticed the warpage it peeked my nerves, I was hyper sensitive to any motion. Then I brought my cue to an awesome reputable shop in town, who noted the shaft was flawless and that's all that matters. It's been 3 months since I spoke to Wayne at the cue shop and I have to agree with him. Like you I also have mass production cues that are still in mint condition, and I enjoy shooting pool with them dearly, but they can never replace this one cue for me.

At the end of the day it's all about what makes you happy; If you don't like it sell it. BTW I was told at the shop the proper way to tell if a shaft or butt is warped is to roll them on a perfectly flat surface like a wooden table, kitchen counters or a glass top table; I tested this on my slate pool table and on my granite kitchen counters and will certify it's true. You will see the hop every time on a flat non-padded surface.
Regards,
Loren
 
What you need is a Miracle cue from Steamer Cue Sports Ltd. It's price? A paltry $99.95.
If that doesn't strike your fancy then perhaps a Wonder cue will do the trick. It to is at the ridiculously low price of $99.95 (excluding shipping and handling within the fifty states, western Samoa, Canada, Papua New Guinea, and the Belgian Congo).
Coming in January, to the Steamer Cue Sports line of fine cues, is the Ball Buster Break cue, or the Bx3, and the as yet unnamed Steamer jump cue. :smile:
 
I've stopped caring about taper roll/minor wobble. Wood moves, and a slight wobble has no effect on play.

If you want to spend money on an item that will remain perfect over time, don't buy a pool cue. Buy a sculpture made of titanium or whatnot.
 
That's the most ridiculous post I've ever read.

Thank You - Jaden!!!
 
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total bs

I am not sure why anyone would give you false info.
but production cue makers went to overlaying there shaft with resin because shaft warpage .
you should ask to have this thread moved to the ask the cuemaker section.
then ask how long it takes to cut a dowel into a cue shaft.

If you horse your wood it will warp.

Ask the cue makers , you might find outr why alot of cue makers prefer old bowling alley wood to ,make pool cues
MMike
 
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I AM a cue maker...

mortuarymike-nv said:
I am not sure why anyone would give you false info.
but production cue makers went to overlaying there shaft with resin because shaft warpage .
you should ask to have this thread moved to the ask the cuemaker section.
then ask how long it takes to cut a dowel into a cue shaft.

If you horse your wood it will warp.

Ask the cue makers , you might find outr why alot of cue makers prefer old bowling alley wood to ,make pool cues
MMike
Click to expand...

Most of the wood WILL NOT warp taking it down with just a couple of days rest between sessions taking as much as .030 at a time, not per pass but with several .005 passes.

It depends on moisture content of the wood and how stressed the wood is and in what direction the stress is. There are ways of relieving the stress in the wood, most wood workers keep their methods for it close though...

Some production cue makers do the entire taper with just 2 or 3 passes...on a CNC machine

Jaden

Some still will, and I was referring more to butt wood, not shafts. Shafts are a bit different because you're making them so much thinner. I've seen shaftwood warp regardless of how much time you take between passes...
 
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cues

Jaden said:
Most of the wood WILL NOT warp taking it down with just a couple of days rest between passes taking as much as .030 at a time, not per pass but with several .005 passes.


Some production cue makers do the entire taper with just 2 or 3 passes...on a CNC machine

Jaden

Some still will
Click to expand...

You are a custom cuemaker?
Im new at making cues and CNC machines but I have my shaft wood staged over a 2 year time period . taking off .010 to .015 every 3 months.
I tried to horse my shafts but they warped very close to the taper.
You havent had this problem?. and I only own one cnc.
may I ask what makes you a expert?

There is no polite way of me to continue to bebate this issue with you.
All my research has pointed that if you rush the wood you are working with
it will warp........................ 15 to 20 years ago production cue companies
cured their wood for years. or bought cured maple.Good shaft wood is no longer that easy to find and procduction cue companies are using resin more and more in the lower cost production cues. (Part) of the reason laminanted and fiberglassed shafts were invented because of warpage and the lack or cost of good grade maple dowels.

The sad part of this debate is either custom cues get slamed or production cues get slamed. not all production cues are equal. and not all custom made cues are equal. and the prices are not all the same . so there is no way we can compair apples to apples.

I do strongly disagree with you but I am not willing to argue over pool cues anymore. Everyone has their opinion and the right of free speech.

At the same time I have bought and sold many cues both custom and production cues. after investing 100 k into cues or cue making equipment.
I cant help to know a few things about pool cues, and selling pool cues that people love. not all cues, or cue dealers are the same. And im not very good argueing with any customer. If the customer doesnt love the cue then all they have to say is I am sending it back. End of story.

MMike
 
I knew there would be so bickering here, by the way the shaft is a bowling alley 13mm shaft, the worst part for me is the cue was made this year. I understand with how small shafts are that they will get some roll, and the smaller the more likely they will warp. My problem is the butt section , the money you pay for them, they should be straight for a couple years , by the way after s couple days of the cue in its new environment, seem straight, which is what I thought would happen. Heres a nice story, my dad drunk one night as every night lost his pool cue, in a wooden box case, the neighbor found it a year and a half later, mind you I live in upstate PA , he found it in a bush. Only thing wrong with it, the wrap came off, still straight butt and shaft. The cue , an 90's viking.
 
Shaft still has the so called taper, which was stated in the ad. Think I'm sending it to Mike Webb and have him make me a new normal maple shaft. I've had great service from Mike, and Mr Erwin.
 
I don't understand why the discussion on whether a cue should warp or not?

Isn't the OP saying he bought cues on AZ that were represented as straight and when he received them weren't? That's seller misrepresentation right? What does that have to do with the wood being stressed or not?

If the cue arrives warped, it was warped when it was sent. If the warped cue was represented as straight then the buyer returns it for a refund. What's the debate or question here?

Thanks

Kevin
 
I got hosed on my first buy on here. $1200 cue, the guy knew its was warped. Butt sold it as straight. But I liked the cue so much, I sent it to the cue maker and he made it right. He didn't have too nor did I ask. Just a man who stands behind his product
 
Mikiemopa said:
The original question was is it the norm on here For people to lie in there ads
Click to expand...

LOL

I see. I guess that how do cues warp hijack was warranted.

Sorry you've had bad experiences. Starting this thread might not as been as good a solution as communication with the guys who sent you the cues you were unhappy with, but, to each his own.

Thanks

Kevin
 
Mikiemopa said:
I got hosed on my first buy on here. $1200 cue, the guy knew its was warped. Butt sold it as straight. But I liked the cue so much, I sent it to the cue maker and he made it right. He didn't have too nor did I ask. Just a man who stands behind his product
Click to expand...

I wonder how you know "the guy" knew it was warped considering he represented it as straight. Did you attempt to communicate with him?

For a cue maker to fix a warped cue some years down the road is more than standing behind his product, considering the fact that wood moves (sorry Jaden) its a little crazy.

Did any of this really happen?

Thanks

Kevin
 
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