Changing balance point with weight bolt

[qbilder]

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/WindTunnel/Activities/balance_of_forces.html
http://www.educatorsoutlet.com/pdf/12562 Fulcrum Balance.pdf

Yeah that :thumbup: Much better explanation. Thanks for posting.

It doesn't take a tremendous amount of weight to change the balance. But where it's placed does matter. The deeper you install the bolt, the further forward the balance point moves. It's a pretty exacting science. I adjust balance before the cue is ever finished, and use several methods throughout the build process to calculate & tune the balance. Once the cue is done, the only way to alter the balance is by changing the shaft weight, which means either cutting the shaft down in diameter to remove weight, or changing the shaft out with a heavier or lighter shaft. In my cues, the shaft weight is calculated in to the build. Weight, balance, tone matching, etc. is all determined before the cue is completely assembled & finished. Once done, no changing it.

 

[MVPCues]

How about something like this.

This is still in development, currently untested against actual cues I am building to compare calculations to finished cue specs. I have had such blinders on while adding all of the individual features, I somehow obtusely ignored the balance point being affected by location of weight. As evidenced by my dim witted posts in the thread, I was calculating the balance point to be the location where the weight on each side was the same. Fortunately, the way the code works, the correction was rather easy. I have already updated the code to include the moments calculations.

I should say again...this is still in development.

Kelly

 

[Cue Crazy]

Decided to let the cat out of the bag I see. Glad to hear It was an easy fix.

 

[ronscuba]

Yeah that :thumbup: Much better explanation. Thanks for posting.

It doesn't take a tremendous amount of weight to change the balance. But where it's placed does matter. The deeper you install the bolt, the further forward the balance point moves. It's a pretty exacting science. I adjust balance before the cue is ever finished, and use several methods throughout the build process to calculate & tune the balance. Once the cue is done, the only way to alter the balance is by changing the shaft weight, which means either cutting the shaft down in diameter to remove weight, or changing the shaft out with a heavier or lighter shaft. In my cues, the shaft weight is calculated in to the build. Weight, balance, tone matching, etc. is all determined before the cue is completely assembled & finished. Once done, no changing it.

Interesting.

I assemble golf clubs for a hobby. That industry has headed towards customize-ability. Whether that is a good or bad thing depends on who you ask, but for sure some mfr's market the fact their golf clubs can be adjusted by the customer. Change in weight, loft, lie angle, etc...

I wonder if there is a market for something like this in billiards. Good or bad, I can see some people wanting to tinker with the weight and balance point of their cue. Or perhaps a changeable collar for a soft or hard hit. An changeable insert to absorb more/less vibration depending on what the owner wants in feel.

In golf, some view this as marketing crap directed towards beginners, but there is no denying some golf mfr's are making money with it.

Ut-oh, I am in the "Ask the Cuemaker" section. I better run for cover.

 

[BLACKHEARTCUES]

Remember that placement of the weight is as important as the amount of weight itself. For example a 19 oz. Meucci may feel heavier, when shooting with it, than one of my 19 oz. Black Heart cues. Reason being is that the Meucci is more butt heavy than a Black Heart . Therefore MORE weight is dirrectly under your back hand & therefore it FEELS heavier...JER

 

[qbilder]

Interesting.

I assemble golf clubs for a hobby. That industry has headed towards customize-ability. Whether that is a good or bad thing depends on who you ask, but for sure some mfr's market the fact their golf clubs can be adjusted by the customer. Change in weight, loft, lie angle, etc...

I wonder if there is a market for something like this in billiards. Good or bad, I can see some people wanting to tinker with the weight and balance point of their cue. Or perhaps a changeable collar for a soft or hard hit. An changeable insert to absorb more/less vibration depending on what the owner wants in feel.

In golf, some view this as marketing crap directed towards beginners, but there is no denying some golf mfr's are making money with it.

Ut-oh, I am in the "Ask the Cuemaker" section. I better run for cover.

There are cues like this. It's not a new concept in cues. However, it's just not a popular thing. Even in the early days of cues, we have the 6-piece cues with weight rings that can be added, subtracted, moved here or there to give the player an adjustment. Almost every production cue and many custom cues have interchanging weight systems to allow adjustment of weight. Limb Saver has a bumper that can installed to reduce vibration. But many of us prefer to build the cue to hit & feel a particular way, and stick to that formula for every cue we build. It gives continuity, consistency from one cue to the next that enables the players to know what to expect before ordering a cue. If they know the cues & like them, then they buy them. For those who don't like them, they don't buy. The closest thing to adjusting a cue I build would be altering the shaft taper, buying an after market shaft, or simply changing the tips. Many build cues this way. Other cue makers have adjustable weight. It's a buyer's market. There's something for everybody.

 

[ronscuba]

Update

This works.

New weight bolt is shorter/lighter and screwed further into the butt. The balance point is 1" further forward and I just finished a nice practice session. I definitely like the feel of a more forward balanced cue.

 

[Lexicologist71]

Weight and balance depends on weight AND location (distance from fulcrum). We had to do all kinds of W/B problems to get an airplane mechanics (A&P) license. W x D = W X D. That's all ya gotta know.

 

[waydee]

just a quick thought, if you use a headless bolt and only install it part way in the hole, it could pull the threads.Once you find the position you want,either glue the bolt in place or bottom it out against a suitable length of dowel,jmho

 

[gunzby]

Interesting.

I assemble golf clubs for a hobby. That industry has headed towards customize-ability. Whether that is a good or bad thing depends on who you ask, but for sure some mfr's market the fact their golf clubs can be adjusted by the customer. Change in weight, loft, lie angle, etc...

I wonder if there is a market for something like this in billiards. Good or bad, I can see some people wanting to tinker with the weight and balance point of their cue. Or perhaps a changeable collar for a soft or hard hit. An changeable insert to absorb more/less vibration depending on what the owner wants in feel.

In golf, some view this as marketing crap directed towards beginners, but there is no denying some golf mfr's are making money with it.

Ut-oh, I am in the "Ask the Cuemaker" section. I better run for cover.

I recently won a BK2 in a raffle here and that is the first thing I did. Dang thing was 20.5oz and felt end weighted so I took the monster long weight bolt out and while it was just a little too light for me it was also a little too forward balanced. I set out to mark the balance points of the cue with and without the bolt in it and wanted to land it close to the middle. I had to cut the bolt in half to get that, but I'm happy with it and that is all that matters

Well I won't say completely happy yet. It does seem just a tiny bit off, but I just haven't gotten around to tweaking it to exactly what I want since that could take weeks. I'll basically cut an inch and take it back to the hall and see what I get....heck maybe even half and inch at a time because I don't want to go too far.

 

[ronscuba]

just a quick thought, if you use a headless bolt and only install it part way in the hole, it could pull the threads.Once you find the position you want,either glue the bolt in place or bottom it out against a suitable length of dowel,jmho

All the bolt threads are used. I screwed it in past the point of the original bolt to move the balance point forward. I don't want to glue it, to leave the option for future adjustment by myself or if I sell it.

UPDATE: I am a lucky man. My wife surprised me with a brand new Mezz EC7 for my birthday. Incredible cue. It has the forward balance I like, LD shaft like the Predator, but it has a great solid one piece cue feel with a lot of feedback. As much as I like the Predator and Pechauer combo, it can not match the Mezz.