conical taper for pool

[Patrick Johnson]

the slight elevation of the butt of the cue ... causes ... A skid and then a roll on most firmly struck shots.

You don't need the slight elevation to get that action - just hit as level as possible but slightly lower on the CB.

But actually, that skidding is something to avoid unless it's necessary for shape - it's an invitation to CB swerve. An instantly rolling CB (hit above center) is more reliable.

pj
chgo

 

[kenny hall]

hey, nice to see a few of y'all out there working with a cone ^_^

I like the hit of a house cue, but haven't yet invested seriously in a conically-tapered cue- still philosophizing over design and specs.

are you all using a standard cue length (57-58")? anyone lean towards a shorter length for control's sake? a la snooker, carom, etc..

pat, if you're reaching out on the cue ball, do you find that the chance of miscueing less, more, or the same with a smaller tip?

would you say that with the smaller tip, your cue isn't unlike a snooker cue, dimension-wise?

My current cue is a snooker cue. I am playing all games with it. It is 57" and I actually like the length better than 58 or greater. The handle area is smaller also and I like that as well. The cue is 9.8 mm at the tip and weighs 17.8 oz.. I just ordered another snooker cue with a 10.5 tip and 18.5 oz. with a carbon fiber ferrule. I use hard tips on both. These kinds of cues allow me to "let out my stroke" or shoot more firmly on most shots.

 

[deanoc]

Bob Owen sent me the perfect cue
got it yesterday
tried it today

59,12.75 caical taper,20 oz

talk about happy
i am

perfect solid feeling cue

draws ball easily

I bought two just to be sure i had one to play

I am telling you guys,Bob Owen made the perfect cue for Dean

see it in the gallery

 

[strmanglr scott]

Surprised at how many here like the conical taper.

Should have put up a poll with thus thread.

I really like the pro taper. I can't imagine using a conical taper. Stick feels fat. I use closed and open bridges, I'd be open all the time with a conical taper.

 

[deanoc]

When i designed the Deano cue with john Nemic
I consulted with Danny Janes of Joss East

When he saw my conical taper he said"no wonder you like it,when I was
playing my best that is what I liked best also,trouble is people are convinced pro taper
is the way to go"

Now we see a few players who seem to agree,not everyone .

 

[kenny hall]

Conical any time.
Getting a straight stroke is just so much easier, just move your grip hand forward and the taper will do the rest. Also the taper is very predictable and rises constantly.

All this strange other tapering is disturbing my stroke and I keep missing, because the cue tip suddenly rises when the taper changes, depending on how far away you bridge.

Also, no closed bridge for me.

I agree with you completely. I think your comment about the tip rising with pro tapers is spot on. Shafts are also lighter in weight due to pro tapering. I affirm the statement that a light, pro tapered shaft is a booger to control and keep anchored. The pros practice enough that their stroke is finely tuned. Maybe that is how the name came about. Because pros are the only ones who can use that taper properly. Just philosophizing about pool stuff folks.

To each their own. A lot of shafts are sold because people are in search of a stroke. The equipment is a tool. Marketing is aimed at your search for something that will make your stuff do the job for you. Usually at the expense of your game and your sanity.

 

[kenny hall]

What is conical taper to you?

A conical or constant taper grows gradually and evenly from the tip to the end of the butt sleeve. I know there are constant tapered shafts that are usually sold as carom billiards shafts to go with a carom butt. A lot of players use shafts such as Predator Z and Tiger X shafts but their cue butts are compound tapered so I believe the physics of constant tapering of the entire cue is "tinkered with" by accident and it becomes player preference and practice habits that develop a good repeating stroke. As I said in another comment, my natural game deserted me and I am trying to find the best way to make a straight stroke and the best equipment to work with to make that happen.

 

[alstl]

I use pro taper but I pretty sure Deuel uses or used to use a predator Z which is conical.

Could be that was the shaft he used on the somewhat famous draw shot.

 

[strmanglr scott]

Because pros are the only ones who can use that taper properly.

Huh? Please elaborate how I can't use my cue.

 

[pt109]

Huh? Please elaborate how I can't use my cue.

Just give it up, buddy....to a pro that knows how to use it...

 

[JoeyInCali]

A conical or constant taper grows gradually and evenly from the tip to the end of the butt sleeve. I know there are constant tapered shafts that are usually sold as carom billiards shafts to go with a carom butt. A lot of players use shafts such as Predator Z and Tiger X shafts but their cue butts are compound tapered so I believe the physics of constant tapering of the entire cue is "tinkered with" by accident and it becomes player preference and practice habits that develop a good repeating stroke. As I said in another comment, my natural game deserted me and I am trying to find the best way to make a straight stroke and the best equipment to work with to make that happen.

The original " PRO-TAPER" had a gradual growth from the tip to the end of the stroking area.
A conical taper has a much stiffer taper . A pro taper these days would be like a 1 mm taper to the middle of the shaft. A conical would be some 4 mm to the middle .

The butt has nothing to do with it . Predator and Tiger butts do not have compound taper afaik. They are just one angle .

 

[JoeyInCali]

I use pro taper but I pretty sure Deuel uses or used to use a predator Z which is conical.

Could be that was the shaft he used on the somewhat famous draw shot.

He used a regular 314 shaft.
Now, he shoots with Meucci.
The whippiest name brand cue out there.
The shaft might be almost straight to the middle . No taper at all.

 

[alstl]

He used a regular 314 shaft.
Now, he shoots with Meucci.
The whippiest name brand cue out there.
The shaft might be almost straight to the middle . No taper at all.

Cool - thanks. Is Meucci sponsoring Deuel or just he just prefer the cue?

 

[JoeyInCali]

Cool - thanks. Is Meucci sponsoring Deuel or just he just prefer the cue?

Sponsorship deal

 

[kenny hall]

The original " PRO-TAPER" had a gradual growth from the tip to the end of the stroking area.
A conical taper has a much stiffer taper . A pro taper these days would be like a 1 mm taper to the middle of the shaft. A conical would be some 4 mm to the middle .

The butt has nothing to do with it . Predator and Tiger butts do not have compound taper afaik. They are just one angle .

"Pro taper" is what the builder wants it to be, as far as I can tell. As for the butt thing and compound tapering, I was probably talking out my own butt. If I was a scientific researcher I would run some tests, then again, I would have to build some machines to do an accurate test.

I am not against pro tapering, I am just speculating on a good pool stroke and how to "find" one, seeing that I lost my natural ability due to the fact that I do not get much practice and ageing factors.

I just like to talk about the game and my pecadillos with the game. That's all, my friend.

 

[3kushn]

IMO all this is simply personal preference. I do think everyone should try out the extremes although.

I'm no expert by any means so this is simply my experience, and keep in mind I don't play pocket games much at all.

My cue(s) I travel with are Carom cues. Have been for a few decades. So whenever I find myself on a pool table that's what I play with. 20 years ago that would be a Sims cue. He preferred and I accepted his modified European Taper. Just a tiny bit more flex than the European taper. It seemed to work fine for pool.

Later on I moved to a Longoni with their standard Euro Taper. For me it caused me trouble on a pool table. Could be blaming the cue, I'll admit, but it was pretty consistently bad for me. Did much better with a house cue.

My last cue and still use is a Dieckman. He sent me the cue with 2 shafts. One Euro taper and the other with a modified Euro to try out for a few months to decide which shaft I liked. I decided on the modified taper with the little extra flex. Low and behold its very close to the Sims taper. I don't have the same trouble with this cue playing pool as I did with the Longoni.

I say all this because I find it curious that pool players are going as far as having a conical taper when the original purpose was to address the larger/heavier carom balls. I'm not surprised to see a move away from say the Meucci shaft to something with more spine but all the way to a cone seems overkill and curiosity.

I do realize the snooker cues are cones normally but the tips are really small most of the time. This is a whole other curious topic I think. Brass ferrrules, ash vs maple, soft tips ......