Cue Extensions

Rickhem

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Another observation from my visit to watch the Turning Stone tournament this weekend. A lot of players were using cue extensions. Shane had one on the bottom of his shooting cue. He seemed to take it off when he jumped, but put it back on after the jump shot. Jason Shaw had one on his shooting cue, and I think his was a mid-location extension. Billy Thorpe had a small one on the bottom of his shooting cue, and there were a few others that used them as well.
I realize that on 9 foot tables, these extensions help on those shots bordering on when you'd need to use the bridge, but leaving them on all the time makes me wonder if there is some other perceived advantage. Does the additional weight help? Balance adjustment maybe?
 

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Another observation from my visit to watch the Turning Stone tournament this weekend. A lot of players were using cue extensions. Shane had one on the bottom of his shooting cue. He seemed to take it off when he jumped, but put it back on after the jump shot. Jason Shaw had one on his shooting cue, and I think his was a mid-location extension. Billy Thorpe had a small one on the bottom of his shooting cue, and there were a few others that used them as well.
I realize that on 9 foot tables, these extensions help on those shots bordering on when you'd need to use the bridge, but leaving them on all the time makes me wonder if there is some other perceived advantage. Does the additional weight help? Balance adjustment maybe?

Here is some food for thought:

Controlling Mass: An Aircraft Carrier takes 4 nautical miles to stop at full throttle if you shut the power. A small boat takes a few ft in comparison.

It's the mass of the cue behind our grip hand we are propelling. If you pull back shorter on the final delivery stroke it's easier to control the mass. Accelerate through the desired length with a smooth transition from beginning to end and clear the cue naturally. As you have seen it's a smooth stroke, but when you mention short stroke technique, automatically everyone thinks it’s a punch stroke, they couldn't be further off base.

The reason Shane had to remove the extension from the cue to jump is because the extension probably weighs +/- 8 oz. Which when elevated makes the front of the cue very light and it will rise.

I make cue extensions of the slip on type that have a 4 oz weight in them that travels from the back of the cue extension to the front of the extension and does not need to be removed for jump shots. The weight of the entire extension is +/- 7 oz. The length and internal weight varies from player to player.
All three of the players you mention are rather tall and with out the extension they normally grip the cue at almost the butt cap which leaves no mass behind their grip hand to propel forward.

Hope this helps to answer your question. :)

John
 

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Pete

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've recently gotten a 6" extension )2.5 oz) for the end of my cue.

It seems to allow me to stay with the cue ball better/longer thus more spin (or it's just in my head). The main reason I'm using it is that normally my grip hand is all the way down on the end of the butt (hanging off) with a 12.5" bridge length (diamond length).

So far I'm love 'n it...
 

Rickhem

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Good explanation John, I appreciate the science.
I bought a light (19oz) cue when I started because that seemed to be what most suggested, but now with the cue extensions, seems like more weight is favored. I like the idea of a smoother stroke, and like you mentioned Pete, I think it may help add some inertia for better follow through with that additional weight.
I think I'm going to have to buy and try one of these.
 

Icon of Sin

I can't fold, I need gold. I re-up and reload...
Silver Member
My cuemaker made a screw in extension for my cue. I don't shoot with it on all the time because at home I simply cannot practice with it on because I don't have the room... I will admit that it comes in handy big time when shooting on 9 footers. Probably cuts down your bridge usage by 50 percent.

Their are still plenty of shots you will still need the bridge for, but there are also plenty of shots that you wont and can shoot a bit more comfortably when stretching out across the table.

As far as leaving it on all the time. I believe the added weight and extra stroking length would allow for a bigger stroke, but the longer bridging distance might hurt your accuracy some in striking the cueball where you want.... could cause unwanted spin and misses.

Just things Ive noticed with my experience with one. See my disclaimer below.
 

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Andrew Manning

Aspiring know-it-all
Silver Member
It's not just that it cuts down on bridge usage, it also makes it possible to use your normal (i.e. best) mechanics on slightly stretched shots. Before I started using an extension there would be shots where I missed position because I was a little stretched and my tip rose/dipped too much on the final stroke due to hitting the ball in the portion of my stroke that would normally be follow-through. Now I hit those shots much more naturally and accurately. I'm pretty sure that's the main reason you're seeing more pros using them.
 

Saturated Fats

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You shouldn't necessarily assume that there is added weight. I have removed the weight bolt from my cue and with my 6 1/2" extension, the cue weighs 19.5 oz. The extension, by itself, weighs just 2.5 oz.
 
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Rickhem

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You shouldn't necessarily assume that there is added weight. I have removed the weight bolt from my cue and with my 6 1/2" extension, the cue weight 19.5 oz. The extension, by itself, weighs just 2.5 oz.

Good point, I had not thought of that.
 

localredhead

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
No more "dart" strokes while bridging with an extension

Part of the reason I grabbed a McDermott H-series was to utilize the new extension / butt-cap combination.

Often times when I would reach for a bridge I don't need it with an extension - and even if I am bridging I can bend down into a natural stroke with the extension + bridge combo, making the bridge-rest a true extension of my bridge-hand.

Having the ability to add the extension feels like an advantage over opponents who are resistant to grabbing the bridge when they should.

No more awkward stretching over the table...
 

westcoast

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here is some food for thought:

Controlling Mass: An Aircraft Carrier takes 4 nautical miles to stop at full throttle if you shut the power. A small boat takes a few ft in comparison.

It's the mass of the cue behind our grip hand we are propelling. If you pull back shorter on the final delivery stroke it's easier to control the mass. Accelerate through the desired length with a smooth transition from beginning to end and clear the cue naturally. As you have seen it's a smooth stroke, but when you mention short stroke technique, automatically everyone thinks it’s a punch stroke, they couldn't be further off base.

The reason Shane had to remove the extension from the cue to jump is because the extension probably weighs +/- 8 oz. Which when elevated makes the front of the cue very light and it will rise.

I make cue extensions of the slip on type that have a 4 oz weight in them that travels from the back of the cue extension to the front of the extension and does not need to be removed for jump shots. The weight of the entire extension is +/- 7 oz. The length and internal weight varies from player to player.
All three of the players you mention are rather tall and with out the extension they normally grip the cue at almost the butt cap which leaves no mass behind their grip hand to propel forward.

Hope this helps to answer your question. :)

John
The Cuetec extension weighs 4 ounces. I've been shooting with it for over a year and I prefer it to the shorter and lighter standard cue. The only annoying issue is some places don't have enough space for every shot. It is annoying to unscrew it so I usually just use my break cue for those shots.
 

Pete

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I also find that using either my full time 6" extension or removing it and using my 1' extension is helpful for those long mechanical bridge shots...
 

prad

Flip the coin
Silver Member
Certain height to play with extension

Another observation from my visit to watch the Turning Stone tournament this weekend. A lot of players were using cue extensions. Shane had one on the bottom of his shooting cue. He seemed to take it off when he jumped, but put it back on after the jump shot. Jason Shaw had one on his shooting cue, and I think his was a mid-location extension. Billy Thorpe had a small one on the bottom of his shooting cue, and there were a few others that used them as well.
I realize that on 9 foot tables, these extensions help on those shots bordering on when you'd need to use the bridge, but leaving them on all the time makes me wonder if there is some other perceived advantage. Does the additional weight help? Balance adjustment maybe?

I believe that you have to be at least 5'10 to fully take advantage of cue extension, doesn't really help if your wing span is not that long. May be I am wrong and there is some crazy benefit of using 'em..

How many short pro's use 'em all the time ?
 

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
Silver Member
Another observation from my visit to watch the Turning Stone tournament this weekend. A lot of players were using cue extensions. Shane had one on the bottom of his shooting cue. He seemed to take it off when he jumped, but put it back on after the jump shot. Jason Shaw had one on his shooting cue, and I think his was a mid-location extension. Billy Thorpe had a small one on the bottom of his shooting cue, and there were a few others that used them as well.
I realize that on 9 foot tables, these extensions help on those shots bordering on when you'd need to use the bridge, but leaving them on all the time makes me wonder if there is some other perceived advantage. Does the additional weight help? Balance adjustment maybe?

If I had a choice, I’d put it on full-time. Without it full time, when I add it for a stretch shot, it feela foreign on an already funny stance. When I had the mid-extension was on full-time, there was never that funnny transition. Also like others say, it also seemed to be easier to get spin. Not that this was always a positive.

Playing in a bar or my fairly tight-quartered home room prevented my using the extension full time.


Freddie <~~~ needs an extension full time
 

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
I believe that you have to be at least 5'10 to fully take advantage of cue extension, doesn't really help if your wing span is not that long. May be I am wrong and there is some crazy benefit of using 'em..?
I think they're often used for "ballast" - to help keep the stroke straight.

pj
chgo
 

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've recently gotten a 6" extension )2.5 oz) for the end of my cue.

It seems to allow me to stay with the cue ball better/longer thus more spin (or it's just in my head). The main reason I'm using it is that normally my grip hand is all the way down on the end of the butt (hanging off) with a 12.5" bridge length (diamond length).

So far I'm love 'n it...

Same here Pete, that's why I made the extensions.

You don't want to feel any weight in your grip hand just the weight behind your grip hand.

John
 
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Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
I've recently gotten a 6" extension )2.5 oz) for the end of my cue.

It seems to allow me to stay with the cue ball better/longer thus more spin (or it's just in my head).
The added weight certainly changes the feel and hit, but maybe not as you visualize it. I think it probably feels like the tip is staying on the CB longer because the impact is "muffled" by the heavier cue, and it seems like it's generating more spin because it's hitting the CB "harder" with the same stroke speed.

I'm pretty sure these differences are due to the added weight rather than the added length. Other than allowing a longer reach, I don't think the added length does anything but add a little resistance to sideways motion.

pj <- buzzkill scientist
chgo
 

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Newton's 1st and 3rd laws of motion.

The first law refers to the weight of the extension behind the shooters grip hand.

The third law refers to an equal and opposite reaction to an applied force. What you want to strive for is to limit the reaction of the equal and opposite reaction. A good example to this is to watch Chris Melling's stroke (on YT), he is accomplishing this very well.

I think Earl figured this out long ago and passed it along to Shane.

John
 

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