Cue Inlay designs. Anybody have any new ideas.
- Thread starter Shooter08
- Start date
I agree with you 100%.
Balance is another area where you would agree. Many makers build a cue and then shove a weight bolt in the bottom to get to the desired weight. Can you believe some weight bolts go up to 4 ounces?
I rarely use weight bolts. A solid Ebony cue weighs around 25 ounces, a solid Maple cue weighs around 16 ounces. There are so many woods to use that any weight in between can be attained without using weight bolts in the bottom.
You can calculate the weight of a cue according to the specific gravity of the woods or you can go by the experience of the cues made before using a simple weight chart. Weight and balance need to be right for the shooter.
A heavy forearm and light handle will play differently than a light forearm and heavy handle. Foreword balance is desired by many and that is hard with a big weight bolt in the bottom.
Thanks for the nice thread, Dave.
I mostly like the clean lines of a nice Hoppe. Other than that, windows in the butt for that classic look. I don't care for cues with too much bling or work in the point area unless it is bridged veneers.
So long as the cue has a nice set of rings, nice point work, colorful, linen wrap, and, plays great, I am happy.
So long as the cue has a nice set of rings, nice point work, colorful, linen wrap, and, plays great, I am happy.
Nothing wrong with a plain jane cue at all, but sometimes the look of a traditional 4 point 4 veneer cue is pleasing to the eye. There are plenty of variations in design from people like Bill McDaniel, Mike Cochran, Leon Sly, Denis Deikman, Steve Lomax etc. To each their own, none of it affects playability just a matter of taste to the person holding it.
I'd like to see a cue with non-symmetrical inlays. My favorite would be inlays that portray Native American symbols, such as the Owl, the Coyote, etc. These inlays would be of different materials and would be installed in a manner similar to tattoos (that is, whenever the cue owner felt the urge).
Tom.....Great Minds Think Alike........sometimes.
Tom.....I didn't notice your thread until just now.......I also started a new thread on this topic,
not realizing you already had one going. I was speaking with one of my cue-makers yesterday.
I am undecided whether to go traditional or something more elegant looking, like Fleur de Lis
designs for my points and box veneers. I narrowed it down to 1/2 dozen choices until I was told
yesterday I can use "any" style/design inlay for my cue. If I see it, he will build it and I believe that.
So the topic for my thread is what's your favorite design inlay. This is going to be my last pool cue.
The CA ivory ban is curtailing my cue collecting and so I have my last 2 cues underway right now.
The cue design Jerry R. is making for me will be another beautiful Bushka design that's already decided.
However, the cue Bob is making has more flexibility in the design & is being tweaked during the build.
Anyway, just like you, I am also curious to see what other cue-makers have used to distinguish their
pool cues and create some majestic looking designs. My cue's inlays are ivory or ivory with Pau Lau.
Here's some design I spotted that favorably impressed me & I am anxious to see more.
Matt B..
Tom.....I didn't notice your thread until just now.......I also started a new thread on this topic,
not realizing you already had one going. I was speaking with one of my cue-makers yesterday.
I am undecided whether to go traditional or something more elegant looking, like Fleur de Lis
designs for my points and box veneers. I narrowed it down to 1/2 dozen choices until I was told
yesterday I can use "any" style/design inlay for my cue. If I see it, he will build it and I believe that.
So the topic for my thread is what's your favorite design inlay. This is going to be my last pool cue.
The CA ivory ban is curtailing my cue collecting and so I have my last 2 cues underway right now.
The cue design Jerry R. is making for me will be another beautiful Bushka design that's already decided.
However, the cue Bob is making has more flexibility in the design & is being tweaked during the build.
Anyway, just like you, I am also curious to see what other cue-makers have used to distinguish their
pool cues and create some majestic looking designs. My cue's inlays are ivory or ivory with Pau Lau.
Here's some design I spotted that favorably impressed me & I am anxious to see more.
Matt B..
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Here's some design I spotted that favorably impressed me & I am anxious to see more.
Matt B..
Never thought you'd ever think so highly of something I designed... Maybe there's hope for us yet Matt...:thumbup:... Then again you might have thought different if you didn't know I designed it. Either way thanks for the unexpected compliment....
Obladi Oblada........Pool Cue Designs Are Forever!
"Hey now." as old Hank would say.......the truth is the truth......and pretty sure is pretty.
Skins took an elemental design, i.e., propellor, & basically turned into a mini work of art.
It's not easy to do......I've tried and failed......this one looks original and majestic.....not ez to do.
Anytime you can take a basic design & modify it thru omissions, additions or a new color scheme,
you're adding some originality to final appearance that otherwise would have never been achieved.
I started another thread, before reading this one, on the topic of inlays as I'm undecided what to use.
Matt B.
"Hey now." as old Hank would say.......the truth is the truth......and pretty sure is pretty.
Skins took an elemental design, i.e., propellor, & basically turned into a mini work of art.
It's not easy to do......I've tried and failed......this one looks original and majestic.....not ez to do.
Anytime you can take a basic design & modify it thru omissions, additions or a new color scheme,
you're adding some originality to final appearance that otherwise would have never been achieved.
I started another thread, before reading this one, on the topic of inlays as I'm undecided what to use.
Matt B.
I should of stated "I'm not a fan of inlays in everyday playing cues". I totally understand from a collector perspective as a artwork. Sorry for the confusion, I have a fancy ivory laden Runde, but my player is a relatively plain 4pt, 4 veneer, with some boxes in the butt sleeve.
Johnnybgood
Banned
Skins, if you designed this cue then my hats off to you. In my opinion this is a beautiful cue. Little flash yet kept classy. As you already know I am not a huge fan of some of your designs, but you can’t hit a home run with every consumer all of the time. I ran across the add featuring this cue in Billard Digest. Then proceeded to search it wondering if the cue was for sale. That search led me to this thread.
Let me give you homage and in your own style say WELL DONE! LOL
Let me give you homage and in your own style say WELL DONE! LOL
I have a couple I've drawn up with this type of theme. Inlayed arrows where points would normally be. The front part of the arrow shaft and arrow Head would be in the forearm of the cue. And the back part of the shaft and feathers in the butt of the cue. Different woods would be used to represent the arrow head, shaft, and feathers. Then you could put small inlays representing different Indian symbols where you please. Ideas I had we're buffalo, bow, feathers, eagle, teepee, and pretty much any other North American animal.
People like inlays for the exact same reason that you like drab designs: personal preference.
Plain cues offer no advantage over ornamented cues aside from being less expensive.
Thanks for the nice comments. Which cue, from the pics posted earlier in the thread, did you see in Billiards Digest? What was the year and month of that issue?
Because of the missing pic in post #9 I can't tell which cue you are talking about. Which one did you design? Also, are you at liberty to name all the cue makers you have done design work for? It would be interesting to hear the ones you can name. I don't agree with many of your views regarding the structure and function of cues and what things affect what but you certainly have some artistic talent for the cosmetic design stuff.
The pic you're talking about is the first pic in Bavafongoul's post. To know who I've worked with view my profile. As to not agreeing with my views on "structure and function" maybe you can elaborate on what our differences are?
There was a cue of mine in the May 2017 BD edition but I'm not sure if thats the cue Johnnybgood is talking about. It was a Gambler cue.
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I'm not a huge fan of inlays myself, but some
work is just executed to the point of perfection.
If it looks cool, I like it. Might not buy it.
But, that doesn't take away from my appreciation
of the work.
I like when people think about unique
splicing as an alternative to inlay.
One key name jumping to the top of that list-
Jake Hulsey. Google this guy if you're not familiar.
John Gallegos made an awesome Dwell pattern spliced
butt sleeve for a cue I posted in the gallery section.
Since I wanted a widow cue, he suggested it as a way
to decorate the cue without using inlays.
work is just executed to the point of perfection.
If it looks cool, I like it. Might not buy it.
But, that doesn't take away from my appreciation
of the work.
I like when people think about unique
splicing as an alternative to inlay.
One key name jumping to the top of that list-
Jake Hulsey. Google this guy if you're not familiar.
John Gallegos made an awesome Dwell pattern spliced
butt sleeve for a cue I posted in the gallery section.
Since I wanted a widow cue, he suggested it as a way
to decorate the cue without using inlays.