Cuemakers thoughts (bumpers)

Rak9up

Rak9up

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
When I was researching to have my custom cue made. I looked at alot of cues covering all aspects much like "consumer reports". One observation I made was during my bumper check. I would tip the cue till the butt sleeve touched. Some cues would go to 30 degrees some 60 and so on. Many expensive cues did poorly from strickly a protect the end of the cue perspective.
But I found the 5280 line of cues (a cheap cue IMO) to have the best bumper design from a stickly a performace point of view.
I realize as one maker put it if you can afford my cues your mature enough to know how to care for it and I just like how mine looks.
Is it.... so and so makes the best joint... I make the best shafts...he might do the most involved inlays and so on or are you guys constanly changing stiving to always improve your product no matter what . If so How often do your cue lines change.
I'm am by no means endorsing that particular bumper or want all the cuemakers to change to it... but from a functionallity perspective its a good design. If dropped hard straight down you can't blow out the end cap and it protects to 0 degrees. Just curious what you guys thought of my observation

P.S. you ought to see my data on joints
 
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Just wondering your name and line of work. Is this technical data or just some stuff u like and want to talk about. If you can add something scientific here I'm sure you will have a nice audience. But if this is just some stuff you like then everyone is gonna tell you everything is subjective and will change person to person.

Ps. I mean no disrespect by this post. I'd like to hear what you have to say if it is meaningful not just random opinions
 
Rak9up said:
When I was researching to have my custom cue made. I looked at alot of cues covering all aspects much like "consumer reports". One observation I made was during my bumper check. I would tip the cue till the butt sleeve touched. Some cues would go to 30 degrees some 60 and so on. Many expensive cues did poorly from strickly a protect the end of the cue perspective.
But I found the 5280 line of cues (a cheap cue IMO) to have the best bumper design from a stickly a performace point of view.
I realize as one maker put it if you can afford my cues your mature enough to know how to care for it and I just like how mine looks.
Is it so and so makes the best joint... I make the best shafts...he might do the most involved inlays and so on or are you guys constanly changing stiving to always improve your product no matter what . If so How often do your cue lines change.
I'm am by no means endorsing that particular bumper or want all the cuemakers to change to it... but from a functionallity perspective its a good design. If dropped hard straight down you can't blow out the end cap and it protects to 0 degrees. Just curious what you guys thought of my observation

P.S. you ought to see my data on joints
Click to expand...

OK, forgive me. I'm just waking-up, still on my first cup and probably not totally oriented yet but..........WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

I get the sense that you're trying to ask a question but I see no question marks, so maybe you're not. I don't know.
I think this is about bumpers and you might prefer one design over another.
Is that correct? (See, question mark). Thank goodness for options.

I kinda like this one : "If dropped hard straight down you can't blow out the end cap".
Most cues, when dropped straight-down from a reasonable height will not blow-out the butt-cap. However, when the 'banger' that just 'dogged' a shot and now wants to take it out on the cue, SLAMS his cue to the floor straight-down, then yeah, this guy might have a problem and it may not be just the cue. Are you suggesting that we start building cues to accommodate idiots? (See, question mark, again).
I wonder if this same banger would slam his cue to the floor if it had an ivory butt-cap? I think that's asking a lot from a rubber bumper.
How about the owner's obligation of protecting their investment?
It shouldn't matter if that investment is $100 or $1,000.
Do you respect the cue or not? If it's being slammed to the floor, apparently not.
Occasionally I'll build a cue with a wooden butt-cap. I've done several; Coco, BEM, Bocote, etc. I also incorporate a recessed bumper. My cues are of my design and I will build them anyway I want to. In 20 yrs. only 2 have come back for replacement of the butt-cap because the owner abused the cue.
The rest are still in service and are holding-up nicely. These owners respect their investment. One owner in particular has such respect for his cues and related equipment that his KJ cue, after 15 yrs, looks like it just came out of the shop last week. Before you ask, it's his daily player.

The point being, if you're likely to abuse the cue, I'm going to suggest that you look elsewhere. The 5280 might be a good option. Luv those options.

There are many CMs that will build a cue anyway you want it. You shouldn't have any problem with finding one. Just be careful what you wish for.
Now, let's hear your opinions on joints.
 
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Actually any bumper (or no bumper) will serve to protect a pool cue in the hands of a reasonably smart person. On the other hand, the largest, most engineered bumper in the solar system (including China and Florida) will not protect the cue from being damaged or broken by someone who is careless. That's what I think.:grin-square:

Martin



Rak9up said:
When I was researching to have my custom cue made. I looked at alot of cues covering all aspects much like "consumer reports". One observation I made was during my bumper check. I would tip the cue till the butt sleeve touched. Some cues would go to 30 degrees some 60 and so on. Many expensive cues did poorly from strickly a protect the end of the cue perspective.
But I found the 5280 line of cues (a cheap cue IMO) to have the best bumper design from a stickly a performace point of view.
I realize as one maker put it if you can afford my cues your mature enough to know how to care for it and I just like how mine looks.
Is it so and so makes the best joint... I make the best shafts...he might do the most involved inlays and so on or are you guys constanly changing stiving to always improve your product no matter what . If so How often do your cue lines change.
I'm am by no means endorsing that particular bumper or want all the cuemakers to change to it... but from a functionallity perspective its a good design. If dropped hard straight down you can't blow out the end cap and it protects to 0 degrees. Just curious what you guys thought of my observation

P.S. you ought to see my data on joints
Click to expand...
 
jazznpool said:
Actually any bumper (or no bumper) will serve to protect a pool cue in the hands of a reasonably smart person. On the other hand, the largest, most engineered bumper in the solar system (including China and Florida) will not protect the cue from being damaged or broken by someone who is careless. That's what I think.:grin-square:

Martin
Click to expand...



Seriously tho Martin.....wouldn't you at least like to be protected to the


9th Degree:eek:;):D
 
I do understand where you're coming from,
there are a few bumpers that will protect a cue better on the lean angle,
but abuse is abuse

There's an old saying in the aircraft industry.

If you build a plane to survive a crash it won't fly very well.

If we build a cue to stand up to any and all abuse it could be subject to it won't play very well.


Just my .02¢


Paul
<@>
 
I believe a bumper should be functional. It should be there to protect the most easily damaged part of the cue. Most people don't intentionally try to destroy their cue but accidents happen. For a few years I used Southwest style bumpers on my cues as I believe they are very clean looking. I stopped however as they did little to protect a cue unless the cue was set down almost perfectly upright. I now use a wider and thicker bumper which doesn't look nearly as nice but protects much better. To a perfectionist or some one who only leaves his cue in a glass case as a collector then of coarse this extra protection is not needed, however I don't build those type of cues. I build cues to be used by pool players. They are just a tool to be used to play pool and accidents will happen. If not why are there joint protectors, why a case to carry a cue, why bumpers on cars and hand rails on bridges or even any bumpers at all on a cue? Unexpected things happen, that's why. Just my .02 cents worth.

Dick
 
A bumper is for sitting the cue down so it keeps the clear up off the floor of grit while your friend watches it as you go to the toilet.
No more...........imo
 
rhncue said:
I believe a bumper should be functional. It should be there to protect the most easily damaged part of the cue. Most people don't intentionally try to destroy their cue but accidents happen. For a few years I used Southwest style bumpers on my cues as I believe they are very clean looking. I stopped however as they did little to protect a cue unless the cue was set down almost perfectly upright. I now use a wider and thicker bumper which doesn't look nearly as nice but protects much better. To a perfectionist or some one who only leaves his cue in a glass case as a collector then of coarse this extra protection is not needed, however I don't build those type of cues. I build cues to be used by pool players. They are just a tool to be used to play pool and accidents will happen. If not why are there joint protectors, why a case to carry a cue, why bumpers on cars and hand rails on bridges or even any bumpers at all on a cue? Unexpected things happen, that's why. Just my .02 cents worth.

Dick
Click to expand...

Thank you I just made an observation on functionality that is all. Yes, your point is well taken the purpose for which you buy a cue. If it sits in a display case this subject never comes up. As for the type of work I do as if its relavant to this subject... I work on rockets but I love cues. Things do happen... not all poolrooms have wooden floors these days.. times change they use conrete and tile. Just letting a cue slide through your fingers at just 2 feet at 30 degrees can chip the sides of some cues butt cap(depending on the material we also have phenolics now too). I'm not bashing any cuemnakers here I was just curious of your perspectives. If there was only one flavor ice cream in this world it would be a very boring place.
 
One more vote....

I guess I'll weigh in as a fan of big bumpers. I actually had a potential buyer say "I really like the cue, but could you put a smaller bumper on it?" :o

I (like someone else said) make cues to be used, not just looked at. A little extra protection on the butt end can make the difference that one time when you're careless:eek:
 
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Rak9up said:
When I was researching to have my custom cue made. I looked at alot of cues covering all aspects much like "consumer reports". One observation I made was during my bumper check. I would tip the cue till the butt sleeve touched. Some cues would go to 30 degrees some 60 and so on. Many expensive cues did poorly from strickly a protect the end of the cue perspective.
But I found the 5280 line of cues (a cheap cue IMO) to have the best bumper design from a stickly a performace point of view.
I realize as one maker put it if you can afford my cues your mature enough to know how to care for it and I just like how mine looks.
Is it so and so makes the best joint... I make the best shafts...he might do the most involved inlays and so on or are you guys constanly changing stiving to always improve your product no matter what . If so How often do your cue lines change.
I'm am by no means endorsing that particular bumper or want all the cuemakers to change to it... but from a functionallity perspective its a good design. If dropped hard straight down you can't blow out the end cap and it protects to 0 degrees. Just curious what you guys thought of my observation

P.S. you ought to see my data on joints
Click to expand...



You are certainly entitled to your Opinion, and I will even agree that many cues do not have adequate protection for the butt cap. However, most custom cue makers build their cues for extra strength in the butt cap area, and I have yet to see a Chinese production cue that even comes close much less equals this strength. Outside of a cues tip / ferrule, and a cues joint, a cues butt is the most abused area of any cue.

I use phenolic tubing to re-enforce the bottom of all my cues for this reason, I also taper the cues butt cap so that the bumper supports a larger area on the bottom of the cue.


No offense intended, however, I think your information is flawed and if you are really interested in correcting it, you should do more research on this subject.


Oh and by the way, a friend of mine is Rocket Scientist and he also builds some great cues, his name is Jim Buss, maybe you should contact him and get his perspective on this subject.!!

JIMO
 
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manwon said:
You are certainly entitled to your Opinion, and I will even agree that many cues do not have adequate protection for the butt cap. However, most custom cue makers build their cues for extra strength in the butt cap area, and I have yet to see a Chinese production cue that even comes close much less equals this strength. Outside of a cues tip / ferrule, and a cues joint, a cues butt is the most abused area of any cue.

I use phenolic tubing to re-enforce the bottom of all my cues for this reason, I also taper the cues butt cap so that the bumper supports a larger area on the bottom of the cue.


No offense intended, however, I think your information is flawed and if you are really interested in correcting it, you should do more research on this subject.


Oh and by the way, a friend of mine is Rocket Scientist and he also builds some great cues, his name is Jim Buss, maybe you should contact him and get his perspective on this subject.!!

JIMO
Click to expand...

Wow.. sorry for bringing up this subject didn't mean to get so many attitudes here. I was just pointing out the 5280 bumper has a good design that is all. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see it protects down the entire side of the butt cap. No matter what angle it falls from RUBBER touches the floor first thats the bottom line. I don't care where it was made from china or the fires from Mt. doom. I'm not endorsing it or asking anyone to change the way they build cues. I was just trying to look at all the aspects of cues objectively without favoritism. Using phenolics also works in place of rubber, but not all cues have phenolic butt caps. Yes I have talked talked to Mr. Buss a few times on other subjects... like something used in the aid of glueing of phenolics. As for if my information being flawed. You try tipping any cue with a "standard" bumper from vertical till the butt cap touches. Whatever angle that it is pick it straight up just 2 feet and drop it.If you here a click then the rubber didn't do its job(at that angle). Then try the same thing again from the same angle with a 5280 bumper I bet you won't here a click.

For the record I don't own one and probably never will. I am aware of MY custom cue's weaknesses. I even know the angle the butt cap touches and I do my best to protect it acordingly. I just thought it was a good design thats all.
Please forget I ever brought it up and have a nice day and keep building what I love... cues. there's enough side seat drivers here already.I wasn't trying to sway anyone or hurt their reputation so everbody can call their defense attorney's tell them to stand down. I'm just passionate about cuesticks thought this is where you talk about cues.
 
BarenbruggeCues said:
A bumper is for sitting the cue down so it keeps the clear up off the floor of grit while your friend watches it as you go to the toilet.
No more...........imo
Click to expand...

It does more then that. It also acts as a damper and quiets the cue. Yes, I know people make Rambow style cues but most have a ping that you don't find in a cue with a bumper. Some Rambow cues really ring. In fact if you take the bumper off many cues and try to play with them they will sound like they are broken. I had a cue years ago, I don't know who made it I used to buy and sell cues all the time. The whole butt cap was a piece of hard white rubber. It was kind of a cool idea.
 
Rak9up said:
Wow.. sorry for bringing up this subject didn't mean to get so many attitudes here. I was just pointing out the 5280 bumper has a good design that is all. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see it protects down the entire side of the butt cap. No matter what angle it falls from RUBBER touches the floor first thats the bottom line. I don't care where it was made from china or the fires from Mt. doom. I'm not endorsing it or asking anyone to change the way they build cues. I was just trying to look at all the aspects of cues objectively without favoritism. Using phenolics also works in place of rubber, but not all cues have phenolic butt caps. Yes I have talked talked to Mr. Buss a few times on other subjects... like something used in the aid of glueing of phenolics. As for if my information being flawed. You try tipping any cue with a "standard" bumper from vertical till the butt cap touches. Whatever angle that it is pick it straight up just 2 feet and drop it.If you here a click then the rubber didn't do its job(at that angle). Then try the same thing again from the same angle with a 5280 bumper I bet you won't here a click.

For the record I don't own one and probably never will. I am aware of MY custom cue's weaknesses. I even know the angle the butt cap touches and I do my best to protect it acordingly. I just thought it was a good design thats all.
Please forget I ever brought it up and have a nice day and keep building what I love... cues. there's enough side seat drivers here already.I wasn't trying to sway anyone or hurt their reputation so everbody can call their defense attorney's tell them to stand down. I'm just passionate about cuesticks thought this is where you talk about cues.
Click to expand...

I apologies for my comments, I think I had to much coffee that morning.

But there is a major problem with those cues, while the bumper will protect the bottom of the cue during non-abusive use try slamming the cue down on the bumper. Due to the design of the weight bolt assemble, the way the bumper is seated, and the plastic used for the butt cap the bottom of the cue will split. The bumper will act like a wedge and apply internal stress to weight bolt and the butt cap and split it.

However, I do agree that the bumper will work fine in any situation other then abuse. It is also designed to be a vibration dampener, like the Limbsaver, and that is part of the reason for the design.

Again sorry for my first post, it was certainly unfair and out of line.
 
In my opinion, the less bumper the more beautiful the cue. I wouldnt want to see a bb or gina with lots of fine inlays, yet a massive rubber knob :grin:
As with any design, I believe the overall balance is important.

just my 2 pence
 
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