DE-warping a predator?

S

sashax415

Registered
Some of you may remember a couple months ago I got a custom cue from a well known cuemaker that messed up the order pretty badly.

However, I ended up keeping the cue, and they offered to give me a predator with matching ringwork for $100 to make up for their mistake. I agreed and requested that the shaft be turned down to 12.5mm

I finally recieved the shaft 4 weeks ago. It was warped. Also, it was 12.75mm.

I sent it back to the cuemaker. They said they sent it back to Predator to be replaced.

The cuemaker called last week and said they had my shaft ready, the diameter was correct and guaranteed me that this time it was straight.

Friday I got the shaft. It is still warped. I had a very strong suspicion that they never replaced my shaft(I noticed a slight discoloration in the ringwork that the first shaft also had), they just turned it down to 12.5 and hoped I wouldnt notice.

Thoroughly fed up, I called the cuemaker and asked straight up. "Is this the same warped shaft I sent back to you?" He admitted it was.

He want on to claim that he had sent the shaft back to Predator and they told him they had a "DE-warping" machine and that they had DE-warped my shaft. He said when he recieved the dewarped shaft back, that it was indeed straight and that he too was sursprised and impressed with the de-warpage.

But by some feat of nature, the shaft warped back while in transit to the west coast. weird :rolleyes:

Well now he's telling me this is an issue
I need to take up with Predator. I think that this is THEIR problem, as in the cuemaker. Afterall, I purchased the Predator from them.

Any opinions? Anyone ever heard of a DE-warping process? Is this even possible? I always thought warped was warped. I dont know what to think anymore. This cuemaker has disappointed me time and time again.
 
sashax415 said:
Some of you may remember a couple months ago I got a custom cue from a well known cuemaker that messed up the order pretty badly.

However,,,,,,,,,,,,
Any opinions? Anyone ever heard of a DE-warping process? Is this even possible? I always thought warped was warped. I dont know what to think anymore. This cuemaker has disappointed me time and time again.
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normally i'd say yeah, the shaft is predator's problem since it's their product and their boast. the cuemaker was a middleman. however, it was the cuemaker who presented you with the shaft and he should have checked it out to begin with. this you-said/he-said stuff doesn't cut it. if the shaft miraculously warped in transit, you were nonetheless sent a DOA shaft, and an HONORABLE cuemaker would make good on all his previous screwups.

he should be turning another predator until his commitment is fulfilled. but i don't think you're going to get either party on your side if it is your decision to mess with the original configuration of the shaft.
 
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Years ago when I was a green apprentice I was sent after a rod stretcher to make pieces of steel rod that were cut too short into the correct size. I was never buffaloed again. I think you got the shaft on the shaft straigthener.
 
De-warping

You can heat up a shaft and lay it on the pool table and bend it back straight. After a week or so the wrap will come back. This could have been what the cuemaker did. I think the cuemaker may have did this predator would just replace the shaft.
 
sashax415 said:
Some of you may remember a couple months ago I got a custom cue from a well known cuemaker that messed up the order pretty badly.

However, I ended up keeping the cue, and they offered to give me a predator with matching ringwork for $100 to make up for their mistake. I agreed and requested that the shaft be turned down to 12.5mm

I finally recieved the shaft 4 weeks ago. It was warped. Also, it was 12.75mm.

I sent it back to the cuemaker. They said they sent it back to Predator to be replaced.

The cuemaker called last week and said they had my shaft ready, the diameter was correct and guaranteed me that this time it was straight.

Friday I got the shaft. It is still warped. I had a very strong suspicion that they never replaced my shaft(I noticed a slight discoloration in the ringwork that the first shaft also had), they just turned it down to 12.5 and hoped I wouldnt notice.

Thoroughly fed up, I called the cuemaker and asked straight up. "Is this the same warped shaft I sent back to you?" He admitted it was.

He want on to claim that he had sent the shaft back to Predator and they told him they had a "DE-warping" machine and that they had DE-warped my shaft. He said when he recieved the dewarped shaft back, that it was indeed straight and that he too was sursprised and impressed with the de-warpage.

But by some feat of nature, the shaft warped back while in transit to the west coast. weird :rolleyes:

Well now he's telling me this is an issue
I need to take up with Predator. I think that this is THEIR problem, as in the cuemaker. Afterall, I purchased the Predator from them.

Any opinions? Anyone ever heard of a DE-warping process? Is this even possible? I always thought warped was warped. I dont know what to think anymore. This cuemaker has disappointed me time and time again.
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I used to deal Predators and yes, they do boast of a de-warping machine. I know nothing of it beyond that. I would imagine though that warping is a common occurance in cue-making. Actually, in general wood-working, bending wood to specific dimensions is a very common practice. I think you add alcohol to make wood maleable but I could be wrong.
 
sashax415 said:
Some of you may remember a couple months ago I got a custom cue from a well known cuemaker that messed up the order pretty badly.

However, I ended up keeping the cue, and they offered to give me a predator with matching ringwork for $100 to make up for their mistake. I agreed and requested that the shaft be turned down to 12.5mm

I finally recieved the shaft 4 weeks ago. It was warped. Also, it was 12.75mm.

I sent it back to the cuemaker. They said they sent it back to Predator to be replaced.

The cuemaker called last week and said they had my shaft ready, the diameter was correct and guaranteed me that this time it was straight.

Friday I got the shaft. It is still warped. I had a very strong suspicion that they never replaced my shaft(I noticed a slight discoloration in the ringwork that the first shaft also had), they just turned it down to 12.5 and hoped I wouldnt notice.

Thoroughly fed up, I called the cuemaker and asked straight up. "Is this the same warped shaft I sent back to you?" He admitted it was.

He want on to claim that he had sent the shaft back to Predator and they told him they had a "DE-warping" machine and that they had DE-warped my shaft. He said when he recieved the dewarped shaft back, that it was indeed straight and that he too was sursprised and impressed with the de-warpage.

But by some feat of nature, the shaft warped back while in transit to the west coast. weird :rolleyes:

Well now he's telling me this is an issue
I need to take up with Predator. I think that this is THEIR problem, as in the cuemaker. Afterall, I purchased the Predator from them.

Any opinions? Anyone ever heard of a DE-warping process? Is this even possible? I always thought warped was warped. I dont know what to think anymore. This cuemaker has disappointed me time and time again.
Click to expand...

If it's a new shaft, the cuemaker should make you a new one and then deal with Predator himself. They are very good to deal with.
 
Preadtor shafts are junk to begin with. I've seen way too many of them warp on their own without someone trying to turn down a laminated shaft.

The second that shaft was altered, the warranty was null and void and you welcomed the warping to happen.

If you want a smaller shaft then Predator offers, then you need to get something besides a Predator cause soon as you sand the saft all unholy hell breaks loose....

I have 3 friends locally that all have warped and delaminating Predator shafts tight now. Their quality has gone down the shitter as of lately.
 
These sort of laminated shafts are strange. I've had 4 Predator shafts that were perfectly straight and stayed straight, and I am a nut about straight shafts.

If they are going to warp, it seems like it happens right away like yours did, but once they've shrunk and stabilized, they seem to stay straight indefinitely.

I know you would like to have the matching rings, but why not just pick up the phone and call Predator yourself?

Also, I would like to add that many of their shafts do measure up at 12.5mm even though they're advertised at 12.75mm. 2 of my 4 did. Maybe they can send you one of the shrunk down versions.

Chris
 
Jedi V Man said:
Preadtor shafts are junk to begin with. I've seen way too many of them warp on their own without someone trying to turn down a laminated shaft.

The second that shaft was altered, the warranty was null and void and you welcomed the warping to happen.

If you want a smaller shaft then Predator offers, then you need to get something besides a Predator cause soon as you sand the saft all unholy hell breaks loose....

I have 3 friends locally that all have warped and delaminating Predator shafts tight now. Their quality has gone down the shitter as of lately.
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i had an old predator that warped,,,but eventually i got over the hype of the predator anyway. the hit feels odd.

i hate when unholy hell breaks loose. it's so much trouble.
 
Who is the cuemaker? After reading all of your posts, this is the exact person that I would not want to work with.

FYI - in the future, check out Jack Madden. Hell of a cuemaker and will pay precise attention to the detail of your cue.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
I think you add alcohol to make wood maleable but I could be wrong.
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My recollection is that ammonia will make wood quite soft, to the point where you could tie a knot in that Predator shaft ! I'm not sure what strength the wood has after treatment, but it does stiffen up again ... I too could be wrong ...

Dave
 
(In response to the comments about having the shaft turned down-- The Predator warrantee states that the shaft is covered down to a 12.25mm diameter. )


Well thanks for all the input, at first I let the cuemaker just brush me off and send me to Predator, but the more I think about it, the more I realize I am getting shafted Well, I have been more than nice to them for long enough. As some of you may have read in my previous thread, this cuemaker has disappointed me time and time again, however, I refused to disclose their name. i didnt want to tarnish their name over something that may have been a fluke. It has gotten to the point though, where I dont think anyone should take advantage of their customers in this way.

While I cant say anything in regards to their name until i get this shaft issue resolved, I ll be sure to keep you guys posted. Thanks for all the support.
 
I have a 314 that has a slight warp and did send it to predator for straightening and it did no good at all. They were very nice and told me the shaft was warped within acceptable tolerances. I guess if it was real bad they would have replaced it. I think that permanently removing the warp from a shaft is close to impossible. Maybe those McDermott shafts are going to give predator a run for there money.
Dan
 
quedup said:
I have a 314 that has a slight warp and did send it to predator for straightening and it did no good at all. They were very nice and told me the shaft was warped within acceptable tolerances.
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Acceptable to Who????

I have never had a cue warp. Of'course mine all live in a Porper case when not in use. I can't imagine what it would take to make one warp, but I would come unglued if my $184.00 Shaft became warped and they called it acceptable and would do nothing about it....

As I said, I know 3 people locally with F****D up Predator shafts. I will never own one. Fortunatly I feel a Predator Shaft will ruin the hit of any stick so I wouldn't have one anyhow.
 
quedup said:
I have a 314 that has a slight warp and did send it to predator for straightening and it did no good at all. They were very nice and told me the shaft was warped within acceptable tolerances. I guess if it was real bad they would have replaced it. I think that permanently removing the warp from a shaft is close to impossible. Maybe those McDermott shafts are going to give predator a run for there money.
Dan
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What Mcdermott shafts are you referring to?
 
It is really hard not to say "We told you so" now that this has gone this far. At the time of the original thread people told you to stand firm and not get walked all over and you refused and went your own way against the advice of the whole board. Now you have a problem and the cuemaker is brushing you off to predator and attempting to be done with you when all along he was the one that screwed up royally and you were the one that was giving him WAY more slack then he was due.

Give a person an inch and they will take a mile. Let this be a lesson to you. You should have refused the original cue and told him to give you what you paid for to your specs or your money back. Now you are most likely screwed. WTG.
 
Never heard anyone brag about a Mcdermott shaft.

Maybe He's thinking of Meucci?

Several places offer their version of a radial spliced shaft and there are more laminated ones all the time.

Dave
 
I bought a Layani and one shaft had a wobble. I talked to Thierry and he said that it was acceptable to have a slight wobble.

I posted on this forum and got feed back from other members. Everyone said that the shaft should be straight.

Thierry agreed to replace it since I was a customer and he wanted me to be satisfied. Both shafts are now straight and I am satisfied.

I bought a Predator BK. It is a nice break stick but the quality is crap. The black finish flakes off and Predator will not do anything about it. I will not buy anymore of their productgs or recommend them. It appears as if they do not back up any of their products.
 
To Mr Wilson and K Town D, The McDermott Intimidator I Series shaft is what I was referring to in my earlier post. Guaranteed for life against warpage. Check it out at McDermott's website or do a search here for info.
TTYL
Dan
 
i know i know... i should have seen it coming. I just never would have expected it from this cuemaker especially since they are pretty well known. Well after my last post, I made an angry phone call to the cuemaker and basiclly told them they better take care of it cuz its THEIR problem. Well at first I spoke to the owner himself and I got the cold sholder, but when I spoke to the guy I've been dealing with this whole time, he changed his tune. He said to send my butt along with the shaft and they would start working on a new shaft immediately and this way they would have the two pieces together to make sure everything was fitting well. Well I guess Ill just keep my fingers crossed this one last time and hope for the best. Ill keep you all posted.. Thanks for the "I told you so"=) I deserve it... :D

Celtic said:
It is really hard not to say "We told you so" now that this has gone this far. At the time of the original thread people told you to stand firm and not get walked all over and you refused and went your own way against the advice of the whole board. Now you have a problem and the cuemaker is brushing you off to predator and attempting to be done with you when all along he was the one that screwed up royally and you were the one that was giving him WAY more slack then he was due.

Give a person an inch and they will take a mile. Let this be a lesson to you. You should have refused the original cue and told him to give you what you paid for to your specs or your money back. Now you are most likely screwed. WTG.
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