Do you really know the radius you prefer on your tip?

Cuemaster98

Cuemaster98

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So how many people really know what radius they play with on their tip?

Play more consistent pool, find out your prefer radius on your Tip!!

Here's how:

The Radius Formula: R = b + [(a2 - b2)/2*b]

eg. 13mm Tip, height of my tip is 2.4mm

R = 2.4 + ((6.5^2)-(2.4^2)/2*2.4)
R = 10

a is your tip size divided by 2 eg. 13mm (6.5mm) and b is the height from the center of the tip to the mid point of the diameter of your tip.

This formula should give you a rough idea on calculating the radius of your current playing cue.

Why is this important? Consistency of the hit..regardless of the tip you use, if your radius is consistent you'll play better pool better because you gonna hit where you're think you're hitting. Also a good reason why you should stick with 1 playing cue for consistency. If you're like me with a lot of cues, it even more important to make sure that the tip shape is the same to test out the cue properly.

Mezz recently came out with a gauge for the Radius of your tip that is great for reference.

Anyway, if you're been playing for while you'll realized that you'll prefer a certain shape (dime and nickel). I know a lot of pro are very particular about the shape of their tip as the more consistent the radius the more consistent their game can be.

I use a Hard Molavia and once I shaped it to my desire radius it stay that way for over 6 months and after playing for a while you may need to touch up to make sure the shape is consistent. I have a cue lathe so it much more easier to maintain. There's lot of products out their that can help you maintain your tip shape or better yet give it to your local pro shop.

After you have you tip shape properly (Especially for Molavia).......Do Not Scuff it or sand it down....just put a lot of chalk and let the tip adsorb and the tip will last you for a while. I've been playing with my hard Molavia for over 2 years and I haven't touch it. If you have a good tip, no need to scuff or pork it unless you clean the tip each time you play (this is no no). Just leave the chalk on the tip and put back into your case. I see a lot of people, just burnish their tip against the carpet to clean and put back into their case...no wonder they need the scuff/porcupine.

Hope this tip help someone play better pool....so remember keep the shape the same and you'll be more consistent.

Duc.
 
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C = 2 r

or

r = 1/2 C

I would say consistency lies in the quality of the tip, and that the tip be hard. But that's me.
 
Thanks, Duc. That's what has been wrong with my game for the last 50 years. Uh, just one thing . Can I use the same radius that Efren uses even though I shoot right handed?

Sorry, Duc , couldn't resist. Thanks for the info.:wave3:
 
Maybe this is obvious to many, but why is knowing the radius more important than the diameter i.e. 13mm? Isn't the radius 1/2 the diameter?
 
Sorry, I guess R that I call radius refer to the curvature or shape of the tip. This is important because the shape of the tip dictate the surface contact to the cue ball. Properly shaped tip give a bigger sweet spot and support the hit.

Regards,
Duc.

rayjay said:
Maybe this is obvious to many, but why is knowing the radius more important than the diameter i.e. 13mm? Isn't the radius 1/2 the diameter?
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Cuemaster98 said:
So how many people really know what radius they play with on their tip?

Play more consistent pool, find out your prefer radius on your Tip!!

Here's how:

The Radius Formula: R = b + [(a2 - b2)/2*b]

eg. 13mm Tip, height of my tip is 2.4mm

R = 2.4 + ((6.5^2)-(2.4^2)/2*2.4)
R = 10

a is your tip size divided by 2 eg. 13mm (6.5mm) and b is the height from the center of the tip to the mid point of the diameter of your tip.

This formula should give you a rough idea on calculating the radius of your current playing cue.

Why is this important? Consistency of the hit..regardless of the tip you use, if your radius is consistent you'll play better pool better because you gonna hit where you're think you're hitting. Also a good reason why you should stick with 1 playing cue for consistency. If you're like me with a lot of cues, it even more important to make sure that the tip shape is the same to test out the cue properly.

Mezz recently came out with a gauge for the Radius of your tip that is great for reference.
Click to expand...



Ummm ok......now you know that your "perfect radius" is 10 mm. How do you shape it for 10 mm ? If you use the Mezz thingy it's nickle,dime and penny. Nickle radius is 10.605 mm and penny is 9.525 mm, do you shape big or small?
Glad Mezz came out with a gauge thingy but the U. S. Mint came out with pretty handy gauges a long time ago. :)
 
I guess that's why most of the better players prefer harder tips as most hold it shape for much longer. Quality of tip is a definite factor (very subjective to each player) and probably just as important if not more is the shape of the tip....then again maybe at my level..it doesn't make much of a different to tell :) LOL.



LAlouie said:
C = 2 r

or

r = 1/2 C

I would say consistency lies in the quality of the tip, and that the tip be hard. But that's me.
Click to expand...
 
I have a tip cutter that's set for my radius...not everyone has a lathe but I would imagine the mezz gauge would do the job for some.

The only reason why I bough this up was that I play with lot of different cues and I've started to realized that cue with proper radius (curvature) plays better than cue with shaft that done have it shape as good. Lots of other factor to consider but just think people should pay more attention to the shape of their tip. Just been noticing how anal some of the pros are with how their tip should be shaped.

Regards,
Duc.

Tbeaux said:
Ummm ok......now you know that your "perfect radius" is 10 mm. How do you shape it for 10 mm ? If you use the Mezz thingy it's nickle,dime and penny. Nickle radius is 10.605 mm and penny is 9.525 mm, do you shape big or small?
Glad Mezz came out with a gauge thingy but the U. S. Mint came out with pretty handy gauges a long time ago. :)
Click to expand...
 
I was watching the What's in the Case video of Ralph Souquet, and when he mentioned his Cue Cube scuffer Sam said, "So you're a dime guy" his reply was just a simple, "I guess so..". Interesting how he doesn't even care :P
 
Well, the point is stick with one that you like. I do a lot re-tipping for guys locally and notice that no one really know what they want and need. If you play with a dime shape tip vs nickel or penny.....will it affect your game? I really don't know but logically you would think there would be a minor impact. If you put the curvature of your tip to a cue ball, you'll realize that the hit would be different with each shape...does it have an impact that make a different? I would think in extreme cases, like a flat tip vs a dime shaped one would change your game. I have some guys that like their tip really flat because they think it more accurate and much easier to play with.

Anyway, would like to get some feedback on what is an ideal shape or it's it just preference like tip.

Regard,
Duc.



Tbeaux said:
Ummm ok......now you know that your "perfect radius" is 10 mm. How do you shape it for 10 mm ? If you use the Mezz thingy it's nickle,dime and penny. Nickle radius is 10.605 mm and penny is 9.525 mm, do you shape big or small?
Glad Mezz came out with a gauge thingy but the U. S. Mint came out with pretty handy gauges a long time ago. :)
Click to expand...
 
Cuemaster98 said:
I have a tip cutter that's set for my radius...not everyone has a lathe but I would imagine the mezz gauge would do the job for some.

The only reason why I bough this up was that I play with lot of different cues and I've started to realized that cue with proper radius (curvature) plays better than cue with shaft that done have it shape as good. Lots of other factor to consider but just think people should pay more attention to the shape of their tip. Just been noticing how anal some of the pros are with how their tip should be shaped.

Regards,
Duc.
Click to expand...


Oh....ok, you have a lathe.
I've seen some pros who worry alot about there tip and others who don't. Strangest one I've seen was a chinese female player at the Amway Cup a couple of years ago. She was using a 12" rasp on her tip every time she had to leave the table.:eek:
 
Well, if you give him a cue with a different curvature, I'm sure he'll notice really quick. Most of the pro know what they want and will be able to tell if their cue doesn't feel right to them.

wontonny said:
I was watching the What's in the Case video of Ralph Souquet, and when he mentioned his Cue Cube scuffer Sam said, "So you're a dime guy" his reply was just a simple, "I guess so..". Interesting how he doesn't even care :P
Click to expand...
 
I don't think it matters what the radius is as long as you like the way it plays and you stick with whatever it is.
 
As has been shown in high speed videos, when a cue tip strikes a cue ball it compresses the tip possibly deforming the curvature making it temporarily flat unless it's a rock so I think the curvature or radius of the tip on harder struck shots is barely a fine tuning measure for spin.Basically at that point we all shoot with a flat tip.
If you tend to play a softer more finessed game then I think the dime can give you more spin with less effort over the penny and nickel shapes no matter what hardness the tip is. I guess the hardness of the tip and speed of the shot are what would make the curvature more relevant.

I use medium hard tips on all my cues but have a system for radius. This may sound silly but it makes sense to me. I use the nickel shape on my break cue and the dime radius on my shooting cues as long as the tips are close to 13 mm. If they are closer to 12 mm I use the nickel radius.

Anyone else do anything like this?
 
Try solving the equation for b with a known Radius. Can't remember how to do this for the life of me and I used to be really good at math. I'm willing send out a free Hard Molavia for the correct answer.

Try telling the guy installing your tip next time that you need a 9.8 radius on your tip? LOL.

I think the curvature of your tip is pretty much the same as the taper of your shaft. Some can feel the difference and some don't know the different but they know if it feel right when they shoot with it. If you really like the way your cue play now, find out why.

Regards,
Duc.







justadub said:
:rotflmao1:

Me, too!
Click to expand...
 
pooln8r said:
This may sound silly but it makes sense to me. I use the nickel shape on my break cue and the dime radius on my shooting cues as long as the tips are close to 13 mm. If they are closer to 12 mm I use the nickel radius.

Anyone else do anything like this?
Click to expand...

Yep. But on the break tip, nickle only on the edges...the center is a little flatter.
:p
 
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