Fooling around w/coring

screamingelvis

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have spent a few days taking in this forum and have a few questions that I'll ask in separate threads. This querry I am wondering if the diameter of coring in a cue has alot to do with hit, durability, and warpage.

We can toss out the obvious going to 1/2" the support for say 3/8 x 10 pin would be suspect i guess.

But 5/8 vs 3/4, or has someone done 1/2 ?

The other issue would threading the core be better?

Thanks Jim
 
I am experimenting with helium impregnated cores right now.
Really, I don't suspect that it will work very well but I bought a huge tank and I'm having fun inhaling it and talking funny.
 
1/2 would be too small . The collar tenons are usually 5/8 , so .650" to 3/4 is the norm.
 
If you contact sterling gun drills they will have you what you need. All my coring bits are oversized so I can clean them up for ringwork. I core all my forearms 650. And my handles are like .775

Tell sterling you are making cues and u want them slightly oversized with air. Also ask them to include the nipple for the air bc in my area it was hard to find and I ended up having to order it online
 
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If you contact settling gun drills they will hive you what you need. All my cling bits are oversized so I can clean them up for ringwork. I core all my forearms 650. And my handles are like .775

Tell sterling you are making cues and u want them slightly oversized with air. Also ask them to include the nipple for the air bc in my area it was hard to find and I ended up having to order it online

+1 for Sterling. I have 4(i always change my mind..)
 
I split the difference between .650 and .750 or whatever. My core is the same size and full length. My gun drill is .6876. I turn the core to fit .... about .012 under size and sand it until it slips in. I cut the core at a fast speed so I can feel a slight spiral finish on the core so I don't cut glue grooves in it.

For the rings and end caps..... After glue up, I turn the front of the core to .650 and the back of the core I sleeve up to .750. The hit is solid.

Kim
 
Ditto for Sterling, I have two and the quality is good and the price was good. As stated before get the drill oversized for the size core you want.
 
I don't think diameter actually affects playability near as much as quality & type of wood the core is made of. Aside from the posts advising using core sizes to match ring size, which I agree with, I personally feel more emphasis needs to be put on quality & type of core rather than diameter of core. It's a complex science for sure.
 
I don't think diameter actually affects playability near as much as quality & type of wood the core is made of. Aside from the posts advising using core sizes to match ring size, which I agree with, I personally feel more emphasis needs to be put on quality & type of core rather than diameter of core. It's a complex science for sure.

Good point. I have used a laminated maple core but lately I use just a core from straight grained shaft wood. It seems to work the same and feel the same.

Kim
 
I am experimenting with helium impregnated cores right now.
Really, I don't suspect that it will work very well but I bought a huge tank and I'm having fun inhaling it and talking funny.

Hi,

Helium impregnation of wood would seem to be an oxymoron. Helium as a gas has a propensity to escape over time from even the most well designed valve seats. I can't imagine it wanting to stay put in wood fiber and to what end attribute.

I may be missing some other feature of your procedure but I don't think helium is the answer.

Helium is expensive don't waste it as a resource on wood.

Rick G
 
Hi,

Helium impregnation of wood would seem to be an oxymoron. Helium as a gas has a propensity to escape over time from even the most well designed valve seats. I can't imagine it wanting to stay put in wood fiber and to what end attribute.

I may be missing some other feature of your procedure but I don't think helium is the answer.

Helium is expensive don't waste it as a resource on wood.

Rick G
You actually thought he was serious?
 
I am experimenting with helium impregnated cores right now.
Really, I don't suspect that it will work very well but I bought a huge tank and I'm having fun inhaling it and talking funny.

It will need a 32 oz weight bolt or it will float away.......

Kim
 
What's a good stable wood to use if you want to bump the weight up that won't cost too much? I am thinking purpleheart. Anything better?
 
Well Kim, its like this. Many years ago, I impregnated my wife and it cost me a ton of money and grief. So, I have to be real careful about what I impregnate again. That said, I really enjoy talking like Donald Duck but man, does helium ever give you a big head ache.
 
Well Kim, its like this. Many years ago, I impregnated my wife and it cost me a ton of money and grief. So, I have to be real careful about what I impregnate again. That said, I really enjoy talking like Donald Duck but man, does helium ever give you a big head ache.

It makes me dizzy if I do it too much.

Kim
 
I don't think diameter actually affects playability near as much as quality & type of wood the core is made of. Aside from the posts advising using core sizes to match ring size, which I agree with, I personally feel more emphasis needs to be put on quality & type of core rather than diameter of core. It's a complex science for sure.

I honesty respect everything you say. ESP about woods. However here I must disagree. I cored a very expensive spalted maple with a .650 core of old purple heart from a brunswick sneaky Pete (50 years old or so) I cut up alot of sneaky petes for shafts handles and cores. Anyway it was straight ats an arrow spinning but once I started taking passes ESP near the ajoint I could not stop it from wobbling and chattering. I even put a steady rest in the middle of the forearm. No luck. Ruined a 150$+ piece of wood. I did another piece from the same place and cored it .775 and it was alot more stable. No chatter.

I am not a fan of coring forearms 775 Too small at the joint IMO. But handles should be cored 775
 
I core every thing on the cue at .750. I bought mt gun drill about 15 years ago and was one of the first to core their cues. When I ordered the drill it never dawned on me that the coring dowels would have to be a little smaller than .750 or I would have ordered the bit a little larger so that standard size phenolic and rings could easily be used. I can think of no reason why any builder would want to design a joint as small as .800 so unless your prong warps right at the joint why worry that the cue has been bored at .780. You just need to be sure that your dowel has good centers before use as a core.

Dick
 
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