Holly shaft

tedkaufman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Have any of you cuemakers tried making a shaft from holly? I don't know the cost of it relative to, say, rock maple, but holly is such a clean white wood and pretty strong from what I understand, I thought it might make a quality shaft. Any thoughts?
 
I believe it is too soft.

I believe it is also only clean and white if cut in the winter and very quickly dried, vacuum drying being optimal.

The shear strength and compression numbers are about the same as hard maple, but it weighs less than hard maple, and hard maple is quite a bit harder, no pun intended.

The volumetric shrinkage is higher than hard maple as well.

It would be interesting to know if anyone has ever tried it, but I would bet against that.

Just my opinion.
Kelly
 
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Kelly_Guy said:
I believe it is too soft.

I believe it is also only clean and white if cut in the winter and very quickly dried, vacuum drying being optimal.

The shear strength and compression numbers are about the same as hard maple, but it weighs less than hard maple, and hard maple is quite a bit harder, no pun intended.

The volumetric shrinkage is higher than hard maple as well.

It would be interesting to know if anyone has ever tried it, but I would bet against that.

Just my opinion.
Kelly

Holly is not a very stable wood. Be hard trying to keep one straight for longer than a few minutes I believe.

Dick
 
A nice substitute for ivory or micarta in inlays

because of its clean white appearance. But why is white always right in a cue shaft??? Shafts can have streaks, sugar, curl in grain, and a yellow palor and play like a wet dream! Some of those pretty white shafts consumers buy are bleached blondes that will show their soft side when played! Just a rant...
 
olsonsview said:
because of its clean white appearance. But why is white always right in a cue shaft??? Shafts can have streaks, sugar, curl in grain, and a yellow palor and play like a wet dream! Some of those pretty white shafts consumers buy are bleached blondes that will show their soft side when played! Just a rant...

Amen Brother.
 
I've use it for inlays, and It's kind of soft IMO also. I''ve heard it is very unstable as well, so not sure it would make a very good shaft.
The guy I got My slabs from called It ivory wood I believe. Is that another name for it?

Greg
 
Cue Crazy said:
I've use it for inlays, and It's kind of soft IMO also. I''ve heard it is very unstable as well, so not sure it would make a very good shaft.
The guy I got My slabs from called It ivory wood I believe. Is that another name for it?

Greg


I think it is sometimes called ivory wood, but there is also a South American species of wood that sometimes is referred to as ivory wood, and they are not alike except somewhat in color.

Kelly
 
Kelly_Guy said:
I think it is sometimes called ivory wood, but there is also a South American species of wood that sometimes is referred to as ivory wood, and they are not alike except somewhat in color.

Kelly



Thanks, This was supposed to be holly, and I am fairly positive that it was, but that was another name he used, guess it was his nickname for it. I just assumed that It was another name for it, because It was'nt the first time I had heard it called that. Either way I call It holly to be sure. It Is nice used as inlay if cured well. Cuts really easy, and not too hard on the tools. The first time I ever used It, I inlayed some into a set of coco caps, they seemed to grab some attention from those that saw them, and some people actually thought It was ivory until I told them differently.

Greg
 
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