How straight is straight???

Bob Farr

Bob Farr

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Help me guys. I'm obsessed with straight and would love someone to convince me that I am too picky. I pay a lot of money for a custom cue, receive it, roll it on the table. Looks straight. I put the butt on the table and the joint on the rail and roll it again, tip goes up and down and I go bonkers!
What's up? I have some that no matter how you roll it there is no movement at all. Yea! I think they should all be this way.
When should a buyer send it back and say it's crooked?
How is the best way to check for straightness?

Please someone rescue me from all the worry I lay on myself!!!
 
Bob Farr said:
Help me guys. I'm obsessed with straight and would love someone to convince me that I am too picky. I pay a lot of money for a custom cue, receive it, roll it on the table. Looks straight. I put the butt on the table and the joint on the rail and roll it again, tip goes up and down and I go bonkers!
What's up? I have some that no matter how you roll it there is no movement at all. Yea! I think they should all be this way.
When should a buyer send it back and say it's crooked?
How is the best way to check for straightness?

Please someone rescue me from all the worry I lay on myself!!!
Click to expand...

Just my opinion but ...
If the tip leaves the table when you roll it ... it aint straight!

And you are perfectly correct in expecting a new cue that IS straight from a custom or production cue maker.

Want to really check it?
Then lay the cue half off the table with the joint just an inch or outside the rail.
Most cues will draw very small circles in the air with the tip when rolled like this ... and small is OK.
No small tip circles ... then the cue is dead nuts!
 
Bob Farr said:
Help me guys. I'm obsessed with straight and would love someone to convince me that I am too picky. I pay a lot of money for a custom cue, receive it, roll it on the table. Looks straight. I put the butt on the table and the joint on the rail and roll it again, tip goes up and down and I go bonkers!
What's up? I have some that no matter how you roll it there is no movement at all. Yea! I think they should all be this way.
When should a buyer send it back and say it's crooked?
How is the best way to check for straightness?

Please someone rescue me from all the worry I lay on myself!!!
Click to expand...

If the cue rolls straight when rolled on a table but doesn't when it is rolled like you explained above it is mostly likely nothing but the taper used when building the cue. Neither method that you are using means that the cues are straight or not, the only sure method for checking how straight a cue is to put it between centers in a Lathe. The butt and shaft should be spun separately and checked with a Dial Indicator, then the cue should be put together and spun with cues joint at least 3 to 4 inches from the chuck. The joint should then be checked with a Dial Indicator, to insure that the pin is set straight, that shaft insert section is bored straight, and that the cue is properly faced.

Now if your cues pass those tests they are certainly straight and you have nothing to be concerned with. However, even if there is some deviation, the question is how much it really effect your game? In most minor cases not at all unless you are more concerned with perfection than making the balls. There are many people who blame all their missed shots on the cue, not saying that you do this, but for those who do this there is nothing that will help them except changing there bad habits.

Very few cues will meet the criteria I have set above but if you want perfection that is the only way to see if you have it. I hope I have not added more to your concerns, but this I can guaranty the way you are checking your cues may ease your mind but, it doesn't prove you have a straight cue.

Take Care
 
This thread puts me in mind of something that I heard a few years ago.
Apparently, Jeanette Lee and ESPN were working on a collaboration to illustrate the strokes of the Pros and how perfect they were.
They had to abandon the project because they couldn't find enough Pros with a perfect stroke. They were all off in varying degrees.

So.....if even the Pros have an imperfect stroke, why are you worrying yourself about a cue that rolls-out by an 1/8" or so? Do you think that Earl's CueTec with the electrical tape wrap was DNP. Do you think he even cared?
Something else you should consider is that cues are made of wood and wood moves on a daily basis.

Perfection is a lofty goal and worthy of pursuit. Then we get wiser and realize that true perfection does not exist.
 
listen to the cuemakers

KJ Cues said:
This thread puts me in mind of something that I heard a few years ago.
Apparently, Jeanette Lee and ESPN were working on a collaboration to illustrate the strokes of the Pros and how perfect they were.
They had to abandon the project because they couldn't find enough Pros with a perfect stroke. They were all off in varying degrees.

So.....if even the Pros have an imperfect stroke, why are you worrying yourself about a cue that rolls-out by an 1/8" or so? Do you think that Earl's CueTec with the electrical tape wrap was DNP. Do you think he even cared?
Something else you should consider is that cues are made of wood and wood moves on a daily basis.

Perfection is a lofty goal and worthy of pursuit. Then we get wiser and realize that true perfection does not exist.
Click to expand...

this is the answer a lot of people dont want to hear, but it is the right answer. and rolling a cue on a pool table isnt the best way to check for a warp, but it works. just understand like craig said it aint perfect.
 
I have 2 Predator shafts that have a tad roll to them.
2 Schon shafts that roll a bit.
Absolutely doesn't affect the play at all.
Just have to get your head around the fact.
What bugs me is a ding in the shaft in my bridge area.
I've got way less expensive cues that roll straight as an arrow.
Doesn't make a bit of difference unless the tip is flopping off the table like a fish out of water.
 
If the cue rolls straight on the table, but not with the joint up on the rail, you have either a joint that is not properly faced, or a pin/insert/shaft hole that is off-center.
 
Thanks everyone for the feedback. I won't worry about so much it any more. If the tip doesn't come off the table, then it's straight enough. I never really thought any of them hampered my play as I always felt the biggest problem was the guy holding the cue. I just wanted to know what you builders thought. Thanks again, B.F.
 
KJ Cues said:
This thread puts me in mind of something that I heard a few years ago.
Apparently, Jeanette Lee and ESPN were working on a collaboration to illustrate the strokes of the Pros and how perfect they were.
They had to abandon the project because they couldn't find enough Pros with a perfect stroke. They were all off in varying degrees.

So.....if even the Pros have an imperfect stroke, why are you worrying yourself about a cue that rolls-out by an 1/8" or so? Do you think that Earl's CueTec with the electrical tape wrap was DNP. Do you think he even cared?
Something else you should consider is that cues are made of wood and wood moves on a daily basis.

Perfection is a lofty goal and worthy of pursuit. Then we get wiser and realize that true perfection does not exist.
Click to expand...

This reply will never work it makes too much sense! A lot of old time players would just mark one side of there cue with a pencil so it was the same each time. As long as it is reasonably straight there is not a problem.
 
Setting the cue on the rail and rolling it is an old cue traders trick to convince a seller that their cue is crooked. If it rolls flat while on a properly assembled pool table, there is nothing to be concerned about. If a cue is not perfectly round, just a few thousands off, extended out 29 inches, exagerates the tip making circles when using the rail roll method.

Sighting down the cue like a gun barrel is still the best way as it takes most of the variables out of the equation, ie; compound tapers, wrap higher than finish, 3 piece slate that is not all on the same plane, etc.
 
Straight

I have seen cues that rolled flat and looked fine when sighting down it like a gun barrel, but take it apart only to see the joint is way off center. I would think this would affect the cues playabilty, but it rolled straight. I always try to make everything dead nuts on the repairs I make, but I know I have played very well with equipment that had a slight flaw. The bottom line for me is, how do I play with it? :thumbup:
 
Palmetto cue said:
I have seen cues that rolled flat and looked fine when sighting down it like a gun barrel, but take it apart only to see the joint is way off center. I would think this would affect the cues playabilty, but it rolled straight. I always try to make everything dead nuts on the repairs I make, but I know I have played very well with equipment that had a slight flaw. The bottom line for me is, how do I play with it? :thumbup:
Click to expand...

If they are straight and round, they will roll flat on a flat surface.That is because if they truly are straight and round, then all parts are equidistant from center at any given point along it's length. (Tapers changes galore make no difference at all) Thus No wobble. (This simple concept eludes even cuemakers at times) No shit!

Now yes, minor little things make minor little variances and are inconsequential. but if something is off enough to be really obvious... then something is not real great.

Now as to what you observed, It really makes no difference for "straightness" if the pin or the shafts threaded cavity is centered or not, as long as it all lines up when the two pieces lock together.
I have had several old cues that were made from one piece cues that were cut, Pinned, then turned straight while screwed together. They look like a camshaft as you put them together, But seat in flush and straight as they tighten up.
I would be quite alarmed to see this on anything but an antique.
 
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