Idea for better analyzing a cue's value and other uses, too.

[chefjeff]

I have an idea that cue makers might use. I've done a small prototype of it, but didn't get deep into making it perfect.

I'd like to have a way to count the number of times my cue has stuck the cueball. So, I put a pedometer on the butt of my cue and it does work sort of to keep track.

Why not a hit counter inside the butt? This would be valuable for several reasons:

It would tell a buyer how much use a cue has had (if that matters, I think it would)
It could be used for practicing by telling the player when he has reached a number goal for shots. For example reaching the HAMB threshold.
Instructors could know if their students are really practicing.
It could be improved to measure the force of each hit and be able to chart that to a computer for analysis.
I'm sure there are more uses, but those are just a few.

Any comments or ideas or cuemakers who already do this?


Jeff Livingston

 

[Mr. Bond]

Ideally an accelerometer would be perfect. A fancy one could tell you about stroke angle and speed as well...

 

[pt109]

My '68 Joss has hit whitey 1,682,473 times.
....I got a good memory








some of those hit were miscues....

 

[Skratch]

I dont think it makes much sense. Just my opinion.
1. You can film your practice sessions.
2. The value of a cue is largely affected by the condition (dings,scratches, etc) that your device will not help to adjust the cost for cue. I don't think anyone cares how many times its struck a cue ball when you're buying it used.
3. Hit speed, can be recorded by filming again, or radar gun.

What might be more useful is putting a device to track its location. Think LoJack for a cue. Find who stole it and get it back!

 

[BuddyWing]

^^^^^
I agree 100%.
This makes more sense.

 

[chefjeff]

Ideally an accelerometer would be perfect. A fancy one could tell you about stroke angle and speed as well...

Imagine the feedback from hitting, say, 100,000 shots.

I'd think it would provide great info for improvement. Sure a video helps, but long-term data tells the real story.

Thanks for you input,

Jeff Livingston

 

[PRED]

Imagine the feedback from hitting, say, 100,000 shots.

I'd think it would provide great info for improvement. Sure a video helps, but long-term data tells the real story.

Thanks for you input,

Jeff Livingston

Put a chip in the tip. I own a cue that the maker embedded a RFID chip for ID if lost or stolen. Pretty cool idea and one of the reasons I bought it. Don't know if any other cues have them.

 

[chefjeff]

I dont think it makes much sense. Just my opinion.
1. You can film your practice sessions.
2. The value of a cue is largely affected by the condition (dings,scratches, etc) that your device will not help to adjust the cost for cue. I don't think anyone cares how many times its struck a cue ball when you're buying it used.
3. Hit speed, can be recorded by filming again, or radar gun.

What might be more useful is putting a device to track its location. Think LoJack for a cue. Find who stole it and get it back!

Thanks for your opinion.

Having all that equipment for EVERY shot you shoot would be quite impractical. And then, how to analyze it?

Cars have odometers, machinery has hours used, etc. I agree with the location device. Those are available now, though I haven't seen one built-in to a cue.

Jeff Livingston

 

[chefjeff]

Put a chip in the tip

And/or the butt.

Since shafts and butts are interchanged, you idea has merit.

Thanks,

Jeff Livingston

 

[Scott Lee]

Jeff...Instructors will KNOW if their students are really practicing by the next time they have a lesson. We don't need a counter to tell us. Either they practiced, and it will show...or they didn't, and it will show.

Scott Lee

Instructors could know if their students are really practicing.

Jeff Livingston

 

[Str8PoolPlayer]

Howzabout a implanted camera to count the number of times the shaft
was bent into a curve during the Break, Ala Tom Cruise. You could also
view how many times the shaft was banged against the rail after a miss.

 

[slide13]

I'm not sure how a hit count is useful for anything. Seems a pointless number to me that I don't see any need to know. Keep any such device away from my cue, thanks.

 

[chefjeff]

I'm not sure how a hit count is useful for anything. Seems a pointless number to me that I don't see any need to know. Keep any such device away from my cue, thanks.

I first had the idea during practice sessions. After I finished, I was wondering just how many shots I had executed during the time frame (shots per hour).

I was interested at the time in speeding up my rhythm just a bit and wanted to track that better. Then I thought of the total number of hits on my cue and what wear and tear that might entail and thought of cue buyers who might like that number, too.

How many hits can any cue take before the wood fibers break down a bit and change the feel and hit of it? I don't know. Does anyone?


Jeff Livingston

 

[Tramp Steamer]

How about an intern with ta-ta's 'til Tuesday, taking notes? I heard the colleges are full of 'em.

 

[chefjeff]

How about an intern with ta-ta's 'til Tuesday, taking notes? I heard the colleges are full of 'em.

Hard to squish her into one's case, though.

I was doing an Am. Rotation match the other evening and in walks a leggy blonde with a tight outfit on.

I missed.


Jeff Livingston

 

[chefjeff]

A thread about the Digicue is here:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=433770


With all these cool ideas, I'm thinking a fully integrated "Smart Cue" can't be far away.


Jeff Livingston

 

[chefjeff]

More Digicue here:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=434018


Jeff Livingston

 

[Johnny Rosato]

My '68 Joss has hit whitey 1,682,473 times.
....I got a good memory








some of those hit were miscues....

How many miscues ??? LOL

 

[Bavafongoul]

There isn't any reliable life expectancy for a pool cue, especially since tips can be replaced as needed.

Therefore, there's no finite number that can be assigned. Ergo, diminishing the cue's remaining worth
is without any purpose since without life expectancy of the cue, everything else is pure conjecture.

If you want to compile & analyze empirical information, then perhaps OB's Digicue device is going to be
the predecessor of better things to come but via the cue accessory marketplace instead of cue-makers.

 

[SJDinPHX]

Jeff...Instructors will KNOW if their students are really practicing by the next time they have a lesson. We don't need a counter to tell us. Either they practiced, and it will show...or they didn't, and it will show.

Scott Lee

Its a good thing I never had a genuine 'Professional Billiard Instructor' to monitor my practicing!
I doubt I have actually 'practiced' for over 2 hours, combined, in my entire life!..Staying in action is how you improve..Practicing is for 'newbies', or people who don't know how to play!

PS..Look at all that wasted time, that could better be spent drinking, partying, and chasing women!