Making crappy wood useable

spliced

spliced

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've read many statements from cuemakers that one of the only reasons for laminating shafts (flat or radially) is that it makes crappy wood "useable", and also that using very good wood in a spliced shaft would just be a waste of good wood. This confuses me and I have a few questions:

Does "useable" mean less likely to warp, or more likely to play well?

Does a spliced shaft with crappy wood play "almost as well" or "just as well" as a one piece shaft of quality maple? What is the difference in playability?

Does the "radial consistency" offered by radially splicing a shaft allow for significantly more consistency than a shaft of solid maple?

Do you use a spliced shaft or a solid shaft on your playing cue?

And lastly...
For a pool player interested in playing competitevly and progresssing his game to its highest potential through practice and lessons, is the consistency of a spliced shaft with decent wood more desirable than that of a one piece shaft of super high quality wood? Why or why not?

Thanks for your time. I know it has been beaten to death, but I would like a more current update as to cuemakers feelings on the subject.

IM
 
fullsplicefiend said:
I've read many statements from cuemakers that one of the only reasons for laminating shafts (flat or radially) is that it makes crappy wood "useable", and also that using very good wood in a spliced shaft would just be a waste of good wood. This confuses me and I have a few questions:

Does "useable" mean less likely to warp, or more likely to play well?

Does a spliced shaft with crappy wood play "almost as well" or "just as well" as a one piece shaft of quality maple? What is the difference in playability?

Does the "radial consistency" offered by radially splicing a shaft allow for significantly more consistency than a shaft of solid maple?

Do you use a spliced shaft or a solid shaft on your playing cue?

And lastly...
For a pool player interested in playing competitevly and progresssing his game to its highest potential through practice and lessons, is the consistency of a spliced shaft with decent wood more desirable than that of a one piece shaft of super high quality wood? Why or why not?

Thanks for your time. I know it has been beaten to death, but I would like a more current update as to cuemakers feelings on the subject.

IM
Click to expand...

At the end of the day, all you can get are opinions, often strong.

it comes down to this

there is no 'best' shaft type
the best shaft is the one you play best with
and that can vary due to your stroke and style of play
and about 1,2 zillion other factors

one tip I learned from a well known cuemaker who was also a very
good player, always determine the sweet spot for a shaft by rotating
the cue slightly as you hit test shots, then always hold the cue the same way. This removes any real or imangined problem resulting from
lack of radial consistency

I understand this isn't really an answer to the question you asked.
IMHO there is no answer to that question
hopefully it is an answer to a more important question

to summarize:
"One man's dream shaft is another man's Moochie"

Dale Pierce
 
fullsplicefiend said:
I've read many statements from cuemakers that one of the only reasons for laminating shafts (flat or radially) is that it makes crappy wood "useable", and also that using very good wood in a spliced shaft would just be a waste of good wood. This confuses me and I have a few questions:

Does "useable" mean less likely to warp, or more likely to play well?

Does a spliced shaft with crappy wood play "almost as well" or "just as well" as a one piece shaft of quality maple? What is the difference in playability?

Does the "radial consistency" offered by radially splicing a shaft allow for significantly more consistency than a shaft of solid maple?

Do you use a spliced shaft or a solid shaft on your playing cue?

And lastly...
For a pool player interested in playing competitevly and progresssing his game to its highest potential through practice and lessons, is the consistency of a spliced shaft with decent wood more desirable than that of a one piece shaft of super high quality wood? Why or why not?

Thanks for your time. I know it has been beaten to death, but I would like a more current update as to cuemakers feelings on the subject.

IM
Click to expand...
I personally make flat laminated shafts, on my own playing Qs. I don't like the term "crappy", when you describe wood for these shafts. For example most Qmakers would not use shaft wood, with 4 grain lines to the inch. It would be very light weight, too springy & just not have the solid hit that we look for. On the other hand if the grain is straight & you slice it into thin vaneers & glue it into a plywood type board you have a shaft that LOOKS like a shaft having 20+ grain lines to the inch. You also end up with lots of shafts that look, weigh & play the same. As far as playability, I feel that these shafts are slightly heavier & stiffer than the average shaft. They have a great hit & are by far the best shaft you can have, for jump & break Qs. I read posts by some Qmakers that they have old grouth shafts with 30-40 grain lines to the inch. Frankly in 22 years of repair work, I've never seen one. If I can get shaft wood with 15 or more grain lines to the inch, with straight grain, I use them on my high end Qs. That's what the customers would prefer. Get used to the laminated shafts because they are the future...JER
 
fullsplicefiend said:
one of the only reasons for laminating shafts is that it makes crappy wood "useable"
Click to expand...
Sounds like a direct quote from Bob Meucci.:D
Jerry is correct...laminated shafts are indeed the future.
 
Varney Cues said:
.:D
Jerry is correct...laminated shafts are indeed the future.
Click to expand...
And if that future is with the flat lam stock I've been seeing, it ain't good.
A friend ordered 30 pieces and after he had me turn down a couple while he was working one, I saw enough. They were not good enough to be a ahead of the grip hand imo. Might make for nice buttcap tenons.
Maybe the future might be with laminated bamboos or coated oak.
 
fullsplicefiend said:
I've read many statements from cuemakers that one of the only reasons for laminating shafts (flat or radially) is that it makes crappy wood "useable", and also that using very good wood in a spliced shaft would just be a waste of good wood. This confuses me and I have a few questions:

Does "useable" mean less likely to warp, or more likely to play well?

Does a spliced shaft with crappy wood play "almost as well" or "just as well" as a one piece shaft of quality maple? What is the difference in playability?

Does the "radial consistency" offered by radially splicing a shaft allow for significantly more consistency than a shaft of solid maple?

Do you use a spliced shaft or a solid shaft on your playing cue?

And lastly...
For a pool player interested in playing competitevly and progresssing his game to its highest potential through practice and lessons, is the consistency of a spliced shaft with decent wood more desirable than that of a one piece shaft of super high quality wood? Why or why not?

Thanks for your time. I know it has been beaten to death, but I would like a more current update as to cuemakers feelings on the subject.

IM
Click to expand...

You have good wood.............you have crappy wood.
Good wood is usable...........crappy wood is not.
Anyone that is using crappy wood is not using good wood!
IMO there is not anything one can do to make crappy wood good wood.
Crappy wood used in cue=crappy cue!
 
BarenbruggeCues said:
You have good wood.............you have crappy wood.
Good wood is usable...........crappy wood is not.
Anyone that is using crappy wood is not using good wood!
IMO there is not anything one can do to make crappy wood good wood.
Crappy wood used in cue=crappy cue!
Click to expand...

Good reply, no one can say it better!!!!!

Manwon
 
JoeyInCali said:
And if that future is with the flat lam stock I've been seeing, it ain't good.
A friend ordered 30 pieces and after he had me turn down a couple while he was working one, I saw enough. They were not good enough to be a ahead of the grip hand imo. Might make for nice buttcap tenons.
Maybe the future might be with laminated bamboos or coated oak.
Click to expand...

Your friend needs a new wood vendor. In the 5-6 years that I have been offering the flat laminated shaft as an option. I think I have used 95% of all of the blanks that I have bought. I have had a few that had glue gaps & a few that had blemishes. Other than that, they look like a shaft with 20 grain lines to the inch...JER
 
BLACKHEARTCUES said:
I personally make flat laminated shafts, on my own playing Qs. I don't like the term "crappy", when you describe wood for these shafts. For example most Qmakers would not use shaft wood, with 4 grain lines to the inch. It would be very light weight, too springy & just not have the solid hit that we look for. On the other hand if the grain is straight & you slice it into thin vaneers & glue it into a plywood type board you have a shaft that LOOKS like a shaft having 20+ grain lines to the inch. You also end up with lots of shafts that look, weigh & play the same. As far as playability, I feel that these shafts are slightly heavier & stiffer than the average shaft. They have a great hit & are by far the best shaft you can have, for jump & break Qs. I read posts by some Qmakers that they have old grouth shafts with 30-40 grain lines to the inch. Frankly in 22 years of repair work, I've never seen one. If I can get shaft wood with 15 or more grain lines to the inch, with straight grain, I use them on my high end Qs. That's what the customers would prefer. Get used to the laminated shafts because they are the future...JER
Click to expand...

Hello to all...

Here's one with about 30 RPI (+-) and 40's are also available in limited supply.
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/cuecomponents_1924_59577833
 
BLACKHEARTCUES said:
What's an RPI???????...JER
Click to expand...
Rings per Inch.

I have some with really tight grains. The thing about 20 GPI's or more is sometimes the rings are concentrated on one side. That's the stronger side and tends to push the weaker side where there's less rings. So you need to center them right. Get on the tighter side as much as possible.
 
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