New Shaft Technology

Well I looked at the McDermott Web-Site and yes they are offering Three New Super Shafts, (Intimidator High Performance Shafts) but I ask the question to those in the know. Are these Shaft just Tapered Differently, with Different Tips to achieve different hits, actions, and reactions. Or is the Technology totally new? If the Technology is new what is the new part of the technology? Besides the Shafts being Tapered Differently, with Different Tips?
 
azbicyclis85376 said:
Or is the Technology totally new? If the Technology is new what is the new part of the technology? Besides the Shafts being Tapered Differently, with Different Tips?
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HUH???....I think you need to go back and read the entire thread. It's new technology using carbon fiber and other materials like it's not been done before and integrated with actual wood. This is far beyond cuetech or any other attempts using this material and will only get better.
 
Looking at it a bit more closely (Just got the 2005 Mueller catalog that has them in it with an easy to read comparson chart) the 3 different shafts have different diameters, tapers and tips. Specifically they range from Soft, Medium and Hard Moori tips with 13mm, 12.75mm and 11.75mm diameters. (At least you get a Moori tip on your $200+ shaft.)

There is no indication I could see if the carbon insert is the same across all the shafts or if it is changed in diamater/stiffness for each design.

The "i3" model with the constant taper sounds very similar to the Predator "Z Shaft" with similar claims of minized deflection. I personally think most US players used to "Pro" tapered shafts will be in for a very rude surprise if they buy one of these.

To me this seems like things any good custom cue builder can make now with standard wooden shafts and seems very similar to the range of shafts Schuler offers. (Although Schuler have more choices.) However there is definately something to be said for the consistency of mass produced products if they can maintain quality. In my opinion the current retail cost is exhorbitant compared to products from custom cue builder.
 
Sheldon said:
read post #13 in this thread
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I went to the McDermott Web-Site, and saw nothing like what was in Post # 13. This Reporter asks what is the source of your information?

So I can only assume McDermott is just offering Shafts being Tapered Differently, with Different Tips? As that is about all they say publicly.

If indeed they have develop New Shaft Technology, it will not take long to cut up one of their New Shafts, and see what make em tick. Than the Chineese Copy Kats go to work.

Companies marketing departments are constantly trying to reinvent the wheel, and put a new spin on it. But basically it is like NEW this or NEW found on the Supermarket Shelf that the only thing NEW is the Box or Sales Pitch. Call me cenacle but for the most part that is how big business operates. Sell em SIZZLE, the Steak is included with the price. :(
 
azbicyclis85376 said:
I went to the McDermott Web-Site, and saw nothing like what was in Post # 13. This Reporter asks what is the source of your information?

So I can only assume McDermott is just offering Shafts being Tapered Differently, with Different Tips? As that is about all they say publicly.

If indeed they have develop New Shaft Technology, it will not take long to cut up one of their New Shafts, and see what make em tick. Than the Chineese Copy Kats go to work.

Companies marketing departments are constantly trying to reinvent the wheel, and put a new spin on it. But basically it is like NEW this or NEW found on the Supermarket Shelf that the only thing NEW is the Box or Sales Pitch. Call me cenacle but for the most part that is how big business operates. Sell em SIZZLE, the Steak is included with the price. :(
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Get the new issue of Billiards Digest and you'll see a cross section illustration of the carbon fiber and how the different layers are molded together for stiffness and performance. It's worked unbelievably well in golf clubs and other sports equipment, why shouldn't it eventually do likewise in pool? There will always be skeptics and naysayers...hell, I'm one of them myself until proven otherwise. I just know for a fact that it has tremendous potential and can be a technological advancement for improvement if done correctly. I don't know if this first generation has accomplished it yet, we'll see.
 
drivermaker said:
Get the new issue of Billiards Digest and you'll see a cross section illustration of the carbon fiber and how the different layers are molded together for stiffness and performance. It's worked unbelievably well in golf clubs and other sports equipment, why shouldn't it eventually do likewise in pool? There will always be skeptics and naysayers...hell, I'm one of them myself until proven otherwise. I just know for a fact that it has tremendous potential and can be a technological advancement for improvement if done correctly. I don't know if this first generation has accomplished it yet, we'll see.
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Never seen a Billiards Digest in the super market, but if it show a a cross section illustration of the carbon fiber and how the different layers are molded together for stiffness and performance. NUFF SAID... :D
 
azbicyclis85376 said:
but if it show a a cross section illustration of how the different layers are molded together for stiffness and performance. NUFF SAID... :D
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Ooops...my mistake, it was for a Viagra ad.
 
I played with one

So I got to play with one last night. It took me about a half hour to get used to the way it played (very, very low deflection) after that, it played fantastic. I was getting unreal spin on the ball with tremendous accuracy.

A shot that I would normally play with extreme english on my custom shaft, I could play with about half a tip of english with this shaft, and have better accuracy and control with it. I was very impressed.

I'm going to play with it a few more nights, but, the first 4 hours that I played with it were absolutely unreal....I dropped right into dead stroke with it, and that shaft played like it was built for me. Coincidentally, it was the ice #2.

If you get the opportunity to hit with one, I highly suggest it....if I keep playing the way I did last night with it, I'm going to but 10 of them, so I always have them for the rest of my life.
 
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!

I hope they start making them in a wide assortment of thread types- shouldn't be too hard to set an insert...

And watch it with that blade, fella!

-pigi

Pigcarver said:
So I got to play with one last night. It took me about a half hour to get used to the way it played (very, very low deflection) after that, it played fantastic. I was getting unreal spin on the ball with tremendous accuracy.

A shot that I would normally play with extreme english on my custom shaft, I could play with about half a tip of english with this shaft, and have better accuracy and control with it. I was very impressed.

I'm going to play with it a few more nights, but, the first 4 hours that I played with it were absolutely unreal....I dropped right into dead stroke with it, and that shaft played like it was built for me. Coincidentally, it was the ice #2.

If you get the opportunity to hit with one, I highly suggest it....if I keep playing the way I did last night with it, I'm going to but 10 of them, so I always have them for the rest of my life.
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SplicedPoints said:
Hope they offer them in 3-8/10, SW, and radial pins.
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Yes, click on "order" and you can see the options. All popular joints are supported.

And yes, very interesting thread. I've been keeping an eye on this stuff, and am tempted to buy one. Not because I need it, but because I "want" it even though I never subscribed to the predator stuff.
 
RichardCranium said:
Hmmmm.....if this goes anything like the golf shaft did....There may be a new market open up in the pool world....This thread could very well be the emergance of the word "cue fitter"......That is right up your alley DM...If you need a partner let me know...I would be interested in covering the West Coast.... :D :D :D

I would imagine that the shaft would play differently with different butts....Just like a Golf Shaft will play different with a different club head...

This could lead two hundreds or thousands of variations...
Perhaps even an OEM market to replace the origonal cues wood shaft....Wanna start making some conversion charts DM???...Instead of Golfsmith....we could start something like CueSmith....
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I see absolutly no reason for this not to happen. Since graphite golf shafts have come into vogue within about the last 15 years, I can't even calculate how many billions of dollars have been made and spent in this industry. CueSmith sounds like a winner of a name. The question is...is the pool playing public ready for it yet?
 
RichardCranium said:
Hmmmm.....if this goes anything like the golf shaft did....There may be a new market open up in the pool world....This thread could very well be the emergance of the word "cue fitter".....
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To me it looks like that is what it could lead to. At this point I'll not put to much stock into mystical powers and such. LOL Another on this thread mentioned twice as much spin blah, blah, etc, etc . I heard that from many inexperienced pred users.

I'll just say if it fits you better than your present shaft/combination, then it could be easier with less effort. Note, I'm not going for the magic wand trick.

Rod
 
I know what you mean about golf shafts and swapping heads. It doesn't always work. There though, were talking about flex and torque and what you need to "work" the ball. Of course distance is always on most peoples mind.

I think many pool players would buy into that in pool terms. Such as on that site they use power, control, and feel, or is it soft feel? People will buy most anything with good marketing. Come up with a catchy or tech name and it will sell.

I'd hope in time, and I have well before this or similar threads existed; people are informed and not just hustled into buying a product. There will be an accurate measure, and in terms understood by the customer.

I'll cite current terms with the Pred and Meucci. They refer to deflection. One time it's the cue then it's the c/b. There terms are not consistant but i'll assume they are refering to squirt. Maybe? The the 168%, 124%, etc. 168% of what? Yes I know it's over 50" but there not giving specifics. There only made up to suit their purpose and that is vague at best. Well enough of that crap! LOL

I haven't been out or playing very much, I'm sure they would let me play. LOL I won't be either until well after the first of the year.

Rod
 
Pigcarver: Have you ever played with a Predator? If so, which one (314 or Z)? How does the McDermot shaft compare to the Predator as far as deflection and action on the cue ball?

Thanks.
 
drivermaker said:
You're right about that, and they've pretty much just slapped the material together in the form of a shaft and put out garbage. But there is sooo much potential with this technology if they take their time and do it right in pool that it will make wooden pool shafts as archaic as wooden golf shafts. I think McDermott is breaking new ground because they are in fact getting more complex and higher tech in design than what's out there and I would guess in about 5 years or so that most production cue companies will have them available and they'll feel and play great, not like the current crap.
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production cue companies might do it, but the custom cuemakers won't. what about price?
 
Pigcarver said:
If you get the opportunity to hit with one, I highly suggest it....if I keep playing the way I did last night with it, I'm going to but 10 of them, so I always have them for the rest of my life.
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What is the composition of the outer layer on the shaft. Is it wood...is it like wood...or is it that sticky crap that's on a Cue-Tec?
 
whitewolf said:
Thanks for the report Drivermaker. A little question on the weighting. All of the carbonized golf drivers I have picked up are lighter than hell. Maybe there are some with different heads that weigh more and make the club feel heavier, but in pool the reverse is the case. I just can't imagine that they will be able to make the shafts heavier than the crap that is going around today, especially the Predator and it featherweight shaft. So what if they hit great - IMO if you can't get a front weighted cue then they are all worthless. I believe in my gyro theory - you need to be able to feel the location of the cue and if it is backweighted then you have less points of balance. Like a tripod - the backweighted stick has 'one leg' if you will and sucks big time.

If your answer is yes, then I will be very pleased beyond belief. Perhaps Blud would know.

Cheers, WW
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I agree with you on this 100%. I GOTTA have a front weighted cue or I won't even pick it up. This is one of my major questions and concerns also. I actually placed a call into McDermott today to ask that very question as well as what the outer portion is made of wood or something else. I got some voice mail of an individual that hasn't called back yet. When and if he does, I'll post the answers.
 
The shaft that is used is an all wood shaft, the same as what is on all of their cues. What they do is bore it out and insert the carbon fiber etc. inside of the shaft. So it is NOT carbon fiber which is then rolled or coated with a lamination or faux coating of woodlike material on a Cue-Tec. The weight will vary depending on the different tip sizes and tapers as well as the joint type. The 11.75mm tip weighs the least, the 12.75mm tip is in the middle, and the 13mm tip is the same weight as their normal shaft without the new technology, which is a 3/8-10 pin. On a 5/16-14 joint, it comes out heavier due to a brass pin that's inside. :)
However, I think they still may be lighter if you're looking for an heavier shaft, and I can only guess in saying that they might not be over 4 oz. I could be wrong.
 
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