michaelsu51216
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Is polycarbonate a good material to use for a low deflection shaft? Don't see many makers using them apart from Cuetec.
Polycarbonate Ferrule
- Thread starter michaelsu51216
- Start date
I think it will change the hit feel to something most of us would not want in a playing cue.
OK, I'll bite - can you explain that?
Can't be harder than melamine, nor softer than all the ivory substitutes. Somewhere in the middle?
I would not use typical acrylic due to brittleness, but if lexan, should be bullet proof - according to some of the old ads :grin:
smt
According to this, it has a higher density than acrylic or nylon....
https://polymeracademy.com/density-of-various-plastic/
So according to that, no (nylon looks best typically).
https://polymeracademy.com/density-of-various-plastic/
So according to that, no (nylon looks best typically).
Scroll through this post.
Most of the popular materials posted are denser than polycarbonate.
https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=301083
I like (use) melamine. Not seeing much on it, though.
Hardness & density do not directly correlate, either.
For "hit" I think cuemakers are more focused on (percieved) hardness.
Do you use nylon?
I had not heard of that use before.
I gather people are looking for less dense, in keeping with LD shafts.
However, many of the traditional materials are in the 1,6 g/cc range or more.
smt
Most of the popular materials posted are denser than polycarbonate.
https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=301083
I like (use) melamine. Not seeing much on it, though.
Hardness & density do not directly correlate, either.
For "hit" I think cuemakers are more focused on (percieved) hardness.
Do you use nylon?
I had not heard of that use before.
I gather people are looking for less dense, in keeping with LD shafts.
However, many of the traditional materials are in the 1,6 g/cc range or more.
smt
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I'm not the OP, I just printed some in nylon, but I'm also not a cue maker (not of wood at least).
And you're right, the OP's question is about density, not tensile strengths or anything else. To be honest, I feel that the OP's question is a can of worms and that for the commonly available materials, the differences are moot.
And at least at this source, melamine has a 1.57g/cc:
https://www.southernchemical.com/wp/pdf/Melamine%20Product%20Specification%20Sheet.pdf
Thanks for finding that for me.
I just like the "hit" of melamine.
Or other hard substance that is not fragile.
Others clearly like softer hitting materials including ivory and sometimes it's replacements. Heck, even PVC used to be used a lot.
All that said, i've not experimented with softer materials.
smt
PS, I wouldn't quibble with the idea that a less dense material is desirable for LD.
But the blanket statement that most of us would not like the hit or performance of polycarbonate intrigued me - it may be true, but on a physical basis it is less dense than the traditional materials (that lots of people love one or another of them) and potentially in the higher hardness range of same (which some of us like a lot) So I wondered what specific experiences people were reporting with poly carbonate.
I just like the "hit" of melamine.
Or other hard substance that is not fragile.
Others clearly like softer hitting materials including ivory and sometimes it's replacements. Heck, even PVC used to be used a lot.
All that said, i've not experimented with softer materials.
smt
PS, I wouldn't quibble with the idea that a less dense material is desirable for LD.
But the blanket statement that most of us would not like the hit or performance of polycarbonate intrigued me - it may be true, but on a physical basis it is less dense than the traditional materials (that lots of people love one or another of them) and potentially in the higher hardness range of same (which some of us like a lot) So I wondered what specific experiences people were reporting with poly carbonate.
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