Predator 314-2 shaft

[whatevrdoumean]

Right now I'am on my second Predator 314-2 shaft. The reason I got the second one is because the first one developed a slight wobble. Some might call it a taper roll. Well after playing with the second shaft for around 4 months it has developed the same wobble. My question is this normal? If so then why? My Mezz WX700 is dead straight. Also both my OB-1+ and OB-Classic+ are dead straight. Why can't Predator make it so they straight like when I first got them. Again is this normal or am I doing something wrong. After I finish playing I always put my cues away in there cases. I never leave them leaned on a wall or laying on the table. Thanks, Michael

 

[9Ballr]

My question is this normal? If so then why?

No this is not normal.
Far from it.
I have a pre-cat Pred and two 314-2 and none of them have a wobble.
They're still as dead straight as they were the day I got them.
I don't use them much but I play with people all the time who use them and
most of their shafts are gen 1s or old gen 2s.
None of the people I know, that use Predator shafts/cues, have any wobble.

 

[JoeyInCali]

That's normal.
It will move some .
Not a real bad wobble though.

 

[9Ballr]

That's normal.
It will move some .
Not a real bad wobble though.

If it's normal I will go check my shafts when I get home.
I'm out this very minute playing pool and since I never use
any LD's I don't have one with me.
One guy here is using one of those Mezz 900 shafts but no
one here has a 314 at the moment.
I'll check when I get home.
I've certainly not noticed any wobble in my 314's.

 

[whatevrdoumean]

When I say they have a wobble I mean the center of the shaft lifts off the table when rolled. You could fit a credit card under it. Only the center has a wave to it. The tip or coller never leave the table. When I sight down the shaft and roll it in my hand I appears straight. Thanks again. Michael

 

[CokerFan82]

Poorly made

Mine didn't wobble (bought 2 brand new 314'2 shafts) after a year of constant use. However, I didn't think very highly of the construction of the ferrule and how easily the tenon can be damaged while replacing a cracked ferrule. I had issues with both shafts and have since traded them off for a Katana (which has a very strong ferrule thickness) and an OB Classic which plays much stiffer and has a better reputation for longevity in the LD shaft market in my area. I liked the way the predator shaft played, but I just couldn't get over the fact that both shafts were very weak as far as the materials used in the construction.

 

[9Ballr]

Mine didn't wobble (bought 2 brand new 314'2 shafts) after a year of constant use. However, I didn't think very highly of the construction of the ferrule and how easily the tenon can be damaged while replacing a cracked ferrule. I had issues with both shafts and have since traded them off for a Katana (which has a very strong ferrule thickness) and an OB Classic which plays much stiffer and has a better reputation for longevity in the LD shaft market in my area. I liked the way the predator shaft played, but I just couldn't get over the fact that both shafts were very weak as far as the materials used in the construction.

In my experience the OB's I have tried have all had just a tad crooked joints causing them to wobble.
This is when I've bought their aftermarket shafts and installed on some other butt.
It's probably a matter of less than a thousands of an inch but it's there.
Never had this problem on any of the Predators.

As far as both shafts being weak, I couldn't agree more.
I hate LD's and they - TO ME - always feel numb, wishy-washy, weak and no feeling.
Like having sex and putting on 10 condoms.....compared to standard well made maple.
Or at least that's how I feel about it...... lol.....

 

[9Ballr]

I checked the 314's and I'm not getting any play at all from them.
Straight as an arrow.

 

[caff3in3]

I have owned 7 predator shafts and around half had a wobble

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

 

[Double-Dave]

I don't use them much but I play with people all the time who use them and
most of their shafts are gen 1s or old gen 2s.
None of the people I know, that use Predator shafts/cues, have any wobble.

Then either they are extremely lucky or maybe you just didn't look closely enough.
Having sold hundreds of these, the clear majority of Predator gen 2 shafts have a slight
wobble, like in the 1-2mm range.
To get one that really is perfectly straight is the exception, not the norm.

gr. Dave

 

[ortizmg]

Straighten it out..

You can actually send both shafts back to Predator Customer Service Dept. (form is online) to have them straightened'.. They have a humidified, climate controlled room where they will hang it until it straightens.. All performance shafts are composed of soft wood that will eventually return to original form. Regarding "why" -- not sure, obviously something that you're doing (not breaking with it are you)?!


Good luck'

"Miz"
CUE: Predator Panthera 2-1 (with Z3), Meucci 97-21 (with Z2)
BREAK CUE: Predator BK2

 

[Celophanewrap]

It's really interesting with Predator. I don't know when the manufacturing moved to Far East but I have a theory that at some point during the cycle of the 314-2 and the Original Z the manufacturing moved overseas. I have a 314-2 and a couple of Original Z's that are dead straight. Everything that I purchased later was kind of a crap shoot as far as being straight. All the shafts that I bought after that point had a wobble / roll, some worse than others but nothing that I couldn't live with. The Z3's don't seem to have any issues

 

[Magician28]

I have the Predator Z2 shaft, and have had no problems so far. In my opinion i think this is the best shaft you can get as far as deflection. The 314, i've never played with but would like to. Is it normal? No, but instead of buying another, contact predator so that you can get a refund or a new shaft..

 

[9Ballr]

Because of the above statements that this is normal I went ahead and looked at
all my 314's and the one Z2 that I have and none of them have a roll in them.
Not even a hint of one. Not in the middle. There's a credit card width in the middle
but it's nor rolling unevenly and it's the same credit card width that's on all shafts
as long as the joint end and tip are touching an even surface.
But all the Predator shafts are 100% straight. No wobble, no roll.
I was gonna make a video of it but it's too much trouble.

By the way I agree with the above statement on the Z2. I hate LD's but the Predator
Z2 would be the shaft I came closest to liking of any LD's that I've had or have tried.
If you want LD I don't see the point in going with anything else.

 

[JoeyInCali]

Because of the above statements that this is normal I went ahead and looked at
all my 314's and the one Z2 that I have and none of them have a roll in them.
Not even a hint of one. Not in the middle. There's a credit card width in the middle
but it's nor rolling unevenly and it's the same credit card width that's on all shafts
as long as the joint end and tip are touching an even surface.
But all the Predator shafts are 100% straight. No wobble, no roll.
I was gonna make a video of it but it's too much trouble.

By the way I agree with the above statement on the Z2. I hate LD's but the Predator
Z2 would be the shaft I came closest to liking of any LD's that I've had or have tried.
If you want LD I don't see the point in going with anything else.

They come from China where humidity is really high.
When they get to really dry areas, they are liable to move .
It's the nature of the beast . It is wood .

When that happens, you can always plays them in a humidified room where humidity is set around 50%. It might eventually straighten itself out .

And that little wobble does not affect one's shooting.
Efren won the US Open with a warped cue.

 

[Fuji-whopper]

You can actually send both shafts back to Predator Customer Service Dept. (form is online) to have them straightened'.. They have a humidified, climate controlled room where they will hang it until it straightens.. All performance shafts are composed of soft wood that will eventually return to original form. Regarding "why" -- not sure, obviously something that you're doing (not breaking with it are you)?!


Good luck'

"Miz"
CUE: Predator Panthera 2-1 (with Z3), Meucci 97-21 (with Z2)
BREAK CUE: Predator BK2

If they do this then it's something after I left in 2007, before that they had a jig with a dial indicator where they straightened shafts out using the high/low points of the shaft when being rotated. If you ask me hanging shafts is a good way to reduce stress and lateral pressure on it while being stored but can't really see how it will be "straightened" that way.....but I could be wrong of course.


Neil

 

[bad_hit]

I don't know about a wobble...but I've had 2 that exploded on me (yes, I broke with it because I'm dumb like that but still c'mon man!...EXPLODED! Ferrule and shaft bits on the floor 3 feet away...wtf?). I'm not kidding.

 

[Fuji-whopper]

I don't know about a wobble...but I've had 2 that exploded on me (yes, I broke with it because I'm dumb like that but still c'mon man!...EXPLODED! Ferrule and shaft bits on the floor 3 feet away...wtf?). I'm not kidding.

The only time we really saw this was when the shafts had been either turned down below 12.25mm for 314 shafts or they were cleaned with a water-based solution which causes the shaft to delaminate. Either one will void the warranty, did you send it back to them and if you did......what did they say?


Neil

 

[bad_hit]

I attempted to send one of them back, it's a few years ago but my foggy memory remembers it being a nightmare and I could NOT get it replaced. I assure you I did absolutely nothing to modify or clean the shaft.

Nothing against Predator, I actually have a 314 original that I bought from a dealer I used to live near when I flew back east a few years ago. He dusted it off and sold it to me for original price and I had no problem with that. Won plenty of games with that shaft. I normally use another shaft (Jacoby Edge Hybrid) but the 314 plays great when I use it.

The 314-2 just didn't work out for me...at all...to say the least.

 

[9Ballr]

They come from China where humidity is really high.

Lot of things are made all over the world where humidity is either
very high or in other places very low.
But most of those bigger factories make and store their wood in
humidity controlled, 50%, environment. The wood can stay there
for decades and still be fine.