Predator trickery...

Varney Cues

Varney Cues

Handcrafted quality!
Silver Member
Learned something a bit unusual and thought I'd share. As most of you know I do a lot of mods and tricks to make cues play better. Well RacerRX had sent me his new Predator sneaky to race up a bit. It had a Unilock pin and he wanted a big SW style 3/8-10 in aluminum to reduce the nose heavy feeling of the cue. If anyone has noticed the Unilock pins are set into black phenolic. Well I found out the reason why. The nose is bored out with a rather large hole and a weight bolt is installed in the forearm under the pin. I bored through the phenolic so I could partially core the nose to sink my big pin into. After hitting metal I looked down into the hole it was clear to see the head of a weight bolt. Thats the reason for the phenolic....they fill the hole with a fat phenolic core and sink the little Unilock pin into it. Thats a pretty sporty trick that I've seen before on some custom hustlers as a way to make the fullsplice seem not so buttheavy as it is naturally.
Just thought it was interesting enough to share. They are learning all the tricks over in China these days. Well now if anyone's Predator sneaky develops an odd "buzz" and you've already checked to see if the weight bolt is tight....maybe its the other weight bolt.;) :D
 
Hey Kevin,

Predator, that's why it felt so front heavy. And too think with the SP8RW, has no visible metal on the out-side of the cue. I imagine it was a pretty large bolt. Did you remove this weight bolt?

You wouldn't have to do this work if I had only bought a SP8RW a couple years back, before the uni-loc was adopted into all Predators. No idea why Predator makes this their only joint.

But hey thanks for all the hard work, I will let you know how I like it. I probally won't sleep at all untill it arrives.

many thx again!
 
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It's called a balance bolt and it's also used on the P2's, if you look at the drawing on this page you can see it:
P2 illustration

They used it as far back as 1999 so it wasn't "invented" in China, more like Jacksonville Florida.
 
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racer let us all know how you like it and if you could try to describe the before and after. i havent been too happy with my predator sp lately, kv put a different tip on it but i been thinking about sending it to him to change the pin too.
 
nick55 said:
racer let us all know how you like it and if you could try to describe the before and after. i havent been too happy with my predator sp lately, kv put a different tip on it but i been thinking about sending it to him to change the pin too.
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No probs... I should receive it by monday,
 
I don't think it's trickery but why would they use BOLT that potentially could buzz?
Hell, just use powdered steel, lead, or tungsten mixed with epoxy.
 
It's set floating in epoxy (at least the P2 bolts were) so it wasn't likely to break loose and cause a buzz, but I'm sure sooner or later it could happen.
 
Fart sniffer said:
It's set floating in epoxy (at least the P2 bolts were) so it wasn't likely to break loose and cause a buzz, but I'm sure sooner or later it could happen.
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"The balance weight is set in flexible urethane epoxy to eliminate buzz..."
p2_cutaway.jpg

P2

Found that from an old Predator Catalog - Its not new news at all.

Neil
FWIW, I got the catalog from a shop tour in Jacksonville - Karim invited a bunch of players one day - it was well worth it!
 
Maybe next time you won't try hustling me in 3-cushion Corey, I still remember that from way back when at Hollywood Billiards.

BlackJack- The tour is a lot of fun, these days it is much different but back in the day it was something to behold. What other place of business can you go to that has a nicely kept Diamond table and a wall rack full of expensive cues for you to use?
 
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Fart sniffer said:
BlackJack- The tour is a lot of fun, these days it much different but back in the day it was something to behold. What other place of business can you go to that has a nicely kept Diamond table and a wall rack full of expensive cues for you to use?
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LOL

Hey - you deserve it!
:p
 
Are you going to the tour opener this weekend? We are leaving at noon to go to Stroker's, can't wait to have their famous blackened shrimp. It's awesome and that's coming from a person that normally doesn't like seafood!!
 
Fart sniffer said:
Are you going to the tour opener this weekend? We are leaving at noon to go to Stroker's, can't wait to have their famous blackened shrimp. It's awesome and that's coming from a person that normally doesn't like seafood!!
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Actually I can't make it this time - I can't get there for Friday night which makes it difficult for me to play on the Seminole Tour. I am giving classes all day tomorrow anyway. I look at it like this - I'm in Orlando making money teaching, so my money will be coming in as everybody else is donating their's to Mr. Corey Deuel - well except you -I was there when you took him down at Bankshots last summer! In the past I haven't been so lucky. I think I'm 1-15 against him.

:p
 
That was a big match for me to win and I'm super happy with how I played that whole weekend, beating him and Stevie Moore back to back and hill-hill was something I won't forget for a while.

Have fun giving lessons this weekend, the student I have is a blast to work with and it's very rewarding teaching him. Talk to you laver David, have a nice weekend.

Edit: Oh yes I get luckier than most that's for sure!! How have you been Shane I heard you are the premier poker player now, gotta run and head to Tampa. Take care man and hope to hear from you soon.
 
Predator 2

Varney Cues said:
Learned something a bit unusual and thought I'd share. As most of you know I do a lot of mods and tricks to make cues play better. Well RacerRX had sent me his new Predator sneaky to race up a bit. It had a Unilock pin and he wanted a big SW style 3/8-10 in aluminum to reduce the nose heavy feeling of the cue. If anyone has noticed the Unilock pins are set into black phenolic. Well I found out the reason why. The nose is bored out with a rather large hole and a weight bolt is installed in the forearm under the pin. I bored through the phenolic so I could partially core the nose to sink my big pin into. After hitting metal I looked down into the hole it was clear to see the head of a weight bolt. Thats the reason for the phenolic....they fill the hole with a fat phenolic core and sink the little Unilock pin into it. Thats a pretty sporty trick that I've seen before on some custom hustlers as a way to make the fullsplice seem not so buttheavy as it is naturally.
Just thought it was interesting enough to share. They are learning all the tricks over in China these days. Well now if anyone's Predator sneaky develops an odd "buzz" and you've already checked to see if the weight bolt is tight....maybe its the other weight bolt.;) :D
Click to expand...


I have a Limited Edition P2 that has developed a buzz in the forward weight bolt. Is that something you think you could repair?
 
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