Radial pin (alum / brass / stainless)

P

pongohops

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Curious as to whether there is a physical difference between aluminum, brass, and stainless radial pins?

I ask because I recently tried my shafts on another cue butt (same cue maker) with the only difference being one butt has a brass radial whereas the other I believe is stainless. The shafts took a decent amount more effort to screw on the other butt... afterwards it seemed as though they were a little looser when going on the first again.

I would think there would be no physical difference, but after doing this it would appear there is something different. What would cause this if not an actual size difference (width wise) between the two pins?
 
Color and density..................

Well, unless you want to go with your original assumption, which is correct btw,
or what else could it be ?..............color and density.

I'm going to suggest that you quit swapping your shafts unless you want them all to be equally loose.
 
KJ Cues said:
Color and density..................

Well, unless you want to go with your original assumption, which is correct btw,
or what else could it be ?..............color and density.

I'm going to suggest that you quit swapping your shafts unless you want them all to be equally loose.
Click to expand...

Yeah color and density as well of course. Still curious as to how this could be though. This should be no different than someone ordering a shaft from Predator, OB, or anyone else for their cue as the pin is the same - not to mention the same cue maker for both which shouldn't make a difference either.

The only other thing I could think of is I found out there are some 'imitation' radial pins from China (if I remember right), which don't fit exactly the same as true Uniloc. If that is the case is there any easy way to tell the difference?
 
Different materials cut differently. If a brass pin blank is loaded in a CNC machine and the pin is machined with a program and then the same exact program is used to machine a stainless steel pin, the two pins will most likely not be perfectly the same. They may look identical and they may both work with the same shaft, but they may measure ever so slightly different.

If a particular shaft has a very intimate fit with a particular pin it may be a tight fit on a more proud pin. If you start screwing a shaft on a cue it wasn't intended for and you find it is a tight fit and you keep on screwing, something is going to give. The wood will give before the metal and you just altered the wood threads. This is what KJ was warning you about.
 
Remember that the Radial tap comes in two varieties, normal and tight. Maybe the shafts are threaded with different taps.?
 
pongohops said:
Yeah color and density as well of course. Still curious as to how this could be though. This should be no different than someone ordering a shaft from Predator, OB, or anyone else for their cue as the pin is the same - not to mention the same cue maker for both which shouldn't make a difference either.

The only other thing I could think of is I found out there are some 'imitation' radial pins from China (if I remember right), which don't fit exactly the same as true Uniloc. If that is the case is there any easy way to tell the difference?
Click to expand...


Mr. Peterson is spot on. The screw made in China is not really an imitation. It's their own screw with a different thread. Predator shafts all come with a phenolic plug and will most likey have to get re-tapped with the larger tap. Same will be true for wood threads that are not sealed. (Humidity)
 
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