Why do most custom cue makers use a radial pin joint and most production cues do not?
Radial pin
- Thread starter fasted71465
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Not sure I would say most custom cuemakers use radial pins, I think most cuemakers use the pin they like to use unless a customer requests something specific. For a while it seemed radial was in fashion though I see 3/8-10 used more lately as far as big pins go. IMHO, the biggest difference between the two is number of turns needed to thread the shaft on. I do know some out there hate the radial pin (DoubleD comes to mind first) though I'm not quite sure why.
I have always shot with Joss and Schon cues and they have the 5/16 joint. I have a Josey comming with the radial pin and what differance should I expect?
I think a lot more use the 3/8 x 10 pin. The other pins are probably cheaper to make and work with.
Thanks for the explanation. Gimmick factor aside, would you go so far as to say the radial pin by design makes a tangible difference in playability/performance in a cue?
I love the radial pin. IMO it gives the feel of a one pice cue more so than joints with smaller pins and/or shaft inserts. I have also learned that a 3/8x10 can give the same kind of feel. I have gathered that a 5/16x14 piloted gives a good one piece feel due to the pilot (surface area at the joint) but I don't like the brass or steel at the joint. Forget about uniloc, I don't think the cue responds well with all that metal at the joint. So for me a radial pin with a flat faced joint is the way to go.
I've played with a joss as well as a a schon and have liked them both. Glad to hear you have a josey on the way. A buddy of mine played with uniloc for a long time until he got a predator road line with a radial pin. He loved that cue until he got his josey. Josey's are very well made and I've never hit one that wasn't great. You're getting a very well made cue with a radial pin that will be very well balanced and ready to play. You may want to put a tip on it that you are a familiar with to get it just the way you want it. I think their more basic sneaky pete's feel just like one piece cues
I've played with a joss as well as a a schon and have liked them both. Glad to hear you have a josey on the way. A buddy of mine played with uniloc for a long time until he got a predator road line with a radial pin. He loved that cue until he got his josey. Josey's are very well made and I've never hit one that wasn't great. You're getting a very well made cue with a radial pin that will be very well balanced and ready to play. You may want to put a tip on it that you are a familiar with to get it just the way you want it. I think their more basic sneaky pete's feel just like one piece cues
Going from a metal jointed small pin to a radial or 3/8x10 wood to wood or similar joint is a bit difference in the hit feel. Probably not as much in performance, that is mostly the tip/shaft thing.
Winner! The bigger pins allow for a wood to wood joint rather than the unsightly (imo), metal joints or metal inserts. I prefer the hit of a wood to wood too but that's just personal preference.
thanks for the info, I myself saw some radial that were truly poorly engineered.
but what do you think is the best big pin, and best steel to steel pin, and best material for pin?
what do you think about the G10 for pin material?
It's a lot easier to make cues with small 5/16 14 or 18 or regular 3/8 10 pins.
They are more forgiving than radial pins.
Their shafts can wobble a bit before the two faces come tight.
You can expect a stiff hit with good feedback. Whether or not the joint has anything to do with this, I don't know.
BTW, you might notice a tight feel and hear a squeak when first screwing your Josey together. I rubbed some wax from a birthday cake candle on the pin...end of squeak.
Love my Josey!
You can expect a stiff hit with good feedback. Whether or not the joint has anything to do with this, I don't know.
BTW, you might notice a tight feel and hear a squeak when first screwing your Josey together. I rubbed some wax from a birthday cake candle on the pin...end of squeak.
Love my Josey!
Blue or green candle? Was it a number or just a plain one? Used or new?
What I've heard from a cue maker or 2 is that radial pins are easier to center. So I am led to believe that it is so they can make a cue with a big pin feel and more easily center the pin so that the shaft and any future shafts will line up better at the joint collars. This is what I've been told a couple times when I was discussing having a cue made with a 3/8-10 pin. I've had a cue with a radial pin that I hated how it felt when I screwed it together but it felt great when hit. I've also had one that felt great screwing it together and hitting.
thanks for the explanation.
I myself feel that with wood to wood cues (my cues are mostly 3/8-10 modified), the contact moment (tip hits cue ball) is a bit longer than steel to steel cues, maybe it is because the wood to wood joint maintains more pressure for the face than the steel to steel, thus generate more feedback and "longer" feel
LOL! Since we have a daughter, I'm guessing it was a plain one in pink...
Seriously though...it's a bad idea to use a lubricating oil on wood. Wax works.
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I have hit a couple of balls with a Josey and liked it, but other radial pin cues I didn't like the feel of, the hit kind of felt hollow.
These equipment debates are fun...but the bottom line is that it's all about personal preference, what works for each player.
That said, I've got the feeling you're going to love your Josey. I bought mine in 2007. I have no real interest in changing cues.