Is there a difference between these two pins? If Uniloc Radial is just a Radial pin minus the first few threads, then would a Uniloc Radial shaft fit on a Radial butt and vice versa? What about differences in hit?
Radial versus Uniloc Radial
- Thread starter thejeffcho
- Start date
The imported radial is not really radial.
It's a knock-off.
The UniLoc one will maintain tighter contact with the wood threads.
It'll make you pocket the money ball more often.
It's a knock-off.
The UniLoc one will maintain tighter contact with the wood threads.
It'll make you pocket the money ball more often.
I get it now.
Radial is a trademarked name. If it isn't Uni-LKoc ity isn't Radial, just a cheap knock-off.
If you look closely you will find that the words "Uni Loc ®" are Registered; not the word Radial.
Radial Screws have been around for many many years. Anybody can make a radial type thread. The "Uni Loc ®" Radial Pin has a different thread pitch than the radial style imports.
The pins look similar. The radial thread on many imported cues is just a tad bit different than the trademarked uniloc pin. There are many cuemakers that use a "knockoff" radial pin that is just like the uniloc brand but because it wasn't built by uniloc they are just "regular" radial pins. Like others have mentioned, The name uniloc is trademarked, the thread on the radial pin has been around for quite a while.
Before you lock in on radial threads, you should do some research on the performance differences between radial threads and American standard threads and their uses in industry. Your research may surprise you.
I think it is the best screw made for connecting a butt and a shaft. I don't care how it applies to other uses because that is not what we speak to in this forum.
If you have some information that would help us please post it straight out.
Thanks,
Yep, What he said.
Arnot would know better than I would, so he is most likely correct; however, the ones I have seen that were not Uni-Loc were not very good, unless some custom maker machined his own to match a Uni-Loc, which some do.
The fake import ones have shallow threads and are smaller .
I have not seen any imports of the same quality as the Uni-loc product or as good as the other American maker of the ball screw joint pins. As far as the "Radial" name not being trade marked, Arnot may be right, but I heard of a phone call threatening a law suit over use of the word Radial in any connection to any other brand of pin. The caller assured it was a trade marked name for his brand of ball screw joint pins.
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Arnot is correct. Radial is just a description of the thread profile. The import screws I have seen are a different thread per inch and the quality isn't there. The electro-polishing and electro-plating Uni-Loc does is worth every penny
I've been using Uni-Loc radial screws since they came on the market. They're way more expensive than most other screws and for years there was no volume discount, 1 screw was $15, and 100 screws was $1500. Still, for joints in cue sticks,they were and are the best screw out there.
I've been using Uni-Loc radial screws since they came on the market. They're way more expensive than most other screws and for years there was no volume discount, 1 screw was $15, and 100 screws was $1500. Still, for joints in cue sticks,they were and are the best screw out there.
Here's what the inventor of the Uni_Loc Joint, Paul Costain had to say in a an archived message I found (for whatever it's worth):
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"Misconceptions of the UNI-LOC® and the Radial® Pin
The UNI-LOC Joint System has been granted 6 patents. 5518455, 5527224, 5890966, 6027410, 6227980, 6348006. Over 35 original ideas define these patents. The PTO does not grant 6 patents easily. Hard work, a lot of thought, design, and due-diligence was done on my part to obtain these patents. The patent office does not give out patents for free; they have cost me a lot. Successfully defending the patents against 4 infringers has cost considerably more.
The UNI-LOC Joint can only screw together in less than two turns, if it takes more than two turns it's not a Genuine UNI-LOC. We at UNI-LOC feel it is unfair to be blamed for the poor quality COPY-LOC's (cheap imitations of the real joint).
The front of a UNI-LOC pin is designed to very accurately locate on the insert, guaranteeing concentricity to the pin. The acu-loc, tru-loc and other COPY-LOC imitations do not provide anywhere near the same accuracy.
The UNI-LOC Pin has a patented locating diameter, and the insert has a precision bore to locate on that pin diameter. This feature allows for precise interchangeability of shaft and butt. Owners of a properly installed UNI-LOC Joint should understand they have a precision system installed in their cue to accurately secure the shaft and butt, it may need some maintenance.
Installers of the UNI-LOC occasionally fail to clean the pin and insert correctly. A small percentage of their customers experience difficulty removing the shaft from the butt. The reason for this is simple. The design cannot allow for debris to become lodged between the pin and insert diameters. If this occurs their will be a “galling” action between the hard stainless steel pin and the relatively soft brass. A simple cleaning of the insert and pin by the owner with a cotton cue-tip dipped in alcohol or acetone, and wiped on the locating diameters and threads of the insert and pin will eliminate this occurrence.
There is another misconception regarding the ability of a UNI-LOC Joint to secure the shaft to the butt. I have read posts where a player finds it necessary to tighten his cue every half hour. This has nothing to do with the type of joint.
This condition is caused from a poor facing of the collar and adjacent shaft face. Carefully examine the face of your cue.
If the faces are not smooth, flat and perpendicular to the butt and shaft, it is very likely your cue will not fasten securely. If you experience a loosening of your shaft it should be re-machined properly by a competent cue maker and the problem will go away.
Regarding the Radial pin, for all the people who claim to know its origin, thread size and other issues, please let me set the record.
The term Radial is a registered trade mark of the UNI-LOC Corp. of AmericaAs of this writing the Radial thread size has never, been accurately portrayed on any post or cue makers web site. It is proprietary to the UNI-LOC Corp.
It was never a design taken from a medical bone screw.
The original Pin was a prototype for a cue Bill Stroud made for Paul Costain in 1989. The first pin actually located in a beryllium copper insert. From that original, Bill Stroud designed and named the current Radial pin that screws directly into wood. You can tell the Radial® Pin from other imitations by the center hole in the front of the Pin. So far the copiers of the design have thought it to be costly to include. The Radial Pin is the only pin of its style to be selected for use by Predator Cues. The imitation pin will cause permanent damage to the Radial/Predator shaft.
I hope you have found this information informative………….Paul"
Google the word "Radial" and you will find that lots of people have been using that word for a very long time.
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Arnot,
I got my first Radial pin cue from you more than ten years ago, and have never found a better pin. However, Uni-Loc does have a registrered trademark on the word "Radial" for pins in cues. Here is the United States Patent and Trademark Office document showing the trade mark registration.
-Howard
I got my first Radial pin cue from you more than ten years ago, and have never found a better pin. However, Uni-Loc does have a registrered trademark on the word "Radial" for pins in cues. Here is the United States Patent and Trademark Office document showing the trade mark registration.
-Howard
I stand corrected
. I will have to be sure to use the term Radial (tm) in my communications.Thanks,
You can just see the quality in the Uni-Loc product over the cheaper knock off pins. The Uni-Loc pins are worth every penny they cost. Remember the old saying "You get what you pay for!".
James