shaft boring to reduce squirt?

JohnnyP

JohnnyP

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My new Viking cue has too much squirt. The butt and shaft are both 31 inches, so I don't want to just order a shorter Predator shaft. The longest shaft they make is 30 inches. Prolly not that big a deal.

I called Predator and asked if they would be willing to modify the shaft, but they said they don't do it.

Has anyone come up with a procedure? All I'm really interested in is boring the shaft. I know they use a special ferrule, but I would be willing to forgo that.

I thought about having the tip removed, then the shaft bored on a lathe leaving the ferrule in place, then install a short plug and a new tip.

Any thoughts?
 
The butt and shaft are both 31" long?

I would say it sounds like you are just going to ruin a good shaft if you do what you are asking.

Dave
 
JohnnyP said:
My new Viking cue has too much squirt. The butt and shaft are both 31 inches, so I don't want to just order a shorter Predator shaft. The longest shaft they make is 30 inches. Prolly not that big a deal.

I called Predator and asked if they would be willing to modify the shaft, but they said they don't do it.

Has anyone come up with a procedure? All I'm really interested in is boring the shaft. I know they use a special ferrule, but I would be willing to forgo that.

I thought about having the tip removed, then the shaft bored on a lathe leaving the ferrule in place, then install a short plug and a new tip.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...


lol sounds like if you do that your shaft is going to hit like ramen wood .
 
JohnnyP said:
My new Viking cue has too much squirt. The butt and shaft are both 31 inches, so I don't want to just order a shorter Predator shaft. The longest shaft they make is 30 inches. Prolly not that big a deal.

I called Predator and asked if they would be willing to modify the shaft, but they said they don't do it.

Has anyone come up with a procedure? All I'm really interested in is boring the shaft. I know they use a special ferrule, but I would be willing to forgo that.

I thought about having the tip removed, then the shaft bored on a lathe leaving the ferrule in place, then install a short plug and a new tip.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

I think I saw some where that the new McDermott Intimidator comes in 31" for what it's worth.
 
Johnny, I believe Viking uses a plug on ferrule. The ferrule threads IN to the shaft.
Pred ferrules are thin-walled and have 1/4 inch bored hole.
It'll be tough to modify a Viking. I'm guessing, remove the ferrule. Bore out a hole in the shaft ( maybe .375 in diameter ). Glue it in. Then bore it around .250" by 5 inches long then slip on a thin capped soft ferrule.
But, that would infringe upon Pred's patent.
 
JohnnyP said:
My new Viking cue has too much squirt. The butt and shaft are both 31 inches, so I don't want to just order a shorter Predator shaft. The longest shaft they make is 30 inches. Prolly not that big a deal.

I called Predator and asked if they would be willing to modify the shaft, but they said they don't do it.

Has anyone come up with a procedure? All I'm really interested in is boring the shaft. I know they use a special ferrule, but I would be willing to forgo that.

I thought about having the tip removed, then the shaft bored on a lathe leaving the ferrule in place, then install a short plug and a new tip.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

I think I would just play with the shaft for a month until my mind subconsciously adjusted to the extra squirt.

Mike
 
there are uk cue makers that undertake this work..
i have a pred shaft with a phenolic tip and ferrule added on, a plug made inside. the butt is mucci red spot with a break joint added too!
 
Thanks for the replys, guys.

I asked Predator if I they would do it, and when the tech guy said no, I asked if they wanted a royalty if I had someone else do it. The tech guy said go ahead, but maybe their lawyers would say different.

Joey: What's the "it" when you said "Glue it in."?

Matt: Is that Ramen, as in Top Ramen Noodles?

The shaft is pretty whippy, and I like that part of it. Don't like the feel of dead wood. My old cue is even thinner and whippier, but has less squirt. I've been shooting with it since '66 though.

Mike: What's that scary little avatar?

I know, I need more time at the table. Here's the shot I miss the most. I set it up and shoot it over and over, and miss it the same way, driving the ball nearly straight into the long rail. My mind won't let me "overcut" the ball as much as it needs. Woody at Triangle Billiards let me try the shot with a Predator P2, and that thing takes all the guesswork out of the shot.

Low outside, hit firmly: START(
%AM2D7%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%P]4Q7%WD4D4%XL0D6%]O4E5%^\1P9
%eC3b1%bh4U4%cV6D8%dN5D7
)END
WEI table
 
Why not shoot it this way instead? :D
START(
%AM2D7%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%P]4Q7%U`3H4%VV7Z7%WD4D4%XL0D6
%YU1Y8%ZO2E3%]O4E5%^\1P9%eC3b1%bV8D9%cV6D8%dV8E0
)END
Just kidding. From your diagram, that'd be a heck of a draw and spin to get there.
If you cut down the Viking ferrule, you might have to plug up a hole in the shaft with a wood tenon. Then you will bore that wood tenon too.
Too much work really.
 
Just get it bored out about 5 or 6 inches at around 1/4" wide . Do the boring with a soft plug glued in the hole to prevent the laminates splitting apart . Then put on a plug ferrule as has been already suggested . If you can't bore it yourself go to an engineeering shop .

As for Predators patent , it's only on the ferrule unit , not on boring out a hole in the shaft . (I always thought Predator had some carbon fibre insert in the end from their older adverts/pictures , turned out to just be a hollow end , so much for high tech) :D :rolleyes:

Finally , don't use solid phenolic for the plug ferrule , I did it on a mates Z-shaft recently after taking it down to 10mm for snooker and it was way too lively , the ball just wanted to spring off the cue .
Replaced it with a short maple plug and put a softer ferrule on , hit's sweet now .
 
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