Sticky for General Information...Please look.

Wes Moran

Wes Moran

The Crappy Cue Guy
Silver Member
I was thinking earlier and I just thought it would be really nice if some of you guys (experience cue makers) would put together a Thread on General Information and if it could be put as Sticky at the top of this Forum...

Now I know that the majority of the people viewing this thread are either Professional Cue Makers or are aspiring Cue Makers and generally know a large amount of information pertaining to cues...but I know there are alot of us who are just starting out in this area of billiards or are players who are trying to learn ways to better our playing and our cues. Now I was thinking that if there was a General Information Thread that it would be a little easier on the lot of us...I believe it would help you by cutting down on a number of repeat post asking basically the same question and it would help us by putting alot of informative information in one place, so that we dont have to search threw numerous threads just to try to find information.

Now some of the general things I would like to see are:

Ferrule Information - Whats the difference between the different materials, how does it effect the playing of the cue and what are somethings to be careful about.

Joint Information - Same questions as above collars and pins.

Tip Information - What tips work and which don't, how to maintain them, and maybe even what kind of time we can expect them to last.

Other Information - How to determine choices of wood to use, what woods are too weak for certain builds, which woods offer harder hits and which offer softer, etc...




And if this worked well we could possibly have a How To Thread as well...for information like:


How to properly break in and maintain Tips and wraps (Linen and Leather/Skins).

How to properly maintain your finish.

How to condition a shaft.

What products for the above jobs work best.

Etc...
 
Wes Moran said:
I was thinking earlier and I just thought it would be really nice if some of you guys (experience cue makers) would put together a Thread on General Information and if it could be put as Sticky at the top of this Forum...

Now I know that the majority of the people viewing this thread are either Professional Cue Makers or are aspiring Cue Makers and generally know a large amount of information pertaining to cues...but I know there are alot of us who are just starting out in this area of billiards or are players who are trying to learn ways to better our playing and our cues. Now I was thinking that if there was a General Information Thread that it would be a little easier on the lot of us...I believe it would help you by cutting down on a number of repeat post asking basically the same question and it would help us by putting alot of informative information in one place, so that we dont have to search threw numerous threads just to try to find information.

Now some of the general things I would like to see are:

Ferrule Information - Whats the difference between the different materials, how does it effect the playing of the cue and what are somethings to be careful about.

Joint Information - Same questions as above collars and pins.

Tip Information - What tips work and which don't, how to maintain them, and maybe even what kind of time we can expect them to last.

Other Information - How to determine choices of wood to use, what woods are too weak for certain builds, which woods offer harder hits and which offer softer, etc...




And if this worked well we could possibly have a How To Thread as well...for information like:


How to properly break in and maintain Tips and wraps (Linen and Leather/Skins).

How to properly maintain your finish.

How to condition a shaft.

What products for the above jobs work best.

Etc...
Click to expand...


Wes, I hope you don't take this as berating you, because it certainly isn't. I'm in a similar boat as the one you describe, but it irks me when people try to take the easy route on something as complex as cuemaking/cue repairing. You will never see a thread such as the one you describe for one simple reason. Almost every cuemaker has a different approach to what you are asking for.

What you, and anyone else looking for early help visiting this forum should do, is hit the "Last>>" button on the page # listing at the top of the cuemakers forum. That will give you the last page (earliest posting) in this forum. Start at the last post and work your way forward. Open up Word, a notebook, or fire up your printer, and type, write, or print any information you think is pertinent to your situation at the moment. Read all the way to the latest post. This will probably be an all day undertaking, but it's well worth it.

This does not end the lesson. Use what you have learned (and there will be several different ways to do each of the things you have looked for, TRY THEM ALL! Use the one that works best for you, but don't stop when one happens to work!), but don't become content. In 3 months, or 6 months come back and do it again. Some things that you weren't skilled enough or didn't quite make sense will be sooo much clearer to you after this time period.

Lastly, Don't forget the "Search" button. It is your friend. The folks are pouring out tons of information, we should do our best to sift through it all before asking more of them. If you like, make a set of favorites with the information you would like to see in the general information thread, and then create an index post. Similar to the Wood of the Week Index. Put in the links to the different posts. "Ask not what the cuemakers can do for you, ask what you can do for the cuemakers."

I'm out!
 
Thanks for atleast reading and understanding my request.

First I would like to say thank you all for replying to this thread...and I would like for ya'll to know that by no means am I upset with the way you've all decided to reply. And by no means did I mean to take the easy route out....I know that all of you have spent a large amount of hard earned money buying the tools you use, and a large amount of time trying to profect your trade and style through trial and error...and I respect each and every person on this forum who has the patience, passion and guts to go after the dream of building custom cues...and by no means was I wanting you all to just share all of your information that took you so long to get.

Instead I was asking more along the lines of say...a customer. I wanted to know for reason that would further help me understand and determine what I might should try when having someone build me a cue....For instance maybe something like this:

I hit a little harder than others when playing because I have a lack of struck...well maybe if I knew that an Ivory or Phenolic joint or Ferrule would cause me to hit softer (I dont know if this is fact or not)...I could try to use one to compensate...or maybe I shouldnt use one because Ivory may be to britle and delecate for someone that hits so hard like myself...I may crack a ferrule or number of ferrules if I try to use this...or like because the fact that I have a problem with my english and not being able to properly apply it maybe I should try a soft or harder tip...

See I dont know these things....this is where I need the help on issues like this.
 
I understand what you are asking for now, but a large portion of my answer still remains the same. If you are looking for tuning a cue you already have in your possession, you should speak to the maker of the cue, or whomever you are going to have make the adjustments, about what you would like to have perform differently. If you are about to have a cue made, pick out the cuemaker and tell them your preferences. I'll explain further using the example you have given.:

Different cuemakers go about things in different ways as I mentioned in my previous post. A cuemaker may address your issues in one or more of the following ways.

1. Changing to a softer tip
2. Changing to a softer ferrule
3. Changing the taper on the shaft to something a little less stiff
4. Changing the collar
5. Changing the balance point of the cue

Now this is assuming that the cuemaker/cue repairman doesn't tell you what he should tell you, which is pay for lessons to get your stroke where it should be, so that you can use the precision instrument he is supplying you with to it's utmost efficiency.

And like I noted before, the problem with getting someone to list all of this for you is going to be for every 10 responses, you'll get 6 or 7 different variations. Personally, I am working on taking most of the guesswork out of it with true experimentation in both "lab" settings, and real world settings. The lab experiments will be easier than real world because it's harder to get anything other than subjective data at a pool table. Good luck in your search for enlightenment. We are all travelling the same path.
 
I know your right.

Your right I know the answer is to better myself, because there is only so much a cue can do for me...but thanks for your interest and desire to help and inform me...it is much appreciated...its just hard for me because I've been playing since 13 and Im soon to turn 22...I just had to stop playing for a 3 year period due to the lose of my table...and I've just started back about 6 months ago...It just sucks that Im not back to the way Im capable of playing...but at the same time because I've played so long my way somethings have just stuck with me...whether they are bad or good...anyway...once again these are my problems that I need to correct...but I do appreciate the help.
 
Wes Moran said:
I was thinking earlier and I just thought it would be really nice if some of you guys (experience cue makers) would put together a Thread on General Information and if it could be put as Sticky at the top of this Forum...

Now I know that the majority of the people viewing this thread are either Professional Cue Makers or are aspiring Cue Makers and generally know a large amount of information pertaining to cues...but I know there are alot of us who are just starting out in this area of billiards or are players who are trying to learn ways to better our playing and our cues. Now I was thinking that if there was a General Information Thread that it would be a little easier on the lot of us...I believe it would help you by cutting down on a number of repeat post asking basically the same question and it would help us by putting alot of informative information in one place, so that we dont have to search threw numerous threads just to try to find information.

Now some of the general things I would like to see are:

Ferrule Information - Whats the difference between the different materials, how does it effect the playing of the cue and what are somethings to be careful about.

Joint Information - Same questions as above collars and pins.

Tip Information - What tips work and which don't, how to maintain them, and maybe even what kind of time we can expect them to last.

Other Information - How to determine choices of wood to use, what woods are too weak for certain builds, which woods offer harder hits and which offer softer, etc...




And if this worked well we could possibly have a How To Thread as well...for information like:


How to properly break in and maintain Tips and wraps (Linen and Leather/Skins).

How to properly maintain your finish.

How to condition a shaft.

What products for the above jobs work best.

Etc...
Click to expand...


I'll pass on this one. If you have a specific qyestion, you can e-mail me through my web site & I'd be happy to help...JER
 
practice!!!!!!

The pro's play like they do by practicing, practicing, & practicing some more. There's no easy way out. Form balance stance stroke are the most important essentials to high level play. Begin with the bare essentials. Put an old clean dry glass Coke bottle on your table (on it's side)and try to stroke your cue into the open mouth 100 times in a row. Ain't easy is it? When you can master this well, only then should you even start to think about changing anything else. "Grasshoppers" should learn to jump efficiently before venturing into the real world. Developing a consistent stroke with 'centerball' control will improve your game more than any single cue component. Don't worry about the last 5% until you have mastered the first 95%. To get through the forest, with no path, you must pass around "all" the trees. If you master the essentials above, you will have trained yourself, and your touch, to feel the slight differences you will use, and need, when changing cue components in the future. Experimentation has its place in quality play but should come later on down the road after the essentials have been mastered.

Sorry if I've carried on too much. Over 40 years of experience has taught me much of this. While I'm only a regional pro tour player, cue maker and cue repairman I get these types of questions most often. My average with the Coke bottle these days is roughly 90-94. I ain't quite there yet but I will keep on practicing. So should you.

Tom Gedris, Triple Cross Cues:cool:
 
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