Straighten your shafts easy with this tool

There are a few shafts in Murphey's case that were worked on with this tool at the DCC. Curious to see how they look now after a few months. They rolled A LOT better immediately afterwards at DCC....
 
I do think there is more to the "science" behind this tool than simply to provide a force opposite the warp. When you pull and push it along the shaft, it also acts to press/tighten the grain along that line which may also be why it would seem to hold its straightness. At the same time, it would open up the grain on the opposite side of the shaft. A sealer to keep moisture from getting into the grain would seem to add more time to the wood's natural inclination to move back. Just my thoughts.
 
Alright, so I bought one of these...

OK, so I bought one of these straightening things and I tried it out on a couple of shafts. Damned if it didn't work. I have never used one or anything like it before and I think it's the sort of thing that you get better at the more you do it so I'll have to look for more crap to practice on, but that being said it worked out pretty well for me. After I had it as straight as I dared to try and make it I could feel some slight compression marks as I spun the shaft in my hand. I let it sit for a couple of days and rolled it out on the table, still straight. So I put it on the lathe to condition and clean and as it spun in the lathe I could feel the compression marks so I took it off and put the cue together and hit a few with it and could feel no contour changes. I spun it in my hands and again could feel no compression marks. So, back in the lathe, I think maybe what I was feeling was the slight wobble that the shaft still had.
In the end I think this thing works, I'll check the shafts every so often to see if they have maintained their "straightness", and I know it's only been a few days but so far so good. Now then, I'd have to be pretty drunk or desperate before I trust myself enough to use this on one of my main players, at least until I become an expert, but over all - not to shabby. I did find out that you really need to be sure that you're working on the "high" part of the shaft, otherwise adding to the bend makes it flop around like some ridiculous fish, but really, when used correctly, not to bad.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the review cello....please update at your leisure of how they will/won't maintain their straightness.
 
OK, so I bought one of these straightening things and I tried it out on a couple of shafts. Damned if it didn't work. I have never used one or anything like it before and I think it's the sort of thing that you get better at the more you do it so I'll have to look for more crap to practice on, but that being said it worked out pretty well for me. After I had it as straight as I dared to try and make it I could feel some slight compression marks as I spun the shaft in my hand. I let it sit for a couple of days and rolled it out on the table, still straight. So I put it on the lathe to condition and clean and as it spun in the lathe I could feel the compression marks so I took it off and put the cue together and hit a few with it and could feel no contour changes. I spun it in my hands and again could feel no compression marks. So, back in the lathe, I think maybe what I was feeling was the slight wobble that the shaft still had.
In the end I think this thing works, I'll check the shafts every so often to see if they have maintained their "straightness", and I know it's only been a few days but so far so good. Now then, I'd have to be pretty drunk or desperate before I trust myself enough to use this on one of my main players, at least until I become an expert, but over all - not to shabby. I did find out that you really need to be sure that you're working on the "high" part of the shaft, otherwise adding to the bend makes it flop around like some ridiculous fish, but really, when used correctly, not to bad.

Thanks for the review
 
OK, so I bought one of these straightening things and I tried it out on a couple of shafts. Damned if it didn't work. I have never used one or anything like it before and I think it's the sort of thing that you get better at the more you do it so I'll have to look for more crap to practice on, but that being said it worked out pretty well for me. After I had it as straight as I dared to try and make it I could feel some slight compression marks as I spun the shaft in my hand. I let it sit for a couple of days and rolled it out on the table, still straight. So I put it on the lathe to condition and clean and as it spun in the lathe I could feel the compression marks so I took it off and put the cue together and hit a few with it and could feel no contour changes. I spun it in my hands and again could feel no compression marks. So, back in the lathe, I think maybe what I was feeling was the slight wobble that the shaft still had.
In the end I think this thing works, I'll check the shafts every so often to see if they have maintained their "straightness", and I know it's only been a few days but so far so good. Now then, I'd have to be pretty drunk or desperate before I trust myself enough to use this on one of my main players, at least until I become an expert, but over all - not to shabby. I did find out that you really need to be sure that you're working on the "high" part of the shaft, otherwise adding to the bend makes it flop around like some ridiculous fish, but really, when used correctly, not to bad.

Thanks for the review. im expecting more just like this. Jayman, did you find a shaft to try it on yet?
 
Jacobyguy,

I noticed in the video that the guy twists it just a little bit as he's using the tool. Is that to try to minimize the grooves or flat spots on the shaft? Curious. Thanks.
 
Jacobyguy,

I noticed in the video that the guy twists it just a little bit as he's using the tool. Is that to try to minimize the grooves or flat spots on the shaft? Curious. Thanks.

for 2 reasons. to help minimize the flatening in one spot, but mostly to compress the entire high side of the warp.
 
a rubber wheel wouldn't stretch the wood on the high side like the contoured flat spot on the tool does. And i think in order for some type of wheel to work you would have to apply a lot more pressure which could rick snapping your shaft to get the amount of friction needed to move the wood around to where you need it.

Just my 2 cents, but i believe this product is legit
 
Last edited:
Update...

I received back my shaft from jacobyguy.

I didn't measure the amount of wobble prior to sending the shaft but a good estimate would be about a 1 1/2 credit card thickness rollout.

Upon receiving it back it is now well below 1/2 credit card, probably close to 1/4.

So there has been an excellent improvement.

Matt (jacobyguy) pm'd me that he got it as good as he could and I am very happy with this result.

The proof, however, will be as others have pointed out, in how long it will last. Can the wood be fooled (manipulated) into staying straight? All I can do is to periodically take a look and report what I find.

BTW, I sent the shaft to him in excellent condition (except for the wobble, of course) and it was returned to me in equally great shape. Matt said that the straightening process did leave some small marks which were taken care of with a shaft reconditioning. I can see or feel no imperfections.

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Since this tool can certainly make a wobbly shaft straighter, I wonder about the likelyhood that this may become a handy tool for enterprising sellers who will now be able to straighten shafts (possibly only temporarily) in order to gain value on their inventory. I guess we'll have to stay tuned on that one.

Matt was a pleasure to deal with, he kept me in the loop on his progress, and he packed and shipped the shaft back to me very professionally.

With this shaft I felt I had nothing to lose and could only win. And I think I did. :smile:

Thanks Matt.

best,
brian kc
 
Last edited:
I know some of you are straightening shafts and i know some of you saw brandon straighten shafts at the expo. Lets get some reviews here!
 
I would like to offer up my shaft or pay a minimal fee to see if the tool is as good as advertised and be the jury for the forum, thoughts?
 
I've been working with one for a few weeks now and I am beside myself. I cannot believe how well it works. Yes, it flattens the wood grain but it can be removed. I am testing it on every warped POS I can find and it works. As I stated in one of the other threads, time will tell but for now, I'm a believer.
 
I've been working with one for a few weeks now and I am beside myself. I cannot believe how well it works. Yes, it flattens the wood grain but it can be removed. I am testing it on every warped POS I can find and it works. As I stated in one of the other threads, time will tell but for now, I'm a believer.

Lol, I was just showing a few people last night how it works. Tried to find the crappiest warped shaft I had laying around, and had it dead nutz straight in 10 mins.. Like you stated, it will leave marks you can feel, but if the shaft only needs an every slight correction it isn't that much and can be mostly smoothed with a qwiz. Badly bent ones are a must to go over on the lathe when corrected..
 
Back
Top