Tip diameter comparisons?

Imagine a pinpoint contact point on the radius between your tipmand the cue ball. Given different radius tips, the flatter the tip the further from center you need to hit to place the pinpoint on the radius at the same place on the cue ball.

The further out you hit, the more deflection. Regardless of the shaft being standard or lower deflection, the further from center the more deflection, which, is more variable.

Understanding that, why would a flatter tip, requiring more extreme off center hits for the same spin transfer, ever be preferred?

As far as shaft diameter is concerned, the dime radius on an 11.75mm tip is the same as the dime radius on a 13mm tip. The radius defines the curvature, not the diameter.

Pretty straight forward stuff...

I won't even get in to the concept that a good stroke, dime radius and close to center hit makes the standard solid maple shaft superior to a glued together pie of wood that is almost as much glue as it is wood. Oh shit... I went and did it there.

Personally, I prefer a 'flatter' tip with the edges just softened or 'rounded'. That way I can better define just where on the cue ball I will be hitting(or at least targeting to hit). Another reason I prefer that shape is because I prefer a soft tip & when hitting on the edge & that soft tip compresses on a high speed hit, it needs depth for the compression. Finally when I do want to hit center CB there is a bit more room for a slight off center placement to still make contact with the center.

Again, all of the above are JMHOs.
 
Personally, I prefer a 'flatter' tip with the edges just softened or 'rounded'. That way I can better define just where on the cue ball I will be hitting(or at least targeting to hit). Another reason I prefer that shape is because I prefer a soft tip & when hitting on the edge & that soft tip compresses on a high speed hit, it needs depth for the compression. Finally when I do want to hit center CB there is a bit more room for a slight off center placement to still make contact with the center.

Again, all of the above are JMHOs.
Understand what you said and do

I believe it is probably about 90% personal preference and comfort zone for confidence for each person, I support whatever they think works.

From a physics standpoint, the flatter the tip, the further out you have to hit the cue ball for the same spin effect, and the further from center the more deflection and variable. That's my only point
 
Understand what you said and do

I believe it is probably about 90% personal preference and comfort zone for confidence for each person, I support whatever they think works.

From a physics standpoint, the flatter the tip, the further out you have to hit the cue ball for the same spin effect, and the further from center the more deflection and variable. That's my only point

Yes, I can agree with that. To make indentical contact the larger 'flat' tipped cue's mass would need to be about a smidgen over 1/2 mm farther out & that would change the squirt vector a bit. I dare say I, or probably no one could make a speed adjustment in stroke to make them come out equal.

Plus the larger heavier tip & ferrule & front end of the shaft would weigh more which would cause more squirt as well. So I would guess that a smaller tipped cue in essence causes less squirt, all other variables being equal.

But a dime shape on a wider shaft & a flat tip on a smaller shaft might be very near the same with regards to the squirt vector.

Complicated stuff when such small differences can mean so much.

Regards to You,
 
Yes, I can agree with that. To make indentical contact the larger 'flat' tipped cue's mass would need to be about a smidgen over 1/2 mm farther out & that would change the squirt vector a bit. I dare say I, or probably no one could make a speed adjustment in stroke to make them come out equal.

Plus the larger heavier tip & ferrule & front end of the shaft would weigh more which would cause more squirt as well. So I would guess that a smaller tipped cue in essence causes less squirt, all other variables being equal.

But a dime shape on a wider shaft & a flat tip on a smaller shaft might be very near the same with regards to the squirt vector.

Complicated stuff when such small differences can mean so much.

Regards to You,
Yup... Exactly

You got the concept
 
I've read thru this tread and there's ample opinions on accuracy/spin/grip/etc vs. tip diameter. I shoot with a McDermott I-3 shaft with a 11.75 soft Moori tip. It may be mental, but that's the best tip diameter for me. When I hit the cue ball I feel I'm hitting it with exact geometric precision. Now, conversely, when I play on a 7 foot bar table I play with a house cue. It has a 13mm tip diameter with an unknown tip and I play very well with it. I probably shoot just as well with either tip diameter so again I'll say it may be mental. What I like and what feels right to me is key regardless of tip diameter.
 
I always play better with a 13MM tip it's just feels better in my fingers.
 
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