ChicagoPete
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I was wondering if more tree rings makes for a better shaft? I'm not sure if there's a better way to explain my question but I think you guys will understand what I'm asking. Thank you.
Tree rings on shaft
- Thread starter ChicagoPete
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That depends on who you ask. Some will pay loads for 30 rings per inch. Others don't even want them.
It depends on what caused the high ring count. If nutrient and/or water deficiency caused slow growth then no because it is still bad wood. If the tree was not starved of nutrients or water but existed for a long time in the understory of a forest and had slow diameter growth due to limited light interception then it is healthy wood plus slow growth so might benefit from it.
P.S. This subject has been discussed umpteen times on the forum.
P.S. This subject has been discussed umpteen times on the forum.
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The player behind it
You will get mixed views on this. It's all a matter of preference but I have never seen something on a shaft that tells me Oh Yea that's a winner.
What do you say?
Visually? Nope, not really. The best you can do visually is inspect straightness of grain, color, and whether or not there are any blemishes.
ChicagoPete
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Thanks a lot guys for the info. The reason I asked is I bought a 1991 handmade cue with a hand cut g10 pin (on the shaft the butt is the female end) a few years back that I really like and use. It has a ton of rings, I was told from the owner not the cue maker "The shaft is from the 1930s look at all the rings!" I ended up getting another shaft for it from a friend of mine that was made by the same cue maker (who is retired) that has barely any rings on it but has the same style g10 pin. I haven't been able to see how the hit is because the g10 pin is a millimeter to long and I need to have in brought down so it will fit my cue. I wanted to find out the info you guys shared with me before I actually brought it down. Thanks again for your help. Ill let you know how it works out.
Most makers prefer 10-15 rings per inch.
8 would be pushing it b/c they don't look so good.
You can still get good playing shafts with 8 rings per inch of course.
Anything less than 8 RPI, shouldn't be on custom cues imo.
They belong to break cues and production cues imo.
Flex that new shaft between your two hands and get a feel how stiff it is compared to your old one. It might tell you right there if it's good.
Some woods are just way too soft to get a decent playability from them imo.
ChicagoPete
Registered
Thanks I will try flexing them to see the difference. I always thought the more rings the better.
ChicagoPete
Registered
This thread leaves me wondering, when you guys build shafts do you have to wait until the shaft is finished to find out if its a good or not so good shaft? Im guessing that's how it goes when working with wood. If that is true then wouldn't it be a crap shoot when someone buys a high volume production cue? Thanks
Someone said wood is wood, and its all different. I think that's the truth.
Not pool related, but wood related, I have a friend who makes violin bows (I play bluegrass fiddle) .... And I was fortunate enough to get to play and pick the ones that I wanted from his shop, and in that process I got to talk to him.
In the end he had blanks, rough cut, dried, cut again, dried... But through all his experience until he started really making the bow he had no clue to start if it was going to be good or not.
Often times knots in wood are viewed as detractors when working with wood.... And I think that has to do with strength... But I have one bow with a knot in it, and this gent also said something like basically if you can work through it, and it stays together through all the torture of making the bow, then it'll hold together forever.
I bet there's a few cue makers out there that are "wood whisperers", and can pick a piece up and look at it, tap/knock it, listen to it, and go Yep, that's gonna be a good piece. There's no science in that, its just experience.
Wood and what we do with it is fascinating.
Not pool related, but wood related, I have a friend who makes violin bows (I play bluegrass fiddle) .... And I was fortunate enough to get to play and pick the ones that I wanted from his shop, and in that process I got to talk to him.
In the end he had blanks, rough cut, dried, cut again, dried... But through all his experience until he started really making the bow he had no clue to start if it was going to be good or not.
Often times knots in wood are viewed as detractors when working with wood.... And I think that has to do with strength... But I have one bow with a knot in it, and this gent also said something like basically if you can work through it, and it stays together through all the torture of making the bow, then it'll hold together forever.
I bet there's a few cue makers out there that are "wood whisperers", and can pick a piece up and look at it, tap/knock it, listen to it, and go Yep, that's gonna be a good piece. There's no science in that, its just experience.
Wood and what we do with it is fascinating.