Understanding Cue Tip Softness and Spin

Brother Ron said:

Understanding Cue Tip Softness and Spin​

To understand how a soft cue tip can increase the amount of spin on a cue ball, we need to break down the mechanics of how the cue tip interacts with the cue ball during a shot.

1. Contact Time and Friction​

When a player strikes the cue ball with a soft tip, the softness allows for greater deformation upon impact. This deformation increases the contact time between the cue tip and the cue ball. A longer contact time means that there is more opportunity for friction to act on the cue ball, which is crucial for imparting spin.

  • Friction: The friction between the soft tip and the surface of the cue ball is what allows spin (or “English”) to be applied effectively. The increased grip from a softer material helps in transferring rotational energy to the ball.

2. Tip Offset and Spin Generation​

The amount of spin imparted on a cue ball is also significantly influenced by where on the ball it is struck (the offset). When using a soft tip, players can hit further off-center without risking a miscue because:

  • Deformation: The soft tip compresses more easily, allowing it to maintain contact with the cue ball even when striking at an angle. This ability enables players to apply more sidespin or backspin effectively.

3. Energy Transfer Efficiency​

While some might think that harder tips would impart more spin due to better energy transfer, studies show that within typical ranges of hardness, both hard and soft tips can generate similar amounts of spin when struck correctly.

  • Energy Transfer: A well-chalked soft tip can still transfer sufficient energy while allowing for greater control over spin due to its ability to deform and grip better during impact.

4. Psychological Factors​

Players often feel more confident using softer tips because they perceive them as being more forgiving when applying spin. This psychological aspect can lead players to experiment with hitting off-center more frequently, thus increasing their overall ability to generate spin.

Conclusion​

In summary, a soft cue tip increases the amount of spin on a cue ball primarily due to its ability to deform upon impact, which enhances contact time and friction between the tip and ball, allowing for effective energy transfer and greater control over off-center hits.

The combination of these physical properties makes softer tips particularly advantageous for players looking to maximize their spin capabilities during play.
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You should checkout Dr Dave's work on the subject.

video:

text:
drdavepoolinfo.com

Cue Tip Hardness Effects - Dr. Dave Pool Info

Answers to frequently-asked questions about cue tip hardness comparisons.
drdavepoolinfo.com drdavepoolinfo.com
 
I have checked his videos out and they are pretty good.
However theory vs sustainable research leaves a lot to be desired.
I would like to hear what Bob Jewett has to say about differences in various shafts and tip reactions that he has experienced with his study on Iron Willie and Meucci's Myth Buster... both robots with repeatable strokes.
I'm sure there are probably more recent studies done with robotic testing, but these are the ones I know he was somewhat involved with.
 
Brother Ron said:
I have checked his videos out and they are pretty good.
However theory vs sustainable research leaves a lot to be desired.
I would like to hear what Bob Jewett has to say about differences in various shafts and tip reactions that he has experienced with his study on Iron Willie and Meucci's Myth Buster... both robots with repeatable strokes.
I'm sure there are probably more recent studies done with robotic testing, but these are the ones I know he was somewhat involved with.
Click to expand...
Bob and Dave are buddies, so I would say Bob thinks the same way. But he can speak about it himself.
 
There’s a simple test to compare the amount of spin created with different tips (or shafts, tapers, whatever):

1. Use a striped ball as your “cue ball” with the stripe vertical and aligned with the shot.

2. Shoot the “cue ball” from either spot (head or foot) straight into the side rail (at the middle diamond) with maximum sidespin. Check the chalk mark to confirm you hit right on the edge of the stripe - only count the shots that you did.

3. Shoot just hard enough so the ball rebounds to the near side rail.

4. How far to the side did it rebound?

pj
chgo
 
Patrick Johnson said:
There’s a simple test to compare the amount of spin created with different tips (or shafts, tapers, whatever):

1. Use a striped ball as your “cue ball” with the stripe vertical and aligned with the shot.

2. Shoot the “cue ball” from either spot (head or foot) straight into the side rail (at the middle diamond) with maximum sidespin. Check the chalk mark to confirm you hit right on the edge of the stripe - only count the shots that you did.

3. Shoot just hard enough so the ball rebounds to the near side rail.

4. How far to the side did it rebound?

pj
chgo
Click to expand...
This is a dirt simple test. I did it 10 or 15 years ago on here when this topic came up the 100th time then.

I tested all the cues I had on my rack at the time, including 314 shaft, ivory ferrule shaft, jump stick with phenolic tip, BK1 break stick. They all made the CB go to the exact same place.

Suggest the OP goes to the table and does the same, then delete the hogwash of this thread.
 
Brother Ron said:
I never said it was my own research. lol
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If it is someone else’s you should attribute it to them. Otherwise, you are implicitly stating it is your own.

Don’t know how it works with a.i.. Proobobully something along the lines of, “According to Everyone’s an Expert AI…”

Passing of someone else’s thoughts or computer generated messages as your own, in an effort to portray yourself as an expert does not seem very brotherly, hermano.
 
Wish this wingnut would find somewhere else to sling his bullshit. Nothing but fake news, looks like most is AI nonsense. Brother R needs to go find a different source of gullible suckers that might go for his 'preaching'. Can i get a big AMEN????
 
Patrick Johnson said:
There’s a simple test to compare the amount of spin created with different tips (or shafts, tapers, whatever):

1. Use a striped ball as your “cue ball” with the stripe vertical and aligned with the shot.

2. Shoot the “cue ball” from either spot (head or foot) straight into the side rail (at the middle diamond) with maximum sidespin. Check the chalk mark to confirm you hit right on the edge of the stripe - only count the shots that you did.

3. Shoot just hard enough so the ball rebounds to the near side rail.

4. How far to the side did it rebound?

pj
chgo
Click to expand...
A couple years back I think, Patrick suggested I do the quoted above. I had three different tips available.
  1. New Soft (Zan)
  2. hard (morri?)
  3. phenolic (breaker)
The end result...? It took some effort to compensate for squirt (varying shafts) but I managed. The resulting application of spin was nearly identical. Within a couple of inches at most from what I can recall.

My opinion based on experimentation/testing..? Tip hardness has no tangible bearing on resulting spin. Most certainly not enough to make a purchase consideration.
 
Brother Ron said:
I have checked his videos out and they are pretty good.
However theory vs sustainable research leaves a lot to be desired.
Click to expand...

So, you disbelieve your own eyes ?!? {hint:: not a good starting point}}

{{That is Dr Dave has video evidence that your postulate is simply wrong, and then he developed a mathematical framework showing your are wrong.}}

So, to win this in argument form, you need to provide scientifically valid video evidence of your postulate and then develop a mathematical model of it.

Where is your evidence !
 
Brother Ron said:
I have checked his videos out and they are pretty good.
However theory vs sustainable research leaves a lot to be desired.
I would like to hear what Bob Jewett has to say about differences in various shafts and tip reactions that he has experienced with his study on Iron Willie and Meucci's Myth Buster... both robots with repeatable strokes.
I'm sure there are probably more recent studies done with robotic testing, but these are the ones I know he was somewhat involved with.
Click to expand...

There you go.

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