whitch foam to fill carbon fiber shaft
- Thread starter buellx1
- Start date
I'd like to know as well. So far my research has come up with a spray polyurethane insulation foam, but that was from a post a few years ago, i don't know if that's changed or not. 
Most people use 2-part expanding closed cell polyurethane pour foam. There are different densities (4lb - 8lb) you can experiment with. You can find it on Amazon or ebay. Total Boat is a good brand.
I use a two part foam. It only takes about 1 oz of each hardener and resin. Mix together for about 20-30 seconds and pour into the hollow shaft. Of course, you have to have one end plugged in advance and ready. It's a quick operation, so be ready!!
Gary
Gary
I install my joint plug first before pouring, I'm not certain of the downsides but it makes the process a little easier.
Hi Neil,
One of the purposes of foam is to add some weight to the shaft.
What do you do for weight control?
Just wondering,
Gary
Hi Neil,
You mentioned you leave your CF shafts hollow. Have you ever had a customer state they have a “tink” sound with the shaft? I’m sure there are differences between your shafts and a Cuetec Cynergy, however, my Cynergy shaft made an annoying “tink” sound regardless of tip hardness. I removed the ferrule and to my surprise, the shaft was hollow. Just curious if and how you would modify the shaft if a “tink” sound was noted.
Thanks.
You mentioned you leave your CF shafts hollow. Have you ever had a customer state they have a “tink” sound with the shaft? I’m sure there are differences between your shafts and a Cuetec Cynergy, however, my Cynergy shaft made an annoying “tink” sound regardless of tip hardness. I removed the ferrule and to my surprise, the shaft was hollow. Just curious if and how you would modify the shaft if a “tink” sound was noted.
Thanks.
I made an ultralight 11.8mm CF shaft (30in) and kept it hollow. It played fine and made the expected tink sound. It was sub 3oz. I don't know that the few grams of foam impacts the balance point or playability of a CF cue, but it certainly dampens the tink sound.
They do make a tink from the tube wall. But some of that can be reduced by the way you do the reverse ferrule connection. I have added heavy epoxy at places in the shaft if it needs to be weighted for balance or total shaft weight. When weight is being added , its actually possible for the weight to be there but have very little impact change. Ie the heavier shaft not being the same impact to the ball as to another one that does, both being the same weight.
I pack mine with cotton. BIRKY Shafts
I like that idea, a lot less mess than the foam.
My Carbon Fiber Butts and Shafts needs no filler, they are not hollow.
They are perfectly straight and American made by myself.
Choose the trim you like with either the Carbon Fiber look or in Black.
Butt sections and Shafts make great combinations, what a hit.
Choose your weight and length as well as the tip diameter.
So much fun even a Daveman can do it.
They are perfectly straight and American made by myself.
Choose the trim you like with either the Carbon Fiber look or in Black.
Butt sections and Shafts make great combinations, what a hit.
Choose your weight and length as well as the tip diameter.
So much fun even a Daveman can do it.
Typically the posted density is per cubic foot of the resulting foam. So a cubic foot of the resulting foam from 4lb density pour weighs 4 pounds. Depending on the internal dimensions of your shaft and your selected density, pour foam might add 6-10 grams to your shaft weight (around .3oz if I remember correctly).
It's expensive and a mess though.
But pour foams are pretty much the only theoretical way to get a shaft evenly filled isn't it? Spray foams might leave random air pockets even with a long nozzle.
Pardon my questions, I'm not a cue builder or woodworker by any means. Just interested in how things are built, and I've been intrigued how seemingly readily available carbon fiber shafts are now. I'm currently getting a blank finished in China, in the process of getting a Tomahawk ferrule down there to have it completed, just not sure how the playability will turn out. A month ago, I got a shaft from China too for about 70 shipped, weighed in at 4.2oz, 13mm conical taper with a phenolic plate and tip(separate), but the shaft was considerably hollow with a tink sound on impact(perhaps some fill foam might help?).
Back to the foam, is 4lb foam density considered low density?
It's another challenge(for me) to know how far up the shaft the foam will expand to. Needs lots of testing.
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