Who In America Makes LD Shafts Out of Solid Blanks or Converts Existing Shafts to LD?

kvinbrwr

kvinbrwr

Skee Ball Monster Playa
Gold Member
Messing with Mr Borani has now got me curious. I've had a PM from Japan and there are several people doing it there, both from their own blanks and from existing shafts.

Anyone out there using a solid maple LD shaft? Who would you recommend for this work? I can't get Ernie Gutierrez interested in the concept and he's way busy building huge dollar cues. I have a Predator 314 that is way LD but feels like a loaf of rye bread on the ball. I'd love a LD shaft that felt traditional.

Is LD and solid feel possible? Or are the 2 mutually exclusive?

Thanks

Kevin
 
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kvinbrwr said:
Messing with Mr Borani has now got me curious. I've had a PM from Japan and there are several people doing it there, both from their own blanks and from existing shafts.

Anyone out there using a solid maple LD shaft? Who would you recommend for this work? I can't get Ernie Gutierrez interested in the concept and he's way busy building huge dollar cues. I have a Predator 314 that is way LD but feels like a loaf of rye bread on the ball. I'd love a LD shaft that felt traditional.

Thanks

Kevin
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I know there are cue makers who do it, I had a 4 piece laminated shaft. Post in the Wanted/For Sale that your looking for a laminated shaft and I am sure someone will help you out.
 
Fast Lenny said:
I know there are cue makers who do it, I had a 4 piece laminated shaft. Post in the Wanted/For Sale that your looking for a laminated shaft and I am sure someone will help you out.
Click to expand...

Lenny

I don't think I want a laminated shaft. I think I want a solid shaft. Actually, I'm not sure what makes the hollow feel on my 314. Is it the lamination? The hollowing out? The light ferrule?

Thanks

Kevin
 
kvinbrwr said:
Messing with Mr Borani has now got me curious. I've had a PM from Japan and there are several people doing it there, both from their own blanks and from existing shafts.

Anyone out there using a solid maple LD shaft? Who would you recommend for this work? I can't get Ernie Gutierrez interested in the concept and he's way busy building huge dollar cues. I have a Predator 314 that is way LD but feels like a loaf of rye bread on the ball. I'd love a LD shaft that felt traditional.

Id LD and solid feel possible? Or are the 2 mutually exclusive?

Thanks

Kevin
Click to expand...

Mezz makes them.... The WD700 hits so good I'm about to jump ship from my 1st gen Predators.
 
The Saw said:
Mezz makes them.... The WD700 hits so good I'm about to jump ship from my 1st gen Predators.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the steer. From Mezz:

Mezz WD700 Shaft
This totally new Mezz design of hard maple shafts has low deflection performance that can enhance every player's game, but yet has a feel of a traditional one-piece maple shaft.

Which is exactly what I said I wanted.

Thanks again

Kevin
 
lorider said:
the op was asking for us made. mezz is made in japan.
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I was actually asking more for what custom makers there were in America.

I found the suggestion that Mezz could accomplish my goals without going custom pretty helpful.

Thanks

Kevin
 
A laminated shaft does not have that hollow feel your speaking of, that is a reason I do not like Predator also, it just feels funny to me and empty.
 
Fast Lenny said:
A laminated shaft does not have that hollow feel your speaking of, that is a reason I do not like Predator also, it just feels funny to me and empty.
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Predator does have that feel and is laminated. What do you think causes this if not the lamination ? Is it their ferrules? The coring?

Thanks

Kevin
 
Webbs Billiards said:
Meucci Red Dot shafts are LD made from solid maple and not laminated. Made in USA. Mezz is made in Japan.
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I could care less where its made if I'm buying a ready-made shaft. I was just trying to avoid the logistics of ordering a custom from Japan.

Thanks

Kevin
 
The Tiger Pro-X is laminated but its done in a way that retains most of the look and feel of solid maple.

I picked one up at the SBE two months ago and love it.

It replaced an OB1 shaft that served me well for several years. Like you, I wanted the look and hit of solid maple with LD properties. This shaft has delivered 95% of what I was looking for.

The squirt is slightly more than the OB1 but I found the adjustment quick and painless.

I have also tried my own home brew LD by cutting the ferrule off of a 30" traditional shaft and found the squirt still pretty high.

A Kevin Varney LD shaft I had played great, but had moderate squirt.

Good luck in your quest and I hope you don't piss off Ernie!
 
jacoby is making a ld shaft, i have not tried it, but my friend who uses one suggested i try one. he likes his and he will not use predator. it is laminated though.

louis
 
Yes, I do it.

kvinbrwr said:
Messing with Mr Borani has now got me curious. I've had a PM from Japan and there are several people doing it there, both from their own blanks and from existing shafts.

Anyone out there using a solid maple LD shaft? Who would you recommend for this work? I can't get Ernie Gutierrez interested in the concept and he's way busy building huge dollar cues. I have a Predator 314 that is way LD but feels like a loaf of rye bread on the ball. I'd love a LD shaft that felt traditional.

Is LD and solid feel possible? Or are the 2 mutually exclusive?

Thanks

Kevin
Click to expand...

They are typically mutually exclusive because of the way that LD is done, you have to reduce end mass and the typical way this is done leads to a hollow feel because it literally hollows out the core in the front of the shaft to reduce end mass.

I have come up with a way to reduce the end mass while maintaining the feedback without having that hollow feel and I can do it to any shaft.

Jaden
 
I strongly believe that Predator shafts feel that way because of the coring and ferrule but I could be wrong, would not be the first time. I also think most of the shafts are made using crappy material, most of those Predator shafts I have seen do not roll too well.
 
Just have Ernie make a ferrule-less shaft, hollow out the tip end a couple inches back, and use a fibre pad under the tip.

That should reduce the front end mass substantially.

I think that's pretty much what Tony at Black Boar does, from what Dave Bollman tells me.

I personally can't play with a LD shaft. I'm too accustomed to deflection and don't have the patience to retrain my instincts.

If I put an object ball on the spot and apply bottom inside english for 3-rail position I'll miss the pocket by a diamond on the short rail every time. :p
 
desmocourtney said:
The Tiger Pro-X is laminated but its done in a way that retains most of the look and feel of solid maple.

I picked one up at the SBE two months ago and love it.

It replaced an OB1 shaft that served me well for several years. Like you, I wanted the look and hit of solid maple with LD properties. This shaft has delivered 95% of what I was looking for.

The squirt is slightly more than the OB1 but I found the adjustment quick and painless.

I have also tried my own home brew LD by cutting the ferrule off of a 30" traditional shaft and found the squirt still pretty high.

A Kevin Varney LD shaft I had played great, but had moderate squirt.

Good luck in your quest and I hope you don't piss off Ernie!
Click to expand...

I amuse The Master more than anything.

Thanks for the response.

Kevin
 
You can't just hollow out the front of the shaft...

branpureza said:
Just have Ernie make a ferrule-less shaft, hollow out the tip end a couple inches back, and use a fibre pad under the tip.

That should reduce the front end mass substantially.

I think that's pretty much what Tony at Black Boar does, from what Dave Bollman tells me.

I personally can't play with a LD shaft. I'm too accustomed to deflection and don't have the patience to retrain my instincts.

If I put an object ball on the spot and apply bottom inside english for 3-rail position I'll miss the pocket by a diamond on the short rail every time. :p
Click to expand...


Hollowing out the front of the shaft will give you ld, but it will also reduce the feel. You have to do something more to maintain the feel.

Please excuse me for not posting what I do to maintain the feel...

Jaden
 
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