Why I will never buy another Uni-loc Radial

our_auctionguy

our_auctionguy

The Wall.....
Silver Member
I see that Uni-loc radial pins have been fairly accepted by a lot of cuemakers these days and from experience, I do know they provide a solid mating for a WTW joint. However, in the few times I have had a custom cue made with that pin, I have found that it is way too easy for one to start misthreading or cross threading when screwing the shaft onto the butt due to the shallowness and gentle slope of the lands verses grooves.

My last experience was with a piloted radial setup made by a cuemaker who produces cues that a lot of you prize as a collectible. The problem even caused the extruded part of the pilot in the shaft to start a split or crack when I got it wrong one day, even after being meticulously slow and careful trying to mate the two correctly. That is when I said no more Radials.

I will only acquire cues with traditional screw threading such as 3/8-11, 3/8-10, or 5/16-14.

Am I a lone idiot that just doesn't know how to thread a radial or has anyone else ever experienced this same problem?
 
Meaning no disrespect, but

you are the only person I know of who has had a problem with a Radial pin. Now, that being said, I do know that there is more than one sized "Radial pin." The Uni-Loc Radial is 3/8 by about 7.6 while there are some knock-off pins that are 3/8 by 8. Also, even among pins that are 3/8 by 7.6, some are slightly larger in diameter than others. So it is surely possible to have/create a problem threading the wrong size or pitch pin into a shaft. But again, this is the first time I have heard of someone having a problem threading a standard Uni-Loc Radial pin into a shaft made for that pin.
 
I also am not a big fan of the radial pin. I prefer a 3/8 10. I have had the radial pin become loose after its been tightened. My favorite playing cue has a radial pin several times i have picked it up hit a ball and just a thud. Thats why i prefer the 3/8 10 never a problem with it becoming loose.
 
our_auctionguy said:
I see that Uni-loc radial pins have been fairly accepted by a lot of cuemakers these days and from experience, I do know they provide a solid mating for a WTW joint. However, in the few times I have had a custom cue made with that pin, I have found that it is way too easy for one to start misthreading or cross threading when screwing the shaft onto the butt due to the shallowness and gentle slope of the lands verses grooves.

My last experience was with a piloted radial setup made by a cuemaker who produces cues that a lot of you prize as a collectible. The problem even caused the extruded part of the pilot in the shaft to start a split or crack when I got it wrong one day, even after being meticulously slow and careful trying to mate the two correctly. That is when I said no more Radials.

I will only acquire cues with traditional screw threading such as 3/8-11, 3/8-10, or 5/16-14.

Am I a lone idiot that just doesn't know how to thread a radial or has anyone else ever experienced this same problem?
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I bought a used Capone cue on ebay a while back. The cue looked great in the pictures and I got it for a good price. Mike Capone uses Uni-lock radial pins on his cues and when I got the cue from the seller one of the shafts threads was stripped and it wouldn't tighten on the butt correctly.

I contacted Mike Capone about the problem and he said he could fix the shaft for me. I had no idea how much it would cost to fix the shaft and to my surprise Mike fixed it for "No Charge". The problem was caused by the previous owners negligence and Mike didn't have to fix the shaft for me. Mike is great to deal with if you ever think about buying one of his cues. I don't own a Capone cue and i'm just passing on my experience with the cue maker.

My current cues have 5/16x14 piloted joints and i've never had any problems with this joint.

James
 
My current player is a uniloc radial and you know when it's threading right and when it's not...
 
I have been a auto technician for 36 years and have seen many stripped threads mostly in metal, so I have trained myself and my wife to backthread everytime I screw any cue together. Simply stick the shaft in place and rotate counterclockwise till you feel the shaft drop off of the outermost thread and then spin the shaft on clockwise and you should have no problems, I dont own any radial pin cues now either, because I like the 3/8 10 wood to wood joint better. The 5/16 by 14 and 18 thread cues are ok with me also.--Leonard
 
i've always been afraid of this. in addition, i've heard if you don't screw it on as tight as you can, it can start to vibrate permanently. for those that have used radial and other 3/8's, why do you prefer radial over those other threads?
 
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BillPorter said:
you are the only person I know of who has had a problem with a Radial pin. Now, that being said, I do know that there is more than one sized "Radial pin." The Uni-Loc Radial is 3/8 by about 7.6 while there are some knock-off pins that are 3/8 by 8. Also, even among pins that are 3/8 by 7.6, some are slightly larger in diameter than others. So it is surely possible to have/create a problem threading the wrong size or pitch pin into a shaft. But again, this is the first time I have heard of someone having a problem threading a standard Uni-Loc Radial pin into a shaft made for that pin.
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A cue with that joint pin config isn't the best choice for cues exported out of the CMs locality. Expansion, due to humidity difference, causes tightness from the heftier wood portion of the threads. Have received a few that needed re-tapping to fit in smoothly.
 
I had a radial pin on my Murray Tucker cue and had no problems with it. I personally do not like uni-loc pins of any sort.
Could be I don't understand the term "uni-loc radial". I know Dan Dishaw makes many of his cues with a uni-loc but mine has the original type.
 
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All my players have radial pins and I love em. I can see how it can be a problem as you need to make sure you're threading it right.
 
Johnnyt said:
Is a uni-loc pin one with metal srew =male, female= wood? Thank you. Johnnyt
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all 3/8's are that way, they don't have the brass insert. radial is a 3/8 but with radial threads, which are rounded
 
Pushout said:
I had a radial pin on my Murray Tucker cue and had no problems with it. I personally do not like uni-loc pins of any sort.
Could be I don't understand the term "uni-loc radial". I know Dan Dishaw makes many of his cues with a uni-loc but mine has the original type.
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I believe that Uni-Loc has the patent on Radial pins. Maybe you are thinking of the quick-release Uni-Loc joint?
 
I like the radial pins, never had any problems like that...with the rounded nose, and no threads so far down..it makes it kinda difficult to actualy "cross thread" but im always very careful but im like that with any cue reguardless of the joint type...the older style 3/8x10 pin imho would be easier to cross thread and I always thought that the radial style pin was a much needed improvement..
 
Richardson said:
I wont own one either, but i just dont like them.
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I felt that way at first considering that I've always owned metal/metal joints. Once I shot with it for a little while I grew to love it and won't have anything else.
 
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