Wood type density vs weight

N

NJ_Qball

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
To all cue makers:

I am looking on getting a full splice sneaky made but it appears that the woods I like together will make the cue too heavy for my preference. I have been looking at a bacote and ebony sneaky full splice but with a Stainless Steal joint, around 19.2.

I have approached Mr. Sly who has been a tremendous help for the cue, but don't want to bog him down with this request. I was wondering if I could get a list or opinion on what woods are light and dense versus heavy. I can fix my weight issue if I put the right combination together, it is just getting the wood types right is where I am stuck.

I am looking at
ebony
bacote
thuya burl
olive wood
red wood
blackwood
sappelle
tulipwood

Any help is appreciated, and opinions on parings are encouraged.

Thanks
 
Wood type

NJ_Qball said:
To all cue makers:

I am looking on getting a full splice sneaky made but it appears that the woods I like together will make the cue too heavy for my preference. I have been looking at a bacote and ebony sneaky full splice but with a Stainless Steal joint, around 19.2.

I have approached Mr. Sly who has been a tremendous help for the cue, but don't want to bog him down with this request. I was wondering if I could get a list or opinion on what woods are light and dense versus heavy. I can fix my weight issue if I put the right combination together, it is just getting the wood types right is where I am stuck.

I am looking at
ebony
bacote
thuya burl
olive wood
red wood
blackwood
sappelle
tulipwood

Any help is appreciated, and opinions on parings are encouraged.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I would be very careful here as to the choice of woods. The type of wood the cue is made of will greatly influence the hit. Far more than most people realize. You may want to use a different joint type to help with the weight issue as that will greatly determin how heavy the cue is. Most cue makers will tell you that if a joint type is done properly they will all hit close to the same. The flat bottom pin ( southwest style ) is as close to the ideal pin as anything on the market and availabler in all material types to help with the weight issue. Mr Sly is very knowledgeable about woods. Ebony is the hardest hitting wood and the heaviest. Bacote has a wonderful hit. just my two cents. Suggest you browse the cue gallery and the for sale gallerys and you should see just about any combination .
 
sapele is the only wood on your list that might work.if you could pass on the ss joint i think Bocote would also work as would the Tulip.some of the woods on your list wouldn't really work in a full splice cue.
 
NJ_Qball said:
To all cue makers:

I am looking on getting a full splice sneaky made but it appears that the woods I like together will make the cue too heavy for my preference. I have been looking at a bacote and ebony sneaky full splice but with a Stainless Steal joint, around 19.2.

I have approached Mr. Sly who has been a tremendous help for the cue, but don't want to bog him down with this request. I was wondering if I could get a list or opinion on what woods are light and dense versus heavy. I can fix my weight issue if I put the right combination together, it is just getting the wood types right is where I am stuck.

I am looking at
ebony
bacote
thuya burl
olive wood
red wood
blackwood
sappelle
tulipwood

Any help is appreciated, and opinions on parings are encouraged.

Thanks
Click to expand...
The woods on your list should all work except Thuya. Other than that everything else I have used. There is ways around the weight issue. I don't know who is going to build this for you, but if you don't find someone give me a call. I thought you said you was talking with Leon. I am sure he can build this for you. But if not give me a call!
 
full splice

maybe a cue like this one ? will be aviable at the super billiard expo
Travis

IMG_0154.jpg



IMG_0152.jpg
 
I was originally thinking of one just like the one Sly has/had for sale with the elforyn joint. Just the opposite of yours, Travis.

I was considering ivory to keep the weight down, but really want to try the 1/2 SS joint/radial configuration, perhaps with a G-10 pin.

I was thinking sapele for while and having either ebony or blackwood as the forearm. Just can't see it, too bad I sold the cue from you Mason. I was also considering bloodwood and amboyna burl into ebony.
 
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Here is what I am thinking

1. Blackwood nose, amboyna burl as the rest of the cue
2. Blackwood nose and either and either curly or tiger maple as the rest
3. Blackwood or ebony nose with sapele as the rest
4. Blackwood or ebony nose and alves as the rest

Maybe even a rosewood nose with olivewood as the rest.

Just too many nice woods. I guess that is why I am wondering what configuration would weigh just too much so I can start slimming down the list.

This being a sneaky pete type cue, I am looking for something that I haven't seen before and will be unique

Thoughts?
Thanks all you guys!!!
I appreciate all the input. You guys are great
 
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How about Alves butt/handle/points into blackwood. Can this be a full splice sneaky pete around 19oz with a 1/2 SS joint??
 
NJ_Qball said:
To all cue makers:

I am looking on getting a full splice sneaky made but it appears that the woods I like together will make the cue too heavy for my preference. I have been looking at a bacote and ebony sneaky full splice but with a Stainless Steal joint, around 19.2.

Any help is appreciated, and opinions on parings are encouraged.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Hi NJ_Qball,

I may be wrong, but what about fullsplice cored? That would be able to manage the weight?
 
PoolTrip said:
Hi NJ_Qball,

I may be wrong, but what about fullsplice cored? That would be able to manage the weight?
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I have not been able to understand this concept of coring a full splice. It seems to me that by coring...you remove the reason behind the full splice, IMHO.

I am a huge full splice fan, and while I love seeing new wood combinations used, I have to draw the line at sacrificing playability vs asthetics.

Lisa
 
ridewiththewind said:
I have not been able to understand this concept of coring a full splice. It seems to me that by coring...you remove the reason behind the full splice, IMHO.

I am a huge full splice fan, and while I love seeing new wood combinations used, I have to draw the line at sacrificing playability vs asthetics.

Lisa
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That'd be like an electric violin.
 
ridewiththewind said:
I have not been able to understand this concept of coring a full splice. It seems to me that by coring...you remove the reason behind the full splice, IMHO.

I am a huge full splice fan, and while I love seeing new wood combinations used, I have to draw the line at sacrificing playability vs asthetics.

Lisa
Click to expand...

The purpose is to use highly figured or very heavy woods in a full splice while maintaining a reasonably weighted & strong cue. Nobody's trying to replace a bocote into straight grain maple sneaky. There are just people who like the design of full splice but want specific woods that normally wouldn't work so well as full splice. If playability was number one concern, bocote into maple is gonna be very tough to beat. But at what point are cues so good anyway that 75%+ of players wouldn't understand or realize the subtle differences in playability? So they choose by design & asthetics first, then trust the builder to make it playable. 10 years ago, this would be impossible. But now, cues are great all over the spectrum & accomplished builders can take otherwise junk or unuseable wood combinations & make a nice player. That's the idea behind a cored full splice. If done correctly, any full splice cored can play great. It may not be comparable to a traditional full splice, but only a few percent of players can tell the difference.
 
qbilder said:
The purpose is to use highly figured or very heavy woods in a full splice while maintaining a reasonably weighted & strong cue. Nobody's trying to replace a bocote into straight grain maple sneaky. There are just people who like the design of full splice but want specific woods that normally wouldn't work so well as full splice. If playability was number one concern, bocote into maple is gonna be very tough to beat. But at what point are cues so good anyway that 75%+ of players wouldn't understand or realize the subtle differences in playability? So they choose by design & asthetics first, then trust the builder to make it playable. 10 years ago, this would be impossible. But now, cues are great all over the spectrum & accomplished builders can take otherwise junk or unuseable wood combinations & make a nice player. That's the idea behind a cored full splice. If done correctly, any full splice cored can play great. It may not be comparable to a traditional full splice, but only a few percent of players can tell the difference.
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I agree and hence the reason for the post. I have a bocote into maple full splice and it plays great. But, as qbuilder states, if I had a blindfold on I would most likely not be able to tell the difference between that cue and one made of different woods and full splice cored.

Either way, matching wood types and finding the right combinations to get to a customer's desired wieght I am finding to be a science in and of itself and deserves appreciation. Therefore, I thank all contributors to this thread.
 
if I had a blindfold on I would most likely not be able to tell the difference between that cue and one made of different woods and full splice cored.
Most likely you would.
Maple with bocote behind it will hit a lot different than one long piece of maple.
 
JoeyInCali said:
if I had a blindfold on I would most likely not be able to tell the difference between that cue and one made of different woods and full splice cored.
Most likely you would.
Maple with bocote behind it will hit a lot different than one long piece of maple.
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Not necessarily. If the maple:bocote ratio in front of the grip hand are the same, I don't think it's going to make so much difference if it's cored or spliced. In all reality, a core is an internal splice. No arguement that there would be differences, but i'd bet it wouldn't be noticeable to many.
 
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