Why does weight of a cue matter ?

[poolqjunkie]

Although it is true that balance is the key, I believe weight is important as well.

I know for a fact that if I have two cues with identical balance points but one is one oz heavier than the other, most players can feel the difference.

The Americans believe you can move the cue faster with a lighter cue, so you can generate more kinetic energy on the cue ball. The reasoning is that since kenitic energy is proportional to mass and the square of velocity, a slight increase in velocity will increase the kinetic energy by much more than the same increase in mass.

On the other hand, if a player is able to move a slightly heavier cue at the same velocity, then he can generate even more energy than he could with a lighter cue.

Given the same balance point, I think this is one of the reasons why some players prefer a lighter cue and some a heavier one.

Other factors such as shaft density, type of wood, taper, shaft construction...etc will all matter as well to various extends.

[Bigmeek]

Although it is true that balance is the key, I believe weight is important as well.

I know for a fact that if I have two cues with identical balance points but one is one oz heavier than the other, most players can feel the difference.

The Americans believe you can move the cue faster with a lighter cue, so you can generate more kinetic energy on the cue ball. The reasoning is that since kenitic energy is proportional to mass and the square of velocity, a slight increase in velocity will increase the kinetic energy by much more than the same increase in mass.

On the other hand, if a player is able to move a slightly heavier cue at the same velocity, then he can generate even more energy than he could with a lighter cue.

Given the same balance point, I think this is one of the reasons why some players prefer a lighter cue and some a heavier one.

Other factors such as shaft density, type of wood, taper, shaft construction...etc will all matter as well to various extends.

As usual Terry and Poolqjunkie etc have lots of interesting comments and I think I can now appreciate why some cues "just feel right" (weight balance mostly.) I've got a couple of old heavy cues which I'd like to have adjusted but I'm nervous about how this would be done. For a layman like me I can see that if you get your plane out you can shave an ounce off but this seems like "butchery"! and would maybe affect butt diameter and taper? I've read posts about "drilling out".
Question What would be an acceptable method of losing weight?

[CueAntW147]

As usual Terry and Poolqjunkie etc have lots of interesting comments and I think I can now appreciate why some cues "just feel right" (weight balance mostly.) I've got a couple of old heavy cues which I'd like to have adjusted but I'm nervous about how this would be done. For a layman like me I can see that if you get your plane out you can shave an ounce off but this seems like "butchery"! and would maybe affect butt diameter and taper? I've read posts about "drilling out".
Question What would be an acceptable method of losing weight?

Slim Fast or Weight Watchers............

Joking aside if there old cues it might be possible to get the weight out which is usually lead.......by drilling the butt then either replace it with a lighter weight or wood.....all depends how far the actual weight is inside the butt.

But a skilled cue maker wouldn't have a problem sorting this out.....

[Bigmeek]

Thanks CueAntW147. As I clicked reply I realised I'd left myself open to the "slimfast" jokes. Ah well, you live and learn!!
Are you saying that drilling the butt would be OK for someone who knew what they were doing? Frightens the life out of me. Would it not be difficult to work out the affect on balance? (Maybe not to an expert.) I've used a lot of rack cues over the years to find a rattle or dull sound from the butt. Is this because of poor drilling out do you think?
Don't really know what to think on making adjustments to cues. Sound like you're best to try and get things right first time. Probably explains why Parris gives Ronnie half a dozen to try. Rejects are found on e-bay!!

[CueAntW147]

Sorry mate couldn't resist it.....!

In old cues you tend to find the lead weights usually work loose over time hence the rattle.
Best way to cure this is to drill into the butt locate the weight then remove it basically then the weight will need glueing back in then the butt re-filled, no problems with this as long as drilling is kept central, so probably better on a lathe.

Obviously at the stage when the weight is removed would be the time to add a lighter weight if looking to reduce the overall weight of the cue......depending on where the weight is or re-fitted to could affect the balance point.

You tend to find if ebony is bored out to reduce weight then filled with something lighter or not filled at all it can affect the solid feel of a cue as it almost feels very light at the bottom of the butt, then gets heavier further up, which can feel strange.

Cues tend to feel better at there natural weight regardless of what that is with nothing added or taken away, that said we all have our own weight preferences which of course is a personal thing.

Hopefully Trev or someone else will come along at some point & explain this much better than me............but hope this is of some help.

[Mr O]

For weight adjustments I recommend craftsman. I've sent quite a few over there, usually to take weight down, and they've always been spot on down to within a couple of grams or so. Cues with SD joints aswell

[unclevit]

Yeah......plus it effects the spread of the weight or how it feels ......2 cues weighing exactly the same weight...........but one balanced higher or forward at around 18-19" will feel totally different to a cue balanced lower at 16" to 17" ...........

some will like the weight in the butt so its in there hand...........some will like the weight spread over the cue....hope this makes sense?

I think you are right. And from my experience, weight on the butt will allow the shaft to 'jump' up from tip-to-cueball positioning, which can lead to uncontrollable cueball

[poolqjunkie]

I think you are right. And from my experience, weight on the butt will allow the shaft to 'jump' up from tip-to-cueball positioning, which can lead to uncontrollable cueball

Yes, I ahve heard from some players who told me they prefer a more heavy shaft to keep the shaft on the hand on power shot. I have never thought about this much myself.

[Bigmeek]

Balance Point

Terry, re your comments on balance point. Does the balance point "rules" change if you're dealing with a centre-jointed cue? I have an old 58" centre jointed cue with a balance point at 20". Could this cause me any problems do you think? In my Steve Davis book, which was published before the days of 3/4 cues Steve says that cue should balance at "the tip end of the splice". I've often wondered what this meant in inches.

I use lead tape which can be purchased from any golf or tennis supply house. It weighs 1gm to the inch. I recently purchased a cue from a new cue maker in Canada but I prefer 19oz and this cue was 17oz. I added 2oz of lead tape (about 60in) evenly around the balance point to keep it in the same spot, ""about 17in from the butt.""

[Terry Davidson]

Bigmeek:

As people here have been saying, the more forward balanced a cue is the less likely it is to 'jump' off the bridge when a player is using higher power.

Of course there is a limit to this and I would think somewhere around 20in or so would be considered a forward balanced cue.

However, there are some players who like to have the weight of the cue in their grip hands and prefer a rear-balanced cue with the centre of gravity down around 15in or so. This is more likely to happen on heavier cues, somewhere near 20oz where the butt has either had to have more heavy wood in it or even have some lead shot added to it.

As a coach I believe a forward balanced cue is the best as most players tend to grip the cue too tight too early in the delivery and with the weight more into the shaft it helps to overcome the tendency for the cue to come off the 'V' of the bridge.

It's really down to personal preference. I like a cue which has a balance point somewhere around 17in or 18in from the end of the butt even though I normally don't have a tendency to lift the cue off the 'V' by tightening too soon in the delivery.

Terry

[Bigmeek]

Terry, thanks for your comments

[Roenie]

.i find it kills my cue power the heavier a cue is........but interestingly when the cue balls tight on the cushion ......i can play these much better with a heavier cue.......

Sorry to revive an old thread, but it might help someone:

Have you tried pivoting your wrist so that your knuckles face more toward the back of the cue, which causes a pressing down effect on the shaft at the bridge hand? Works for me, for those tricky shots at the cushion.