Tapering shafts!! Where cue life starts!

[raymo147]

Here's some photos of shafts I've been working on!
You come across some real crackers but also a lot of not so good ones!
http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/bbd086e7.jpg
http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/d44b3202.jpg

[Deepscrew]

Really appreciate your updates. Really interesting stuff. Keep it up!

[Bigmeek]

Thx Raymond. Might be impossible question but what influences you on what the taper should be? Is it anything to do with the tip to butt ratio or maybe overall weight of the cue. Different cue-makers seem to taper differently.

[poona]

Would a thicker taper allow for a stiffer shaft and also would it mean that the cue is less likely to warp?

[raymo147]

All good questions! As you can see from the pics I try to get
A 50p shape going the whole way down the shaft in a taper!
I've marked around 34mm at the butt end and around 14mm
At tip end! Takes time and patience as you also gotta put the shafts away to settle!
I'd say the thicker the cue yes the more solid but it's also down to the density as each shaft is never the same!
I've played with some thick cues before which I wouldn't say is a solid hit!
I also like a more pointed taper on cues it's down to preference I suppose!

[crispian jones]

Do you find that there are more unusable than usable shafts raymond, or is it just me

[raymo147]

Yes mate I've took a lot down and the grains just crap!
Part and parcel tho!

[The Doctor]

There is no doubt, a lot of waste, however, a lot also depends on selection of ash and how it is tapered.
You could in theory, have the same piece of wood and by cutting and tapering it a variety of ways, there would be a big difference in outcome.all a learning curve for us newbies.