Advice on handmade cues?

[Potmad]

This may seem like a silly question but I've noticed that some handmade cues have a little square piece of wood showing at the base of the cue in a different colour when it's completed. Why is this? Thanks
In advance for your help

[jrc750]

If it's square then it will be the shaft running right to the end, if it's round then usually a plug to hide the weight (I think)

[Potmad]

Thanks for your advice.

[Potmad]

Yeah I did mean square..

[Dave Walton]

The square or sometimes rectangle is the shaft wood, its just where its been planed down to fit the splices

[billabong]

If it's square then it will be the shaft running right to the end, if it's round then usually a plug to hide the weight (I think)

Not sure, as my Jason Owen cue had been weighted, but had a square end on it.

[DeanH]

square peg for a square hole

[bigandyg]

Not sure, as my Jason Owen cue had been weighted, but had a square end on it.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]16963[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]16964[/ATTACH]

You can put weight in them during splicing Bill as well as drilling up at the end.

[billabong]

Ahh, that explains it. Thanks Andy.

[Dave Walton]

I've seen it where there's a gap where a weight is fitted and then a piece of ash added at the end to make it look as though its 1 solid piece of wood running the length of the cue, when its not!

[Mellow Yellow]

I've seen it where there's a gap where a weight is fitted and then a piece of ash added at the end to make it look as though its 1 solid piece of wood running the length of the cue, when its not!

are you sure that it wasn't just a section that had been removed to put the weight in?

[itsnoteasy]

I've seen it where there's a gap where a weight is fitted and then a piece of ash added at the end to make it look as though its 1 solid piece of wood running the length of the cue, when its not!

I haven't a clue how a cue is made, but I don't see how this can be avoided Dave, you either have a gap in the shaft where the weight is as you have said or you drill it and add the weight which shortens the shaft and will need plugged anyway unless there is an alternative.

[Dave Walton]

I've seen it where there's a gap where a weight is fitted and then a piece of ash added at the end to make it look as though its 1 solid piece of wood running the length of the cue, when its not!

are you sure that it wasn't just a section that had been removed to put the weight in?

Could be done that way, my point is that a 1 piece cue isn't always 1 piece of ash running the whole length of the cue as most people think.

[Dave Walton]

I've seen it where there's a gap where a weight is fitted and then a piece of ash added at the end to make it look as though its 1 solid piece of wood running the length of the cue, when its not!

I haven't a clue how a cue is made, but I don't see how this can be avoided Dave, you either have a gap in the shaft where the weight is as you have said or you drill it and add the weight which shortens the shaft and will need plugged anyway unless there is an alternative.

It wouldn't shorten the shaft as the hole drilled will be smaller than the diameter of the shaft wood, it would need to be plugged in some way but often you can still see the shaft wood especially if there's an SD joint fitted. I've also seen center jointed cues weighted by being bored from the center downwards to give a more forward balanced cue. So many different ways to weight a cue depending on if its 1 piece or jointed.

[itsnoteasy]

Cheers Dave, I was only thinking about a one piece, but like you I would like the shaft to go all the way to the bottom of the cue if possible, even if it's just nicer to know you are using one complete piece and it makes no difference to how it plays.