weighting of one piece and 3/4 cues

[MattB]

I'm considering having a cue made of 55" length with a 29.5mm butt and 9.5mm tip, the only thing i still need to decide on is the weight of the cue. I have a few questions regarding this: How heavy would a one piece cue and a 3/4 jointed cue be naturally with no added weights? And how much weight can be added to a cue without the feel of the cue being affected? Also if the correct weight was achieved with no trouble is it easy to get both types of cue balanced correctly or would one be easier to balance than the other?

[phoenixraker]

I'm considering having a cue made of 55" length with a 29.5mm butt and 9.5mm tip, the only thing i still need to decide on is the weight of the cue. I have a few questions regarding this: How heavy would a one piece cue and a 3/4 jointed cue be naturally with no added weights? And how much weight can be added to a cue without the feel of the cue being affected? Also if the correct weight was achieved with no trouble is it easy to get both types of cue balanced correctly or would one be easier to balance than the other?

Hi well the average weight of a cue is 18-20 oz.

however its down to personal choice i would go to your local snooker club or shop and try a few different weight of cues.

[MattB]

Thanks for the response but I have a rough idea of what weight of cue I'd like. The fact is I'd prefer a one piece cue but naturally weighted these are probably quite a bit less than 18 oz. When you add weight to a cue you effect the feel of it. I was wondering how much weight you could add before the cue started to feel 'horrible' if indeed it would at all.

[cueman]

A 1 piece cue at 55" would probably weigh naturally around 14-16 oz max, depending on the density of the shaft and taper etc. A 3/4 jointed cue with a solid ebony butt at the same length would come out nearer 17-18oz, again depending on the density of the shaft and the ebony butt.

You can pretty much add as much weight as you like to any cue, basically it is just drilled and filled, usually with lead. Its not unusual for 1 piece cues to have about 2-3 oz of weight added as the natural weight is probably too light for most players. However, with a single piece cue, the more weight added, the further up the cue the balance point ends up and can make the cue feel awful to play with. I wouldn't recommend going above 19oz for a 1 piece.
3/4 cues tend to have enough natural weight in them but the weight tends to be at the butt end, something to consider.

1 question for you, why do you want the cue made at 55 inches?

[MattB]

Thanks for your comments - I was thinking of getting a 1 piece cue of about 19oz simply because of the few cues I have used I've prefered the feel of the 1 piece cues. However I was wanting a balance point of about 17" from the butt - do you think I'll be struggling to get this spec? I don't mind using 3/4 cues, although it's not my first choice, but it does sound that it is easier to get the specs you want - naturally heavier and you can place the joint where you want.

As far as the 55" length goes I could right a whole page on reasons etc just because it's been well thought about, but to back up those ideas I modified an old cue which I've been playing with for some time and it's working fine. I only need 54" to play all the usual shots with but got another inch spare for a slight stretch. The idea being if I need to stretch any further I'll use the mini butt.

[cueman]

1 piece cue at 19 oz is probably pushing the balance point to a level that is basically guess work, particularly with a 55" cue. You see you aren't within the standard spec and naturally losing 2-3 inches off the usual dimensions of a cue means that the balance point will probably be way off 17". Balance point is very difficult to gauge accurately at the best of times. The most natural balance of a cue is one that is un-weighted or with very little weight added, more so with a 1 piece cue.

I would say you are better off having a 3/4 jointed cue for those reasons alone, particularly if you want it (a) at 19oz and (b) at 55". You will get a much better balanced or naturally weighted cue with a solid ebony butt rather than a 1 piece.

[MattB]

Thanks for your help cueman. Do you know of any way you can work out where the joint should be fitted in a 3/4 cue to try and get the correct balance point (or possibly to make the cue naturally weighted as well)?

Again thanks for your help. Just out of interest do you work in the cue making industry?

[cueman]

Its not easy to determine the balance point in a 3/4 jointed cue, that's why you see some manufacturers make them at 12", 14", 16", 18" etc. If I was looking for a cue to be like a 1 piece but jointed I would say around 14" should balance well. A longer butt and the balance point goes beyond 18", a shorter butt and it will be around 16", possibly less. Its not always the case though as the density of the wood used for the shaft and the Ebony butt means it can be an imprecise science.

I don't work in the cue industry, just a lot of info and experience I've picked up along the years from some very good cue makers.

Is there any cue maker you have approached to make a cue or ask them questions or do you have anyone in mind?

[MattB]

I popped into North West cues on my way past one day as they're pretty close to me and asked the lad there a few questions. He was great with me, talking through everything, but the only thing that concerned me was that they would make anything I wanted - even if it was a 28oz one piece. Now that maybe pretty good but it's also why I've started asking questions like in this thread. Just from my own experience, when modifying my 55" cue, the more weight I added the worse it felt although it was still playable with. I'd still consider getting a cue from them as I think they offer a good service, I just want to work out the technical aspects of the cue for myself before I go back.

[cueman]

Its really a case of trial and error usually to get a cue custom made to suit your game. If you are local to North West cues then it maybe an idea to ask them to make the cue at the spec you require and then go along and try it when it is being weighted or when the cue in nearly finished. That way if the cue is too light/heavy or the balance isn't quite right, they can drill and add/remove some of the weight to get everything right before finishing off the cue. Its your money you are parting with, make sure you get what you want.

Ideally I'd ask to try out some cues of theirs ready made (if possible), maybe find one you like and modify it, i.e. reduce the length, alter tip size. Its much better to get an idea of the cue you want from trying out a load rather than hope that one can be made to suit you!