Butt weights

[GR1]

Info please...when were weights added to cues by drilling the butt and adding lead , then a dowel...I'm asking as I know the old full shaft cues (with the square end peg) had the lead fitted under the splice.Im thinking early 30s when the practice altered...any thoughts welcome

[vmax]

Info please...when were weights added to cues by drilling the butt and adding lead , then a dowel...I'm asking as I know the old full shaft cues (with the square end peg) had the lead fitted under the splice.Im thinking early 30s when the practice altered...any thoughts welcome

There is no specific period when a certain 'practice' altered, it's all about whether the cue was hand spliced or machine spliced. That square end peg as you calll it is in fact the shaft of the cue and it's square because the wood has been planed off on four sides to glue on the butt splices, and yes the weight was added under the splices before glueing the same as it is now, I do this myself.
Machine spliced cues are joined when the shaft and butt are still square using a four point finger splicer and are then turned into shape on a lathe and it's these cues that are drilled from the butt end (as it's a solid wood butt) and a length of bar added for extra weight, this is also still the same today.
I've just 3/4 split two old one piece machine spliced cues for a forum member, both stamped 16.5 oz's and neither had any weight added, the basic raw ash/maple shaft without any hardwood splices added weigh about 14/15 oz's when shaped and the ebony/rosewood adds about 1.5 oz's so anything heavier needs added weight.
I re- butted and 3/4 split a new Brittania machine spliced cue earlier this year and it had a 6 oz steel bar in the end of it to bring it up to 20 oz's, which I removed to get the balance right as it was way too butt heavy as it was.
Hope this answers your question.

[GR1]

Thanks for the response on the question..the thing is, I have old hand spliced cues where the butt has been drilled as the peg is round , rather than full shaft square peg..do you think the makers made the cue full shaft with no weight at all then plugged it to a specific weight for customer orders..

[GR1]

As a follow on , more often than not I can still see part of the square peg corners with the round dowelling running through it

[itsnoteasy]

Is it possible that cue was re weighted later on.

[GR1]

Could be..but I reckon it was easier to make the cue unweighted then drill out for spec.It seems to me from the cues I have where I've a good idea on age that very old hand spliced cues are full shaft square peg and the 1930is cues fave drilled dowels.I don't have any pre 1920 cues that are drilled out..these are very fat butted cues around the 35mm thickness that are very light..15 oz and less where the ebony itself makes up the weight

[vmax]

As a follow on , more often than not I can still see part of the square peg corners with the round dowelling running through it

If the weight is added under the splices then one doesn't really know the actual weight the cue will be when spliced and finished so a small weight could be added for a finished overall weight by drilling up the butt, also this is done to balance the cue in conjunction with the weight under the splices which is something I also do myself.

[vmax]

Could be..but I reckon it was easier to make the cue unweighted then drill out for spec.It seems to me from the cues I have where I've a good idea on age that very old hand spliced cues are full shaft square peg and the 1930is cues fave drilled dowels.I don't have any pre 1920 cues that are drilled out..these are very fat butted cues around the 35mm thickness that are very light..15 oz and less where the ebony itself makes up the weight

Billiard cues (pre 1920) were very light as billiards isn't really a potting game and touch is very important for close cannons. Snooker came into the public awareness when Walter Lindrum won the billiards crown and went back to australia, defending it from there and no one could beat him so Joe Davis and co took up snooker and then cues became heavier when snooker became popular, heavier balls back then as well, about 55 grammes each compared to the modern balls 41/42 grammes.