Pool Cue

[Puckdropper]

The pool cue just broke again. It's done it twice already, and I've repaired it with Titebond II. It broke once near the tip collar, once splitting down about 2 inches, and now it's broken near the tip collar again. There's no glue on the wood fibers, so it looks like the glue joint held.

I'm about to fix it a third time, but since it's breaking in the same place should I be looking at a different fix next time? I'd probably drill the center out and replace it with a dowel, but I'm open to suggestions.

Puckdropper

[Steve B]

Fix it as best you can, and retire it to the rack. I have some CueTec fiberglass cues I like that are bulletproof, although I did have to replace the tips that popped off with elk hide. Made a drill/lathe to turn them to finish off the oversized tips.

Then I found a couple of outstanding cues at yard sales, one from the forties or fifties that looks as good as a Palmer, for $1. The other is a bit gaudy, with its dark inlays, but is light and shoots good. Then I found my wife's old Brunswick in the attic that she bought new in the sixties for $32. Fat handle, I like it. Got good punch.

Once that wood splits, the repeated blows just keep working on the fracture until it pops again. I had one that I tried to fix, and finally gave up.

Isn't it time to get a Tad, Palmer, Mizuni, McDermott, or Szamboti?

deserve it. ;-)

Steve

visit my blog at

free book offer!

[Josepi]

Is this a temper tantrum thing after missing that important shot?

How, the hell, do you break a pool cue?

LOL

I'm about to fix it a third time, but since it's breaking in the same place should I be looking at a different fix next time? I'd probably drill the center out and replace it with a dowel, but I'm open to suggestions.

Puckdropper

[Steve B]

Breaking with it can break the cue. Also, slapping someone up side the head will do it. Sometimes it will fall over, and crack, then the next hard shot, boink! If you want to break one, it can be done.

And then there's temper tantrums, too.

Steve ;-)

visit my blog at

free book offer!

[Joe]

Better take up golf. It's much harder (not impossible) to break a club and you have a lot of spares in the bag. And you get more exercise, too. Plus all that space in the rec room taken up by a big pool table that SWMBO uses for folding laundry...the list goes on

Joe

[Puckdropper]

"Josepi" wrote in news:w5cbo.643$ [e-mail]:

No temper tantrums.

Wood has many interesting properties due to being alive at one time, and some of those appear to be coming in to play here. Each time this cue broke, it was after hitting the cue ball, so it's an impact along the grain type thing.

Puckdropper

[Puckdropper]

"Steve B" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

You guys are good at spending my money. ;-)

I borrowed my sister's cue last night, and it's got a nice tip on it. It seemed to cushion the shot a little bit, so the cue ball didn't feel like it was shooting off.

If I keep going, I might wind up with a particle board tip... Half glue, half wood stuffs. :-)

Puckdropper

[Bill]

I once accidentally broke a real cheapy over my knee in a college bar when the 8-ball went in the wrong pocket. I really didn't mean to break it. This real big bouncer dude, who didn't understand that it was an accident, asked me to pay him $15 or $20. I suspect that was probably health-insurance money well-spent.

[Casper]

In all my years I've never seen a que break that much. I would look for something stronger than Titebond. Epoxy sounds like it would last.

I'd retire it too. Never could stand fiberglass cues. Never had the response that wood does, at least not for me.

Yard sales and pawn shops are good places to find old treasures, but it takes patience to find a real good one.

Agreed. The damage is done. Better to replace it.

I prefer a Gus Szamboti but they aren't cheap. Having known Gus and having him work on my cue was a priviledge. My second choice is a Mali, but they don't make them as good as they did decades ago.

I once saw/touched a Balabuska. It's like the Stradivarius of cues.

If you've played enough, you never loose your touch. It just takes a little practice to get back into the swing of things.

[Casper]

The one on the left is almost dead on for my que, including the case.

should have bought several of Gus's cues back then. I'll never stop kicking myself for letting go too many good deals on those cues.

[Swingman]

While in college and young testerone charged youth, I played in college tournaments, and whipped up on the traveling salesman at the local beer joints playing nine ball. AAMOF, Used to practice my straight pool game on the snooker tables at the Texas A&M bowling and billiards in the MSC (was the student manager of same for a couple of years), won a few tournaments, a good deal of cash, and actually got pretty good at tournament three cushion billiards, mainly for the fun of it.

But Sheeeeesh! Back then the coveted pool cue was a "Willi Mosconi", and I have NEVER even heard of any of the above, so times have indeed changed. :)

I thought/was hoping so too, until Leon and our wives played a few games last year at a local billiard hall. My fingers wouldn't bend enough to make a decent bridge, and when looking over my trifocals I couldn't even see the damn object ball!

So, yes Mable ... you do lose your touch, eventually. :(

[Josepi]

May have been a lot like some of the golf I have seen played....LOL

Wood has many interesting properties due to being alive at one time, and some of those appear to be coming in to play here. Each time this cue broke, it was after hitting the cue ball, so it's an impact along the grain type thing.

Puckdropper

"Josepi" wrote in news:w5cbo.643$ [e-mail]:

[Steve B]

I like elk hide. Tricky to get on, to trim, and to get to stick, but that's part of the game.

Steve

visit my blog at

my site, leave an e mail, and get a free book!

[Steve B]

> I should have bought several of Gus's cues back then. I'll never stop

If I hit that eighty million on super ball this week, I'll buy it for you.

Steve

visit my blog at

my site, leave an e mail, and get a free book!

Somehow, I feel confident making that offer ................

[Steve B]

"Swingman" wrote

I could have made money at it if I didn't drink. But I almost always came home with the same amount of money I left with, or more, had a good time, and bought lots of drinks for myself and the entourage.

Steve

visit my blog at

my site, leave an e mail, and get a free book!

[Casper]

> I should have bought several of Gus's cues back then. I'll never stop

LOL! Thanks. That would definitely get me playing full time again.

I kept meaning to catch up with Gus and ask him to teach me his craft. Was a time in there when I lost my day job and put a lot of time in at a local pool hall Gus frequented. Someone was always showing off their new Szamboti. I was all set to ask Guz is I could apprentice but that was about the time of his heart problem and surgery and I just couldn't bring myself to impose on him with his bad health. Boy do I regret that now. Been woodworking all kinds of other things for years and always keep wondering what I'd be doing today if I had learned that craft.

Wow. Now you've got me really remembering those days, all my practice, tourneys and such. Didn't realize how long it's been and how much I missed them. Now I'll have to make a trip back east just to see if the halls are still there, especially the Four Seasons where Steve Mizerak used to occasion. Even he is gone now, sadly. What memories. :) `Casper

[Casper]

Yeah, I did college tourneys too. Feels like a century ago. I even remember when a local community college once got a hustler in during the evening classes trying to sap moeny from the students. The director of activities knew me well and called me to come in, check him out and, if possible, get him to leave. Sure enough there was a guy in his early forties pretending to be a night student hustling from the night classes. I watched him a couple of days, then one night got there before him and was playing. He offered to play and teach me. After several games he asked if I ever played for money. A couple of games later he was winning a $10 or $20 here and there. An hour later we were at $50. A bit later $100 and then I started winning. Last game I cleared the table straight away, put my cue down, looked at him and told him wrong turf. He realized I wasn't just a student either. Heh.. but the other students were happy and got a real kick out of it. I was just glad he took that well and just moved on to something outside of colleges and poor students.

That is a while ago.I haven't seen a Mosconi in a very long time. I loved Mosconi. He was always the best player in my mind.

Guess I'm luckier than most yet. Still got most of my eyesight and I keep my fingers going all the time. Yeah I've got my share of arthritis, but it's more in my spine than anywhere else. A few years ago I stopped at a new local pool hall just to relax and see how I'd do. I figured I'd be awful, but to my surprise, I was doing pretty damn good after about an hour. Guess my turn will come tho, someday, hopefully not too soon. ;) `Casper

[Swingman]

Good story that brings back memories ... the thrill of the head game was exciting, and, after learning early the truism that no matter how good you are there is always somebody better, to hustle the hustler made it even more so.

If nothing else, taught you how to pick your battles. :)

[Lew Hodgett]

------------------------------ I'm with you, but there was another Willi along about that time (early '60s) whose name I can't remember.

Lew

[jo4hn]

Hoppe?