About MVP Cues

After I started building cues I gave it considerable thought what I wanted to call them. There is already a "Kelly Cues" line of cues so that was out of the question. Peterson cues is simple enough, but I wanted to avoid any confusion with Craig Petersen. At some point, I decided perhaps a catchy name that still had personal meaning might be the way to go. After thinking of how my family could possibly play a role in naming my cues, I instantly knew I had it. My two daughters' names are Meredith and Victoria. Obviously, the P stands for Peterson. Voila! The initials MVP have personal meaning to me, are instantly recognizable, and could be deemed a logical name for a pool cue. Will playing with a cue I build you make you the most valuable player of your next league session? Well, probably not (at least not if you aren't already headed in that direction), but we won't know until we try!

The tip diameter for "off the shelf" cues is usually 12.75 mm as that is my personal preference. Otherwise, the tip diameter is up to the customer. Joint diameters are .840" and not adjustable. I use carbide sanding mandrels to maintain a flush fit between the joint collars of interchangeable shafts/butts. The standard butt diameter is 1.27", with a single linear taper from joint to butt end. I do sometimes change the diameter of the butt end, depending on the cue and the customer, but not by a great deal. The standard length for an MVP cue is 58", but longer (or shorter I suppose) cues can be made.

Capped VS Uncapped

A capped ferrule is a stronger ferrule. An uncapped ferrule provides direct contact between the tip and the face of the shaft tenon. Some think an uncapped ferrule may provide an advantage in the feedback department because of that direct contact. But, a ferrule that cracked because it was uncapped is not likely to perform well.

Threaded VS Unthreaded

Some cuemakers thread ferrules, some don't. Threading adds a mechanical bond to the glue bond. An unthreaded (often called sleeved) ferrule typically has some shallow glue grooves to help the glue bond hold up. Both styles work well when installed correctly, and they both can fail when installed poorly.

Small VS Large Tenon

A large 3/8" tenon is obviously stronger than a 5/16" tenon. The trade off, of course, is a thinner walled ferrule is weaker than a thicker one. Normally, a 5/16" tenon is quite strong enough for a pool cue. Tenons twisting or breaking off are a result of internal stresses due to a faulty ferrule install, so maybe a 5/16" tenon to help prevent ferrules from cracking is wise. But, when a ferrule is uncapped, a 3/8" tenon provides more tip to shaft surface contact.

My Preference

I prefer an uncapped and threaded ferrule, and large diameter tenon because of the advantages already mentioned. My favorite ferrule materials are deer antler, one of the variants of a linen based melamine, or one of the newer forms of Micarta. All of these materials are strong enough to be used with my preferred design. For break and jump cue ferrules, I normally use Ivorine IV. That brutish ferrule material is as strong as they come. Other ferrule materials I use not as strong as the ones mentioned above are likely to be capped and/or installed on a 5/16" threaded tenon.

Coming soon...

My standard joint screw is the 3/8"-10 flat bottom pin with a .308" minor diameter. I use this pin for 3 reasons. First, I like this pin because it is designed to accurately locate the shaft to the minor diameter. This helps one to maintain concentricity. Second, because the shaft is bored to .309, there is a lot of intimate contact between the pin and the shaft. While it is impossible to scientifically prove this makes a difference in the feel of the hit, I sure like the idea. The picture below, used with permission from Bob Dzuricky, illustrates what I am talking about.



Pictured on the left is the fit of a standard 3/8"-10 pin. Note the considerable air space between the minor diameter of the pin and the maple. In contrast, the fit of the flat bottom pin on the right shows no air space. The tolerances are that close, are repeatable, and you can feel this as you screw the shaft onto the butt of the cue.

The third reason I like this pin is I can cut the threads using live tooling. The Uni-loc Radial pin achieves the same level of concentricity and fit that the flat bottom pin provides, but it requires use of a tap. There is nothing wrong with tapping for the radial pin, I simply prefer to use live tooling for thread cutting whenever possible. If I were not using the 3/8"-10 flat bottom pin as my standard joint screw, I would probably be using the Radial pin.

I view coring as a sound technique to be used in cue construction when there is a need. I don't core every cue or component, but I do core often. My primary reason for coring is to target a specific weight and balance of the cue. Consequently, the species (I do prefer tone woods) of the coring dowel I use varies. In addition to controlling the weight and balance, some woods should be cored to add strength to the component. Burl wood is one example of this.

I started collecting wood before I ever purchased a lathe. I now have a variety of species that have been seasoning in my shop for years that are available for immediate use. I have a small supply of the coveted Brazilian rosewood (true Dalbergia nigra), as well as many other species of rosewood from around the world. I have a large selection of nicely figured cocobolo to choose from, some great birdseye bocote, and even figured purpleheart. I also have a supply of less commonly used woods like Texas ebony and African olivewood, and Asian satinwood. My Future Cues page includes pictures of many of these species of woods that customers can reserve for their next custom cue.

I am currently not building cues with pointed forearms. Building pointed forearms, particularly ones with veneered points, is a discipline I will gain proficiency in before I ever sell one I build. In the meantime, I have decided to not use pre-made forearm blanks. Some cue makers do, and that is fine with me. This is one of the hotly debated cue making topics that I will avoid as each cue maker must make up his own mind. For me and my cues, not using pre-made forearm blanks is the right decision.

I do make cues from full splice blanks. I have a supply of purpleheart Dufferin high runs for economical conversions. These are actually nice oversize blanks (some even with light figure) that were made just prior to Dufferin moving their operation overseas. The next step up are still fairly economical full splice blanks manufactured specifically for cue makers available from several vendors. Then comes full splice blanks with veneers from various sources. Some of these options are listed on my Prices page, and some are pictured on my Future Cues page.

I usually do not add a weight bolt to the rear of a cue I make. My cue modeling computer program allows me to control the weight and balance of the cue through selection of the woods used in the cue, coring, varying the joint pin and joint collar, and varying the A-joint connecting pin. If an adjustment is desired, a weight bolt can always be added to a finished cue.

There has been much debate on how custom cues should be branded. Many feel a signature gets in the way of the aesthetics of the wood, but a small logo on the butt sleeve is appropriate. Others think logos look cheap, but a signature is the last personal touch the cue maker adds to the cue. I offer both options. Ultimately, for custom order cues, it is up to the customer whether he wants a logo to appear on his cue, a signature, or both.

The logo I am currently using on the butt cap is pictured on the left. I prefer logos to identify the cue without being distracting. Given this, my "logo" is nothing more than encased MVP initials. Pictured to the left is how the laser engraving (unfilled) looks in ivory. The engraving can be filled with a contrasting color to the butt cap material, or it can be left unfilled for a subtle look. Additionally, joint protectors with this logo engraved on the face are available.

Pictured to the right is my standard signature; my first name and the year the cue was finished. I will typically do this somewhere in the forearm of the cue, but that can vary depending on the specific construction or woods used.