First, a rambling description of some of the technical details of a DZ
custom cue. These details have varied only slightly over the years
and are now considered my standard.
Standard length is 58" with a joint diameter of .840" and a butt
diameter of 1.270". The distance from the joint face to the wrap
is usually 12.25" and the wrap is usually the same length. The
standard buttcap material is Delrin or linen based phenolic.
The joint screw I prefer is a modified 3/8-10 pin that uses a minor
diameter of .308" - sometimes referred to as a 3/8-10 FB (flat bottom)
pin. This pin has several advantages over the standard 3/8-10 pin.
First, the minor diameter fits closely to the shaft. This
may
help with alignment but its main function is to tighten up the fit as
compared to a 60° standard thread.
Second, since the threads are slightly shallower, they machine much cleaner
- again, promoting a close, accurate fit between the pin and the shaftwood.
This translates to a very intimate connection between shaft & butt,
giving you a better feel for what happens when your tip contacts the
cueball.
To further enhance this fit, I use live tooling to machine my internal
shaft threads - in fact, most threads - rather than using a tap, which
has a tendency to tear wood. Live tooling cuts exceptionally clean
threads that more concentric than tapped threads and are full depth for maximum strength.
My shafts are typically 13 mm and use Tomahawk, Elforyn or Juma ferrules. These
materials can be capped or not and they can be any length you want.
I have several other
options available (see the
Repairs page).
My std shaft taper grows 1/4 mm in the first 10" then grows smoothly
from there. I have other tapers available, too. One is
a longer pro taper that is available in 13 mm. There is also a
stiffer taper
that grows 1/2 mm in the first 10" and a jump/break shaft that is
stiffer still.
Joint collars are threaded on, as are ferrules. I use the
same live tooling technology on these external threads, too. Some
people use compression dies which merely raise a little bump that cannot
compare to the strength & integrity of a live tooled thread.
Any number of points can be installed in the forearm and/or the
buttsleeve. Deep V-groove inlays with or without veneers are very
popular. Some order butterfly points, floating points, inlays,
boxes, etc. or any combination of the above.
My standard joint trim is a simple 1/4" thick black linen collar on the
shaft and behind the joint collar. This allows you to order a
spare shaft with minimum downtime, should you decide you want one at a
later date. This also makes adding an aftermarket shaft painless &
less obvious. Of course, I can make virtually any type of custom
trim ring if that is your preference. Of course, adding a spare
shaft - or customizing an aftermarket shaft to match - will take more
time.
Textured black calfskin leather is the standard wrap but Irish Linen is available, also.
My personal preference is NO wrap - just a figured piece of wood.
This can cost a bit more but I like being able to grip the cue very
lightly and still have enough friction that I don't worry about
launching a 58" missile across the table.
I require 30% of the total price as a deposit to begin building your
cue. If, for some reason, you change your mind about finishing
your cue, I reserve the right to retain a portion of your deposit to
cover my investment to that point. The amount retained can range
between 50% and 100%, depending on the amount of personalization
incorporated in your cue. It will take about 12 months to complete
your cue & I'm proud to say most cues are done early.
Below is a table that will give you a place to start when figuring the
cost of a DZ cue.
Keep in mind that this is only a starting point. I factor in many
variables such as rarity of woods, exceptional figure, total number of
inlays, etc. Some things raise the price & some lower it.
One example: everybody wants AAA Grade Whatever wood in their cue.
The knowledgeable shopper is aware that I can buy a blank of that wood
for $30 so he expects me to charge accordingly. What he doesn't
consider is that when I buy 24 pieces of the AAA Grade Whatever @ $30
each, I actually only receive maybe 3 pcs that qualify as true AAA
Grade. The rest of the wood is nice...just not quite AAA. As
such, I will charge much more for one of the true AAA pieces.
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A word about Sneaky Petes (SP): these are made from full spliced (FS)
blanks from various manufacturers. The base FS cue is usually
curapay or purpleheart into straight grain maple. These are choice
blanks from a reputable maker. The points are shorter & the
returns are large & squared off but the construction is solid. The
mid level FS blank is made by Kelly Peterson of
MVP Cues. His points are
much longer & the returns are small & tight. His construction is
as good as it gets! Of course, these blanks are a bit more
expensive but they are distinctive. The top level is a veneered FS
blank from MVP. In my opinion, these are the best blanks available
today. There are only a handful of people making these and, while
their quality is generally quite good, I believe Kelly's work stands a
level above everyone else's. His miters are flawless & the returns
are usually under .020" wide. You can see a sample of a rough MVP
blank
HERE.