What is the diameter and taper of the butt section of a pool cue?

December 10, 2008 9:28 AM

What is the diameter and taper of the butt section of a pool cue?

I'm detailing a custom pool cue stand at work and I need to know the correct width of the slot in the stand such that the cue will be suspended as pictured here:

http://mocoloco.com/archives/o8o_pt2_cue_stand_nov_04.jpg

Thanks.

posted by BeaverTerror to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (2 answers total)

Most standard cues are 28-30mm in diameter.
posted by peewinkle at 9:48 AM on December 10, 2008

Best answer: The butt of the cue on a production model will be 1 1/4 inches or thereabouts. (about 30mm). The tip will be 13mm. Wikipedia says the taper on a one-piece cue is uniform. It also says:

Shafts are made with various tapers, the two most common being the Pro taper and the European taper. The Pro taper has the same diameter from the tip to 30-35 cm (12-14 inches) down. The European taper is conical and widens towards the joint.

thebilliardshop.ca says:

According to the 1998 Merriam-Webster Dictionary Home & Office Edition, a “taper” is defined as “to make or become gradually smaller towards one end” (529). There are two types of tapers, the “European taper” and the “pro taper”.
- The European taper, which is also commonly know as a straight taper, simply means the shaft is cone shaped. The diameter gradually and consistently increases from the tip to the joint.
- The pro taper, on the other hand, will remain the same diameter size for some distance before gradually increasing for the remaining distance to the joint.
For what is considered a pro taper, there are small and large pro tapers. A “small taper” is considered to be four to eight inches of cylindrical shape, while a “large taper” is considered to be ten to fifteen inches of cylindrical shape.
Each cue manufacturer is different but most shafts have some type of pro taper, whether it is a small or large pro taper.
The reason for a pro taper is that while stroking the shaft through your fingers, it will generally stay consistent is size.

Good luck!
posted by splice at 9:51 AM on December 10, 2008