How to Make a Pool Cue Shaft

A pool stick, or cue stick, is made up of two large components. The butt is the thicker end part of the pool stick, and the shaft is the thinner part of the pool stick that tapers down to the tip used to hit the cue balls. The shaft is most often made of wood and is fused and finished with brass ring joints to the butt of the pool stick.

Things You'll Need

  • Several 6-foot-long, 2-inch-thick pieces of wood
  • Tape measure
  • Gloves
  • Work space with straps
  • Small piece of cork
  • Protective eyewear
  • Sander
  • Sandpaper
  • Power drill
  • Drill bits
  • Wood glue
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut one of the wooden boards in half to create two pieces: the butt and the shaft. You'll be focusing on the shaft part. Secure one side of the wood board to the work space with straps. Make sure it's secure.

    • 2

      Use the sander to create a tapered effect down to the very end of the piece of wood. Imagine the shaft of an actual pool stick, and try to replicate it with this piece of wood. Try to create a rounded appearance with the sander. The shaft will be the smallest part of the pool stick. Sand the smallest point of the pool cue's shaft straight, not rounded.

    • 3

      Use the sandpaper to round out edges, splintering or bumps in the shaft part of the pool stick. An average pool stick is around 57 to 60 inches long and about 20 oz. in weight. Since you've created the smallest part of the pool stick, it should account for about half of the actual pool stick and less than half of the weight since the butt end of the pool stick is larger and heavier.

    • 4

      Drill a hole into the larger edge of the shaft using the electric drill with a small to medium-sized bit. This is where the butt piece will be attached with a screw eventually.

    • 5

      Attach the tip to the smallest end of the shaft piece using the wood glue. Cut a small piece of cork to about 1/2 inch in circumference and about 1 cm in thickness. Put pressure on it until the wood glue securing it to the end of the shaft is dry. This will take about 10 seconds.