what should a snooter cue tip look like

[justin-swansea]

Hi there,

Ive just started playing and im wondering if some one experienced can send me a pic of what a snooker cue tip should look lik when its shaped properly. Ive got a 3/4 cue wit a 10 mil tip ive stuck an elkmaster on but would like some advice before i sand it down ,,,,,,,please help lol

[warren132]

it should look like the the top of your index finger ! the one that is longest.

[rimmer10]

in my opinion the tip should be the same radius than the cue ball, so that no matter where you strike the cue ball in theory there is allways maximum contact aera between the ball and the tip. also with a more flat-ish tip it is a lot easier to strike centre ball

[warren132]

in my opinion the tip should be the same radius than the cue ball, so that no matter where you strike the cue ball in theory there is allways maximum contact aera between the ball and the tip. also with a more flat-ish tip it is a lot easier to strike centre ball

Having a good tip shape wont help anyone strike centre ball as you say ! perfect cuing will help you hit centre of the white ball.
will

[rimmer10]

as i said it's only my opinion. I might be wrong but when you think about it, if you've got a 10mm tip perfectly flat then in theory you could be cuing 9mm off centre and still hit the cue ball dead centre

[cyberheater]

I blinked a few times and then realised you're right.

So really. The tip shape should describe an arc of a sphere.

[rimmer10]

the arc of a sphere! that's the perfect way to put it.

[cazmac1]

tip shape.doc

My practice partner has often criticised the shape of my tip, he prefers the domed shape tip where I prefer the tip to bit flat on the top with domed sides. IMO this allows for greater accuracy when playing plain ball shots. Then when playing with side top or screw the domed part of the tip makes contact with the ball. The top right hand pictures show that you can hit the white of centre and as long as the cue go's though straight the white will go straight. Where as the others you will need to hit the perfect centre or the tip will push the white of line or at least apply side?

[poona]

[ATTACH]12435[/ATTACH]

I prefer the tip to bit flat on the top with domed sides. IMO this allows for greater accuracy when playing plain ball shots.

It's funny, I would totally say the opposite with regard my game. I've been playing with a flatish dome for past 3-4 months and really went to town on doming my tip earlier today. Never have been more accurate.

[damienlch]

Just thinking out loud...

The cue ball is round. Regardless of whether the tip is flat or domed, only one point of contact exists between the tip and the cue ball; the surface area of that contact point is the same. The tip would have to be concave in shape in order to cover more surface area on the cue ball.

Below diagram 1 shows only one point of contact, be it flat or dome.

Diagram 1.jpg


Below diagram 2 shows a concave tip.

Diagram 2.jpg

So, perhaps the tip shape alone would not produce that much of an effect on the reaction on the cue ball but it is the inherent properties of the tip itself, for e.g. the hardness, or how good it grips the cue ball, that plays a major part.

Apologies for the bad drawings...

[cazmac1]

I would imagine the tip changes shape on impact and with a plain ball shot would most probably be concave for a faction of a second on impact?
I can prove my theory with some simple home made devices but just because I can prove it in an experiment does not mean that my shape is in any why the best shape in practice.

[poona]

Just thinking out loud...

The cue ball is round. Regardless of whether the tip is flat or domed, only one point of contact exists between the tip and the cue ball; the surface area of that contact point is the same. The tip would have to be concave in shape in order to cover more surface area on the cue ball.

Below diagram 1 shows only one point of contact, be it flat or dome.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12441[/ATTACH]


Below diagram 2 shows a concave tip.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12442[/ATTACH]

So, perhaps the tip shape alone would not produce that much of an effect on the reaction on the cue ball but it is the inherent properties of the tip itself, for e.g. the hardness, or how good it grips the cue ball, that plays a major part.

Apologies for the bad drawings...

I think this is only true when tip and cue ball come into contact at the two extremities. If you were to place domed tip to top of centre striking, then I think it will have greater surface contact and thus impart more spin. Same said for inverted dome tip like your second diagram; where it would be useless for off-centre striking.

[poona]

I would imagine the tip changes shape on impact and with a plain ball shot would most probably be concave for a faction of a second on impact?
I can prove my theory with some simple home made devices but just because I can prove it in an experiment does not mean that my shape is in any why the best shape in practice.

Good theory, I would also say that the change in shape would be proportional to the power imparted with each individual shot.

[damienlch]

...If you were to place domed tip to top of centre striking, then I think it will have greater surface contact and thus impart more spin...

No, the cue ball is spherical so any initial contact with it either by a line or a another rounded shape is going to be tangential... in a perfect world, i.e...

...Same said for inverted dome tip like your second diagram; where it would be useless for off-centre striking...

Yes, I would think so too.

Anyway, the diagrams are only theoretical, a tangent doesn't exist in the real world... I think. There are other factors, like what Caz mentioned earlier about the compression upon contact.

I just wanted to point out that a tip shape serves only as a means to an end. Some like it more domed, others like it somewhat flatter. There is no right or wrong shape, except maybe for the concave shape, which is quite ridiculous... or revolutionary...

Btw, that's a nice line-up you did at your other thread... thumbs up... :snooker:

[rimmer10]

to take this question one step further; what do you guys think is more important i.e. what makes more of a difference: the shape of a tip or its hardness?