shaft diameter

what shaft diameter should i use if i like to play with a lot of english without compromising the accuracy of the shot due to deflection of the ball especially when i'm going to buy a pechauer shaft?

[dags_lax]

I cut and pasted this from a previous post of mine. The jist of the topic was deflection and Predator shafts but the discussion is relevant regardless of the shaft manufacturer. I hope this helps.

English on the cue ball is the result of friction between the cue tip and the cue ball. To get more english you need more friction.

Yes a thin shaft will flex more than a thick shaft. All things being equal, grain alignment of the shaft, tip hardness, tip radius, chalk, more flex allows a longer contact time between the tip and the ball thus increasing friction (english). A softer tip will also increase the contact time between the tip and ball. Also, a softer tip also will compress more, increasing the contact area which will also create more friction. Note: shaft diameter doesn't change the contact area. A dime radius is a dime radius whether on 14mm shaft or a 12 mm shaft.

Deflection of the CUE BALL is dependent on the effective mass at the end of the shaft. Stiffness and flexibility have every thing to do with the deflection (flex) of the shaft. The amount of flex that shaft exhibits will, on any given shot, very depending on the alignment of the grain in the shaft in relation to contact location on the cue ball. Rotate the cue 90 degrees hit the cue ball in the same location and the flex in the shaft will be different. If you make your bridge closer to the cue ball you will get less flex than if your bridge is farther back.

The whole purpose for Predator having the pie shaped splices is to create radial consistency. Predator's techniques for reducing the mass at the tip lead to a reduction in cue ball deflection. I have read post from Predator some place (may even be on this site) commenting that their shafts perform best when turned down 12.25 mm. Why, less mass therefore less cue ball deflection and the thinner shaft has more flex allowing the shooter to put more spin on the cue ball.

What do the best players shoot with: It varies from thick shafts with a short taper and a nickel silver joint with a hard tip to thin shafts with a long taper, an ivory joint and ferrule with a very soft tip and everything in between. All that being said the stick needs to feel comfortable in your bridge hand.