If you are looking to adjust the weight of your pool cue and want a simple walk through then this is the guide for you. We will get you set up and ready in minutes – provided you have the correct weight bolts.
We also have a list of the most common cue weight bolts so this should be the only resource you’ll need.
If you are looking to add weight or remove weight and just want to know, how to change the weight of a pool cue then let me briefly explain.
To change the weight of a pool cue you first need to make sure your pool cue has that feature. If it does you’ll find the weights accessible on the butt of the cue. You can remove or add for your desired weight, just make sure you use the correct weight bolts for your cue.
Luckily, most of the pool cues available online now give you the weight option while you order. So, you can select the particular weight of the cue you want to purchase. Others come with an interchangeable weight bolt system. This system gives you the option of changing the weight of the pool cues at will.
Learn what weight bolts you cue needs and how to change them as well as a load of information about how different weights effect your game differently. Read more to learn all you need to change your cues weight.
Weight bolts you’ll need
It’s important to make sure you have the correct weight bolts for your cue. You’ll need to identify what brand of cue you are using and the weight bolts they use. If you are unsure, you could always take a bolt to your local billiards hall/repair show and as what they think.
Are you looking for these weight bolts for pool cues:
- Meucci weight bolt
- Mcdermott weight bolts
- Cuetec weight bolt
- Predator weight bolts
- Viking weight bolts
- Moyerely weight bolts
- Konllen weight bolts
If you cant find your weight bolt then you may be able to use another cues weight bolt if they are compatible, for example, the Mcdermott weight bolt on the list will fit a Players C-960 pool cue, it may fit other players cues, Lucasi, Rage and Dufferin Cues too.
How to change the weight of a pool cue
Changing your cue weight manually is something quite simple. It can be done in a few minutes by taking off the butt cap as well as the weight bolts loaded in the cue butt.
Check the video out from McDermott for added reference. Although they walk you through changing a McDermott, the steps are pretty similar for most cue brands.
For additional information, check out my step-by-step guide below the video.
Check if its a weight adjustable cue:
Before you know how to add weight to a pool cue, you must find out first if your pool cue is an adjustable weight pool cue or not.
To do that, take a look at the base of your pool cue, you will find a rubber bumper serving as a covering.
Remove the bumper, and if it’s an adjustable weight cue, the back piece will unscrew so that you have direct access to the weight bolt.
If, after you removed the bumper, the back piece doesn’t move, then the pool cue in your hand didn’t come with a weight adjustment option.
Weigh the cue & remove the weight bolts:
Before you remove the weight bolt, ensure you measure the weight of your pool cue and the existing bolt.
This is to give you the current weight of your cue, so you know what weight to either remove from it or add to it.
After taking the cue’s weight, you can remove the weight bolt using an Allen wrench (hex key) or with a screwdriver.
Now, measure the cue’s weight this time without the weight bolt, to get the exact weight of the cue alone.
Alternatively, you can choose to measure the weight bolts itself and know what to decrease or increase, since the weight of the cue without the weight bolts is constant.
Add or remove pool cue weight bolts:
With the weight of the bolt known, it’s easier to determine how heavy or light the bolt replacing it should be.
Say you have a 21 ounces pool cue with a weight bolt of 2 ounces, and you desire to decrease the cue weight to 20 ounces; then, you will need to replace the 2 ounces bolt with a 1 ounce bolt.
Always make sure you correctly match the bolt before removing it; this will help you not to strip it.
This process to add or remove pool cue weight bolts is very much the same for all pool cues that come with an adjustable weight system regardless of the brand that produced it.
In some pool cues, it is straightforward to lift the rubber bumper to change the weight, while in others, you will need a specialized tool to remove the bumper.
When purchasing weight bolts, note which cue you have and the type of weight bolts inside as different cues have different bolts.
What is the best weight for a pool cue
Different people prefer different weights for their pool cues. Some people find that a heavier cue helps them control the shot better, while others find that a lighter cue allows them to move more quickly and easily around the table.
Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide what weight feels best to them.
The most common weights for a pool cue are 18 ounces, 19 ounces, 20 ounces and 21 ounces. However, some cues can weigh as little as 17 ounces or as much as 25 ounces.
The most important thing to consider when choosing your pool cue weight is how well it suits your playing style.
You need to bear in mind that heavier cues can be more difficult to control, so if you are a beginning player, you may want to start with a lighter cue.
Whatever weight you choose, make sure that the cue is balanced and feels comfortable in your hand. You don’t want to be struggling to hold onto it
What is the difference in pool cue weights
Pool cue weights can range from 17oz to 25oz. Heavier cues create more speed for a given effort, and can also help prevent stroke deceleration. It is important to find a weight that feels comfortable and suits your playing style.
Whatever weight you choose, make sure the cue is balanced and feels good in your hand
when you purchase a pool cue you will usually be asked which weight you would like, the options usually range from 18 to 21 oz.
Using a lighter weight bolt:
With pool cue weights of 18 or 19 oz you will find it gives your shots more “sharp” Your cue ball will have better control and the object ball will usually be slightly slower. Technical shots, such as draw shots, may be easier with a lighter cue.
Using a heavier weight bolt:
With pool cue weights of 20 or 21oz you will find it gives your shots more of a “thump” which will produce more sluggish results on the white but the object ball will travel faster. Might give you the edge when trying to control the cue ball more.
Does pool cue weight really matter
Use whatever weight feels most comfortable for your main playing cue. A common weight is 19oz. The most important advice concerning pool cue weight is to pick something that works well for you.
A heavier cue will tend to create more cue ball speed for a given stroke effort, but this is a very individual thing. More weight can also help prevent stroke deceleration. Some people might prefer a lighter or heavier cue just because of the way it feels.
Cue weight matters because it affects how you control your shots and how it makes you feel.
Pool Cue Weight Bolt Options
As you learn how to change the weight of a pool cue, you should also note that the weight bolts are not universal. That is, no one weight bolt fits for all pool cues.
Every company that produces cues also produces their weight bolts different from others that best suit their cues.
It means you will need to be very detailed in selecting different weight bolts for different cues.
Also, the weight bolts are meant to be stackable.
This allows you to add as much weight bolt to a pool cue as you want, as long as there is still space in the cue to contain it.
However, no pool cue can comfortably carry a weight of more than 21-22 ounces.
Standard weight of a cue
It’s important to find a good balance when adjusting your weights. Nothing too heavy and nothing too light.
As standard most cues are available between 18 to 21 oz.
Most modern cues available will also be weight adjustable, so if you buy one and you’re not happy with the weight performance then most likely you can change the weight of the cue.
How to change the weight of a pool cue, if following this guide, is relatively simple, so don’t worry about giving it a go.
Some pool cues are produced with very heavy woods, meaning that the cue’s weight can’t go beyond a particular point.
Example of this type of pool cues is higher ended cues such as Schon and Joss, who make use of heavier and higher quality woods in their pool stick construction.
Most of these cues have their natural weight (no weight bolt added) as 18 or 19 ounces.
This means it’s impossible to get their weight to anything lower than 19 ounces; to even achieve 19 ounces means removing any existing weight bolt.
Type of pool cue.
I feel it’s worth noting that a lot of players will come to a pool match with two or more cues.
one cue for playing and another for breaking, the latter being known as a break cue.
The best break cues come with a harder tip to prevent tip damage and a stronger hit of the ball, they also are heavier than regular playing cues.
This is something to note when adjusting the weight of a pool cue.
If you are wanting a lighter playing cue then its always a good idea to consider a heavier break cue to help produce that extra power when breaking.
If your playing cue is ideal for playing but you want it a little heavier for breaking then maybe you don’t need to know how to change the weight of a pool cue but in fact, you might just want cue made for breaking.
Conclusion
The need to take control of your cue with particular reference to the weight can’t be overemphasized.
Whether it’s the pool cue that came with your pool table, or a new one you ordered online, or even a used one you bought, the fact is that you can change the current weight to your preferred weight by yourself.
Provided the cue comes with an adjustable weight point.
As you could have probably observed, a lighter pool cue gives you a high chance of a good hit on the ball.
Although, without personal shoot/stroke control, you could still over hit the ball while using a lighter cue.
Besides, lighter pool cues ensure that after your game, you could even have a very comfortable shoulder.
For pool sticks without an adjustable weight bolt, your only chances of reducing the weight are by drilling out the butt.
This is only obtainable on cheap cue, as it will be impossible to do on more expensive cues. So with this, the days of having shooting issues arising from the weight of your cue should be over.
Rob is an avid player and fan of all cue sports, particularly 8-ball, and snooker. He has competed in a few local 8-ball tournaments and although he is not a professional, he can compete with the best of them.
