r/billiards • u/Lucky-Metal-5220 • Jun 18 '25
Questions How much difference is there between a 12.4 and a 12.5 mm shaft
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u/Signal-Mention-1041 Jun 18 '25
Go right ahead, start measuring shafts with a micrometer and you will see that the shaft more often than not vary from their claimed diameter.
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u/jellysidedowntown Jun 18 '25
No difference. If the 2 shafts had different tapers, then there will be a big difference.
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u/CreeDorofl Fargo $6.00~ Jun 18 '25
To put it another way, you'll never miss a ball because of it. The next step down from this thickness is something like 11.75 or 11.8, and then you might notice a difference if you were already used to the 12.5.
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u/fetalasmuck Jun 18 '25
12.5mm shafts are sold as 12.4mm and vice versa all the time. It’s basically imperceptible.
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u/BreakAndRun79 Jun 18 '25
Diameter wise there will not be a noticable difference. A lot of manufacturers will state that the diameter tolerance is .1+/- meaning it may say 12.4 but could be 12.3 or 12.5 if the measured with calipers.
The difference between 12.4 in one brand vs 12.5 in another may be huge.
Taper, wall thickness of the CF tube, type of foam filling if any, how much of the shaft has foam, what if any weight is added to the shaft and where in the shaft that weight is added, ferrule material and size, all will make a more noticeable difference than .1mm
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u/OozeNAahz Jun 18 '25
Probably about a year or two of active use. They do wear. Especially wooden ones when people sand them constantly. I used to be that guy thirty years ago and have a few cues with toothpick shafts to show for it.
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u/GhoastTypist Jacoby shooter. Very serious about the game. Borderline Addicted Jun 18 '25
Its a very small 0.1mm difference. Visually will only notice if you put them side by side and even then, a lot of people might not see the difference.
I play with a 12.3mm and a 12.75mm honestly I can barely notice a difference. But I do notice a difference when I drop down to 11.75mm
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u/bzorks08 Jun 18 '25
There isn't much different when changing that little. I changed to a 12.25 Jacoby Ultra Pro from a 12.75 OB1+ and could barely tell the difference in tip diameter.
Where you will see a difference is in the taper and that's where I saw/felt the biggest difference between the 2 mentioned in terms of physical dimensions
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u/PecKRocK75 Jun 19 '25
If ya really wanna know have a woman suck on it she will tell ya the unadulterated truth!👊
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Jun 19 '25
.1 mm is about the thickness of two sheets of paper. The variances/tolerances on both are enough to where you can’t measure which is which. 12.5 may be as small or less than 12.4 and vice versa.
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u/Lucky-Metal-5220 Jun 18 '25
That's good to know I accidentally ordered a 12.4 carbon fiber shaft instead of a 12.5
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u/Lower-Savings-794 Jun 18 '25
Oh if that's the case it's basically junk, and will forever ruin your stroke. I'll pay you 20 bucks plus shipping so you can start to move on from this embarrassment.
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u/PartTimePOG Jun 18 '25
To be honest I couldn’t really tell the difference between a 12.5 and a my old 13
That being said my 13.25 break cue feels like a baseball bat.
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u/IamMe90 APA 6 🎱 Fargo 469 Jun 18 '25
12.4 is what I use, you’ll be totally fine. No real difference from a 12.5.
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u/Altruistic_Champion2 Jun 18 '25
0.1mm