Changing Weights on Pool Cues

Most pool cues come with what is generally called in the billiards industry an interchangeable weight bolt system.  What this means is that you can change the weight on most pool cues.  Most pool cues will use a weight bolt that can be removed with a screwdriver or an allen wrench (also called a hex key) and replaced with a heavier or lighter weight bolt.

If you look at the base of a pool cue, it will likely be covered by a rubber bumper.  In most cases, when you remove the bumper, you’ll find a weight bolt that can be removed with an allen wrench.  Generally speaking, this is a fairly easy job that doesn’t take more than a few minutes, but the only way to accurately increase or decrease your cue weight is to know the weight of the cue with the existing weight bolt and without the weight bolt or alternatively, you can just weigh the weight bolt by itself.  Once you know the weight of the bolt, you’ll know how heavy the replacement bolt should be.  For example, if you have a 20oz cue with a 1oz weight bolt and you want to change the weight to 21oz, you’ll need a 2oz weight bolt.

Sometimes though, cues will be made with heavier woods, making it impossible to lower the weight of the cue beyond a certain point.  This is often the case with higher end cues like Schon and Joss, who tend to use heavier and higher quality woods in construction.  As a result, some cue models simply can’t get lower than 19oz and that can only be done by completely removing the weight bolt.

It should be noted that weight bolts are not universal and each cuemaker will likely have a different weight bolt system that they use.  Also, older models of Cuetec and Scorpion cues as well as Athena cues do not have weight bolt systems and as a result, cannot be changed.