You can't exactly roll a shaft on a pool table when it's 60+ inches long(unless it's really tacoed), so what is the best way to check for shaft trueness? I've tried looking down it when it's standing on end but with the length and weight, it's like standing an al dente noodle on end:)

I am not sure if I can explain it correctly, but... You hold it out in front of you and look down it. While your looking down it roll it on one of your hands. You will see a wobble if it is bent. Once you narrow down where it is bent at, just put it on your knee where the bend is and strighten it out and you are good to go.

I put the tip on the ground and hold the other end as steady as I can while spinning it. That way it's more steady and easier to tell if it's bent, Or if its just me withdrawing from alcohol.:toast:

i have a flat long piece of angle-iron (actually its aluminum...but whatever) that i lay on a bench and rotate the shaft on.

this way i can see the bends and mark them...so you know which way to re-bend, and so you and put the flopper off the end and still rotate it without it interfering.

although spinning vertically on the tip works well...but its harder to pinpoint the exact beginning of the bend and the direction.

With 9/32 shafts it's difficult sometimes to see the bend because the shafts bend from their own weight. The way to avoid this is to hang them straight down, this however makes it difficult to look down the shaft from the top.

What is the cheapest straight piece of metal about 60" long that can be bought and where?

with a good eye you can look down the shaft and rotate it to see if it is bent.

If it is a shaft that does not have pins or shark fins you can roll it on a table with the barb hanging off the end of it.

If you are using a track gun like a Deathstick, when you slide the shaft in, you can tell if it is bent.

Grab one end in each hand place over your knee try to touch both ends togeather, throw in the dumpster and call Ray Odor

with a good eye you can look down the shaft and rotate it to see if it is bent.

If it is a shaft that does not have pins or shark fins you can roll it on a table with the barb hanging off the end of it.

If you are using a track gun like a Deathstick, when you slide the shaft in, you can tell if it is bent.


I roll my ray odor shafts on a ping pong table with the barb hanging off the end. It seems to cover most of the shaft and gives me a good idea. The only thing you have to be careful of is that the barb rolling over will cause the shaft to wobble as it rolls, could give you a false impression. I like to scotch tape the barb down and it'll roll more smoothly.