about joel
Joel's journey began at a young age when his father, a skilled player of both three-cushion and pocket billiards, introduced him to the game at ten. While his passion for the game was significant, his interest in the equipment, particularly billiard cues, was even stronger.
Mr. Hercek's path to cue making was preceded by years as a dealer in fine and collectible cues. His previous 14-year career in forestry at the Lake County Forest Preserve of Illinois provided him with extensive knowledge and appreciation for the properties of various woods. This experience, combined with access to a wide array of the finest cues as a dealer, led him to develop strong theories about design and construction, ultimately inspiring him to become a cue maker. Joel had the unique privilege of learning the art of cue making from the late master craftsman Burton Spain, whom he befriended during his time as a collectible-cue dealer. In 1993, after Mr. Spain was diagnosed with cancer, he offered to sell his business to Joel. During an eight-month apprenticeship with Burton, Joel developed his own philosophies on design and construction techniques. He learned Mr. Spain's full splice blank technique, a method that dates to the origins of cue making and was perfected by Burton Spain. This technique, though difficult, labor-intensive, and costly, was exclusively employed by Hercek for many years before Joel refined his blank construction to its current state. This refinement of his construction will continue to evolve.
Joel also takes immense pride in his inlay work and engravings, all of which he executes personally. He often dedicates several weeks, and sometimes months, to researching and designing each one-of-a-kind cues. His design inspirations are drawn from artistic and architectural periods, historical artists, nature, and even music. Joel is committed to ensuring that all his cues are original and unique. Joel utilizes the finest woods from around the world and incorporates exquisite materials such as gold, silver, and mother of pearl. When he’s not building cues, Joel spends time with his wonderful wife Margaret and seeks the occasion round of golf.