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General Questions About Pool Tables

9/20/2012 8:38:31 AM

General Questions About Pool Tables

FYI I a writing an instruction book and I have a few questions:

  • What constitutes table speed? Is it the ''finesse'' of the felt or just how soft the rails are?
  • What are the Dimensions of each type of pool table, snooker table, 3-cushion billiard table, and bar/pub style pool table?
  • In snooker, are the red balls smaller than the cue ball and colored balls? I think they are but wanted to double check.

General Questions About Pool Tables

Replies & Comments
  1. zeekZeke on 9/24/2012 6:52:09 PM

    Zeek, I urge you to check out the vast resources here at this site.

    See the green tabs near the top? Start reading...

  2. zeekMitch Alsup on 10/8/2012 12:32:34 PM

    The speed of a table is mostly in the speed of the cloth. Billiards tables (no pockets) use Simonis 300 which is faster than anything you are likely to have run into. 9 footers should be clothed in Simonis 760 for 8-ball and 14.1 and 1 ocket, or 860 for 9-ball and 10-ball. 8 footers are probably best off with Simonis 860, and 7 footers should use nothing faster than Simonis 860.

    The speed of the rails is inversely proportional to the cushions cushiness. Harder cushions rebound more (absorb less energy.) The important thing about rails is that they be "square" to the table. Square means that if you rool a ball into the rail at a 90 degree angle with no english, it will roll right back at you.

    {There is a second meaning for square that has to do with 3 rail shots. Here square means that a ball placed inone corner pocket and shot at the 3rd diamond with running english will drop in the adjacent corner pocket. 10 foot tables are very square, 9-foot tables are a little short and hit near the point of the pocket. * foot tables require either more running english or a bal displacement down table for the original direction to play "square".}

    Clean balls are faster than dirty balls.

    And there is pocket geometry. When the pockets are tighter (smaller openings) and when the pockets have deeper shelves (longer throats) it is harder to pot balls and it is easier for the pocket to reject balls (rattle out). Porper pockets have 112-115 degree openings andare just about exactly two balls wide at the very tip of the pocket mouth (corners; the sides are 1/2 inch wider than this).

  3. zeekzeek on 10/12/2012 9:06:34 AM

    Mitch and Zeke,

    My name is Zeek, 42, severely disabled, in a wheelchair. I can not remember shooting positions as they were natural to me. In this guide I offer an excellent break technique, but I don't know if it will work. Will you guys be so kind as to email me at zeek-i-said@cfl.rr.com? I'll reply with the technique for you to try.

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General Questions About Pool Tables

  • Title: General Questions About Pool Tables
  • Author:
  • Published: 9/20/2012 8:38:31 AM