how do I get tighter pockets?

N

ndakotan

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have a valley table with standard pockets. Is there a kit I can buy to get rails and cornerplates that make the pockets tighter? Any info would be appreciated.
 
I don't have the answer to your question but is it to improve your aiming in general?
 
You can have a table mechanic come out and pull the rails off, shim the pockets and recover the rail rubber for a couple hundred bucks, or you can buy a set of pocket reducers from a supply store for under 50. The pocket reducers are very nice because they are easily installed and removed whenever you like.
Chuck
 
ndakotan said:
I have a valley table with standard pockets. Is there a kit I can buy to get rails and cornerplates that make the pockets tighter? Any info would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

I don't know about kits, but I'll relate a little story Buddy Hall told on an accu-stats tape I was watching the other night...

Buddy said that a bunch of guys were hanging around playing and gambling some. One of the guys said something to Minnesota Fats complaining about the equipment being too loose. Fatty turned around to him and said "Bet a little higher, they'll tighten up". :D
 
I'll pay for homemade pocket reducers-see below

Jimbojim said:
I don't have the answer to your question but is it to improve your aiming in general?
Click to expand...


Yes, I am trying to improve my ball-pocketing skills. I have the pocket reducers but they don't make the pocket act like a pocket.

Does anyone want to make me better pocket reducers for $ that I could take off when I want to? I would like it if they had the correct rail profile.
 
Tighter Pockets

What worked for me was .... the dessert bar at Ryan's - sorry, could not resist that one ! :)
 
The absolute best way is to buy longer rails. New rubbers are'nt that expensive. Then you have no shims and the pockets play like they should.
 
ndakotan said:
Yes, I am trying to improve my ball-pocketing skills. I have the pocket reducers but they don't make the pocket act like a pocket.

Does anyone want to make me better pocket reducers for $ that I could take off when I want to? I would like it if they had the correct rail profile.
Click to expand...

In another thread, catscradle posted a link to a description and picture of modified pocket reducers. It looks like it would work far better than the unmodified reducers do:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=37035

See post #4 on that thread. You could use the materials noted in the description, or a bunch of the rubber facing pads, as sold here for example:

http://www.poolndarts.com/p-3783-Cushion-Facings/

If you really wanted to go all out, you could wrap the facings with cloth. Of course, the best (and most expensive) thing would be to have the rails extended and replace the cushions with longer rubbers, like someone mentioned previously.
 
pocket reducer

I like the pocket reducers. They are like 30 dollars on Seyberts, and if you want the normal pocket size back you just take them off. I am going to buy some soon.
 
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