What runs would you expect under these conditions?

CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I got a 9' Brunswick Gold Crown table about 9 months ago. It's one of the toughest tables I've ever played on, and it's all I've been playing on. It's in a humid basement. The balls are always hard to open up. The corner pockets are 4.25", and the sides are 5". I think the pocket cut and hard facings are also an issue with lots of rattles. The slate has a few significant wobbles that I have to keep in mind on slow shots or a shot to center pocket will miss.

I just don't know if I'm expecting too much from myself under these conditions. My high run before I got this table was around 60. I haven't come close to that in all these months even though I feel like I've become a better player and shooter practicing on this table. Maybe 40 is my high run on this table so far. I'm working on a recording setup so I can share the occasional run, but I doubt anyone wants to see a 40-ball run.

Anyway, I'm curious what percentage lower you would expect your runs to be under these conditions compared with a standard table. Whatever your high runs are, what do you think they'd be under these conditions?

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Bob Jewett

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...
Anyway, I'm curious what percentage lower you would expect your runs to be under these conditions compared with a standard table. Whatever your high runs are, what do you think they'd be under these conditions?
...
My main practice for straight pool was the same as the high run challenge format: set up a break shot, run until a miss, record the score. I did that in sets of 10 tries. You could do something similar and then find a normal table to try it on. To get a meaningful result, you would need something like 1000 balls on each table.

Roughly, I'd say that going from what you have now to ideal conditions for a run -- 5-inch non-rejecting pockets, dry and clean equipment -- you could see a 2:1 increase.

This depends on why your runs end. If you keep scratching on the break, smaller pockets might help you, as a perverse example. If it is mostly from missing shots, the larger pockets will be a large advantage. And if it is from getting stuck to the rack on breaks, it's a wash.
 

CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My main practice for straight pool was the same as the high run challenge format: set up a break shot, run until a miss, record the score. I did that in sets of 10 tries. You could do something similar and then find a normal table to try it on. To get a meaningful result, you would need something like 1000 balls on each table.

Roughly, I'd say that going from what you have now to ideal conditions for a run -- 5-inch non-rejecting pockets, dry and clean equipment -- you could see a 2:1 increase.

This depends on why your runs end. If you keep scratching on the break, smaller pockets might help you, as a perverse example. If it is mostly from missing shots, the larger pockets will be a large advantage. And if it is from getting stuck to the rack on breaks, it's a wash.

Interesting, Bob. That's an interesting experiment. And I'd say that the majority of my run enders are missing shots. I was watching Alex Pagulayan's 280 plus run last night that Michael Yednak was kind enough to post on Facebook. There were several shots that just wouldn't have gone down on my table, and there was one in the first or second rack that would have stopped his run. That makes me feel a little better. ;)
 

CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Bob, I use Aramith Ball Cleaner fluid to polish my set. It doesn't seem to help with opening up the balls on the break, and I'm wondering if it would be cheating to use some additive to make the balls less sticky just to bring the conditions up to normal. If it's a reasonable thing to do, what would you suggest?
 

Bob Jewett

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Bob, I use Aramith Ball Cleaner fluid to polish my set. It doesn't seem to help with opening up the balls on the break, and I'm wondering if it would be cheating to use some additive to make the balls less sticky just to bring the conditions up to normal. If it's a reasonable thing to do, what would you suggest?

I think getting the balls to come apart has little to do with how sticky they are. You need a tight rack. You might consider "training" the table or using donuts the way Stan Shuffett does.

More importantly, have break shots that are 45 degrees or more cut like Willie and Irv.
 

Low500

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Bob, I use Aramith Ball Cleaner fluid to polish my set. It doesn't seem to help with opening up the balls on the break, and I'm wondering if it would be cheating to use some additive to make the balls less sticky just to bring the conditions up to normal. If it's a reasonable thing to do, what would you suggest?
Here's a suggestion. Just try it...I think you will love it.
Go to Walmart and go into the fishing tackle department.
Buy a spray can of some stuff called "Real Magic".....it's used to clean and lubricate fishing reels. It won't smell up the balls either with any petroleum scent. It isn't like WD-40 stuff, not oily at all.
Clean the balls with that and you will flip out.
I've used it for a long time.
Regards,
Keep on truckin'
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
Bob, I use Aramith Ball Cleaner fluid to polish my set. It doesn't seem to help with opening up the balls on the break, and I'm wondering if it would be cheating to use some additive to make the balls less sticky just to bring the conditions up to normal. If it's a reasonable thing to do, what would you suggest?

I think humidity is your biggest enemy here...buy a dehumidifier.
BTW, those pockets aren't 4.25....two balls are 4.5...those balls pretty well fit.
RKC could tell you about the pocket cut...very important.

I personally don't like putting any cleaner or polisher on the balls...
...been using a ball cleaner for years with zero wax or anythhing.

that humidity also loosens the cloth...which makes the pack breaking more difficult.
 

CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Cool! Thanks for the encouragement, people. I hope to share some runs soon.

Low500, on my way home tonight I stopped at WalMart to get the Real Magic. I'll give it a try. You have to wonder why they didn't spell it Reel Magic, since it's for fishing reels. I assume they were threatened with a law suit from another company.

Bob, I actually get pretty tight racks with the Delta 13 rack. I'll try to make sure they're even tighter. It's fairly new Simonis 860HR cloth, but there are probably dents at the rack area now.
 

CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think humidity is your biggest enemy here...buy a dehumidifier.
BTW, those pockets aren't 4.25....two balls are 4.5...those balls pretty well fit.
RKC could tell you about the pocket cut...very important.

I personally don't like putting any cleaner or polisher on the balls...
...been using a ball cleaner for years with zero wax or anythhing.

that humidity also loosens the cloth...which makes the pack breaking more difficult.

I can assure you that I measured the opening at the tips, and they're 4.25". I'll post a pic with a measuring tape. One thing's for sure---my table isn't as fast as it could be, so maybe the cloth is a little loose. The rails are also a bit less springy than I think they should be, but that's not a big issue.
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
I can assure you that I measured the opening at the tips, and they're 4.25". I'll post a pic with a measuring tape. One thing's for sure---my table isn't as fast as it could be, so maybe the cloth is a little loose. The rails are also a bit less springy than I think they should be, but that's not a big issue.

The balls don't lie...they are 2.25 inches....two of them are 4.5 inches...
...they are pretty much hanging...and the 10-ball is not touching the point on the right.
....two balls are 4.5 inches unless they aren't regulation.
 

Poolmanis

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The balls don't lie...they are 2.25 inches....two of them are 4.5 inches...
...they are pretty much hanging...and the 10-ball is not touching the point on the right.
....two balls are 4.5 inches unless they aren't regulation.

If you watch closely you can see they are not fully inside of pocket points. They should be closer to pocket so one can determine pocket size. I believe 4'25 is close.
 

CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here are new photos. You'll see that they're maybe even smaller than 4.25" depending upon where you measure.

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pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
Is that the same pocket as your first pic...note that the 10-ball is not touching the cushion.

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CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Pt109, I'm not sure if it's the same pocket from the original photos. I took the original post's photos 9 months ago when I had the table set up. But all 4 corner pocket sizes are consistent. I guess the 10 ball is slightly away from the cushion. Anyway, whatever the pocket size is, it's tough. Trust me! :wink:

Bob, I wish I knew I was buying a one-pocket table. :sorry:
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
Pt109, I'm not sure if it's the same pocket from the original photos. I took the original post's photos 9 months ago when I had the table set up. But all 4 corner pocket sizes are consistent. I guess the 10 ball is slightly away from the cushion. Anyway, whatever the pocket size is, it's tough. Trust me! :wink:

Bob, I wish I knew I was buying a one-pocket table. :sorry:

Get the dehumidifier....and have the cloth restretched if needed.

Put your bridge hand on the cloth and press hard...slide your hand forward...
...if you see a ripple....restretch.
 
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