Pockets to 3 Cushion Table Conversion?
- Thread starter 1hit1der
- Start date
There are "pocket blocks" which fit in the pockets and add little sections of rail to turn your pool table into a carom table. I know someone who had them made for a Diamond table. They go by from time to time on eBay, but might not fit your table. If I had to have a set, I'd call Blatt's Billiards in NYC.1hit1der said:
Regular billiard balls are larger than pool balls. If you try to play billiards with billiard balls on a pool table the balls will not react off the rails naturally. You will need a set of 2 1/4 inch billiard balls. Good luck.
I have been looking for these- ok, I gave up months ago. I have seen (antique?) Brunswick ones on fleabay going for $250ish. They looked like they would need a miracle to approximate their intended function.
My friend, a good carpenter, said he could make rails that would fit over a pool table and inside the playing surface that could be tensioned from below to make it pocketless. Since he is pool-dumb, I don;'t think sufficient tension could be imparted on the add-on, due to the fact that it would have to be pressed acainst the pool table's cushions. It would be a neat experiment, but I am not motivated enough to pursue it...
GOod luck!
My friend, a good carpenter, said he could make rails that would fit over a pool table and inside the playing surface that could be tensioned from below to make it pocketless. Since he is pool-dumb, I don;'t think sufficient tension could be imparted on the add-on, due to the fact that it would have to be pressed acainst the pool table's cushions. It would be a neat experiment, but I am not motivated enough to pursue it...
GOod luck!
They have a 9' Brunswick gold crown carom table at Sharpshooter's in Manassas VA. I can't tell how it was made, but it has no breaks in the cushions or rails where the pockets would be, but you can see the arc-shaped recesses in the slates where the mouths of the pockets would be. I don't know if Brunswick makes a carom version of the gold crown, or if Brunswick made it as a pool table and someone converted it. The owner of the establishment would probably know, though, and I think I once heard Black-Balled mention that he knows the owner. He may be able to help you find out.
-Andrew
-Andrew
That carom table came from Brunswick that way. IIRC, the table that is currently in Manassas came from Champions in Westmont (Arlington, pre-Shirlington).
Carom billiards was very popular in the early/ mid 20th century US, so I've heard. I wonder why it effectively dropped off the maP??
Carom billiards was very popular in the early/ mid 20th century US, so I've heard. I wonder why it effectively dropped off the maP??
Thanks for the help, guys. I saw some here:
http://www.completegamester.com/pages/Billiard/chevillotte/Antares.htm
but they don't sell them separately. I guess fitting would be an issue too. Not having my own table and all, I was hoping to be able to go to a room, snap these in, and have a go at it. Guess I'll have to find a real billiard table then.
http://www.completegamester.com/pages/Billiard/chevillotte/Antares.htm
but they don't sell them separately. I guess fitting would be an issue too. Not having my own table and all, I was hoping to be able to go to a room, snap these in, and have a go at it. Guess I'll have to find a real billiard table then.
Both things happen. Brunswick does (or has) made Gold Crown carom tables, at least as 5x10s. If you see pocket cuts in the slate, it was probably a conversion from a pool table. I think I've also seen conversions from 10-foot snooker tables.Andrew Manning said:
There is at least one company in Europe that offers three different rail sets to switch between pool, snooker and carom. Gabriels offers magnetically-held cushions that allow you to switch between pool and carom without changing the rails. The carom cushions go all the way into the pocket opening.
The tables with pocket blocks I've seen were not perfect but were playable. It depends on your level of play. I remember when the Egyptian balkline champion gave an exhibition at the Student Union. The table had a cracked slate near one cushion. It never bothered the local players who had two speeds -- warp and explosive -- but when the champ nursed the balls into the problem area, he got a big surprise. Balkline players often get quarter-inch precision on placement, which is impossible on bad equipment.
If you're in the Boston area, try World Class Billiards in Peabody.1hit1der said:
Here another site for pocket convert , http://www.billards-breton.com. Change to English and click catalog then options, but then you better have your own table.
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billiardshot said:
Here is a direct link- let us know what you find out, should you pursue...
http://www.billards-breton.com/billard-breton-tables/options-billards-breton.asp
Here another website for possible pocket to carom convertion. http://www.bilhares.com/en/acessorios/opcoes.htm
Here two other convertions. http://www.lamaisondubillard.com/eurobillard/systeme_multibillard.htm . I hope USBA can use this information.