Few months ago I finished a rebuild on an old table, which included installation of Brunswick Super Speed rails along with HR860 cloth. Table is nice and quick with great play-ability. Cold weather has now set in here in South West Va and with the table down in the basement the temp down there gets a bit frosty. Yesterday the temp was in the mid 40's before I had turned the heat on, then I decided to knock a few around , made a couple of long straight in shots then went for a long bank,,the table with the new rails and being cold made the ball about twice the speed when it's warmed up,,,Is this a normal thing ?
Cold weather and speed
- Thread starter Chip Roberson
- Start date
Yes. You could look into installing a table heater.
Generally, table heaters are used in Billiards to make the cloth faster (by driving off any moisture back into the air.)
The situation above indicates the colder table seemed faster !?!
South (West Va) or (South West) Va ?
The situation above indicates the colder table seemed faster !?!
South (West Va) or (South West) Va ?
Yep I have 2 heaters down there and doesn't take long to heat the room up, just gotta say that tables faster than my cars headlights when the temp goes cold. and it's South West part of Virginia. Yep heaters make the table fast by drying out the air but the HR 860 is fast enough already. Cold temps probably make the rubber denser and that's what took me aback. I was playing an easy position two rails and it almost went 4 before the cue ball stopped. I'm gonna start practice two ways now,,in the cold and after the table is warmed up. I'm sure this will help my 70 year old NERVES ,YELP
Geosnookery
Well-known member
Yes, it influences moisture. I live in a cool but very dry climate. My games room is often cool. I rarely turn the heat on as I prefer it cool.
I play almost everyday winter or summer and have never noticed any difference in rails or cloth.
Things here dessicate before rotting and paper money is ‘crisp’.
My table (in the basement) plays notably faster and "drier" when its winter time. I always figured because the cold air is noticeably drier. The hygrometer I have down there usually reads 35% or lower during the winter. Could be in my head though, not sure.
My favorite temperature to practice pool is about 65ºF.
Cool enough you can hit a medium-hard stroke every 4-5 seconds without working up a sweat.
Playing, with 20-30 seconds between shots, I like it closer to 70ºF.
Cold air makes the rubber far less bouncy.
could dryness due to ambient moisture have more of an effect than the cold on the rubber?
I don't see how it could be...and my basement's not cold!
could dryness due to ambient moisture have more of an effect than the cold on the rubber?
I don't see how it could be...and my basement's not cold!
I feel the humidity level would affect the table speed and cushions more than just the temp. I like it comfortable year round, whether using heat or A/C, but always aim for sub 50% humidity.
What I meant was a special heater built into/under the table to keep the slate and the cushions warm and that you leave on all the time. If you go that route and your room gets pretty cold, you may want some kind of insulating cover so the table heater doesn't have to heat the whole room. A table heater, like the ones that are standard on carom and high-end snooker tables, keep the bed and rails about 10 degrees over room temperature.
I'm not sure I understood this. Did you have to hit the bank harder or softer on the cold table?
Normally, rubber is less bouncy when it is cold. On the other side of that, humidity/damp can make the nose of the rails sticky so the rail effectively puts follow on the cue ball leaving the rail and the cushion seems spring-loaded.
Yes, that quote seems to be missing a 'than'. It clearly says it is twice the speed when warm:
...'made the ball about twice the speed when it's warmed up'
The table plays faster when the temp is cold. I don't understand why. Was thinking the rails were more lively , it could be lowered humidity. When I noticed the speed was greater , I assumed it was because of the rails being colder, now I'm not sure. I'm aware of heated tables and may very well do that very thing. Also to ad BB , yes there should have been a "than" in the sentence
And to add ---Merry Christmas To All
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Holiday cheers all about!
I think it can't be the rubber, coz it hardens as temperatures decrease.
You need to build yourself a little ramp.
Bob knows whatchamacallit...I think you need a crude stimpmeter?
In that case, I'm guessing that the damper nose of the cushions winds up when the ball contacts it and springs the ball back.
Bob <-- who has twice seen rain blowing horizontally across pool tables ... inside
Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.
(In the background you may notice 12 copies of Ray Martin's "99 Critical Shots", all different editions or printings.)