Georgiacue
New member
Thanks for the feedback. I keep going to the pool room playing on those 4.5s. Trying to break myself in. Im not dead against them.
Diamond 9ft Pocket size..
- Thread starter Georgiacue
- Start date
Smutzc
Well-known member
Might cause a little frustration in the beginning, but you will adapt and definitely find yourself hitting them clean in the heart of the pocket ! You won’t regret it. As always show us pictures of what you get ! Everyone loves to see a new home table !
Flakeandrun
Well-known member
If you want to improve, it wouldn't hurt you to get the 4.5"
An option, and I don't have the info or knowledge some others will have to share regarding this
If the pockets are too tight for your skill level, you will have a difficult time improving your cue ball control. You could always get the larger pocket, and for honing your shot get pocket reducers. I have a set of pocket reducers, don't really use them much, but you got to be very accurate to pot a ball with those inserted in the pocket. I play on an 8 ft Olhausen, double shimmed pockets a couple times a week and it's hard to put any juice on the ball while potting, because the ball will just be rejected by the pocket. I play on 9 ft triple shimmed pockets occasionally, and that is a real challenge.
Deano gave him a run.
Hey. Thats what a lot of the pockets at the hall I frequent measure out to too. On their 7’s. They were supposed to be tournament cut. But half of them are 4-5/8”
I’m with the 4.75” crew. Even though that 1/4” shouldn’t really make much of a difference. If you are thinking it does. That means your stroke or aim still needs some work. You could shim them for $100 later. It’s all the same once you get good enough. I used to practice constantly on GC buckets then play on a triple shimmed 4-3/16 or so maybe 4-3/8” GC by the counter for cash. It didn’t require much adjustment either. Given those were GC’s. As long as you put in the practice and your stroke is true shouldn’t be a hard adjustment for 1/4” smaller pockets. When I hear people say “go 4-3/8” or “go 4-1/4” or even smaller and stuff like that I always want to ask if that’s made them a 700 yet. Pocketing balls is important but once you get good you won’t have to pocket as many hard shots. When you do. Aim for the opening and you should be good.
I was actually just at a hall a couple hours ago, and can’t tell the difference between the 4-5/8” pockets and the 4-3/8” pockets over there even though the 4-3/8” are definitely smaller. Now the 4-1/4” ones. Those do start playing a bit different. They start noticeably taking away shots at that point.
As others have said. It’s more fun for friends when they can pocket balls too. I’m regretting getting mine at 4-7/16 because it’s rough on some others when we play. And that’s on a Brunswick. Might have the shims removed next carpet change. Plus bigger pockets gives some leeway when you are practicing shooting balls in hard. It takes most people a lot of practice to be real accurate on those. First step is making them.
All in all though. Go with what you like.
Get at least 4.5 inch pockets. If you’re going to get 4.75 inch pockets you might as well save the money and get a valley. I have 4.25 on mine and I think it’s perfect. A friend who plays in matchroom events has 4 1/8 on his 9 foot table and that to me is just to tight But he now goes to gold crowns and can put packs together because he says to him it’s like playing on a valley lol
dendweller
Well-known member
I wouldn't get a table with the idea of shimming them in a year or two. It won't play like an unshimmed pocket and you'll still be out that 10 grand.
If you think you're okay with shimmed pockets get a used gold crown and have them shimmed when you need them shimmed.
You can tighten somewhat with the thick facings that Ken at ClassicBilliards sells. https://www.classicbilliards.net/cu...urometer-hardness-die-cut-cushion-facing.html about a 1/2" reduction and better play than stacked shims.
but its REALLY good for 1pkt
dendweller
Well-known member
I have em, they really suck for 1 pocket or banks. And they play a little dead compared to the rail so the pockets play kind of easy
i've only played on one done this way and i thought it played fine. it was a GC1 or2,can't remember. still better than rock hard shims.
Half that is accurate!
I got league cut on my 8' for home and regret it. I would never do it again.
For one thing, two balls will jam together on the pocket at times when you are trying to slide one ball in past another. It's really irritating.
Second, and some may say not, but the balls actually seem harder to make on the legue cut, and I have 4 years of experience with a league cut vs a pro cut 4 1/2". Not only is our one league on standard cut Diamonds, but also other places we play at have Diamonds, and they all play easier than my home table.
While it seems a little easier to hit the pocket on my home table, they actually seem to drop easier on the standard cut.
I remember Cobra saying something once that the wider the opening, the deaper the shelf I think.
Each his own I guess, but I feel the standard cut are easier to make balls on.
For one thing, two balls will jam together on the pocket at times when you are trying to slide one ball in past another. It's really irritating.
Second, and some may say not, but the balls actually seem harder to make on the legue cut, and I have 4 years of experience with a league cut vs a pro cut 4 1/2". Not only is our one league on standard cut Diamonds, but also other places we play at have Diamonds, and they all play easier than my home table.
While it seems a little easier to hit the pocket on my home table, they actually seem to drop easier on the standard cut.
I remember Cobra saying something once that the wider the opening, the deaper the shelf I think.
Each his own I guess, but I feel the standard cut are easier to make balls on.
They are a cheap and easy fix, but they do reduce your options for banks.
You can buy the same material for about a 3rd of the price if you are willing to cut it into pieces yourself.
It would be stretching things to say they are the only cause, computers and video games no doubt take a big bite out, but the tighter pockets definitely harm the recreational business. People aren't having fun when they can't pocket balls.
Opinion of course but unless a place is intended to be a hard core action and one pocket center I think generous 4.5" pockets are tight enough, maybe even too tight. When I started playing pool there was a hall near LSU. Five by tens, old gray haired rack boys, dime a rack. When I was flush I gave a quarter, I was a big tipper! I can't remember the brand of those tables now but I can remember pockets were huge! Over five inches I believe. A very old building with a very high ceiling and it was two tables wide, little more than a hall indeed. Considering it was on the edge of LSU, it compared very favorably to some of the lecture halls. It should, it was better attended.
Hu
dendweller
Well-known member
it is
dendweller
Well-known member
Maybe they are a little more flared than the standard cut. That would cause them to reject balls more. That with the deeper shelves would make it tougher.
Far as I know, you're correct about the wider the pocket, the deeper the shelve. There's a calculation on how much deeper it gets the greater distance between the points, has to do with triangles and geometry I believe. It's why a tight pocket gold crown tends to have pretty shallow shelves.
According to Cobra, and when I called Diamond questioning the cut on my pockets, they all are the same angle and the only reason I can think of why they drop easier on their standard cut 4 1/2" pockets would be a possible slight difference in shelf depth.
You get used to it, just have to be more careful in shooting.
You get used to it, just have to be more careful in shooting.