Pro's and Cons of a ball return table

[Black-Balled]

I've had tables with both pocket styles and given a choice, would go with ball return 45 out of 37 times. No contest. I am trying to play pool, not play ring around the rosie.

Caught myself playing wrong shape on balls just so I wouldn;t have to go around to the other side of the table to go get it later.

 

[Pushout]

How do you figure that? I think its the opposite, the rolling of a ball down the track always reminds me of crappy bartables in dive bars.

A ball return in a Gold Crown, for instance, sounds nothing like a bar table return. Also, tables without ball returns are cheaper, hence their popularity in commercial billiard rooms these days.

 

[Pushout]

For me drop pockets save the back.Drop pockets are ideal for one pocket.Drop pockets are great with 2 players since it gives the breaker something to do.

Ball returns can be hard on my back.Balls can get stuck and who wants to listen to a ball return sytem?Playing one pocket on a ball return table is a pain.

So is having to pull out balls when your pocket fills up. I have a bad back and much prefer a ball return.

 

[TheBook]

A few reasons for drop pockets.

Quieter than ball returns.

Easier to retrieve the CB when there is a scratch.

.

 

[krupa]

I like my ball return. Never have problems pulling the CB out after a scratch or in getting down to pull the balls out for re-racking. Here's a tip from a chronic back-pain sufferer: Squat, don't bend.

--matthew

 

[JoeyA]

Caught myself playing wrong shape on balls just so I wouldn;t have to go around to the other side of the table to go get it later.

Hahahahaha!

 

[Black-Balled]

Hahahahaha!

Oh yeah, real funny when I fail to run out coz I gotta draw CB 2 rails instead of shoot/ stop!
*edit- never happens anymore coz that table was rescued by TN.

 

[JoeyA]

Oh yeah, real funny when I fail to run out coz I gotta draw CB 2 rails instead of shoot/ stop!
*edit- never happens anymore coz that table was rescued by TN.

I've always found lazy people to be some of the funniest and innovative people on the planet. :grin-square:

One of our lazy workers in the business form plant didn't like the fact that the plant had no refrigerator for his soft drinks. Months went by and the large plant eventually had a safety inspection and what do you think was a monuental failure in the safety inspection? You guessed it. The lazy employee working the graveyard shift would wander around the warehouse on his lunch break and use the fire extinguishers to cool his soda. All of the fire extinguishers had been emptied. One of the other lazy louts squealed on Mr. Cool.

 

[Black-Balled]

I've always found lazy people to be some of the funniest and innovative people on the planet. :grin-square:

One of our lazy workers in the business form plant didn't like the fact that the plant had no refrigerator for his soft drinks. Months went by and the large plant eventually had a safety inspection and what do you think was a monuental failure in the safety inspection? You guessed it. The lazy employee working the graveyard shift would wander around the warehouse on his lunch break and use the fire extinguishers to cool his soda. All of the fire extinguishers had been emptied. One of the other lazy louts squealed on Mr. Cool.

WTF?! YOu need cold soda every day...how often do you need a fire extinguisher?!

Sounds like a no-brainer to me!

 

[JoeyA]

WTF?! YOu need cold soda every day...how often do you need a fire extinguisher?!

Sounds like a no-brainer to me!

Yeah, I knew you would identify with Mr. Cool.

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

...Caught myself playing wrong shape on balls just so I wouldn;t have to go around to the other side of the table to go get it later.

Yeah, two piece cues are a major hassle too.

 

[TXsouthpaw]

A ball return in a Gold Crown, for instance, sounds nothing like a bar table return. Also, tables without ball returns are cheaper, hence their popularity in commercial billiard rooms these days.

Of course theyre cheaper theres less parts. It doesnt affect the way the table plays. A gold crown plays like a gold crown whether its drop pocket or ball return. Pool halls have to buy in bulk so they tend to err on the cheap side but the average home owner doesnt have to worry about it table being a little more expensive. Same applies to cloth,balls and sticks.

 

[the420trooper]

Depends on what you want to do with the table. One pocket is better with drop pockets, 14.1 isn't.

I personally can't stand the noise of ball returns, though the Gold Crowns and Diamonds aren't nearly as bad as the bar tables.

 

[Bob 14:1]

The roll and thunk annoy me. I wait 'til it's over before shooting my next shot.

 

[ShootingArts]

theory

I've always found lazy people to be some of the funniest and innovative people on the planet. :grin-square:

One of our lazy workers in the business form plant didn't like the fact that the plant had no refrigerator for his soft drinks. Months went by and the large plant eventually had a safety inspection and what do you think was a monuental failure in the safety inspection? You guessed it. The lazy employee working the graveyard shift would wander around the warehouse on his lunch break and use the fire extinguishers to cool his soda. All of the fire extinguishers had been emptied. One of the other lazy louts squealed on Mr. Cool.

Theory on the job used to be to give the toughest job to the laziest person. He'll find the easiest most efficient way to do the task. The one flaw in the theory is often the lazy guy found a way to make the task somebody else's headache! As you note. lazy doesn't mean stupid although these people often work far harder avoiding work than just doing the job to begin with.

Hu

 

[Pushout]

Of course theyre cheaper theres less parts. It doesnt affect the way the table plays.

Never said it did.

 

[RRfireblade]

I've always found lazy people to be some of the funniest and innovative people on the planet. :grin-square:

One of our lazy workers in the business form plant didn't like the fact that the plant had no refrigerator for his soft drinks. Months went by and the large plant eventually had a safety inspection and what do you think was a monuental failure in the safety inspection? You guessed it. The lazy employee working the graveyard shift would wander around the warehouse on his lunch break and use the fire extinguishers to cool his soda. All of the fire extinguishers had been emptied. One of the other lazy louts squealed on Mr. Cool.

I dont know about lazy....Sound like a lot of work for a cold soda to me.

 

[Apocalypse2017]

I hate it when I'm watching a stream online and I can hear the echo of the ball return... really grinds my gears

Nothing better than the sound of a ball hitting the center of a leather drop pocket!

 

[Black-Balled]

Yeah, two piece cues are a major hassle too.

Borders on interesting...

 

[Pushout]

I hate it when I'm watching a stream online and I can hear the echo of the ball return... really grinds my gears

I'm assuming you're talking about a bar table?