fjk said:

That's an idea I'll explore. So far I only have $30 invested in seven. I'm guessing the work to fix them up into good sneakies would be a few hundred each. Still might be worth it though.

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So I buy these old BBC one piece cues to salvage the rosewood to use as handle sections on my new cue builds.

Most makers use maple for handles but my experience has been this old rosewood provides better hit transmission and it adds some additional cool factor knowing what's under the wrap.

It's hard to compare Euro/Asian and Middle Eastern programs with the USA. We just don't sponsor non mainstream amateur sports. In the past it was Brunswick that had the pool/snooker/carom world and players in its pocket. Well its just different now. I just feel like the APA could get involved and see where it leads.

Bob Jewett said:

My understanding is that in Europe, the lower levels of players partly fund the expenses of the higher-level players through their memberships in their clubs and leagues. There are also sponsors at the higher levels.

Why would they? To help the sport. Of course, not all people feel that way.

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Helping the sport is good. And I also think amateur competition should not focus on money. In pool people want that prize money, I get it. But you also need a worthy group to send the donation to. For instance, if the BCA were a more coherent organization and you paid some modest annual fee to play amateur events and $5 a year of that went to pros, I think people might accept that. But BCA split with CSI/BCAPL a while ago, so any league fees aren’t going there. Indirectly maybe the Las Vegas Predator events benefit from that, I dunno. I don’t see US pool having such a group and I don’t know why amateurs should be expected to fund it. Maybe it would help the sport and maybe not. If it is a good spectator event people will pay something to watch it.

Having a healthy amateur sport helps pros to some extent in itself because the equipment manufacturers will sponsor pros. But why should the amateur directly fund the pros? I’m not trying to be obstinate because I see what you are saying, and many on these forums would, and do, willingly support pro pool in one way or another. I know you have. But paying for a gym membership doesn’t include money for the professional strongman competitions does it? This is an example I thought of - trying to think of niche professional sports with a big participation factor. Maybe surfing or skateboarding are like this, I don’t know.

If you have enough amateur participants you have a built in audience. Pool has a lot of participants but hasn’t figured out how to interest enough of those people into watching. I think there may be many reasons for that, but you can’t force people to watch.

Bob Jewett said:

Maybe tax law has changed, but in my experience, tax paid to a foreign country is directly deductible from your tax on that money in the US. Also, there are individual tax treaties with each country, and that complicates things. Some foreign nationals are exempt from the 30% withholding on winnings in the US, for example.

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Exactly what I know it to be, who knows now though but I have never heard of being double taxed.

In looking up coefficients of friction for leather (https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/friction-coefficients-d_778.html#gsc.tab=0) it is seen that leather-metal has a coefficient u=0.6, which is within the theoretical neighborhood of what is needed for no-miscue.

It makes me wonder if spending more effort in developing a chalkless leather tip would be better than trying to get more friction and less dust out of the chalk.

I did find a "scientific" paper where they looked at chalk v. no-chalk, but as soon as I saw that they used screw on tips for the experiment, dismissed it due to improper methods.

Deal fell through-back up for sale

kidcuban21 said:

It's work but in the end very worth it, I did all the refinishing, and cut my rails down the table saw, extended wood before relaminating tops with Wilsonart Intl commercial laminate and then sent rails out to Georgia for Mark Gregory to put new subrails and new superspeed cushions, while I did the white conversion varnish on all legs, aprons, ball box, etc. Powder coating for corner castings and feet.

4" pockets with no extending shims (cushion facings). Possible to do rails in so many unique combinations with laminate, so many beautiful options out there & finishes, also possible to veneer with exotic woods, but laminate is more durable.

By extending rails with wood before relaminating tops, gives you a tight pocket (any size you desire) from factory finish, where the laminate now continues on top of said extended rail, gregory then added rebuilt wood subrail and cushion

Also you can make castings flush with top.

My table is from 80's as am I, you can take any gold crown, restore it how you want and still be way under what a new table costs, hence I did this project on my own accord minus the rail work that Gregory did, enjoyed every minute of doing the project greatly, table plays amazing and you can make it however you want to look.

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That is one beautiful job on the table, you should be really proud of what you did.