TV Cue Ball vs Regular Cue ball

Rocky247

Rocky247

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Decided to play at my local pool hall with the regular red dot cue ball instead of the TV ball.Seems like a world of difference.The red dot is the same size as the rest of the balls and much easier to play then the TV Ball.
Also seems like the regular arimith cue ball doesn't show alot of chalk wear.
So the question UI have is why they didn't keep the cue ball the same size and just add a few more dots.It also seems that the TV ball is heavier and rolls out more.
Any thoughts?
 
I have been asking this for some time now. Put some more red circles on the red circle ball and we are golden.
 
The red circle is lighter than the object balls, so therefore it tends to move around faster because you can draw the crap out of with less stroke and it bounces off other balls with much more energy. The measles ball is the same size and weight as the other balls so the collisions are more "real" and its not acting like a pinball machine. Its a little harder to draw if you have less stroke, but over all a much better ball and it will give you a more constant feel and consistent play.
 
If you take the measles ball next to an object ball and put them against a rail side by side you will see the measeles ball is bigger.
 
Rocky247 said:
If you take the measles ball next to an object ball and put them against a rail side by side you will see the measeles ball is bigger.
Click to expand...
What's the age difference of the two balls you're comparing.

Table chalk slowly but surely wears a ball down and the CB goes down faster.
 
I think we have been here before. The two cue balls that you are referring to are the same size a weight.....:smile:
 
Rocky247 said:
If you take the measles ball next to an object ball and put them against a rail side by side you will see the measeles ball is bigger.
Click to expand...

If you can pick up a size difference so minute, with your naked eye, you should be working at NASA....or at least a carnival. :cool:

Best,
Brian kc
 
Rocky247 said:
Decided to play at my local pool hall with the regular red dot cue ball instead of the TV ball.Seems like a world of difference.The red dot is the same size as the rest of the balls and much easier to play then the TV Ball.
Also seems like the regular arimith cue ball doesn't show alot of chalk wear.
So the question UI have is why they didn't keep the cue ball the same size and just add a few more dots.It also seems that the TV ball is heavier and rolls out more.
Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

How can you determine chalk wear? Doubt that the CB would wear down in a session at the PH. If the CB wears down that fast the CB would need to be replaced every day.
 
TheBook said:
How can you determine chalk wear? Doubt that the CB would wear down in a session at the PH. If the CB wears down that fast the CB would need to be replaced every day.
Click to expand...

I think the intended statement was:

Also seems like the regular arimith cue ball doesn't show alot of chalk (marks).

As user of both spotted/ reg, that measle ball does show too much blue.
 
I LOVE THE MEASLES BALL!

Sure it plays different than a red circle, but who cares. If I'm in a tournament and an opponent is worried about the cue ball, of all things, imagine how easy it is for other things to get into their head.

At home I play with the measles ball and a blue circle. They are VERY similar. Don't worry so much about the cue ball and work on the stroke a bit more. If the saying "it's not the arrow, it's the Indian" is true, we can't start blaming the balls. It also helps to try to leave yourself shape for follow shots more often. It does move around the table a bit more sluggishly, in comparison with the red circle.

It's awesome once you get used to it though. When your whole mindset has adjusted to playing with the measles ball and you get on a table with a red circle, you are a pinball wizard! Talk about getting a cue ball to fly!


PS: The 3 balls mentioned above are all the same size, 2.25". Optical illusions are crazy some times. How many times have you heard someone say, "that ball doesn't go past the other one, there isn't enough room" just before you pocketed the ball? :D
 
mosconiac said:
I can assure you that size & weigh differences are in your head. Here is some data I compiled that will show you what I mean.

You may have a point about a different surface texture/polish. You should realize that there are "measles" knock-offs out there that SU@K! A genuine measles is my favorite CB.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=1296719#post1296719
Click to expand...



One of the pool halls I frequent have some red circle balls that are, in fact, smaller than the Brunswick Centennials that they have been coupled with. I have my own measle ball that I bring to play with here.

I can verify that the red circle cue ball is smaller by placing the cue between two of the object balls and setting the rack on top of them as follows:

smallcueball.JPG

The two object balls will touch the rack, while the cue ball will not.

I will take some photos comparing these red circle balls to the Aramith measle ball and the object balls. Im 99.999999999% sure that the measle ball is larger than these particular red circle balls and a much closer match to the centennials.

The owner of this particular place doesn't spend much money on keeping the equipment up to date (other than the occasional re felting), so it wouldn't surprise me if the red circle balls they have are knock offs of some kind. Either that or they have just worn down after years and years of use. They have not replaced the balls in that pool hall since they opened over 15 years ago.
 
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I compared my red-dot, measle ball and object balls last night and they all like the same to me. :o I'll try the "rack" technique later.
 
Druid said:
I compared my red-dot, measle ball and object balls last night and they all like the same to me. :o I'll try the "rack" technique later.
Click to expand...

Another way to test, is if you have say, a delta 13 rack that is a perfect triangle, put the cue ball in the rack with 14 other balls. Hold the balls in tight and move the rack, if any of the balls are moving they are undersized.
 
For Pete's sake, doesn't anyone have a caliper? ;)

BTW, I learned the origin of the phrase "For Pete's Sake" a few years ago and it was a real mind blower. It was one of those moments that made me think "I'm glad I lived until now so I had the chance to learn this". Seriously.

Okay, here it is:

Tom Brokaw was on assignment at the Vatican and was privileged to be one of the very few 'civilians' that was allowed to go into the Vatican's Archives. He was with the priest who was the head of the archive section and let me tell you, this place was neat, organized, and as clean as you can imagine. Sterile, really.

The priest was taking TB around to the various vaults and files and was showing him things like the Pope's grocery shopping list from sometime in the 1600's. All, of course, while wearing white cotton gloves.

After a while, TB asked the priest what was it he considered to be his favorite item stored there and without hesitation the priest said "come with me".

They went around the corner to another file storage and the priest opened a case that contained a letter from Michaelangelo to the then Pope regarding an overdue payment for services he provided while painting the Cistene Chapel ceiling.

The letter translated went something like this:

For the sake of St. Peter, will you please release the funds so that I may complete the work I am doing.

What? Could it be?

Yes it could. The Pope was holding out on poor MA.

Even way back then, there were disputes with contrators. :thumbup:

It couldn't have been to do with the Pope not liking the job he was doing, could it?

I heard that job came out pretty good. :rolleyes:

Now you have the story of where the phrase "For Pete's sake" originated.

Best,
Brian kc
 
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Red Circle and Pro Cup Cue ball.

If both balls are the same size and weigh the same, it must be the construction and materials used.

The Pro Cup ball (as read from back of the package details) is constructed using the same process as carom balls.

Unless you have brand new balls and brand new cue balls, measuring weight and diameter will almost always be different.

It has been my experience that most comparisons have been made with old red circle cue balls that are lighter and smaller than the new Pro Cup cue ball.

If you take the striped balls of a set that is 5 playing years old and compare with the same playing age red circle cue ball.. the cue ball will be smaller than the stripped balls. Reason being (IMO) is that the stripes don't get played with as often as the solids (again, IMO, 9 ball being more popular in a pool room than 8 ball)
 
i dont have too much confidence in the average player to discern this, so listening to rumors will not prove fruitful in my opinion. a cueball on a chalky slightly wet table will play so much heavier than a cueball on a newer table, ye the perceived "heavy" one may very well actually be lighter.

i have never understood why this is worth worrying about myself. you hit balls on a table, get a feel for it.... over. thats me anyway.
 
Rocky247 said:
If you take the measles ball next to an object ball and put them against a rail side by side you will see the measeles ball is bigger.
Click to expand...

This is the first time i've ever heard this and i've never noticed any difference. I love to play with the measle cue ball and it's become my favorite cue ball.

James
 
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