Balls!!

Mr. Wiggles

Mr. Wiggles

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have been thinking about my balls the last few days. Sounded sort of weird didn't it? Pool balls that is. Can billiard balls be rolling funny or get out of round or just not have been right from the beginning? I know some say the cue ball can get smaller from wear and that makes sense to me. Do balls wear out and start rolling funny? I think they are quality balls, maybe Aramith. I know for sure I have one ball that rolls funny in the last few inches but others seem okay. I also know there will be some inappropriate remarks about my balls and that's okay because most of us AZers do have balls so bring it on!
 
I have always heard that balls can go out of round. That term was used in our little pool room by one of the top shooters repeatedly.
There could be alot of factors with why a ball rolls funny. Bad casting, off-center weight distribution, flat spot, etc.
 
Mr. Wiggles said:
I have been thinking about my balls the last few days. Sounded sort of weird didn't it? Pool balls that is. Can billiard balls be rolling funny or get out of round or just not have been right from the beginning? I know some say the cue ball can get smaller from wear and that makes sense to me. Do balls wear out and start rolling funny? I think they are quality balls, maybe Aramith. I know for sure I have one ball that rolls funny in the last few inches but others seem okay. I also know there will be some inappropriate remarks about my balls and that's okay because most of us AZers do have balls so bring it on!
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Mr. Wiggles:

It's *very* possible for balls to lose their roundness, inherit flattened spots, or lose their size in proportion to other balls in the very same set. Not only from wear and tear, but improper cleaning. I've seen object balls that got stuck in one place in an aggressive ball-cleaning machine, and one side got abraded away very slightly. You wouldn't know it by looking at the ball, but when you roll it, you'll immediately see the ball is out-of-round. And this condition worsens very quickly, because the now out-of-round ball is more and more likely to become stuck in that very same orientation in the ball cleaning machine, with that same side being abraded away more.

Also, the very first time you use a Delta-13 rack on an older set of balls, you'll immediately notice that not all the balls are the same size. Then, for the first time (you may never have had to do this before with flimsier racks), you'll find yourself locating the under-sized balls and rearranging them to the outer corners of the rack to get the rack, when you apply a little pressure to the balls with your fingers before lifting the Delta-13 rack, to be tight with no gaps. (The undersized balls, if they're located in the middle of the rack somewhere, will have noticeable gaps around them even when applying inward pressure with the fingers.)

And remember, always take care to clean your balls!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mPwhMoQBg_8

:p
-Sean
 
Not sure about new balls. But I have a older cue ball that is definitely wacked!! When rolled ,it will move /drift to the left or right badly!!
I don't think its out of round but more weighted off center or something. Because if rolled just right it will roll OK.

I keep it around just to show people all balls are not the same.
 
Yes, they wear out. I'm not fond of old worn balls. In pool sets the c/b and the one ball usually have the most wear. As mentioned ball polishers can wear balls more one one axis or spot.

I have miked/measured lots of balls. I've found them worn over.050 and way out of round. Where I play they are worn as much as .030 so racking is a pain. Your draw stroke may look great but use a new c/b with worn balls and it suffers.

I think no doubt it is the reason your ball rolls funny! lol anyway a machine shop or anyone with dial indicator calipers or a micrometer can check it. Measure one way then rotate 90 degrees to check out of round difference. Note the diameters, which will be smaller than new.

Rod
 
Yes, the quality of the balls is the greatest factor. They do wear down in time. I have a old set from the late sixties that looks like there running away from the rack!:p
 
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