Aiming Reinforcements

Ralph Kramden

Ralph Kramden

BOOM!.. ZOOM!.. MOON!
Silver Member
:eek:To see the pocket center I stuck a notebook reinforcement (doughnut) inside of each pocket. I use them as aiming targets for the object ball.

I put a sheet of paper next to the wear lines made from balls traveling down the cushions. I put the doughnuts on the cloth at the corner of the
paper inside the pocket. The doughnuts are on the shelf in the center of the corner pockets about 1" from the pocket edge.

The side pocket doughnuts are center pocket and placed directly in line with the nose of the cushions. These doughnut reinforcements make
a perfect target for pocketing the OB. Any ball that hits the doughnut goes in the pocket.

This a very good visual target point for the OB. If you are trying CJ's TOI for pocketing, you just aim between the doughtnut and pocket point.

Editing thought - I think the balls will pocket better if the edges of the doughnuts are placed the on ball wear lines, instead of the line intersections meeting inside the hole. It would be somewhat like looking at a round bar stool placed in a room corner and it would be touching both of the walls.
 
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Good idea.

Since my cloth is getting replaced soon, I used as a black felt tip marker to mark the center. :)

John
 
Guys,

You might want to keep in mind that the middle of the pocket is not always the middle of the opening from where & at the angle the object ball is approaching the pocket. If you shoot for your markings you may be limiting your margin of error on one side. Just a thought.

Regards &
 
ENGLISH! said:
Guys,

You might want to keep in mind that the middle of the pocket is not always the middle of the opening from where & at the angle the object ball is approaching the pocket. If you shoot for your markings you may be limiting your margin of error on one side. Just a thought.

Regards &
Click to expand...

Doughnuts placed at the wear line intersections will always show where the center of the pocket is from all approaching ball angles.
It may not sound correct, but try it.

Put a ball on each of the doughnuts in the corner pockets and walk around the table. The balls on the doughnuts will be in the center
of the pocket from any angle and the doughnuts make a very good visual aim point.

Stick the doughtnuts on the side pockets on the same line as the nose of the rail cushions. (Not on the ball wear lines). The side pockets
don't have much shelf depth.

There's a small margin of error on both sides of the corner pockets. You'll have a larger margin of error on one side with wide pockets.
You can miss the doughnut slightly on rail shots. The balls will hit the facing and go in, or will come off the rail before hitting the facing.
 
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The Pocket center changes based on what angle the object ball aproches the pocket from. I don't know what a wear line interesection is but if you are talking about the wear lines under the rail they would intersect in space most of the way to the back of the pocket plastic or leather. Since your OB aim line is a result of your CB aim line, I don't see any merit in this idea with donuts.
 
GoBilliards said:
The Pocket center changes based on what angle the object ball aproches the pocket from. I don't know what a wear line interesection is but if you are talking about the wear lines under the rail they would intersect in space most of the way to the back of the pocket plastic or leather. Since your OB aim line is a result of your CB aim line, I don't see any merit in this idea with donuts.
Click to expand...

The wear lines (for lack of a better term) are the ball path lines that run parallel along the nose of the rail cushions. Both of the wear lines will intersect inside the pocket on the shelf.

Put a notebook reinforcement at the intersection where those 2 wear lines would meet. Put a ball on the doughtnut and look at it from all angles. The ball will be in the center of the pocket.

Hit balls with your cue straight toward the doughnut reinforcement from anywhere on the table. Any object ball that hits the doughnut reinforcement will pocket coming from any angle.

You can miss slightly to either side of the doughnut. Balls running down the rail at pocket speed will go in directly off the pocket facing, or will angle slightly off the rail and go in off the facing.

I think it's just a good visual aid if you're trying to use CJ's TOI for pocketing balls. Just aim between the side of the pocket and the doughtnut. I think you'll see the merit if you try it.
 
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Ralph Kramden said:
The wear lines (for lack of a better term) are the ball path lines that run parallel along the nose of the rail cushions. Both of the wear lines will intersect inside the pocket on the shelf.

Put a notebook reinforcement at the intersection where those 2 wear lines would meet. Put a ball on the doughtnut and look at it from all angles. The ball will be in the center of the pocket.

Hit balls with your cue straight toward the doughnut reinforcement from anywhere on the table. Any object ball that hits the doughnut reinforcement will pocket coming from any angle.

You can miss slightly to either side of the doughnut. Balls running down the rail at pocket speed will go in directly off the pocket facing, or will angle slightly off the rail and go in off the facing.

I think it's just a good visual aid if you're trying to use CJ's TOI for pocketing balls. Just aim between the side of the pocket and the doughtnut. I think you'll see the merit if you try it.
Click to expand...

Absolutely correct and a great training aid. thank you!
 
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