Average number of games before a table should be recovered?

[8cree]

I always just rolled the balls out and took ball in hand.

What does that have to do with "not driving our tables"? Do the shots not count as play if we don't break the balls?

Sure, and I do that too. But to intentionally not break racks to extend the life of your cloth just rubs me the wrong way. The break is an important part of the game and should be practiced as well. They do make "shark skins" protection pads to reduce break spot wear. I use one on my own table. Just struck me as odd and have never heard of such a thing, that's all.

 

[jasonlaus]

Sure, and I do that too. But to intentionally not break racks to extend the life of your cloth just rubs me the wrong way. The break is an important part of the game and should be practiced as well. They do make "shark skins" protection pads to reduce break spot wear. I use one on my own table. Just struck me as odd and have never heard of such a thing, that's all.

I just never feel like taking the time to rack lol

 

[Geosnookery]

I just never feel like taking the time to rack lol

Same here. Plus I don’t play at home as a chore to get better to play in league.

I play at home because it’s fun and relaxing in itself.

I’m amused by billiard players that are never ‘in the moment’ and all play must be geared toward some imaginary world championship. I enjoy ‘messing around on the table’. I’m also about to go leisurely ride my bicycle... no goal to win the Tour de France.

 

[Hoogaar]

Same here. Plus I don’t play at home as a chore to get better to play in league.

I play at home because it’s fun and relaxing in itself.

I’m amused by billiard players that are ever ‘in the moment’ and all play must be geared toward some imaginary world championship. I enjoy ‘messing around on the table’. I’m also about to go leisurely ride my bicycle... no goal to win the Tour de France.

Same. I'm in my 40s. My chances of going on tour have come and gone I think. I practice the odd thing here and there and do have hopes of improving a bit on the areas of my game that really suck (got my first ever home table almost a year ago) - but 95% of my table time is spreading balls on the table and listening to some good tunes.

 

[Bob Jewett]

Bob, Howdy;

Have tried talking with them (VFW), but they don't sound to interested in spending any $'s to fix anything.
Tables will most likely crumble into dust and those ol'farts will still think they'll be fine. Sad.

hank

You need to print off the story about the time Bob Cannefax almost played Willie Hoppe and post it by the table as both an interesting billiard story and a hidden warning.

Some background.... Hoppe and Cannefax were both world champion carom billiard players. Cannefax had a wooden leg (but Bob, what's a wooden leg got to do with it?) and during matches he would occasionally take out his pocket knife and stab it into his wooden leg. I imagine this worked only once against each opponent.

So he's supposed to play Hoppe a match and the cloth is old and slow and Cannefax points that out and asks for the cloth to be changed. Hoppe disagrees and says the cloth is fine. Of course because Hoppe is Hoppe, the management sides with him. Cannefax pulls out his knife and slits the cloth down the middle. They change the cloth but Cannefax is DQed and never plays another pro match.

He died of tuberculosis at the age of 37. More info: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69033582/robert-loren-cannefax and in one of Byrne's books.

I have run into such old farts in Elks clubs. One club had a couple of millionaires among the regular players but somehow the cloth didn't get changed until you could see the rubber in the rails. Also newcomers were made to understand very clearly that the club belonged to the older members and they didn't much enjoy seeing trespassers on their tables. I think that's a major reason that fraternal clubs like that are disappearing.

 

[9ball5032]

Actually if you take the model of the cloth you can figure out its lifespan.

If its Simonis 860 and the table is for commercial use you take the first two numbers and add them up, which equals 14 months max.
If its for home use, you multiply the first two numbers, which gives you 48. 48 months max use.

 

[ThinSlice]

Actually if you take the model of the cloth you can figure out its lifespan.

If its Simonis 860 and the table is for commercial use you take the first two numbers and add them up, which equals 14 months max.
If its for home use, you multiply the first two numbers, which gives you 48. 48 months max use.

Brilliant!


Sent from my iPhone using AzBilliards Forums

 

[AtLarge]

I'm guessing that's about 50 hours of table time per week - more use than a typical pool hall table gets.

chgo

He said they mainly play 9-Ball. Maybe you meant 15 hours for 150 games.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

He said they mainly play 9-Ball. Maybe you meant 15 hours for 150 games.

My guess of 3 games an hour (including delays) is probably low now that you mention it, but I think 10 an hour is pretty ambitious. Maybe 25 hours (6 games an hour)...

pj
chgo

 

[fastone371]

I’ve had my Simonis covered table for 12 years. I play from a half hour to an hour 320 days a year.

Cloth is almost good as new. Dry, cool climate. Basement, so no direct sun light.

I break both ends. Move the rack around an inch or so. Never do jump shots or more than modest massés. No dropping balls on to the table or into the rack. No laying on the rails.

No drink or food anywhere near the table. I’m fastidious about keeping it clean.

I play on recently clothed tables now and then and don’t find they are any different than mine after a couple of weeks. My cloth should last another decade.

Wow, thats incredible. My Simonis 860 was due for replacement after about 3-4 years. No jumping or masses on my table either. I also vacuum it weekly, sometimes multiple times per week and I am careful to not chalk over the table. I dont break from both sides though. My wear is from the rack, I have lines going to the rack from breaking, and beyond that there are very noticeable lines in all of the rail grooves which are very noticeable a few inches from every pocket opening.

 

[Bob Jewett]

My guess of 3 games an hour (including delays) is probably low now that you mention it, but I think 10 an hour is pretty ambitious. Maybe 25 hours (6 games an hour)...

pj
chgo

Back when I was running local tournaments, I figured 45 minutes for a race to six which was typically more than nine games. That boils down to about five minutes per game. The players were not champions but they weren't slow. Most could have played with a 15-second shot clock.

 

[Boxcar]

3713.6

No, no, no! That can't possibly be right!

 

[Bob Jewett]

No, no, no! That can't possibly be right!

You're mistaken. It can't be wrong. Freddie is an engineer.

 

[Boxcar]

You're mistaken. It can't be wrong. Freddie is an engineer.

An engineer? Hmmm.....I see. Well then, on those grounds I will reluctantly relent.

I apologize, Freddie. Good call.

 

[Fatboy]

Wow, thats incredible. My Simonis 860 was due for replacement after about 3-4 years. No jumping or masses on my table either. I also vacuum it weekly, sometimes multiple times per week and I am careful to not chalk over the table. I dont break from both sides though. My wear is from the rack, I have lines going to the rack from breaking, and beyond that there are very noticeable lines in all of the rail grooves which are very noticeable a few inches from every pocket opening.

That’s pretty fast fir a home table. You must play lots or have lots of friends. That’s the best! Nothing better than a pool table going full time at home!

 

[fastone371]

That’s pretty fast fir a home table. You must play lots or have lots of friends. That’s the best! Nothing better than a pool table going full time at home!

Yeah, I really didnt start playing till about 9 years ago then when looking for a home table got really lucky and found a privately purchased and owned pristine GCI for $300, also came with a double sided floor standing matching cue stand and a Hoppe Titlist. I was so excited about having a GC at home that I wore out the new cloth I put on after I had the sub-rails modified and pockets tightened. I bet that I played at least a couple hours per day 6-7 days a week for 3 years. I had a lot of missed pool time to make up, now that I wasn't racing anymore I had the free time and tournaments replaced racing to fill my need for competition.

 

[bignick31985]

I'll be lucky to get three years out my 860HR. It's only about a year old and it's got more track lines down the rails and spots from breaking than any table I've seen in recent history.

It's sees alot of play.

I'm assuming that on any given week the table gets 10-15 hours minimum. Friday night is the bulk of that. Other days around 30 minutes to an hour.

 

[Maniac]

I haven't read the whole thread, but just offering my sentiments.

I bought my table new 15 years ago and just had it recovered last month. I play on it almost every daywhen I'm home...from a couple of racks to one or two hour sessions.

My cloth was a disaster. Wear marks from where I broke from. Tiny divots from where I was learning how to use a jump cue. Racking area so worn out it was not easy to give a tight rack, etc.

Guess what? After 15 years, I was STILL shooting pool. Still working on drills. Still practicing my breaks. Still working on positional shots, etc.

Anybody that changes cloth in less than 5 years either has $$$ to blow, is a perfectionist, or has a sizeable rip in their cloth (pool halls notwithstanding).

Maniac

 

[Fatboy]

In a commercial environment about once a year is normal. If the front tables get more use and want to keep the real nice 2x a year is possible. But that requires a lot of use. It’s nothing to speak of, cloth ain’t that expensive

 

[Nyquil]

If you have 860hr on a home table it should last years. I have some left over scraps and that stuff is thick. This is my first table but it's usually just me and I vacuum every third session and run my aramith's thru the polisher every second or third session. Plan on several years or until the burn marks annoy me enough to replace.