Owning your own table.

[middleofnowhere]

I own a 1000sq ft home. 3 bed/2 bath. No room for a table unless it went in the living room. So I built a 400sq foot building out back to house a 9' table. Much less expensive than adding onto the existing home.

Took a while to implement and save for it, but I can't imagine not having a table in a future home purchase, if I ever leave this one.

I own a 1000sq ft home. 3 bed/2 bath. No room for a table unless it went in the living room. So I built a 400sq foot building out back to house a 9' table. Much less expensive than adding onto the existing home.

Took a while to implement and save for it, but I can't imagine not having a table in a future home purchase, if I ever leave this one.

I'm moving soon and my other house does not have the room for a table. I am looking into a steel building I can put on the property. It can double for other uses as well as the table.

 

[arnaldo]

It is also nice to play when you really feel like it, maybe in the middle of the night or whenever you have the urge.

George Fels -- a longtime and well beloved monthly columnist for Billiards Digest -- had a home table for many years, and I've always loved his supremely on target, published comment on that exact point:

"Nothing in the world beats the sheer pleasure of running racks of Straight Pool . . . . playing barefoot, in your underwear, at 2 o'clock in the morning."

George characteristically -- and with his ad-man background showing -- beautifully captured the imagery and exhilarating *feeling* of an experience that many of us who've had a home table know so well..

Arnaldo

 

[soyale]

It's funny, I bought out a pool room in a bowling alley and had 12 GCs sitting in my warehouse. I had a corner in my pool room that was empty except for some seating.

The problem was two polls at one end so there was never a table there. I figured what the heck and set one up. At one end you bumped a poll on each corner when the cueball was close to the rail, the rest was fine. I put a short cue there to use.

Here is what is funny, that table always went all night. Seemed couples liked being in the corner away from people. They could care less about the short cue.

totally. to each their own, that’s all i meant. I’d rather just not play than play with an obstruction.

 

[middleofnowhere]

This thread is moronic. Those who are in a position to have a table at home and desire one, have one. Those who aren't in a position to have a table at home, don't. That's why there are pool halls.

Not as many as you think. You read it on here all the time, nowhere to play. Or they drive 40 miles for a decent place. Or the place near them is a dump or too expensive. You are lucky to have a decent pool room near you now a days.

 

[garczar]

Not as many as you think. You read it on here all the time, nowhere to play. Or they drive 40 miles for a decent place. Or the place near them is a dump or too expensive. You are lucky to have a decent pool room near you now a days.

I have three that are 30min or less away. I never crave pool so bad that i'd buy a table. I lived in a place that had one and i was the only user. Got boring QUICK. Most people that i know that have a table rarely use it once the buzz of having one wears off. Ends up being a spot for storage usually.

 

[rexus31]

Not as many as you think. You read it on here all the time, nowhere to play. Or they drive 40 miles for a decent place. Or the place near them is a dump or too expensive. You are lucky to have a decent pool room near you now a days.

Sucks to be them. Just because they don't have a place close to them to play doesn't mean the are in a position to own their own table. There are far more priorities in life than being able to play pool whenever you want. This is coming from a guy who has a table at home and a pool room half a mile down the street.

 

[soyale]

I own a 1000sq ft home. 3 bed/2 bath. No room for a table unless it went in the living room. So I built a 400sq foot building out back to house a 9' table. Much less expensive than adding onto the existing home.

Took a while to implement and save for it, but I can't imagine not having a table in a future home purchase, if I ever leave this one.

Would you be kind enough to expand on this process? Honestly i think that should be a new thread.

 

[BC21]

Even a cheap isn't exactly cheap. And not all places have room for a pool table. So lack of funds and lack of room are likely the main two reasons why many players don't have their own table.

I had a barbox for 5 years in a garage. I paid $500 for it. When I landed a better paying job I traded that barbox plus $2000 for a 9ft Brunswick and it lived in my garage for 5 years before my wife and I decide to move. She had a whole list of things she was looking for in a new house. All I was looking for was a place with a rec room where I could fit my old Brunswick table. We found the place.

16 years later I lost my wife to cancer and found it too heartbreaking to stay in that house any longer without her. So I bought another house, a smaller place, but with a decent size rec room. This was about 3 years ago. But I also have a library of about 4000 books, and all those books plus a 9ft table would've been too tight in my new house. So I sold that old Brunswick, a 1924 Brunswick Madison, and bought an 8ft Diamond from a friend.

The 2 month transition from one house to the other, from selling a table and buying another table, was the longest I had gone in 26 years without having a pool table in the home. Those who are really serious about the game find a way to get a table into their home if they want it.

 

[bignick31985]

I'm moving soon and my other house does not have the room for a table. I am looking into a steel building I can put on the property. It can double for other uses as well as the table.

Bad news is they stopped delivering and setup for orders under $7500. Not sure why, probably due to steel prices? You'd have to go 36x24 with all the bells sand whistles to get it to $7500. Still cheaper than wood I believe.

 

[middleofnowhere]

George Fels -- a longtime and well beloved monthly columnist for Billiards Digest -- had a home table for many years, and I've always loved his supremely on target, published comment on that exact point:

"Nothing in the world beats the sheer pleasure of running racks of Straight Pool . . . . playing barefoot, in your underwear, at 2 o'clock in the morning."

George characteristically -- and with his ad-man background showing -- beautifully captured the imagery and exhilarating *feeling* of an experience that many of us who've had a home table know so well..

Arnaldo

I think that sums up what I was trying to say. I love pool and have been playing over 60 years. I think quite a few love it as well more then they may admit.

 

[HNTFSH]

Sadly, it’s not just about having enough room, it’s about having enough extra room.

Most people (wives ) aren’t willing to trade their primary family/living area for a pool table.

Been in our house +30 years, it was a new build. Before kids = Brunswick Medalist 9'. With kids, it was gone for 20 years. After kids grown = GC1 9'.

 

[middleofnowhere]

Bad news is they stopped delivering and setup for orders under $7500. Not sure why, probably due to steel prices? You'd have to go 36x24 with all the bells sand whistles to get it to $7500. Still cheaper than wood I believe.

Yea, I have a lot to look into. A nice out building allows you to not need such a large living space. It can add to the property value as well.

I used to be a hobby cue builder and while it is no longer a priority at all I don't want to give up the shop. I have 6 lathes, mill, band saws and so on. The building will be a good all around utility.

Of course I'm talking about a number of acres. Your not putting up a building on a 60 x 90 lot like many live on. Most cities you would be lucky if you can put up a tool shed.

 

[bignick31985]

The best thing, of all the good things the outbuilding brings, is I can play at any hour of any day and disturb nobody. Inside a home may limit some play time, depending on company, sleep schedules, etc.

 

[muskyed]

I think David said it best, when you are married, like it or not, it isn't always just about enough room. Fortunatly for me, I have a wife that loves pool, but still had to make a compromise on my last table purchase, a Diamond professional cherry finish. I wanted a prc finish for long lasting durability, wife wasn't agreeing on that and liked the wood look, needless to say we got a cherry finish maple wood diamond professional. One of the prettiest looking tables I have ever seen, just have to be a little more carefull with it. I do not allow any jumping of balls on it.

 

[boogieman]

i support your enthusiasm and agree that if you want it, you have to reach out and take it, but come on man.

I was born in 89. I was 19 in 2008 when the housing market crashed and we lost our home. I had been playing 6-8 hours a day at that point and was FINALLY starting to break and run 8 and 9 ball racks. By 2009 i was lucky to come up with quarters to play bar pool once a month and couldn't shoot a barn door.

You might want to rethink your “no excuses” approach to this. Having enough room to play is just one barrier.

Lets say we are looking to buy a $100 three piece slate 7 foot furniture table off craigslist. What if you dont have a car to go pick it up? What if you work 60 hours a week, are you supposed to take time off to go get this thing, or pay a guy $400 to do it for you? Okay so i spent the $500 and got the table moved into my third floor low income studio housing, now i have to burn everything i own to make room for this table’s long rail to be pushed up next to my refrigerator. This isnt a problem because i cant afford to eat.

But at least i can do drills by myself!

kidding aside, i appreciate what you’re trying to say and i will stick it in my pocket for later, because i AM one of those weirdos that desperately wants a table at home. I’m 32 now and im not sure if i will ever be as good as i was when i was 19 but i’m damn sure going to try!

Keep the dream alive, I was 40 when I got my home table, best $1500 after new cloth I've ever spent. It took a lot of work to set it up by myself (with my nephew helping carry the slates down stairs) but it was totally worth it.

 

[middleofnowhere]

I think David said it best, when you are married, like it or not, it isn't always just about enough room. Fortunatly for me, I have a wife that loves pool, but still had to make a compromise on my last table purchase, a Diamond professional cherry finish. I wanted a prc finish for long lasting durability, wife wasn't agreeing on that and liked the wood look, needless to say we got a cherry finish maple wood diamond professional. One of the prettiest looking tables I have ever seen, just have to be a little more carefull with it. I do not allow any jumping of balls on it.

There's no doubt if it's going to be in the house it's got to be a family decision. If it's going to be in an enclosed carport or two car garage then that's something else.

I live in South Florida and the average home here if it has any room at all for pool table would probably be their main living area. You're not going to find any basements in South Florida. Once you install that pool table the family is going to be living with it.

Like mentioned in another post, that table in the living room is only a few steps away from probably all of the bedrooms in the home. A pool table can generate quite a bit of noise particularly if it's like a Gold Crown with ball returns. You probably have to go with leather drop pockets that's fairly silent.

Having said all that it's still really nice having your own table. If you look at the instruction videos on YouTube, the stuff they have you doing there you really wouldn't want to be doing that in a public pool room. Your practice can be very personal especially if you're a serious player.

 

[MurrayNevada]

Most of you have time yet. I was seventy before I had my first home table.

 

[SSDiver2112]

During the shutdown I saw tables popping up for next to nothing and started measuring my apartment. If I got rid of everything I could make it fit. Lol. Instead I joined the Moose lodge. Five minutes away. Open anytime I would want to play. Two 9’ tables. Great view. $40 a year.

 

[middleofnowhere]

Guys who play on bar leagues, how do you get in the amount of practice required to improve your game? Seems like it is hard to just go in a bar and practice on the table.

 

[bignick31985]

Guys who play on bar leagues, how do you get in the amount of practice required to improve your game? Seems like it is hard to just go in a bar and practice on the table.

And expensive. Most tables around here are $1.25 or $1.50 per game.