Ball size testing

[iusedtoberich]

Customer here....also snooker balls?

Any size could be made. Etching could also easily be added for the diameters. The materials cut could be steel, aluminum, pastic, fiberglass, etc. The key would be to see how accurate they are. Lasers don't cut perpendicular to the material. There is a small draft angle. Laser also leaves a tiny "nub" where it starts and stops cutting. So there would probably need to be a relief cut into the circle.

I'll measure the ones I took a picture of with precise pin guages, to see how close they are to the diameters I had in the files I sent to the laser cutter. If it looks promising, then can go from there.

 

[iusedtoberich]

By the way, here is a legit "ring gauge", which would be the thing to use for a ball. You can order them in any diameter, with any increment as small as .0001". They cost $236 each in the 2.2500" size.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

 

[pt109]

In the 90s I was involved in a big room. I bought ten sets of centennials for rental...$1 extra on total table time.
I monitored them regularly and replaced any with nicks or looked worn...I had a good set of scales..jewellers triple beam...I switched to digital....the jewellers scales were laborious. I never could acquire the size rings.
I did buy a spherical micrometer at a trade show but they never did ship it...next trade show I mentioned it, they could find no record..I had bought it with a credit card but I didn’t feel like the hassle, I swallowed the loss.

BTW, I kept track on our system....at some point we got the balls and replacements for nothing, the dollars added up pretty quick....I think it’s a good idea for any room.
The discarded balls went into the general population.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... They seem to work very well. Of passing interest is that a every ball in a set of NOS (unused) 20 year old Aramiths was significantly undersized. I suspect they shrink with age, not just use.

I have just heard a report that said the same thing -- balls gradually get smaller on their own.

 

[stevelomako]

I have just heard a report that said the same thing -- balls gradually get smaller on their own.

Thank goodness I’m not at that point in life.

 

[iusedtoberich]

Well I’m impressed. These holes in CAD were .441”. The .440” gauge pin was loose. The .441” gauge pin was slightly snug. The .442” gauge pin did not fit. This was after I removed the nub with a small round file. Material is .040” thick aluminum.

 

[ChrisinNC]

If you ever had to double check the many trays of balls in a pool hall for a tournament,
this is the way to go. Hard plastic is durable and just double check the opening using a
caliper occasionally which is easier than using that same caliper to check all the balls.
I carry a digital caliper and scale in my pool equipment bag that’s kept in my car trunk.

Really, do you think anyone’s honestly going to do this? I’m guessing it’s never even been done for a pro pool tournament. They may use brand new unused top quality Aramith or Brunswick Centennial balls straight out of the box, but I’d be shocked if that they measured and/or weighed them first.

 

[iusedtoberich]

Really, do you think anyone’s honestly going to do this? I’m guessing it’s never even been done for a pro pool tournament. They may use brand new unused top quality Aramith or Brunswick Centennial balls straight out of the box, but I’d be shocked if that they measured and/or weighed them first.

The only chance, I’d imagine, is in a 3C tournament.

 

[garczar]

The only chance, I’d imagine, is in a 3C tournament.

Doubt even they do it.

 

[Bavafongoul]

Really, do you think anyone’s honestly going to do this? I’m guessing it’s never even been done for a pro pool tournament. They may use brand new unused top quality Aramith or Brunswick Centennial balls straight out of the box, but I’d be shocked if that they measured and/or weighed them first.

I am merely observing that there is a simple way to check. And by the way, I’ve been to pool halls where
the balls in the tray aren’t all the same brand or design. Further, some balls looked to be mismatched in
size and weight. I don’t suggest doing anything but if you were going to buy a used set of pool balls, like
a used set of Centennials, you would want to make sure everything was matched closely in size & weight.

 

[Bob Jewett]

Really, do you think anyone’s honestly going to do this? I’m guessing it’s never even been done for a pro pool tournament. They may use brand new unused top quality Aramith or Brunswick Centennial balls straight out of the box, but I’d be shocked if that they measured and/or weighed them first.

As mentioned in post 5 above, the 1976 World Open 14.1 had sets of balls that were not all round. Balls with bulging eyes roll funny. I happened to be there with my first ball gauge and we managed to find enough good balls. Those were Albany/Hyatt balls at the time Albany was about to go out of business.

Aramith is said to select carom balls for major tournaments by a bounce test. Also, these days Aramith balls are way tighter than specs, at least for the top end, so testing is not required. Cyclop balls were a different matter, but so far as I know Cyclop did not have a size/roundness problem.

 

[garczar]

As mentioned in post 5 above, the 1976 World Open 14.1 had sets of balls that were not all round. Balls with bulging eyes roll funny. I happened to be there with my first ball gauge and we managed to find enough good balls. Those were Albany/Hyatt balls at the time Albany was about to go out of business.

Aramith is said to select carom balls for major tournaments by a bounce test. Also, these days Aramith balls are way tighter than specs, at least for the top end, so testing is not required. Cyclop balls were a different matter, but so far as I know Cyclop did not have a size/roundness problem.

And Cyclop are now Dynasphere and from what i hear they have very strict QC. Bases on rexus31's #'s D'sphere's have insanely good qc.

 

[DaveK]

And sell a plate of them with 3 holes and text etching for $12? He must be making them another way. Or maybe that’s why he stopped making them.

No, but of course I was replying to Bobs post about how he got his first ones .. custom made by a machinist.

Dave

 

[iusedtoberich]

As mentioned in post 5 above, the 1976 World Open 14.1 had sets of balls that were not all round. Balls with bulging eyes roll funny. I happened to be there with my first ball gauge and we managed to find enough good balls. Those were Albany/Hyatt balls at the time Albany was about to go out of business.

Aramith is said to select carom balls for major tournaments by a bounce test. Also, these days Aramith balls are way tighter than specs, at least for the top end, so testing is not required. Cyclop balls were a different matter, but so far as I know Cyclop did not have a size/roundness problem.

How many Bob’s are out there that would do this?

 

[Robotron]

These parts are laser cut. I can try out pool ball sizes and see how they work. If successful, and there is interest, I can have a few sets made.

Sounds good. What kind of cost?

 

[iusedtoberich]

Sounds good. What kind of cost?

I'll have to draw something up and get a quote. I'm thinking maybe the $25 range for a set with 4 or 5 holes. That's just a guesstimate based on similar sized parts I've ordered.

 

[iusedtoberich]

Here is a possible design. The small notch at the bottom of the circle is where the laser would start and stop. Without that, the start and stop point would be a nub that would protrude into the ball. I'll have a couple made in steel, aluminum, and ABS and see how they work. The ABS is CNC cut, not laser, so it may not need the notch. However, it wouldn't have etching.

 

[garczar]

View attachment 625632

Here is a possible design. The small notch at the bottom of the circle is where the laser would start and stop. Without that, the start and stop point would be a nub that would protrude into the ball. I'll have a couple made in steel, aluminum, and ABS and see how they work. The ABS is CNC cut, not laser, so it may not need the notch. However, it wouldn't have etching.

Think you'd sell all you could make.

 

[iusedtoberich]

I'll have to ask my electrical coworkers at the office for sources for fiberglass PCB. That might be a better way to go than the laser. It looks like that is the way the Willy guy did them. He's probably an electrical guy that likes pool.

 

[jtompilot]

View attachment 625632

Here is a possible design. The small notch at the bottom of the circle is where the laser would start and stop. Without that, the start and stop point would be a nub that would protrude into the ball. I'll have a couple made in steel, aluminum, and ABS and see how they work. The ABS is CNC cut, not laser, so it may not need the notch. However, it wouldn't have etching.

That looks pretty nice. Is that the aluminum one?
What would be the difference between ABS and PCB?