Carom ball sets - question/recommendations

cjr3559

AzB Silver Member
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I’m looking to get a dedicated three ball set for English billiards on my 9’ table.

Need a recommendation between the different Aramith sets in the $75-135 range. I don’t need the professional level balls, but how are the $75 set for occasional use?

Here are the sets I’m considering. I like the idea of two white cue balls, but the yellow ball isn’t a deal breaker.
 

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Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
Silver Member
Those bottom two professional quality balls all sets used in official competition,
Both set will do the same thing for you all same quality and make. Very good quality and long lasting

The other set cheapest is smaller diam.(even though the box says 61.5mm, they aren't lol) Different material and grade.
I've owned them all , each one is fine.

Choose the set you prefer the look of and enjoy.
 

Bob Jewett

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I’m looking to get a dedicated three ball set for English billiards on my 9’ table.

Need a recommendation between the different Aramith sets in the $75-135 range. I don’t need the professional level balls, but how are the $75 set for occasional use?

Here are the sets I’m considering. I like the idea of two white cue balls, but the yellow ball isn’t a deal breaker.
English Billiards? 9' table? You fail to say what height your rails are set for. Pool balls? Korean carom balls? Actual English Billiards balls?

I think you need to get the right size of balls for the cushions you have installed.

If it is a pool table -- my guess -- then you may as well get a set of casino 8-ball in 2 1/4-inch size. That way you get seven yellow cue balls and seven reds.
 

cjr3559

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
English Billiards? 9' table? You fail to say what height your rails are set for. Pool balls? Korean carom balls? Actual English Billiards balls?

I think you need to get the right size of balls for the cushions you have installed.

If it is a pool table -- my guess -- then you may as well get a set of casino 8-ball in 2 1/4-inch size. That way you get seven yellow cue balls and seven reds.

The size of the example balls was going to be a question I failed to ask. I’ve got an American pool table and use regular 2.25” balls. I’d like to try English Billiards on my table for fun and understand it’s not the same as playing it on snooker table with what I think would be smaller snooker size balls.

So if I am correct, the sets I posted are actually larger in diameter than my standard 2.25” balls. They are advertised as 2.42 and 2 7/16 inches in diameter. The comparative largeness seems strange to me. Can you explain why they’d be larger than normal pool balls, and would they work?

I’ll look into the Casino balls too.
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The size of the example balls was going to be a question I failed to ask. I’ve got an American pool table and use regular 2.25” balls. I’d like to try English Billiards on my table for fun and understand it’s not the same as playing it on snooker table with what I think would be smaller snooker size balls.

So if I am correct, the sets I posted are actually larger in diameter than my standard 2.25” balls. They are advertised as 2.42 and 2 7/16 inches in diameter. The comparative largeness seems strange to me. Can you explain why they’d be larger than normal pool balls, and would they work?

I’ll look into the Casino balls too.
There are enough mysteries in billiards without needing to ask why pool/ carom/ 3c balls are different sizes.

We don't think about things like that. As they say: it is what they are be.
 

Pin

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
I’d like to try English Billiards on my table for fun and understand it’s not the same as playing it on snooker table with what I think would be smaller snooker size balls.
I also think you're correct about this, but I'm only 90% sure. Aramith sell English billiard ball sets in 2 1/16 inch, same as snooker balls. (I bought a set recently because I talked myself into it by reading old books from the era when that was the main game!)

But you almost never see English billiards played, and I'm sure when I have, I've seen people using larger balls.

It seems crazy they charge as much for 3 balls as for a whole pool/snooker set. Really, 3 regular balls would be good enough for 99% of players. You could buy a good measles cue ball, plain cue ball, and replacement 3-ball for far less.
 

Bob Jewett

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... But you almost never see English billiards played, and I'm sure when I have, I've seen people using larger balls.
English billiard balls for the standard 12-foot table are the same as snooker balls -- nominally 2 1/16 inches in diameter. In a pinch you can use the white, yellow and as many reds as is convenient out of a snooker set.

But the OP has a (US) pool table. It would be a horrible mismatch mistake to use either carom balls or snooker balls on that table.
 
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Pin

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
English billiard balls for the standard 12-foot table are the same as snooker balls -- nominally 2 1/16 inches in diameter. In a pinch you can use the white, yellow and as many reds as is convenient out of a snooker set.

But the OP has a (US) pool table. It would be a horrible mismatch mistake to use either carom balls or snooker balls on that table.
It's nice to have someone definitely confirm it! Thanks.
I discovered when I was investigating English billiards that if I can get myself on the ranking list, with zero points, I can be joint 567th best (or some similar number) in the world! I have a friend who once expressed an interest in playing, so after covid I might even try. I suspect I just have to enter one of their official open tournaments. If I score a few points while getting thrashed in the first round, I might even break into the top 500!
 

Pin

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
English billiard balls for the standard 12-foot table are the same as snooker balls -- nominally 2 1/16 inches in diameter. In a pinch you can use the white, yellow and as many reds as is convenient out of a snooker set.
Actually, could I run something else by you?
Someone once told me that (English) billiard cues were generally shorter, lighter, and smaller-tipped than snooker cues. From a bit of research, this seems to be nonsense, but I know very little about it. A standard billiards cue would have the same specs as a standard snooker cue, right?
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
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Actually, could I run something else by you?
Someone once told me that (English) billiard cues were generally shorter, lighter, and smaller-tipped than snooker cues. From a bit of research, this seems to be nonsense, but I know very little about it. A standard billiards cue would have the same specs as a standard snooker cue, right?
If you are doing small manipulations, such as little cannons and top-of-the-table play, a shorter cue is more convenient. I think tip size is mostly irrelevant. At carom billiards, I think Hoppe advocated a 54-inch cue for the small games.
 

Pin

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
If you are doing small manipulations, such as little cannons and top-of-the-table play, a shorter cue is more convenient. I think tip size is mostly irrelevant. At carom billiards, I think Hoppe advocated a 54-inch cue for the small games.
Ah, that's interesting, thanks. I'd found some player profiles that gave some cue specs, showing 'normal' snooker tip sizes, but I don't think they specified lengths.
 

erriep

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
hi ,
It looks like you're looking for 3 balls of an Aramith Casino set ! But a cue ball, a 1 ball and a 3 ball of a regular set would do the job.
IMHO to play english billiard on a pool table can be fun, but it's sooooo different than the game on a snooker table , than you could be disapointed...
 

HomeBrewer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
hi ,
It looks like you're looking for 3 balls of an Aramith Casino set ! But a cue ball, a 1 ball and a 3 ball of a regular set would do the job.
IMHO to play english billiard on a pool table can be fun, but it's sooooo different than the game on a snooker table , than you could be disapointed...
This. This.

I moved back to the US after 2 years playing English Billiards daily in Oz and NZ. Tried to adapt to US pool tables playing the game on all makes and sizes and it was underwhelming enough that I quit pretty quickly.

One man's opinion.
 
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cjr3559

AzB Silver Member
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I picked up the Carom set and they appear to rebound fine on my GC5. The larger size takes a little getting used to, they seem like grapefruits in comparison to regulation 2.25” balls. Potting is slightly more challenging, which is good.

Agree that English Billiards on a snooker table is how it should be played, but there are no snooker tables in my locale that I’m aware.
 

HomeBrewer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I picked up the Carom set and they appear to rebound fine on my GC5. The larger size takes a little getting used to, they seem like grapefruits in comparison to regulation 2.25” balls. Potting is slightly more challenging, which is good.

Agree that English Billiards on a snooker table is how it should be played, but there are no snooker tables in my locale that I’m aware.

I love follow shots on carom balls.

Draw shots humble me.
 
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