Max Shape Angle Off Rail Shot

How's your outside draw stroke? What's the widest angle that you can cut a rail-frozen OB down the rail (with low outside) and bring the CB straight back to its starting position? I tested it on Virtual Pool (because with that program you can set the amount of spin and force to be optimal).

I've always thought it would be about 45 degrees, but VP says it's about 37 degrees - any angle steeper than that and you can get the CB to come back at an even wider angle than the CB's starting position (see 27° pic) - any angle wider than that and you can't get it back to the starting position.

Can you do better than VP - get the CB to come straight back at itself at a wider angle than 37 degrees? I'm going to try, and thought I'd give you guys a chance too - post your results if you try.

Remember...
- OB frozen to rail at first diamond from side pocket
- CB on long string (positions shown are 1, 1.5 and 2 diamonds from the end rail)
- shot must go in

Good shooting!

pj
chgo

Black-Balled said:

Just tried it 5x and couldn't get closer to scratch than about 2" from the diamond on long rail...short of pocket

Click to expand...

From what CB position? Sorry, I forgot to put the CB positions on the drawing - they're 1, 1.5 and 2 diamonds from the end rail.

I can barely duplicate the pictured results on my aging-but-cleanish Simonis 860. I think cloth/ball stickiness must play a big part.

pj
chgo

Black-Balled said:

Cb on the spot. I looked at one of your pics and that is where it was...did it change?

Guess i gotta look.

Click to expand...

That's one of the three positions in the pics, alright. Thanks for giving it a go - let us know if you try the other two CB positions.

pj
chgo

How Much Low Outside?

With these "outside draw" rail cut shots different combinations of low and side work best with different cut angles. For almost straight in shots (CB close to the rail) draw has much more effect than side; for steep cuts almost perpendicular to the rail side has much more effect than draw; and of course every other ratio in between.

How to know where to hit the CB for maximum effect based on the cut angle? Just duplicate the cut angle on the CB - draw a line from centerball down at the same angle from vertical center as the cut angle - hit the CB on that line at the miscue circle. So a steep (mostly perpendicular) shot gets maximum outside, a straight shot gets maximum draw, a 45-degree cut gets equal amounts of each, and in-between angles get in-between amounts.

pj
chgo