Does cloth/felt have grain?

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drv4

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I got my home table installed a month ago with Simonis 860. Love it. But when balls roll in the direction of the break shot (from head string to foot) I swear they roll 5-10% more than the other direction. My table was installed by professionals and haven’t noticed anything as far as table being unlevel.

I know in golf the grain of the grass on the green can have an affect on putting, and was just wondering if pool felt has a similar thing to it. Probably just all in my head.
 
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garczar

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drv4 said:
I got my home table installed a month ago with Simonis 860. Love it. But when balls roll in the direction of the break shot (from head string to foot) I swear they roll 5-10% more than the other direction. My table was installed by professionals and haven’t noticed anything as far as table being unlevel.

I know in golf the grain of the grass on the green can have an affect on putting, and was just wondering if pool felt has a similar thing to it. Probably just all in my head.
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Worsted wool like 860 is non-directional. The old school Mali/Stevens-style was very directional as is modern snooker cloth.
 
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ThinSlice

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Yes it has grain but it’s a pretty fine grain. If your table is rolling off that far then my guess is the table is not leveled correctly. I have had balls roll of say a 1/4” because of grain but nowhere near what you are mentioning.


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Tennesseejoe

Tennesseejoe

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I do not think you have Simonis 860. If your table is level you probably have a directional cloth. Directional cloth, like Mali, roll faster in one direction. They are out of favor on pool tables. If it is Simonis, it is not 860 but Simonis/Strachan 6811 made for snooker tables.
 
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garczar

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ThinSlice said:
Yes it has grain but it’s a pretty fine grain. If your table is rolling off that far then my guess is the table is not leveled correctly. I have had balls roll of say a 1/4” because of grain but nowhere near what you are mentioning.


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Any woven cloth has a 'grain'. Worsted cloth has grain but its NOT directional. Uneven stretching is usually the culprit in these cases. Could be the table itself but more often than not these small differences(if real and not imagined) are due to the stretch.
 
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ThinSlice

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garczar said:
Any woven cloth has a 'grain'. Worsted cloth has grain but its NOT directional. Uneven stretching is usually the culprit in these cases. Could be the table itself but more often than not these small differences(if real and not imagined) are due to the stretch.
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Exactly.


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Shawn Armstrong

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garczar said:
Any woven cloth has a 'grain'. Worsted cloth has grain but its NOT directional. Uneven stretching is usually the culprit in these cases. Could be the table itself but more often than not these small differences(if real and not imagined) are due to the stretch.
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I thought that napped cloth was directional, and worsted wasn't? I know from changing cloth on snooker tables that you have to check the nap before installation. But, I thought worsted cloth wasn't directional?

My inclination would be to think the table is running downhill in the direction the table is running long?
 
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garczar

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Shawn Armstrong said:
I thought that napped cloth was directional, and worsted wasn't? I know from changing cloth on snooker tables that you have to check the nap before installation. But, I thought worsted cloth wasn't directional?

My inclination would be to think the table is running downhill in the direction the table is running long?
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Think that's what i said. Worsted is non-directional. Snooker cloth is like old-school pool cloth and should be installed with the nap going from head-to-foot. A side bar here is that in Freddie's banking book a lot of the shots he describes are on directional cloth. Some adjustment has to be made for new Simonis-style rugs.
 
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drv4

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Thanks for the responses. I know I do have Simonis 860, and I’m pretty sure the extra roll I perceive is just in my mind, as I haven’t played in 2 years and getting my feel and touch back. Thanks again
 
Shawn Armstrong

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garczar said:
Think that's what i said. Worsted is non-directional. Snooker cloth is like old-school pool cloth and should be installed with the nap going from head-to-foot. A side bar here is that in Freddie's banking book a lot of the shots he describes are on directional cloth. Some adjustment has to be made for new Simonis-style rugs.
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Thanks. I was actually asking, as cloth isn’t my domain of expertise 🤣
 
WildWing

WildWing

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Today's Simonis and Champion cloth does not have a directional nap. That was the old days, with Brunsco, Stevens, and Mali.

All the best,
WW
 
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brigeton

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If your table is really rolling further in one direction it has to be due to table level. Roll the ball very slowly across the table to see if it rolls to one side. Of course if you are hitting/rolling the ball hard enough to hit the end rails one rail could be a little dead and the ball not rebounding as far. You could always make up a little ramp to roll the ball down with gravity only to see how far the ball rolls each way.
 
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Geosnooker

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I have a 12 foot snooker table With Simonis snooker cloth. Definitely has ‘direction’ as is normal. I have Simonis pool cloth (don’t know which one) on my 9’ Dufferin pool table...no direction.

I have two laser levels I got at thrift stores for less than $5 each. Helps me know the tables are as level as possible across the slate joins and at the corner pockets. They are also perfect for watching balls hit at different speeds keep straight or fall away. No ball can be hit ‘perfectly‘ center with a ’perfectly’ straight cueing action. There Is always drift even if not measurable with just the human eye. It’s a matter of ‘how much’ and can it either be minimized or, the reverse, used to an advantage.
 
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garczar

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Geosnooker said:
I have a 12 foot snooker table With Simonis snooker cloth. Definitely has ‘direction’ as is normal. I have Simonis pool cloth (don’t know which one) on my 9’ Dufferin pool table...no direction.

I have two laser levels I got at thrift stores for less than $5 each. Helps me know the tables are as level as possible across the slate joins and at the corner pockets. They are also perfect for watching balls hit at different speeds keep straight or fall away. No ball can be hit ‘perfectly‘ center with a ’perfectly’ straight cueing action. There Is always drift even if not measurable with just the human eye. It’s a matter of ‘how much’ and can it either be minimized or, the reverse, used to an advantage.
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Not trying to be too picky but technically Simonis doesn't make snooker cloth. Their parent company also owns Strachan in the UK, they make the world's best snooker cloth, Strachan #10.
 
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Geosnooker

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garczar said:
Not trying to be too picky but technically Simonis doesn't make snooker cloth. Their parent company also owns Strachan in the UK, they make the world's best snooker cloth, Strachan #10.
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Thanks for the insight. . I bought it from Simonis. It was called ‘Simonis Strachan‘ and some number. So, yes, likely just Strachan cloth marketed by Simonis. I remember some coat of arms on it.

As mentioned. A very distinct direction to it. If I have a pool player over who wants to try their hand at Snooker, I always demonstrate the way the balls will drift at full table length shots...especially at low speeds. One can also use the ‘grain’ to make some long delicate swerves.These are much more precise when on my own table. Makes me feel like Ronnie OSullivan. Then I get on another table and...Back to being an ‘ok’ player.
 
Bob Jewett

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garczar said:
Not trying to be too picky but technically Simonis doesn't make snooker cloth. Their parent company also owns Strachan in the UK, they make the world's best snooker cloth, Strachan #10.
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That may be true now but Simonis did make cloth for snooker tables before they (SALUC) bought Strachan. Search on "Simonis 4000" which they seem not to list any more on their website.
 
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garczar

AzB Silver Member
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Bob Jewett said:
That may be true now but Simonis did make cloth for snooker tables before they (SALUC) bought Strachan. Search on "Simonis 4000" which they seem not to list any more on their website.
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Yep. I don't know what year they quit the 4000.
 
lakeman77

lakeman77

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Slightly off cloth grain issue. Played on a Joy Chinese 8 ball table in Bangkok. Looked like snooker cloth to me. Slowly hit balls often rolled off. Balls hit too hard rattled. Cloth grain had to be considered. Made it more fun.
 
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Geosnooker

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lakeman77 said:
Slightly off cloth grain issue. Played on a Joy Chinese 8 ball table in Bangkok. Looked like snooker cloth to me. Slowly hit balls often rolled off. Balls hit too hard rattled. Cloth grain had to be considered. Made it more fun.
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Alhough there are differences between brands. Chinese 8 ball tables are essentially 9 foot snooker tables. Rails play differently on newer Joy tables but not enough for me to notice. Also, with snooker cut pockets...rails don’t accept rail running Wobblies...any ball not keeping snug to the rail without a bit of English isn’t going to pot.

True about balls hit hard...if not precise they aren’t going in. Best to leave a hanger and put the cueball safe. Like snooker, you are planning your next trip the table in a frame rather than any need to run out.
 
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