Racking Template?

ShootingArts said:

I want to give them a try. Don't have a good rack and I need to buy something.

My question is if the magic rack is the one very commonly used in tournaments or are the commentators calling all template racks magic racks?

Where is a good place to order the magic rack or an assortment if that is what is needed? How long do these templates usually last if not abused?

Thanks!
Hu

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I like the Magic Rack a lot for 9 ball and 10 ball and it does tend to be used a lot in tournaments. The thing is, the Magic Rack works best with a newer set of quality balls. Older balls will not necessarily freeze up and you get the Magic slug. I also like the Turtle rack "original" and use them interchangeably. I get mine from Pooldawg and they last years as long as you keep them flat.

Even when you get a Magic Rack or Turtle Rack, there is still some skill required. I like to slightly nudge the rack around a bit to settle and freeze all the balls. Once you get used to a racking template, manual racking will be out the window. The ability to spread the balls cleanly and control the break shot makes a world of difference playing the ghost or stringing racks.

Twist or turn the two balls behind the first object ball at the head of the rack.
Doesn’t matter which rack you use or the game played. Twisting or turning
the first two object balls behind the head OB brings the top half rack tighter.

I have a Magic Rack and love it. You can get extremely consist break behavior on a given table when using them.

They are very durable.

I think they are all collectively called "magic rack" like q-tips...

The original one is called "Magic Ball Rack". It used to be made of paper, then after a year or two switched to thin plastic. I have had the plastic one for about 10 years, using it for all racking on my home table except straight pool, and it still looks about like new. Highly recommend. It comes in a 9 ball and a 10 ball version. Maybe 8 ball too, I forget.

The other major player is our forum's own Renfro. He has one called the "Outsville Rack". This has been used in Pat's recent events the past 2 or 3 years. He specifically designed it with some "grip" to try to make the spread more random and make the corner ball less dead as compared to the Magic Ball Rack. I don't own this one, but here good things about it.

Stay away from the Amazon and ebay special of a set of 6 template racks for about $6-$10. I bought one set a year ago just for the hell of it, and they are so thin, that the racked balls just roll out of their divets. You can't get a tight rack, IMO. I returned them to amazon.

The key to these racks working so well is the divets the balls rest in are diamond shaped. This creates a ramp, where gravity pulls the ball down the ramp, and into its neighbor. This was the creation to the best of my knowledge of the Magic Ball Rack company, which is/was Japanese.

Edit to add:

If you see one labeled CSI, I believe that is the original Magic Ball Rack. I think they had some sort of distribution agreement.

We’ve tried the magic crack, the turtle rack, and the accu-rack by Outsville. The Accu-rack is easily the best of the three. Lasts by far the longest without getting bent up, as well as does a better job freezing the balls - even older sets of balls that it’s impossible to get to freeze with either of the other two racks.

please correct me if I'm wrong
but I believe "magic rack" is a proprietary brand
and it's made out of some kind of plastic
the one I used was thicker than my outsville "racking template"
due to that, the magic rack seemed to affect slow-rolled balls more
post-break the balls would touch the rack and either stop, or change direction
honestly, I don't this is a big deal, but once in awhile- just fyi
I bought the derby city outsville template assortment a few years ago
got a triangle, 9-ball, 10-ball and 3-ball rack, and two break pads shipped for 20 bux
they're made of a lighter, thinner and therefore less-intrusive paper- fabric
they work well, tho I must say I only use them sometimes..I still like good ol' wood
also fyi- I store them flat in a fortified priority mail envelope
I don't trust keeping them rolled up, tho that may work fine

ChrisinNC said:

We’ve tried the magic crack, the turtle rack, and the accu-rack by Outsville. The Accu-rack is easily the best of the three. Lasts by far the longest without getting bent up, as well as does a better job freezing the balls - even older sets of balls that it’s impossible to get to freeze with either of the other two racks.

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The advantage of Accu-rack is exactly what Chris said, the slots have some play that allow adjustments for worn balls. However, unlike Chris I did not feel like I was getting a completely frozen rack. The Magic Rack with newer balls has some tightness built into it, where the balls tend to squeeze toward each other, which produces a very consistent rack.

The advantage with all these racks is the balls are not resting on the pock marked cloth, so they stay in position no matter how messed up the cloth is. I also think it's worth getting a new Aramith set to go with it.

evergruven said:

please correct me if I'm wrong
but I believe "magic rack" is a proprietary brand
and it's made out of some kind of plastic
the one I used was thicker than my outsville "racking template"
due to that, the magic rack seemed to affect slow-rolled balls more
post-break the balls would touch the rack and either stop, or change direction
honestly, I don't this is a big deal, but once in awhile- just fyi
I bought the derby city outsville template assortment a few years ago
got a triangle, 9-ball, 10-ball and 3-ball rack, and two break pads shipped for 20 bux
they're made of a lighter, thinner and therefore less-intrusive paper- fabric
they work well, tho I must say I only use them sometimes..I still like good ol' wood
also fyi- I store them flat in a fortified priority mail envelope
I don't trust keeping them rolled up, tho that may work fine

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You are correct, it's a name brand. The newer Magic Rack is thinner and doesn't affect the roll unless a ball is rolling very slowly and catches the edge. I remove them after the break.

TATE said:

You are correct, it's a name brand. The newer Magic Rack is thinner and doesn't affect the roll unless a ball is rolling very slowly and catches the edge. I remove them after the break.

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thanks for the 'hip, TATE
glad to know the technology is improving

I like the Accurack stuff. I like the universal 8,9, 10 ball the best. One rack for all games basically. I use a delta rack if playing 14.1

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TATE said:

The advantage of Accu-rack is exactly what Chris said, the slots have some play that allow adjustments for worn balls. However, unlike Chris I did not feel like I was getting a completely frozen rack. The Magic Rack with newer balls has some tightness built into it, where the balls tend to squeeze toward each other, which produces a very consistent rack.

The advantage with all these racks is the balls are not resting on the pock marked cloth, so they stay in position no matter how messed up the cloth is. I also think it's worth getting a new Aramith set to go with it.

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The Accu rack will normally not freeze the balls up when you initially place them in their spots. You have to then take your fingertips and gently push up the rear five balls slightly to lock in all the balls tightly. This is what a lot of people don’t understand about the Accu rack.

Also IMO, if you are just throwing balls in a triangle rack and breaking, the triangle is faster. But if you really, really, really, want as tight a rack as possible, the template racks are much faster, and much easier on your back. You put the balls in, massage them so they are frozen, then get up and its done. Once and done.

ShootingArts said:

I want to give them a try. Don't have a good rack and I need to buy something.
Hu

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Hu, I have been using the black plastic Magic Ball Rack for at least 7 years now on my home table. I have two of the 9/10-ball racks (the same rack for either game) and one 8-ball rack. I have used them quite a bit and they still rack my 14 year-old set of Aramiths tightly on my 14 year-old cloth.

If you like making a ball(s) on your 9-ball break, then you're are gonna like this rack. Even my weak-breaking wife makes a ball on a large percent of her breaks using this template.

Send me your address in a PM and I'll mail out one of my used 9/10-ball racks to you on Monday.

Maniac

iusedtoberich said:

Also IMO, if you are just throwing balls in a triangle rack and breaking, the triangle is faster. But if you really, really, really, want as tight a rack as possible, the template racks are much faster, and much easier on your back. You put the balls in, massage them so they are frozen, then get up and its done. Once and done.

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I have an Outsville template, when I use it I put it in place, load my Delta then roll the balls onto the template, works great and its quick.

I use these, they work just fine and they're cheap, so if my kids fold one or a cat eats one, I just grab another out of the envelope they came in.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PSPFVP1

ShootingArts said:

Thanks to all. I still welcome more information but this is what I was trying to find out, if people were using the term "magic rack" like we often use "coke" for any soft drink or if they were specifically talking about that brand.

Anyway, guess I will order a few magic rack templates and try to remember anything else I need. I do have a new set of the dynasphere balls. At least while new they seem to rival the quality of the aramith balls I have used in the past.

Hu

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They are cheap enough to try them all. About the price of a good wood rack for all of them together.

One thing I suggest is to try and find the Turtle Rack 10 pack, they are sold cheap enough if you can find them to make the other ones very expensive in comparison. We bought a pack at the Mezz booth at SBE that came with two 9/10 ball racks and one universal rack. Issue is that those packs are very hard to track down.

Came like this with 5 of each