Why do gaps in a rack cause balls not to break as well?

C

cuecademy

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I've been playing pool for 7 years or so and it's pretty clear that having a tight rack is ideal for getting the best spread of the balls for just about any game (9 ball, 10 ball, 8 ball), but I never thought about why. The cue ball is applying the same force to the balls, they're just a tiny bit spread apart in 1 or 2 spots. I know I'm missing some conceptually obvious concept here, but I don't know what it is.

So I'm curious if anyone here knows exactly why having gaps in a rack result in a slug rack that doesn't break apart?
 
G

garczar

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cuecademy said:
I've been playing pool for 7 years or so and it's pretty clear that having a tight rack is ideal for getting the best spread of the balls for just about any game (9 ball, 10 ball, 8 ball), but I never thought about why. The cue ball is applying the same force to the balls, they're just a tiny bit spread apart in 1 or 2 spots. I know I'm missing some conceptually obvious concept here, but I don't know what it is.

So I'm curious if anyone here knows exactly why having gaps in a rack result in a slug rack that doesn't break apart?
Click to expand...
That word, "tiny", is huge here. The transfer of energy is interrupted leading to funny results. The cue-ball is NOT applying same force when there are gaps. Gaps also create angles within the rack that completely changes the way they open up.
 
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B

bbb

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Short answer the forces are not spread evenly
Long answer buy joe tucker’s racking secrets
Well worth the money
 
JC

JC

Coos Cues
If you have a tight rack of 15 balls (8 ball) other than the head ball not touching the two behind it and smash it head on or there about you will never know the difference. Have played on tables where the head ball just wouldn't stay put on the center of the spot and finally started breaking anyway and it may be counter intuitive but it does not hinder the break spread in the least bit to have that ball loose. Can be a quarter inch loose even, just doesn't matter.

If you don't believe me try it.

Not really the subject of the thread but it reminded me of it.
 
Toxictom

Toxictom

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Croquet

Ever play croquet as a kid (or adult). I loved it when you got to put your ball touching your opponents and send it far, far away. I think that is a good analogy of the energy transfer when the balls are touching.
 
TATE

TATE

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Toxictom said:
Ever play croquet as a kid (or adult). I loved it when you got to put your ball touching your opponents and send it far, far away. I think that is a good analogy of the energy transfer when the balls are touching.
Click to expand...

Excellent analogy.
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

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For a good example that should give you some ideas about the importance of where gaps are, try this with an eight ball rack:

Make sure the balls down the sides are perfectly frozen to each other. That's the head ball and four balls down each side. It may take a while to tap them into place. Maybe you will have to rack at the other end of the table to avoid the pre-existing craters around the foot spot.

Those nine balls are the solid shell. That leaves the other six balls. Rack those six "core" balls back from the shell a tiny amount so there are small gaps between the shell and the core. The core itself can be tight.

Break full on the head ball.
 
S

straightline

AzB Silver Member
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To address the OQ a properly frozen rack is supposed to act like a solid; probably as the initial impact is transmitted throughout then explode as internal stresses try to escape. If the rack isn't frozen, the transmission will be haphazard and the latency and resultant caroms will be commensurately haphazard and unpredictable.

I have no idea what I just wrote. Make no attempt to counter it.
 
Poolmanis

Poolmanis

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Bob Jewett said:
For a good example that should give you some ideas about the importance of where gaps are, try this with an eight ball rack:

Make sure the balls down the sides are perfectly frozen to each other. That's the head ball and four balls down each side. It may take a while to tap them into place. Maybe you will have to rack at the other end of the table to avoid the pre-existing craters around the foot spot.

Those nine balls are the solid shell. That leaves the other six balls. Rack those six "core" balls back from the shell a tiny amount so there are small gaps between the shell and the core. The core itself can be tight.

Break full on the head ball.
Click to expand...

I guess 3 balls are moving?
Rest stay clustered somewhat?
 
pt109

pt109

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I have found that a gap between the head ball and the pack is a slug rack.
...other gaps are probably good for the breaker.
 
R

RiverCity

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pt109 said:
I have found that a gap between the head ball and the pack is a slug rack.
...other gaps are probably good for the breaker.
Click to expand...

That one is almost nothing.

You REALLY want to slug a guy, make sure the 9 is floating as best as possible. ;)
 
J

jrctherake

AzB Silver Member
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Bob Jewett said:
For a good example that should give you some ideas about the importance of where gaps are, try this with an eight ball rack:

Make sure the balls down the sides are perfectly frozen to each other. That's the head ball and four balls down each side. It may take a while to tap them into place. Maybe you will have to rack at the other end of the table to avoid the pre-existing craters around the foot spot.

Those nine balls are the solid shell. That leaves the other six balls. Rack those six "core" balls back from the shell a tiny amount so there are small gaps between the shell and the core. The core itself can be tight.

Break full on the head ball.
Click to expand...

Hey Bob, have you ever played Amos and Andy?

Reason I ask is because the game Amos and Andy is racked pretty much the way you described. Matter of fact, the house rack man (person that got paid to only rack) would normally wedge a penny in front of the head ball to ensure the head ball and all the balls on sides would stay froze after pulling all the balls in the back and the middle away from the head ball and sides by roughly 1/4" to 1/2".

Then the breaker would break at a pretty slow speed and try to send the back two balls on either side around and onto the Amos and Andy board.

I hated that game cause it was 99% luck of the draw. Draw meaning if you drew a mid to high pill number you had a very good chance of winning the cheese.

Blast from the past for me...

Jeff
 
pt109

pt109

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RiverCity said:
That one is almost nothing.

You REALLY want to slug a guy, make sure the 9 is floating as best as possible. ;)
Click to expand...

The only thing certain, for me, is that a tight rack is consistent...first time I played with a
Sardo...couldn’t make a ball for six racks.(I had a soft draw)...I even drove the 9-ball two
lengths and came up dry....had to cut break before I dropped some.

I was playing in a handicap tournament once...drew a beginner first round...first break...
..a cockroach could’ve walked through the pack without touching a ball...
...(I never correct a high handicapper...they can’t rack like a good player)..
...I made five balls on the break....next rack I made four.
 
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
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cuecademy said:
I've been playing pool for 7 years or so and it's pretty clear that having a tight rack is ideal for getting the best spread of the balls for just about any game (9 ball, 10 ball, 8 ball), but I never thought about why. The cue ball is applying the same force to the balls, they're just a tiny bit spread apart in 1 or 2 spots. I know I'm missing some conceptually obvious concept here, but I don't know what it is.

So I'm curious if anyone here knows exactly why having gaps in a rack result in a slug rack that doesn't break apart?
Click to expand...

In a very simple one work answer, Physics.
 
Maniac

Maniac

2manyQ's
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pt109 said:
I was playing in a handicap tournament once...drew a beginner first round...first break...
..a cockroach could’ve walked through the pack without touching a ball...
...(I never correct a high handicapper...they can’t rack like a good player)..
...I made five balls on the break....next rack I made four.
Click to expand...

I play 8 and 9-ball here at the house with my wife quite a bit. The cloth on our table is old and worn. Getting a tight rack takes some work.

When my wife racks for me, if she gan't get a decently tight rack in the first or second attempt, I tell het not to worry about it...that I'm going to "break the shit" out of 'em anyway.

Not only do I most of the time scatter the hell out of the balls, but I often make one or two balls on the break.

IMO, the importance of having a very tight rack has more to do with having "wired" balls.

Unless Bob Jewett is racking for me. :wink:

Maniac
 
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