Need opinions. I just want to practice and do drills so I obviously need a table. Will ANY level table work? Even a Sears table? I'm not looking for any particular playing conditions per se. Just want to practice shots and cue ball control. Any opinions or thoughts?
Table for practice
- Thread starter medallio
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I am by no means an expert in pool, but IMHO any table can be used for practice. As long it has a stone slate and a decent felt.
I have a Acon barbox ($800, new :grin
for practice use at home, it does the job just fine for me.
It ain't nowhere as good as Diamonds or Gold Crowns, but it has helped my game a lot, it jumps well and the balls roll straight when set up well :embarrassed2:
I'll get a Simonis 760 / 860hr tournament blue on it when the old felt is done, but as for now it's pretty good to play on
I have a Acon barbox ($800, new :grin
for practice use at home, it does the job just fine for me. It ain't nowhere as good as Diamonds or Gold Crowns, but it has helped my game a lot, it jumps well and the balls roll straight when set up well :embarrassed2:
I'll get a Simonis 760 / 860hr tournament blue on it when the old felt is done, but as for now it's pretty good to play on
I think your biggest problems will be 1) cushions and 2) adapting to a real table.
"Cue ball control" implies the CB hitting a cushion and the "just any" tables are notorious for bad cushions and rails. You might get into bad habits of how you think your CB responds to cushions.
When you play on a good table (Gold Crown, Diamond, etc) it might be difficult to adapt. Installing good cloth like Simonis 860 will help.
That said, any table is better than no table.
"Cue ball control" implies the CB hitting a cushion and the "just any" tables are notorious for bad cushions and rails. You might get into bad habits of how you think your CB responds to cushions.
When you play on a good table (Gold Crown, Diamond, etc) it might be difficult to adapt. Installing good cloth like Simonis 860 will help.
That said, any table is better than no table.
If you are just doing it for enjoyment probably any non-crap table will do.
but consider this:
you can get a good quality barbox like a Valley in the approx $600-$800 range.
or
I've seen old Gold Crowns selling for under $1k.
not sure if these are in your range but it would be hard to beat them.
if you are looking to play competitively, being able to practice on good equipment that is similar to what you expect to play competitively on, would be helpful.
best,
brian kc
but consider this:
you can get a good quality barbox like a Valley in the approx $600-$800 range.
or
I've seen old Gold Crowns selling for under $1k.
not sure if these are in your range but it would be hard to beat them.
if you are looking to play competitively, being able to practice on good equipment that is similar to what you expect to play competitively on, would be helpful.
best,
brian kc
First, keep in mind that a table is not real easy to move and tables that are not built that great are even harder to sell. You don't want a table that you will later want to upgrade because of something that will distract you when you are playing on it.
Second, get the best table you can afford. Think of it this way, how long will it take to pay for itself over the long haul. Add your gas, pool time, and, your time that you spend at the pool hall for practice.
Third, get the size of table that you play on. I have a 4.5 x 9 Diamond Pro because that is all I play on. The transition to a smaller table is a lot more easy to make than playing a small table and going to a bigger table. A furniture or home table will not hold up like a commercial table.
Fourth, Any table is an investment on your part. The more you use it the better the investment. Remember, the cost to set up and move a table is going to be about the same, you need to pay for quality of table.
Second, get the best table you can afford. Think of it this way, how long will it take to pay for itself over the long haul. Add your gas, pool time, and, your time that you spend at the pool hall for practice.
Third, get the size of table that you play on. I have a 4.5 x 9 Diamond Pro because that is all I play on. The transition to a smaller table is a lot more easy to make than playing a small table and going to a bigger table. A furniture or home table will not hold up like a commercial table.
Fourth, Any table is an investment on your part. The more you use it the better the investment. Remember, the cost to set up and move a table is going to be about the same, you need to pay for quality of table.
What do you normally play on?
That should be what you want to practice on.
I bought a. 8ft Brunswick years ago for my home table. However there aren't any pool rooms close to me, only bars. Playing on the Brunswick, then shooting on bar boxes threw my game off. So I sold the Brunswick and got a bar box. I later upgrade the rails (Razorback Rails!) and felt,
Having similar practice vs. playing tables makes everything easier and more enjoyable.
Good luck
That should be what you want to practice on.
I bought a. 8ft Brunswick years ago for my home table. However there aren't any pool rooms close to me, only bars. Playing on the Brunswick, then shooting on bar boxes threw my game off. So I sold the Brunswick and got a bar box. I later upgrade the rails (Razorback Rails!) and felt,
Having similar practice vs. playing tables makes everything easier and more enjoyable.
Good luck
Sounds like you are talking yourself into a crappy table no matter what anyone tells you. JMO.
This is a great place to bounce questions, but you have to listen before you have already made up your mind.
I bought a AMF Grand Pirx for $250, but I'll have closer to a grand or more before its to my liking. I live in a dead zone for anything other than bar boxes, and furniture tables.
Very few movers will touch one piece slate, and I didn't want to lug a 1 piece knowing I would want a 9' table in the future. If you have no stairs not as big of a deal.
Some will say why did you get an AMF vs a GC. Because I listened to many here that said the tables play the same yet one cost much less. The down fall is its much harder to find parts for an AMF. The good is when I do find them IMO I will have a better table as far as leveling, and playability. I got a table that will out live me, and that is a huge plus.
I doubt you will be happy with it even if its free. You just need to be patient, and one will come up. It took me about a year to find mine, and it was almost 400 miles away.
Actually the issue is stairs and space. I don't "want" a crappy table but all we play on here are bar boxes so I don't need nor do I have room for a nine footer. My post was more about whether or not people thought a level table of lesser quality would be good enough to work on shot making, patterns and speed control. If, for example,a 300 pound table with even a honey comb slate will suffice for those things then maybe it's all I need. I'm actually thinking about an Irving Kaye but issue is whether I can get in basement
Two factors you may want to add to your decision:
-Money
Keep in mind that the sears or even most of the chinese tables won't resell for anything. If you're going to get one of those DO NOT buy it new. I can almost guarantee there is one selling near you.
On the other hand, a used coin-op bar box (valley, etc.) will at least resell a little because it can be put into a bar and make money.
-Moving
A lot of 8 and 9 foot tables have to be disassembled to be moved and will not have single-piece slates. Unlike Gold Crowns or Diamond Pro tables, many home tables aren't made to be taken apart and set back up again and again. So if you're not sure where you're going to put it yet or you're renting your current residence and aren't sure if you'll have to move you may want to think about that.
Once again, a bar box may have an advantage here as well since a bar box just has to have the legs removed and it can be put on it's side and rolled on a furniture moving platform through most doorways without being disassembled at all and then you don't even have to mess with the cushions or cloth.
Just my thoughts.
-Money
Keep in mind that the sears or even most of the chinese tables won't resell for anything. If you're going to get one of those DO NOT buy it new. I can almost guarantee there is one selling near you.
On the other hand, a used coin-op bar box (valley, etc.) will at least resell a little because it can be put into a bar and make money.
-Moving
A lot of 8 and 9 foot tables have to be disassembled to be moved and will not have single-piece slates. Unlike Gold Crowns or Diamond Pro tables, many home tables aren't made to be taken apart and set back up again and again. So if you're not sure where you're going to put it yet or you're renting your current residence and aren't sure if you'll have to move you may want to think about that.
Once again, a bar box may have an advantage here as well since a bar box just has to have the legs removed and it can be put on it's side and rolled on a furniture moving platform through most doorways without being disassembled at all and then you don't even have to mess with the cushions or cloth.
Just my thoughts.
Then get a bar box if you own the home or don't find issues with moving it multiple times. Like I said with my AMF its hard to find parts just think if you buy an off brand and something goes bad. You can find Valley parts in every corner of the world. If you play on a bar box outside of your hoyuse, and you can get one inside why not? Don't settle for what you have in sight now. Get what you truly think is best for your room, and budget. Free/ cheap isn't always best. You should be able to find one through the bar you play at now. Just ask the Bar owner what Co they go through or look on CL.
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I gotta agree with most others here. A cheap table is barely built good enough to be set up once much less several times. You will find bent stabilizing brackets, split wood in frame, warped frame wood, stripped out holes, etc...... Best bet is probably a Valley, you should be able to find an adequate one for $500-$600 range. I am thinking about picking one up to go with my Gold Crown since almost all tournaments around here are on bar boxes. I can adjust to a 7' table with Simonis just fine, but I struggle when having to adjust to 7' table with slow cloth.