Ball Cleaning Questions

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Mosens

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Doing some research and would appreciate your input.....

1) How frequently do you clean your balls?
2) What cleaning/polishing products do you use?
3) What cleaning/polishing machine do you use (or by hand)?
4) If using a machine, are you happy with it (why/why not)?

Thanks
 
Smutzc

Smutzc

Well-known member
I have aramith balls so I use aramith cleaner. Clean the balls about every 2 weeks. Diamond single platter ball polisher works great and although it was a little expensive, I never have to hand polish those damn balls again ! Lol
 
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pongohops

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not a room owner, but curious about this as well. Local room has started cleaning the balls more often and/or using something new on them. When this happens, the balls are VERY slick to the touch, as if they have been waxed heavily. They look great, but I am noticing other problems. A long rail bank at pocket speed will skid off the end rail almost a diamond and come up short to the corner pocket. I'm also noticing miscues are more prevalent as the tip will slide right off the cue ball when using max english. There are white marks all over the fairly new cloth of the tables... where whatever is 'on' these balls is rubbing onto the felt not to mention whatever is 'on' them is transferring onto the cue tips too. After the balls have some use these effects all go away until the next time they are cleaned again.

I have to think the wrong solution/product is being used on these balls. I realize new felt is going to skid/slide, but that time has come and gone. What is happening is directly related to when the balls have been 'cleaned' the night before. Anyone else experience anything like this? I asked about it and was only told it was a 'blue' solution being used.
 
Fatboy

Fatboy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A Diamond ball polisher, some McGuire’s stuff (can’t recall which one) about every 8-10 hours of play they get a quick spin-couple minutes in each side (I have the big Diamond polisher). There’s no set rules, when the balls look a little dull spin them up.

Best
Fatboy
 
G

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
pongohops said:
Not a room owner, but curious about this as well. Local room has started cleaning the balls more often and/or using something new on them. When this happens, the balls are VERY slick to the touch, as if they have been waxed heavily. They look great, but I am noticing other problems. A long rail bank at pocket speed will skid off the end rail almost a diamond and come up short to the corner pocket. I'm also noticing miscues are more prevalent as the tip will slide right off the cue ball when using max english. There are white marks all over the fairly new cloth of the tables... where whatever is 'on' these balls is rubbing onto the felt not to mention whatever is 'on' them is transferring onto the cue tips too. After the balls have some use these effects all go away until the next time they are cleaned again.

I have to think the wrong solution/product is being used on these balls. I realize new felt is going to skid/slide, but that time has come and gone. What is happening is directly related to when the balls have been 'cleaned' the night before. Anyone else experience anything like this? I asked about it and was only told it was a 'blue' solution being used.
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Aramith is the best. Couple of friends use Brillianize and i can't tell the diff. Sounds like what you're describing is caused by way too much silicone. A little bit of it doesn't hurt anything. Aramith's stuff has none so its at the top of the list for sure.
 
C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mosens said:
Doing some research and would appreciate your input.....

1) How frequently do you clean your balls?
2) What cleaning/polishing products do you use?
3) What cleaning/polishing machine do you use (or by hand)?
4) If using a machine, are you happy with it (why/why not)?

Thanks
Click to expand...
I clean our ball sets once a week for customers, but always a virtually new freshly polished set when I play - yes I’m spoiled.

AutoGlym Fast Glass cleaner, just a tiny squirt on each ball before spinning them in a 26 year old Bludworth ball cleaner in which I replace the pads about once a year with 1/4” felt pads ordered from Grainger. Yes, very happy with the ball polisher after polishing roughly 25,000 sets.

As for the cue balls which need a little more attention than the other balls, I first buff off the miscue marks / scratches with a magic eraser / denatured alcohol, before placing in the ball polisher with the rest of the set.
 
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poolsparky

New member
Hi all, not a room owner either, BUT I do, do a lot of ball cleaning at our local bars, for friends and at home. I have used a wide range of cleaning products, Aramith, different car cleaners/polishes and waxs. My favorite is the Aramith Ball cleaner. I use a homemade ball cleaner that I made from a 5gal bucket and a car polisher. It works GREAT and it only cost me about $30. As for using the Magic eraser, oh yea! they work super for removing the chalk marks on the cue ball and any of the other ball. They will dull the finish so you will need to polish any ball that you use the eraser on.
On another note I also use the Magic erasers for shaft cleaning. I keep one in my case just for that reason. Hope this helps.
 
C

CocoboloCowboy

Cowboys are my hero's
Silver Member
Our community has 29 assorted tables, one electric ball cleaner.

Honestly is does poor job, but it is better then nothing.

Think like everything else ball cleaner are good, bad, and just crap.
 
D

dhansen

Member
My local room cleans the balls after each use with a small, light brush of cleaning solution in a ballstar cleaning machine.
 
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S

SBC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
dhansen said:
My home room cleans the balls after each use with a small, light brush of cleaning solution in a ballstar cleaning machine.
Click to expand...
Use a little windex, clean each use.
Occasionally aramith ball restorer.
Keep the tables clean and it all stays right.
 
R

Renegade_56

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I used Aramith on my Centenials yesterday and they skid like crazy now,,,, be glad when they get dirty again.
 
T

T@BP

Member
Mosens said:
Doing some research and would appreciate your input.....

1) How frequently do you clean your balls?
2) What cleaning/polishing products do you use?
3) What cleaning/polishing machine do you use (or by hand)?
4) If using a machine, are you happy with it (why/why not)?

Thanks
Click to expand...
At my poolrooms:
1) Everyday, sometimes twice per day if needed
2) Ballstar
3) Ballstar
4) I guess so, nobody is complaining anyway ;)
 
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