Puzzled about ball scratches.

smoochie

NotLikeThis
I've bought an aramith type balls, they are a pretty new set.

I recently noticed a scratch on the 3-ball one day and I was upset and I said to myself it's probably the kids, I have 4 boys in the house who are trying to learn pool, it is nice to have other people play on the table, they are between the ages of 10 and 14, and I let them play.

I asked them if they banged the balls outside the table and they said no, I told myself maybe it's still them but they don't know it.

A few days later, I noticed the same exact match of scratch on the 6-ball, then again on the 6-ball one more time but in different area, the scratch look almost the same, almost same length, a little curve.

Then it suddenly hit me, maybe it is the table? the kids were right, they did nothing.

Maybe the equipment, since it is a used table, maybe somewhere in the box where the balls come down or one of the pockets is damaged where if a ball hits a certain place/area and comes at a specific angle and a specific speed, it will get this scratch? I'm just guessing now and I need help, what do you guys think?

I inspected the table, couldn't tell myself, btw the table is a used GC, kind of old, but in good condition.
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've bought an aramith type balls, they are a pretty new set.

I recently noticed a scratch on the 3-ball one day and I was upset and I said to myself it's probably the kids, I have 4 boys in the house who are trying to learn pool, it is nice to have other people play on the table, they are between the ages of 10 and 14, and I let them play.

I asked them if they banged the balls outside the table and they said no, I told myself maybe it's still them but they don't know it.

A few days later, I noticed the same exact match of scratch on the 6-ball, then again on the 6-ball one more time but in different area, the scratch look almost the same, almost same length, a little curve.

Then it suddenly hit me, maybe it is the table? the kids were right, they did nothing.

Maybe the equipment, since it is a used table, maybe somewhere in the box where the balls come down or one of the pockets is damaged where if a ball hits a certain place/area and comes at a specific angle and a specific speed, it will get this scratch? I'm just guessing now and I need help, what do you guys think?

I inspected the table, couldn't tell myself, btw the table is a used GC, kind of old, but in good condition.
Ball return or drop pocket GC? It’s likely the result of something in the ball return system or an exposed nail head or staple in the pockets contacting the balls. If you can rule out both of those, my guess would be a severe miscue mark / scratch from the kids hitting the object balls with their cues?
 

ceebee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Old Gold Crown...

One of Senior Citizens table has a gold Crown & they last table guy used improper nails to hold the cloth to the slate backing. Destroyed a set of ball in only a few days....
 

smoochie

NotLikeThis
Ball return or drop pocket GC? It’s likely the result of something in the ball return system or an exposed nail head or staple in the pockets contacting the balls. If you can rule out both of those, my guess would be a severe miscue mark / scratch from the kids hitting the object balls with their cues?

No they don't hit the object balls, I have taught them to always just hit the cueball.

I even don't know miscues can cause this, but still they do not hit object balls 100%.

I will inspect the table again, I did inspect the ball return system, but can someone tell me where to look exactly, I have looked at the edges, but to me I don't know whats normal so that I will notice the abnormal stuff, if that make sense.
 

smoochie

NotLikeThis
One of Senior Citizens table has a Gold Crown & the last table guy used improper nails, to hold the cloth to the slate backing. Destroyed a set of ball in only a few days....

Where do I check for this, please can you provide a photo, I'm pretty newb when it comes to the pool/billiard equipment, I don't know where those nails suppose to be, I want to look for them and how do I identify if they're proper or not.

Keep in mind that the scratches are not daily, they happen in a span of month maybe, just 3 scratches so far, but I don't want more...

2 scratches on the 6ball
1 scratch on the 3ball.

There must be an area where if a hit very hard, it happens, and reason why its not happening daily is that I don't hit balls very hard all the time.
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
No they don't hit the object balls, I have taught them to always just hit the cueball.

I even don't know miscues can cause this, but still they do not hit object balls 100%.

I will inspect the table again, I did inspect the ball return system, but can someone tell me where to look exactly, I have looked at the edges, but to me I don't know whats normal so that I will notice the abnormal stuff, if that make sense.
If you could include a close-up photo of a couple of the scratch marks on the object balls, it might be helpful.
 

Saturated Fats

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't think the ball return system is the problem. It would take considerable force to scratch the ball's surface. I would be looking at the back of the pockets where the ball strikes when hit hard enough.
 

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
I even don't know miscues can cause this, but still they do not hit object balls 100%.
They can't. It's probably a nail or screw sticking out somewhere it doesn't belong - my guess is inside the top part of a pocket, since that's the only place the balls would be going fast enough.

pj
chgo
 

smoochie

NotLikeThis
If you could include a close-up photo of a couple of the scratch marks on the object balls, it might be helpful.

I got a picture from the 3-ball but it has too much glare to it from the table lightning that I think it's a bad photo to see the scratches, what I'll do is go to the basement again maybe in 2 hrs and ill post a better picture, will try to exclude the glare from the photo.
 

SBC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The main thing on a table that marks balls are the pocket bolt heads or any tacks used to hold down the ends of the pockets.

If you are breaking with a phenolic tip it can leave semicircular marks that are fractures.

If they are not genuine quality balls, the above things happen much easier. Even the impact of the balls can damage cheap ones.
 
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Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
... my guess is inside the top part of a pocket, since that's the only place the balls would be going fast enough.
...
And you have to look carefully. Some installers use black tacks to secure the black pocket liners. Even if the tack head is a little below the surface of the pocket liner, the ball can still hit it on a hard shot.
 

mikemosconi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have seen this before and with leather braided net style drop pockets it is usually the rivet that holds the leather pocket together you can cover them with furniture leg bottom felt protectors. For a ball return system it can also be something in a pocket or in the ball return system somewhere.

I doubt it would be on a slate or anywhere under the table cloth- you could feel that with your hands- just run them over the entire table and see if anything is apparent under the cloth- otherwise pocket interior or bottom of a return system runner most probably from my experience.
 

smoochie

NotLikeThis
And you have to look carefully. Some installers use black tacks to secure the black pocket liners. Even if the tack head is a little below the surface of the pocket liner, the ball can still hit it on a hard shot.

This is exactly what I am going to inspect in a little bit, after I'm done with food.

Btw, should I look at the top of the pocket jaw, or inside the pocket just before the ball exists the rubber black thingy.
 

smoochie

NotLikeThis
Until we see the scratches, we are 99% guessing.

2 balls, 3 scratches. Sounds about right.


I have took some photos of the pockets and the balls.

basically each pocket has two nails that are pretty obvious on each side, I would say that is probably it, but I wait for the experts to answer me better, also pls provide solutions that I can do myself.

I feel that if I tell the guy who made it, he'd feel offended, maybe this is the only way he know how to do it.

pictures next post, hopefully I know how to make them, give me a moment please.
 

smoochie

NotLikeThis
Even side pockets has nails, they are not out, but I reckon if ball strike hard it can push inside the rubber of the pocket and hit the nail.
 

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smoochie

NotLikeThis
More pics, I hope I know how to make them smaller, unless this is better? I don't know.
 

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smoochie

NotLikeThis
Last set of pics, note the 6-ball two different scratches.

The sad part, these balls are only 2-weeks old.
 

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iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Its definitely those nails! Also the staples are a problem. The ball hits the back of the pocket (the rubber) and bounces back into the slate, and will hit those staples. Wow, your brand new set of Aramith Tournament balls are ruined:(

Until you fix the nails, get a $20 ball junk set from ebay, otherwise the rest of your new set will be ruined as well.

I have a Gold Crown 4 table, slightly newer than yours. I'll show you what mine look like once I take a few pictures.
 
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