8 foot table advice

JolietJames

JolietJames

Boot Party Coordinator
Silver Member
I searched briefly but I must not be using the best keywords for the job. Every thread seems to pop up when I search "8 foot table".
My practice table of ten years was an old AMF playmaster 8 footer with buckets. I modified the crap out of it to get it to play more like a real table. Our last pool hall closed last year and I bought one of their GC 9 footers and gave my old one away.
FF to present day... We are moving to Tucson and my wife requests that I sell the 9 footer and buy something smaller for the new house. I love the diamond smart tables but don't want my practice table to be that small. I figure I will switch back to an 8 footer for the new house to keep her happy and still have my practice table.
My question to AZers is this:
What brand/model 8ft table plays the most consistantly and tight that may compare reasonably to my current table? My GC has built up subrails that play like a triple shimmed table -only better. (shims suck)
The rails were built up by a pro prior to my purchase of the table. I will probably cover the next table myself, (I've done a couple that turned out well), but don't consider myself qualified to build up the subrails to tighten the pockets correctly. I have a buyer for mine at $1200 when I am leaving IL after the 1st of the year so that is my assumed budget for a used 8 footer. I'd like advice on which table I should try to get.
Sorry for the long post and if this is in the wrong catagory.
Thanks AZers for any info or advice you can share.
-James
 
8 foot

I have an 8 foot Olhausen which I really like. The pockets look big, but they do not take balls like a big pocket. Everyone says it plays tight. I would definitely recommend it. If I had to do it again I would purchase a 7 footer, since that is what we mostly play on, 7 foot Diamonds. I can understand you wanting an 8 footer if you play on 9 footers. Another good table I have played on is a Connelly.

Good luck
 
Well, I consider the GC and Diamonds the best, but there is a Connelly factory right in Tucson and also in Phoenix (don't know if they're still in business). The nice thing is that they run a monthly special on a different model table every month. A substantial savings. Good luck with whatever table you buy and your move to Tucson.
 
Thanks for the info so far guys. Maybe I'll be able to check out some AZers 8ft tables once I get out there to see for myself? Or perhaps that Custom Billiards place has a showroom or some way to check out how the tables play before purchasing.

ADD: Does anyone make a "Big 8" anymore? They were fairly common a long time ago. The one we had at the old hall had 1.5" or 2" slate on the thing which made it almost impossible to move.
 
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burn the 8 footer and get a 9 footer.

Sorry that is the best advice I can come up with.
 
The problem you will have with an 8 foot table is that most 8 footers are home style tables with leather pockets. The way the leather pockets are attached restricts you from extending the rails and tightening the pockets. And most home tables come with pockets that are 5-5 1/4 corners and even bigger sides. If you have to go smaller than a 9 footer than I would suggest a 7 ft bar table and then getting ridgeback rails for it. I recently made this exact change because the 8 ft Brunswick I had, had 5"+ pockets and I can't fit a 9. So I got a good condition used Dynamo and am getting ridgebacks for it. Now obviously if you could afford a Diamond I would say get a Diamond 7 ft and call it a day but if that's out of your price range I think a good bar box with ridgebacks is the way to go. Alot of places here in AZ have bar tables and alot of tournaments are on bar tables so it wouldn't be a bad idea to practice on one. There are 8 ft tables that can have their rails extended(8ft gold crown, some olhausens) but they are not so readily available. Anyways an early welcome to the desert to ya and maybe we'll run into eachother one day.
 
Thanks Lucas. Yeah, you mentioned my fears about the 8 footers in your post. They are almost all "furniture" pool tables, not made to be tweaked for performance. I personally don't feel the smaller tables test accuracy or stroke percission well enough to prepare someone for the jump to a 9. If I can't find a great 8, I'll keep my 9. Thanks for the advice, I hadn't heard of those better rails. Years ago I gambled a couple times a week on a 9 footer and played BCA and tournaments on the 7s. I found my modified 8 footer did a pretty good job of helping me play on all sizes. I fear a 7 footer wouldn't give me any confidence when making the jump to a 9. I'm sure it's in my head but it's pretty hard for my brain to convince itself that it is mistaken about anything. It's very stubborn. If I can't find what I'm looking for I will have to weigh the pros and cons of little table vs angry wife. That or get my mind out of it as in the immortal words of Li'l Bush, "Sometimes it takes courage to stab your brain with a seven." Perhaps a labotomy will help.
Thanks for the input!
Oh and to previous poster, I have no 8 footer to burn!
I'll be posting up to meet some local players when I get out there for good.
Thanks for the welcome!
 
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8ft

I am trying to sell my 8ft amf playmaster so I can buy a gold crown. If you are interested.
 

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That's one sturdy looking 8 footer Bendan. My AMF served me well for many years but wasn't nearly as nice as yours. I won't be buying the 8 footer (if I go that route), unti lI am in AZ. I don't need it taking up space on the trailer. Thanks anyway and good luck in your hunt for a GC. Mine is either a GCII or a III I believe -can't remember.
 
JolietJames said:
I searched briefly but I must not be using the best keywords for the job. Every thread seems to pop up when I search "8 foot table".
My practice table of ten years was an old AMF playmaster 8 footer with buckets. I modified the crap out of it to get it to play more like a real table. Our last pool hall closed last year and I bought one of their GC 9 footers and gave my old one away.
FF to present day... We are moving to Tucson and my wife requests that I sell the 9 footer and buy something smaller for the new house. I love the diamond smart tables but don't want my practice table to be that small. I figure I will switch back to an 8 footer for the new house to keep her happy and still have my practice table.
My question to AZers is this:
What brand/model 8ft table plays the most consistantly and tight that may compare reasonably to my current table? My GC has built up subrails that play like a triple shimmed table -only better. (shims suck)
The rails were built up by a pro prior to my purchase of the table. I will probably cover the next table myself, (I've done a couple that turned out well), but don't consider myself qualified to build up the subrails to tighten the pockets correctly. I have a buyer for mine at $1200 when I am leaving IL after the 1st of the year so that is my assumed budget for a used 8 footer. I'd like advice on which table I should try to get.
Sorry for the long post and if this is in the wrong catagory.
Thanks AZers for any info or advice you can share.
-James
Click to expand...
I hesitate to suggest that a man argue with his wife, but my reaction to your query is this: if you have space for the 9-footer in your new home, then just putting an 8-ft table in that space really accomplishes nothing. You only get about 6 inches of savings per side inside that pool-table footprint. If that's the case, I suggest laying out, with masking tape, a footprint for both tables, one inside the other, so that your wife can see that asking you to get a smaller table doesn't really do much.

If on the other hand the table size dictates where it goes in the new house, then disregard this suggestion and continue your search.
 
JolietJames said:
I searched briefly but I must not be using the best keywords for the job. Every thread seems to pop up when I search "8 foot table".
My practice table of ten years was an old AMF playmaster 8 footer with buckets. I modified the crap out of it to get it to play more like a real table. Our last pool hall closed last year and I bought one of their GC 9 footers and gave my old one away.
FF to present day... We are moving to Tucson and my wife requests that I sell the 9 footer and buy something smaller for the new house. I love the diamond smart tables but don't want my practice table to be that small. I figure I will switch back to an 8 footer for the new house to keep her happy and still have my practice table.
My question to AZers is this:
What brand/model 8ft table plays the most consistantly and tight that may compare reasonably to my current table? My GC has built up subrails that play like a triple shimmed table -only better. (shims suck)
The rails were built up by a pro prior to my purchase of the table. I will probably cover the next table myself, (I've done a couple that turned out well), but don't consider myself qualified to build up the subrails to tighten the pockets correctly. I have a buyer for mine at $1200 when I am leaving IL after the 1st of the year so that is my assumed budget for a used 8 footer. I'd like advice on which table I should try to get.
Sorry for the long post and if this is in the wrong catagory.
Thanks AZers for any info or advice you can share.
-James
Click to expand...

since you like the 9ft GC you have i would look in to getting a GC pro 8 you can tighten the pockets and get it to play like your 9ft table
 
ArizonaPete said:
Well, I consider the GC and Diamonds the best, but there is a Connelly factory right in Tucson and also in Phoenix (don't know if they're still in business). The nice thing is that they run a monthly special on a different model table every month. A substantial savings. Good luck with whatever table you buy and your move to Tucson.
Click to expand...

Connelly moved to Texas, but they make very nice home tables.
 
Brechbt - That's a solid arguement. I will try the tape on the floor beneath my 9 and see what she says.

Rich - Thanks for that table. That's pretty much exactly what I'm looking for. I was unaware they made them in 8ft so if I get another table that will probably be the one.

mrmagoo - Thanks for the find. I'm going to think about that one for a bit. That is exactly what I will want if I can't bring my 9 with me. Are those table pretty common to find? If so I can wait and buy one when I get to AZ. That one isn't too far away from me so I may have to snatch it up now and just hold onto it if it is unlikely I will find another that matches my needs so well.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. You have helped me and further confused me at the same time. (Now I want both tables)

Not sure why people talk about the condition of their cloth when selling a table. Is it one piece slate or something? Who doesn't have to recover a table when they move it? Damn that Pro8 looks nice...
 
JolietJames said:
ADD: Does anyone make a "Big 8" anymore? They were fairly common a long time ago. The one we had at the old hall had 1.5" or 2" slate on the thing which made it almost impossible to move.
Click to expand...

A. E. Schmidt makes a big 8, the last company still making them I was told. I just got one this year, and it really feels like a big table... until you go out and shoot on a 9' table.
 
JolietJames said:
Brechbt - That's a solid arguement. I will try the tape on the floor beneath my 9 and see what she says.

Rich - Thanks for that table. That's pretty much exactly what I'm looking for. I was unaware they made them in 8ft so if I get another table that will probably be the one.

mrmagoo - Thanks for the find. I'm going to think about that one for a bit. That is exactly what I will want if I can't bring my 9 with me. Are those table pretty common to find? If so I can wait and buy one when I get to AZ. That one isn't too far away from me so I may have to snatch it up now and just hold onto it if it is unlikely I will find another that matches my needs so well.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. You have helped me and further confused me at the same time. (Now I want both tables)

Not sure why people talk about the condition of their cloth when selling a table. Is it one piece slate or something? Who doesn't have to recover a table when they move it? Damn that Pro8 looks nice...
Click to expand...

no problem most of the nice poolhalls out here have the pro 8s and only a few 9ft tables hell i didnt even see a 9ft table till i was in my 20s lol
 
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