Balls not spreading on break

S

superflychief

Registered
Hey guys and gals. Just a question about the break on my table. Breaking has become a total frustration. No matter how hard I smash the rack head on, the balls hardly move around the table. It takes just about everything I have to get 3-4 balls past the side pockets. I'm hitting it square, and more often then not, the cue ball stays in the middle of the table so I know I'm at least hitting center. It's not a super slow cloth but it's quite nappy compared to my neighbors. When I break on his table, the balls just explode out of the rack and spread all over the table. I had one break once that I got 11 balls past the side pockets. I'm hitting the rack just as hard on his table as I do mine. Mine I have to try an destroy every rack just to get some ball movement. So my question is this, does a slow cloth really impact the break that much? I took a damp cloth and wiped the table down a little while back and it helped some, but a week or 2 later and it's back to normal, as if the balls are rolling through molases on the break. I'm getting so frustrated :mad:
 
Make sure the balls are clean as well as the cloth, grime can build up (like the nicotine adhered filth in crappy bars) and make things terrible.
 
There is one bar here that has dead balls. Don't know why or how but they are just dead. When our team goes there to play we bring our own set of balls.
 
To answer your question yes, slow nappy cloth can hinder the break shot. It's pretty easy to see how slow your table is compared to your neighbors, just do a speed test. Place the cue ball on the head spot and hit it at break speed to the center diamond on the foot rail, and see how many rails it hits going up and back. Do the same test on your neighbors table and compare. For most Diamonds or GCs with Simonis 860, 4.5 rails is about right (including the initial foot rail).

It could be partly the cloth but it could also be the cushions, though dead cushions are fairly obvious.
 
Loose rack would be the #1 reason you can't get a good break, slow cloth won't help. Spend a few bucks on a magic rack and see how that breaks on your table.
 
My guess is loose cloth....dirty cloth does the same thing...but I feel you take care of your table.
Press your fingers hard into the cloth and shove....you may see a ripple.
If you do, res-stretch it.
 
hang-the-9 said:
Loose rack would be the #1 reason you can't get a good break, slow cloth won't help. Spend a few bucks on a magic rack and see how that breaks on your table.
Click to expand...

I think you should look at the accu-rack also, check them both out and decide which is best for you..
 
If the table has broke slow since it was installed I would guess the rails are too high. If the table broke good when first set up there could be a dozen reasons for it. If the humidity is high (over 50%) in the room that will slow the balls and cloth down a lot. Good luck finding the answer. Johnnyt

PS: Loose rails will do it too.
 
Johnnyt said:
If the table has broke slow since it was installed I would guess the rails are too high. If the table broke good when first set up there could be a dozen reasons for it. If the humidity is high (over 50%) in the room that will slow the balls and cloth down a lot. Good luck finding the answer. Johnnyt

PS: Loose rails will do it too.
Click to expand...

I agree, most likely something wrong with the rails, similar to when you bank a ball on a loose rail hard, it dies on the way back. Also make sure after you rack the balls all touching, you do not touch the cloth or table, any vibration could separate the balls, and you would think you had good rack, also could be when you break you are jerking the table, which could separate the balls before impact.
 
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There are many "racking" experts in our small poolroom that can create the same effect in racking, with the balls not spreading, and all the while they'll swear to you that every ball is frozen and actually believe it.
 
I just got the delta elite rack, amazing rack. Magic rack results without having to remove the rack after the break. The delta 13 is on sale for 49 on either Seyberts or ozone right now


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I believe it's in the rack. Check the second row making sure they are touching the 8, this transfers the power to the back of the rack. The fourth row is probably where your problem is, again make sure the 8 is froze to the 2 bals behind.

Move the rack ahead or back until you find the ideal rack spot. Tap your table or get a Accu-rack or magic rack.
 
I agree with Kanecalgry. The second row is important. The balls need to be touching each other as well.

If the head ball is racked 1/16" off center towards the front of the table it will also effect the break (fewer balls pocketed).

Some smaller players don't seem to be able to determine when the head ball is off center. Spend a minute and check and see if it is dead center.
 
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