Buy a "small" table?

[Nyquil]

I don't know dimensions but it's plenty big. Room for the table is not an issue. I put markers down for the size of a table and eyeballed it running N-S and E-W in the room, allowing room for the cue to extend to the walls or obstacles all around. The issue is having room to have a sitting area, including watching tv, even when not playing pool. It's possible that I will sit in this room more than any room, might be my go-to room due to it has lots of glass to view the backyard. So, it might be that every square foot of room is crucial. I will know more when the owner gets their furniture out.

EDIT: The game room in my current house is 20x20 and the one in the new house is larger. Probably 20x30 or more. BUT... there is a bar that juts out into the room at one end.

One thing you may want to consider since it sounds like you can splurge if you want to is noise and just the return system in general. Ball returns can be very loud and clunky the pro am is very quite and just in general is a quite playing table. I was worried about playing late nights in my basement with the wife sleeping upstairs but the way the cushions and returns are set up along with the liners they play without much noise and are butter smooth. The three piece slate is actually thicker than 1 inch 1 piece don't know if that makes any difference in the noise dept but everything is just smooth and low decibels when it comes to play. I hate any metal on tables that can ding your cues. Diamond solved this problem. Just food for thought.

 

[Woof Biscuit]

I never understood the allure of ridgeback rails. They make the table play like a pinball machine.

 

[pt109]

The responses are appreciated. Do you guys think that intermediate players (me and my friends) could appreciate the difference in, say, a new Valley 7 ft table vs. a new Diamond 7 ft? The Diamond appears to cost about twice as much. Assuming both have Simonis cloth. As I said, I can afford to buy the Diamond but I just hate 'wasting' money when it really doesn't make any difference. I don't know the answer to this question, I do not have experience on good tables. I always looked forward to a good table and now, I will get one, it's just a matter of which one.

EDIT: I am age 67. I kinda doubt I will improve a whole lot. I've never had a lesson but I have done a bit of practice over a few months and I might have improved a little but not a lot. At this time, I do not see me doing league, my play would just be casual. League would require going into the city, which I detest these days.

A Diamond costs twice as much....but it’s worth ten times as much as a Valley.

 

[phreaticus]

One thing you may want to consider since it sounds like you can splurge if you want to is noise and just the return system in general. Ball returns can be very loud and clunky the pro am is very quite and just in general is a quite playing table. I was worried about playing late nights in my basement with the wife sleeping upstairs but the way the cushions and returns are set up along with the liners they play without much noise and are butter smooth. The three piece slate is actually thicker than 1 inch 1 piece don't know if that makes any difference in the noise dept but everything is just smooth and low decibels when it comes to play. I hate any metal on tables that can ding your cues. Diamond solved this problem. Just food for thought.

Agreed. Ball return noise is huge consideration for a home table. Drop pockets are a must, IMO.

 

[buckshotshoey]

Agreed. Ball return noise is huge consideration for a home table. Drop pockets are a must, IMO.

I prefer drop pockets. Then you can change the racking end periodically. Extends the life of your cloth and your cushions.

 

[Black-Balled]

I prefer drop pockets. Then you can change the racking end periodically. Extends the life of your cloth and your cushions.

Cloth, sure. Cushions, no.

 

[boogieman]

Cloth, sure. Cushions, no.

The rack end takes a lot more wear from balls hitting it. It might be ok to do if you have a dead cushion to temporarily extend the life until you can get it replaced, but if one cushion is bad, it's probably time to replace them all.

 

[buckshotshoey]

Cloth, sure. Cushions, no.

Cushions, yes. Think about where all the balls go when you hit the rack. The foot and two side cushions get pounded on every time you break.

 

[Black-Balled]

Cushions, yes. Think about where all the balls go when you hit the rack. The foot and two side cushions get pounded on every time you break.

Naw, man. Presuming the rubber is of quality spec, they aren't going to get worn out from appropriate use.

I do believe I have seen allegations UNDERuse can lead to hardening...I have my doubts on that.

 

[buckshotshoey]

True. If it's quality rubber. But I have noticed on many well used bar tables that the cushions near the foot string are less reactive than the ones near the head string. There is something to that.

 

[Canadian cue]

This guy has an interesting solution to the small room big table dilemma.

 

[Nyquil]

This guy has an interesting solution to the small room big table dilemma.

I was worried about fitting a 9ft'er in my basement length wise no issue at 28 feet but width wise I am 14.3 in most areas. I almost went with a 7ft table and I am glad I didn't. It ended up fitting no issues with with a full length cue. 60 inch cue would be an issue dead on a rail though in a couple of areas shooting flat. I was gonna buy a shorty just in case but I don't need it.

 

[Poolplaya9]

I have an 8ft Brunswick Windsor.....Am considering a 7ft table to have more room in the game room.....I see this 6.5ft table below.....I also saw a reconditioned Valley 7ft.....I also entertained thoughts of buying a Diamond 7 ft table, but that's pretty pricey. Are they that much more fun, lol?

Based on the subsequent elaboration of your needs and abilities, I would stay with the Brunswick Windsor you already have assuming you weren't already dissatisfied with it for some reason. It looks better, you already own it, and it is an 8 ft. With the size of the room it will be going into I doubt you are going to really need the extra foot (at most) of space that a 7 ft table would gain you, and if it turns out that you really just do, you can always sell it from your new home where you have more time to actually try to get a reasonable price for it. Speaking of which, I would guess that any of the other options you are considering are going to cost about as much or more, sometimes significantly more, than what you are going to be able to get out of the Windsor so chalk that up as one more good reason to hang onto it.

If you do decide to go to a 7 ft for whatever the reason, go with a Valley and don't bother with Ridgeback rails either. A decent condition Valley that has not been set up improperly plays just fine and will more than meet your needs. Anything beyond that isn't needed in your situation and may actually not even be preferred. Many players prefer Diamonds, but many don't (they are much tougher to make balls on, the rails are very springy and overreact in many people's opinions, etc). So the answer to your question of whether Diamonds are more fun is one of personal preference, but based on all that you have said I'm guessing that if anything you would actually find them less fun, not more fun.