What is your method? Do you take the cue ball and roll it and bank it to see how the table might play?
Checking out the rolls on a table
- Thread starter hangemhigh
- Start date
One of the most common ways is to drop the CB/OB from about 6" on to the tip of the rail and let it bounch out then roll down the table. this ensures (when done right) that the ball is going straight on the initial roll.
Hope this helps.
FIRST!
Last edited:
Drop that shiz
I dont know if this is helpful, but I noticed the table mechanics who installed my home table did a little trick where they would hold a ball a couple of inches directly over the short rail and drop it so it would just barely strike the cushion as it landed on the table. The ball would shoot forward with enough momentum to make it to the opposite short rail and then back again. They kept doing this in various places on both the long and short rails while making the necessary adjustments on the legs till the balls were returning to the exact spot they dropped them.
I've since tried it on some of the tables I've played on at the various rooms I frequent, and it seems like a great way to get a fix on the roll of the table, as the dropping method takes out most of the variables your hand or cuestick can introduce.
I dont know if this is helpful, but I noticed the table mechanics who installed my home table did a little trick where they would hold a ball a couple of inches directly over the short rail and drop it so it would just barely strike the cushion as it landed on the table. The ball would shoot forward with enough momentum to make it to the opposite short rail and then back again. They kept doing this in various places on both the long and short rails while making the necessary adjustments on the legs till the balls were returning to the exact spot they dropped them.
I've since tried it on some of the tables I've played on at the various rooms I frequent, and it seems like a great way to get a fix on the roll of the table, as the dropping method takes out most of the variables your hand or cuestick can introduce.
Last edited:
Hmmmmm, this sounds familiar...:scratchhead:
To me, speed is the most importaant thing. I know I can hit the ball without spin and with "pocket speed". I shoot, lengthwise down the center diamond to diamond and otheer diamond to diamond patterns. I do this with just enough speed to get to the other diamond. I also shoot from the point to point on the pockets lengthwisee and width wise. This is by far the most telling thing to me. Point to point is where I see even well leveled taables roll wildly. Can't do anything about it as far as I know. As long as the roll drains towaards the pocket, I'm ok with it. I look for pockets which drain towards the cceenter aand make a mentaal note. This is a players perspective, I don't know what a mechanic would do.
First measure your cushion nose height. It needs to be approximately 1 7/16" and should be uniform (no highs and lows).
Second move along rail slapping a ball against cushion. You're looking for "dead spots". These two checks assure roll checks won't be influenced by a rail problem.
Third just set balls out all over table. Give them a little push with a finger. Do the balls stop or continue to roll or roll longer than would be expected?
Fourth use the cushion roll check as others mentioned or shoot a ball diamond to diamond (all straight diamond combinations) looking for "roll off". Do this down the rails also.
Fifth locate the seams on three piece slate. Roll a ball on both sides of the seam looking for roll off. Try rolling "on" the seam, look for roll off and tracking (wobble, some may be acceptable). Roll a ball at angles over seams in many places, look for strange rolls.
Edit: Sixth (not really slate related but..) hit a solid shot lengthwise it should roll 4+ rail hits. Do some 2-1 banks to see if the table cushions are playing long/normal/short.
Second move along rail slapping a ball against cushion. You're looking for "dead spots". These two checks assure roll checks won't be influenced by a rail problem.
Third just set balls out all over table. Give them a little push with a finger. Do the balls stop or continue to roll or roll longer than would be expected?
Fourth use the cushion roll check as others mentioned or shoot a ball diamond to diamond (all straight diamond combinations) looking for "roll off". Do this down the rails also.
Fifth locate the seams on three piece slate. Roll a ball on both sides of the seam looking for roll off. Try rolling "on" the seam, look for roll off and tracking (wobble, some may be acceptable). Roll a ball at angles over seams in many places, look for strange rolls.
Edit: Sixth (not really slate related but..) hit a solid shot lengthwise it should roll 4+ rail hits. Do some 2-1 banks to see if the table cushions are playing long/normal/short.
Last edited:
"You first, after me."
Sounds like someone is v-e-r-y protective of his "first" status... 
Sounds like someone is v-e-r-y protective of his "first" status... 
How in the world can you approximate 1 7/16"? That sounds pretty specific to me.
Anyways, what do you plan on doing with this information acquired from checking the rolls? Probably not much.
It's much better to look like you know what you are doing than anything else.
Just watch Paul Newman in "The Hustler" scene where he enters Ames for the first time, rolling balls, cues, and say out loud "clean pocket drop!" as the balls enter the pocket. This will make you look cool, and have a cigarette dangling from your mouth as well, if your hall allows smoking. Then proceed to trash talk about gambling for big cash. This will attract a lot of attention.
You can PM thanks later.
Approximate as in the standard for figuring cushion nose height is 63% +/-1% of the diameter of a standard ball which is 2 1/4" diameter. The specific height would be between 1 13/32" and 1 7/16" figured at 63%.
To high could cause any roll test to be off because the cushion could pinch the ball momentarily before the ball rebounds.
Determining roll off is needed if you have a new table installed and is wise to check if you are playing in a tournament where you just might find that the ball tends to roll towards or away from a particular pocket.
You go ahead and pattern your pool knowledge after an actor in a movie.:smile:
I roll the CB lengthwise down the table at the first and last diamonds, dead slow to see if the slates are level end-to-end. Then I roll the CB on the same line like a lag to see if the end rail is perpendicular to the lie of the table and the basic speed of the cloth. Do this from both ends.
I roll the CB accorss the table dead slow to see if the slates are level side-to-side. Then I roll the CB accross the table to see if the side rails are perpendicular to the le of the table. Do this 4 times from each side.
I roll the CB corner to cross corner 3-rails and find the point where the 3-rail kick causes the CB to drop with no running english, and then with running english; hit the ball so that it just barely makes the opposite corner. This gives me some estimate to the reflection pattern of the rail on a CB and confirms the speed of the cloth. Do this from each corner to each corner (4 times).
I roll the CB corner to same side 2-rails and find where The CB drops in the side pocket. This confirms the 3-rail kick from above. Do this 4 times.
I roll the CB down the side rails across the side pocket dead slow to see if the side rails are square.
Should take about 4 minutes.
I roll the CB accorss the table dead slow to see if the slates are level side-to-side. Then I roll the CB accross the table to see if the side rails are perpendicular to the le of the table. Do this 4 times from each side.
I roll the CB corner to cross corner 3-rails and find the point where the 3-rail kick causes the CB to drop with no running english, and then with running english; hit the ball so that it just barely makes the opposite corner. This gives me some estimate to the reflection pattern of the rail on a CB and confirms the speed of the cloth. Do this from each corner to each corner (4 times).
I roll the CB corner to same side 2-rails and find where The CB drops in the side pocket. This confirms the 3-rail kick from above. Do this 4 times.
I roll the CB down the side rails across the side pocket dead slow to see if the side rails are square.
Should take about 4 minutes.
and 8th...DOH! You got that too!
Daayyyuuummmm. I'm 100% certain that your calculations are out of sight!
Determining the roll of a table!
I use this method across table midway from side pocket at each end, then I will shoot the cue ball out of all the corner pockets to the opposing corner pockets about three times, this has always helped me to determine the roll of a table in a relative short time.
If the table is off one way or another I'll kneel down by that table leg and put my knee under the table, lift, and raise or lower it, pretty simple and fast!, then repeat above mentioned.
David Harcrow
I use this method across table midway from side pocket at each end, then I will shoot the cue ball out of all the corner pockets to the opposing corner pockets about three times, this has always helped me to determine the roll of a table in a relative short time.
If the table is off one way or another I'll kneel down by that table leg and put my knee under the table, lift, and raise or lower it, pretty simple and fast!, then repeat above mentioned.
David Harcrow
My method is fairly simple. I put the cueball in front of the corner pockets and shoot it 3 cushions to land in the corner across from me. All I need to know is the speed of the table and if the rails are playing long or short or right on. Unless the table has a roll off that would roll from one side of the table to the other I'm pretty much good to go. I don't baby balls into the pockets so a little roll off doesn't really affect me all that much. But I will make a mental note during a match if I notice something.
MULLY
MULLY