CSI dumps Diamond for Predator tables

Aug 16-20: CSI Western Canadian Championships.

>>

Not long to wait to see what the feedback is like now.
Does this event get streamed?
Are there some Canadian players on here who can let us know how they played?
 
iusedtoberich said:
I would if the cushions bounced like a GC and not like a Diamond. There are probably lots of people like me. Setting up for tournament play is one thing. Yes, Diamond has the clear advantage for that. Setting up for home play it doesn't matter too much if its more difficult. Its only done once.
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Everyone prefers Diamonds up here, I have yet to hear anyone complain about cushions on Diamonds.
 
jay helfert said:
There aren't!
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Very unlikely there will be. Diamonds are still all relatively new compared to GC’s and hold well as they are well built. I’ve never complained about their quality it’s top shelf, I just don’t like the pocket profile and cushions as much as GC’s. I don’t think we’ll see anyone selling them much below what they are trading for now. I couldn’t imagine a room swapping out Diamonds for anything.
 
Aug 16-20: CSI Western Canadian Championships.

These 7ft Predator tables are in action now?

Anyone at this tournament to give feedback?
 
telinoz said:
Aug 16-20: CSI Western Canadian Championships.

These 7ft Predator tables are in action now?

Anyone at this tournament to give feedback?
Click to expand...
I participated in part of the tournament and also played on a table with friends for several hours. Strictly on the 7' version.

They were honestly pretty nice and I enjoyed playing on them. Pocketing was moderately easier than on a diamond. I didn't measure pocket size, they seemed close to diamond size but I personally rattled a lot less balls than I do on a diamond, without feeling like I was being particularly precise. I suspect the pocket shelf and/or pocket facings are just more accepting.

They banked a bit funny. The rails didn't seem to grab side spin overly well. I don't know if this is due to brand new cloth or if the rails are just funny. The cloth was very fast.

The tables were VERY quiet. Very very quiet, I was thrilled about that. I didnt have any balls get stuck in the ball return.

One table I played on had a cracked section - I can't think of the word but the part where you'd rest your bridge hand for a shot that is close to the rail, the veneer or whatever it is. Don't know how it cracked, it was 4 or 5 inches long and was surprising to see considering the age of the average valley rail and how those never seem busted up.

Every table also had their fancy new rack which...was fine. If you're buying a table and it comes with it - great. But I wouldn't spend any money on it. I encountered a rack where one of the risers (it's a thin triangle mounted on 3 risers which then provides less drag on the cloth) was coming loose, I just tightened it by hand and it was fine.

The predator rectangle perimeter style light was also mounted above every table. Quite pleasant to play with though a lot of them were poorly hung, just not level, I imagine that was just the nature of it being a tournament with lots of prep to complete in minimal time. Holy expensive though I think they wanted 1200USD or something.

The predator Arcos 2 balls or whatever they are were nice, no complaints except that I personally hate having a cat face where there should be the second # but whatever. After my first few racks of 10 ball I got worried for a moment that they were being blasphemous and using a purple 5 and I was shooting out of order...this was not the case, the 5 ball was thankfully ORANGE.

I'm personally not a fan of Predator branding at all so I must say.......HOLY GIANT CATS EVERYWHERE. The table itself was a fine shape for a bar box but jeepers they are obsessed with plastering giant cats on everything, making the tables fairly ugly to look at on the superficial level. I feel this way about most predator stuff though, so take it as you will.

All in all, I liked them more than I expected I would. At 8000 USD for a 7' (I think this was the price) though, it better be damn good. It was about $1000 per giant cat printed on the side of the table, give or take.



Sent from my SM-S901W using Tapatalk
 
KUKABUKA said:
I'm personally not a fan of Predator branding at all so I must say.......HOLY GIANT CATS EVERYWHERE. The table itself was a fine shape for a bar box but jeepers they are obsessed with plastering giant cats on everything, making the tables fairly ugly to look at on the superficial level. I feel this way about most predator stuff though, so take it as you will.

All in all, I liked them more than I expected I would. At 8000 USD for a 7' (I think this was the price) though, it better be damn good. It was about $1000 per giant cat printed on the side of the table, give or take.
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agree, it just looks tacky.
 
KUKABUKA said:
I participated in part of the tournament and also played on a table with friends for several hours. Strictly on the 7' version.

They were honestly pretty nice and I enjoyed playing on them. Pocketing was moderately easier than on a diamond. I didn't measure pocket size, they seemed close to diamond size but I personally rattled a lot less balls than I do on a diamond, without feeling like I was being particularly precise. I suspect the pocket shelf and/or pocket facings are just more accepting.

They banked a bit funny. The rails didn't seem to grab side spin overly well. I don't know if this is due to brand new cloth or if the rails are just funny. The cloth was very fast.

The tables were VERY quiet. Very very quiet, I was thrilled about that. I didnt have any balls get stuck in the ball return.

One table I played on had a cracked section - I can't think of the word but the part where you'd rest your bridge hand for a shot that is close to the rail, the veneer or whatever it is. Don't know how it cracked, it was 4 or 5 inches long and was surprising to see considering the age of the average valley rail and how those never seem busted up.

Every table also had their fancy new rack which...was fine. If you're buying a table and it comes with it - great. But I wouldn't spend any money on it. I encountered a rack where one of the risers (it's a thin triangle mounted on 3 risers which then provides less drag on the cloth) was coming loose, I just tightened it by hand and it was fine.

The predator rectangle perimeter style light was also mounted above every table. Quite pleasant to play with though a lot of them were poorly hung, just not level, I imagine that was just the nature of it being a tournament with lots of prep to complete in minimal time. Holy expensive though I think they wanted 1200USD or something.

The predator Arcos 2 balls or whatever they are were nice, no complaints except that I personally hate having a cat face where there should be the second # but whatever. After my first few racks of 10 ball I got worried for a moment that they were being blasphemous and using a purple 5 and I was shooting out of order...this was not the case, the 5 ball was thankfully ORANGE.

I'm personally not a fan of Predator branding at all so I must say.......HOLY GIANT CATS EVERYWHERE. The table itself was a fine shape for a bar box but jeepers they are obsessed with plastering giant cats on everything, making the tables fairly ugly to look at on the superficial level. I feel this way about most predator stuff though, so take it as you will.

All in all, I liked them more than I expected I would. At 8000 USD for a 7' (I think this was the price) though, it better be damn good. It was about $1000 per giant cat printed on the side of the table, give or take.



Sent from my SM-S901W using Tapatalk
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Thanks, that is a good overview.
 
rexus31 said:
My vote would be Steve Leistikow. He's got a machinist background, been at it a long time, doesn't cut corners, does great rail work (one of the few that can properly recalibrate a subrail) and every table I've played on that he's touched plays great. I believe he's booked 6 weeks out.
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Yes, I agree that Steve is about the best in So. California. He redid our 8-9' tables after the set up guy did nothing to set them up correctly.
 
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