Cushions and shims for the Gold Crown 3

[manopr350]

I noticed that the cushions on my GC3 are called Superspeed. I am considering putting new ones. Do Brunswick still makes the Superspeed? If so, where can I purchase them? Do they also go by the name K55?
I also would like to narrow the pockets(double shims), what will be the best way to double shim the pockets and for the table to still play true?
Your attention in this matter is appreciated. Thank you.
Manuel

 

[PoolTable911]

I noticed that the cushions on my GC3 are called Superspeed. I am considering putting new ones. Do Brunswick still makes the Superspeed? If so, where can I purchase them? Do they also go by the name K55?
I also would like to narrow the pockets(double shims), what will be the best way to double shim the pockets and for the table to still play true?
Your attention in this matter is appreciated. Thank you.
Manuel

Manuel.. The Brubswick Superspeed cushions are available. The k55 is the profile of the cushion. As for shimming the pockets tighter, I would recommend using either a 3/16th or 1/4 inch neoprene facings. The other alternative is have the subrail extended but this takes a very experienced mechanic and costs much more.

 

[sausage]

I noticed that the cushions on my GC3 are called Superspeed. I am considering putting new ones. Do Brunswick still makes the Superspeed? If so, where can I purchase them? Do they also go by the name K55?
I also would like to narrow the pockets(double shims), what will be the best way to double shim the pockets and for the table to still play true?
Your attention in this matter is appreciated. Thank you.
Manuel

i was told long ago that the superspeed cushions are made of the same material (gum rubber) from which all cushions are made. oh, brunswick rubber is pink. maybe that's the diff.....

i bought some nice pocket shims for my GC1 at bowling and billiards in Fort Worth. they were extra thick so no need to double them up.

 

[Majic]

Well here goes nothing....or is it something. Posting in the mechanics forum can lead to many differnt things, especially if the post differs from convention. I am not a mechanic and I truly respect those that have chosen this field as their profession. With that being said, I will tell you what I have used as pocket facings on my table. I was curious a while back when OTLB was posting about his method of extending rails, bla bla about about facings. I decided to experiment with natural gum rubber 40 durometer facings and did some things with thme to change the pocket angles to get the size poackets I desired. I must say, as a pool player,the nat gum rubber facings are the nuts. They play unbelievably well and they are quiet, not the hard sound of 70 durometer neoprene. Take this as info and not advice, because what do I know..........I am just a pool player.


Lou

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

Manuel.. The Brubswick Superspeed cushions are available. The k55 is the profile of the cushion. As for shimming the pockets tighter, I would recommend using either a 3/16th or 1/4 inch neoprene facings. The other alternative is have the subrail extended but this takes a very experienced mechanic and costs much more.

From what I understand, extending the subrails is the proper way to tighten the pockets, rather than shimming the living daylights out of them. It is more expensive, but I'm not sure it is that much more if you are buying new cushions anyway.

But I too, am only a pool player. I'm having a table set up at my home shortly so I have just a little bit of info on the subject. Probably just enough to get me in trouble. Find a good mechanic and get a quote.

Good luck with your project.

 

[Goldy]

I thought the main importance of making a pocket more difficult is the culmination of rail extending on a 2 dimensional axis. I would tend to think pocketing a ball would be more difficult if the cut of the slate is further away from the facing of the rail cushion, and shrinking the opening of the pocket. I know there are many formulas and ratios to keep in consideration. Keeping the table playability consistent to its original state is important? Wouldn't it be correct to shrink the pocket on a 2 dimensional ratio aspect, other than just adding facings to the end of the cushion?

 

[realkingcobra]

Water always takes the path of least resistance when traveling down hill, that being said, it's much easier to extend the rails and shrink the pocket openings than it is to increase the depth of the slate shelf as well as tightening the pockets

Glen

 

[ROB.M]

cheat the opening

use the thick facing and taper that angle to either open the pocket or close it...taper the facing in to the pocket and the ball pockets easier....go the other way and the pocket is less likely to drop the ball in...u get what i call the rattle snake when the ball hits the pockets and shakes back and forth n sits in front of pocket......or save ur money up in have the sub rail extended with cushion.....

 

[ROB.M]

mod rail

this is a lil off subject.......
i have had a set of ventura rails sitting around for a while with nothing to do with them......one of the tables i own is a old Fischer coin opp table..ken u know the one im talkin about...back to subject....the rubber on ventura rails is superspeed and i was thinking about pulling the cushion off the ventura rails and gluing then on the fischer rails....i got to measuring and figured out the distance from furring or some call it feather strip to the noise was the same measurement and the height of the fischer bar style rail....both profiles of cushion are same k55


i cut the ventura rail with a table saw and made my lengths and pockets how i would like.....the rail i cut away from ventura is just about a 1/8 larger in width than the factory rail on the fischer....so when bolting them on the pocket shelf gets deeper....i changed the angles and made pocket shelf slightly deeper by adding that 1/8.....now i have two sets of rails for one table...i shoulda took pictures when i did this....its been 5 or 6 months since i have done this and all the people who play on it want to buy it.. im post pics i hope u understand what im showing

 

[ROB.M]

rails

opps did i say ventura....i meant Orleans

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

dontlitethat

Just curious, and maybe you explained this but I didn't get it, but why are the side pockets tighter than the corners?

Thanks.

 

[realkingcobra]

dontlitethat

Just curious, and maybe you explained this but I didn't get it, but why are the side pockets tighter than the corners?

Thanks.

On coin-operated tables like Vally, Dynamo and old Fisher tables the ball return tracks are internal, meaning they're inside of the box of the body. Then because the top rails being mostly inside of the body as well, there's no room in the top rail to cut out a bigger side pocket because that would require cutting through the side panel of the body of the table, so most all coin-operated tables the side pockets can't be larger than the corner pockets...by design of the table. :grin:

 

[speedi]

Now I know why the old-timer told me he always preferred to take the end pocket shot, even if the side pocket was closer (on bar boxes, of course). I knew the pockets were tighter but never knew why.

 

[sausage]

where did you get your "natural gum rubber 40 durometer facings"?

thanks!

 

[Goldy]

The newer valley's side pocket nipples are now shaved off to make the pocket more accessible. They are still bucket pockets though. I like the older dynamo tables built back in the 50s and 60s, their pockets are more challenging. RIP Dynamo..

Now I know why the old-timer told me he always preferred to take the end pocket shot, even if the side pocket was closer (on bar boxes, of course). I knew the pockets were tighter but never knew why.