Diamond table slate removal

[JZMechanix]

I have a 9' Pro Am. It is my personal home table and I also wanted it to be as quiet as possible. Does it make a lot of noise "as is" from the factory? ----No Can it be made quieter? ---Absolutely!

One thing I didn't like was the sound of the balls rolling on the hard plastic ball tracks. I added some thin foam in the tracks and then covered that with some used Simonis cloth I had. I also lined the entire "trough" in the middle with cloth and added additional thin foam padding anywhere a ball would normally come into contact with with anything. I had some extra fiberglass insulation laying around so I lined the entire cabinet with that to help muffle any additional sound.

Obviously this would be considered overkill by most people but I was able to do this because I'm a mechanic. I bought this table new from the factory and had all the time I needed to do this because I was the one assembling and installing the table. I also had plenty of used cloth and foam laying around so I used that to my advantage. One other thing I like is that the balls are always rolling on cloth instead of hard plastic or neoprene rubber. Again, probably overkill but it keeps the balls cleaner and exposes them to less wear and tear as they make their travels through the belly of the beast.

 

[fastone371]

The loudest noises on my GCI are the balls falling in the ball box, even if I put a thicker liner in the ball box the balls still bounce off of each other. I can hear the balls rolling on the cloth too, where does it end, pool will never be silent.

 

[bradsh98]

Victor did produce a good table.

I guess that's one man's opinion...
I've worked on a ton of them, and I'm not a fan at all. I think that their rail designs were garbage.
The ball returns had a rubber coating on the wires. That might have been wonderful back in the 60's-70's, but nowadays, it's all dry-rotted and crumbling away from the steel.

Anytime I'm called to work on a Victor, I anticipate a long and frustrating day.

 

[Renegade_56]

I have yet to see a ball return system that is whisper quiet. A little noise is to be expected and if you don't like it, drop pockets are always an alternative.

Back in the 60's Victor tables had a rail system much like the one pictured and had their own pattent on it for being quieter, I believe the runners were rubber coated,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Renegade_56]

Never had balls get stuck in the tracks!

ok, so TRACK is the wrong word, but they get caught occasionally on something, and that requires access to clear. I was wondering if the foam addition could interfere with that process

 

[rexus31]

Back in the 60's Victor tables had a rail system much like the one pictured and had their own pattent on it for being quieter, I believe the runners were rubber coated,,,,,,,,,,

So are the runners on a Gold Crown.

 

[GoldCrown]

I still don't know what problem the OP is chasing. I play a fair amount on D'mond's and i think they are pretty darn quiet. Way better than a Valley bb. Must be awfully sensitive to sound is all i can say. That or he's a monk trying to hide his gambling addiction.

Off subject but it's Interesting that table owners are concerned with sound/noise... insulate table, use inserts on metal racks and then break hard playing 8 or 9 ball that has to be the worst of irritating sound. However their table their house.

 

[fastone371]

Off subject but it's Interesting that table owners are concerned with sound/noise... insulate table, use inserts on metal racks and then break hard playing 8 or 9 ball that has to be the worst of irritating sound. However their table their house.

When my wife is upstairs watching TV or something she doesn't know that I am playing pool in the basement........until I break.

 

[fastone371]

So are the runners on a Gold Crown.

My GCI gulley's are still in perfect condition.

 

[GoldCrown]

When my wife is upstairs watching TV or something she doesn't know that I am playing pool in the basement........until I break.

Mine is blasting the TV is the other room and tells me to simmer down. Iv'e had it. Bought some nice bullet proof door bolts. I lock myself in the pool room.

 

[Renegade_56]

So are the runners on a Gold Crown.

My point being, Victor patented the design,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[rexus31]

My point being, Victor patented the design,,,,,,,,,,,,

What year? The Gold Crown I came out in 1961. Brunswick probably started using the coated wire return system a few years later.

 

[Renegade_56]

What year? The Gold Crown I came out in 1961. Brunswick probably started using the coated wire return system a few years later.

Look up Lanza Billiards in Philly. They were the first to come up with the "quiet return system" apparently with at least 3 patents as early as the 40's. I had one of their tables, a 10 ft snooker, with drop pockets. I have a video of it on FB.

 

[NYC]

Look up Lanza Billiards in Philly. They were the first to come up with the "quiet return system" apparently with at least 3 patents as early as the 40's.

I stopped at Longos social club back on South Street in July of 1978 in Philly and it was a narrow stairwell one had to climb to get to the second floor social club. The owner and his wife ran the place and there was a strict rule of no cussing or gambling in the social club. Hand signals were used for waging purposes. A Philly police sgt named Frank Rizzo was a very good billiards player who was always hanging around Longos.

Many stories were offered up by the patrons of Longos concerning Lanza and Allingers billiard parlors of the past. Allingers was the King of billiard parlors in Philly, that at one time had 3 floors of billiard tables being used housed in a large building. A special glass window barrier cock pit was constructed, so the billiard table gladiators wouldn't be disturbed by the large crowds who were watching the action. Back in the 1920s Ralph Greenleaf his wife Princess Tai Tai were as famous, rich as Babe Ruth was.