Filippino billiard table...

Snoogi said:
... it reminds me of the carom I used to play during my teenage years.
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"Carroms" was a common playground game in the 50s when I was a kid. Here's what the table looked like:

carrom-company.jpg

You can still get them today at the Carrom Company.

The "caroms" were wooden donut-shaped "pucks" with rounded edges. We aimed by getting down so our eyes were level with the "cues" and shot using a dart grip.

pj
chgo
 
I actually own one. Its been in my garage for at least 5 years. Rarely play now but played today..It requires a different stroke in my opinion, sort of like a push stroke..at least thats what I do, I am not that good.

We play a game called Poker, you get 5 cards and you shoot the numbers you are dealt, when you shoot your hand you win.Its fun game and you can even win without shooting.
 
I never did find the guy I gave the money to build one for me. Last I heard he was back up in upstate NY hiding from someone...not me. Sounds like the guy got a lot more problems than me out a few hundred. I still say that game has got to help you become a better pool player. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
I never did find the guy I gave the money to build one for me. Last I heard he was back up in upstate NY hiding from someone...not me. Sounds like the guy got a lot more problems than me out a few hundred. I still say that game has got to help you become a better pool player. Johnnyt
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I don't know if you are serious about building one of these tables, but if you are, use melamine playwood for the bed. I use them to build kitchen cabinets. It has a very slippery surface and doesn't scratch. You can buy the sheets (4x8) at home depot in Canada for around $45. Way cheaper and better than a quality sanded maple playwood at $75 a sheet. I would quess little powder would be required and home depot even cuts material for you. All you would need is a base and some maple rails. Try to find hard maple (sugar maple, rock maple) are other names for hard maple. You could hit this wood with a hammer and leave a very small mark. This would be perfect for rails.

I have never played on one, but deal with wood every day. If I build one these are the materials going into mine.
 
Jason Robichaud said:
I don't know if you are serious about building one of these tables, but if you are, use melamine playwood for the bed. I use them to build kitchen cabinets. It has a very slippery surface and doesn't scratch. You can buy the sheets (4x8) at home depot in Canada for around $45. Way cheaper and better than a quality sanded maple playwood at $75 a sheet. I would quess little powder would be required and home depot even cuts material for you. All you would need is a base and some maple rails. Try to find hard maple (sugar maple, rock maple) are other names for hard maple. You could hit this wood with a hammer and leave a very small mark. This would be perfect for rails.

I have never played on one, but deal with wood every day. If I build one these are the materials going into mine.
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Thank you and the others all for your advice. I've saved this tread and when I get tired of playing with my new toy(7' Valley) I'll probably try to build one. I'm not too swift with wood though, and it's funny because I worked in machining of metal for many years on and off. Johnnyt
 
Not to hijack this thread.
But i found a video link that shows 2 pinoy local players in a tournament in General Santos (where Manny Pacquiao lives) playing pool. And just for you to take a peek on general playing atmosphere and other pinoy nuances playing outside Manila.

Here's the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzER-a2FhG0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EqZdYmy5_g&feature=related

Watch out for the old Man's cough :-) !
And these players are D or E level players by the way and they are playing rotation.
 
CebuanoNiNoy said:
Not to hijack this thread.
But i found a video link that shows 2 pinoy local players in a tournament in General Santos (where Manny Pacquiao lives) playing pool. And just for you to take a peek on general playing atmosphere and other pinoy nuances playing outside Manila.

Here's the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzER-a2FhG0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EqZdYmy5_g&feature=related

Watch out for the old Man's cough :-) !
And these players are D or E level players by the way and they are playing rotation.
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they must like to gamble, half lost their shirts.
 
Yes, they like to gamble. But my guess is that living in a tropical island and wearing no shirt on a humid night is akin to you there in the US living in your own home with air condition. They/we feel comfortable with it.
 
Patrick Johnson said:
"Carroms" was a common playground game in the 50s when I was a kid. Here's what the table looked like:

View attachment 80834

You can still get them today at the Carrom Company.

The "caroms" were wooden donut-shaped "pucks" with rounded edges. We aimed by getting down so our eyes were level with the "cues" and shot using a dart grip.

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

Thanks PJ, we just bought a couple for our grandchildren. Great idea, start them young. Now they can play in the room next store while the "grown ups" that would be me, play on the BIG table.
 
CebuanoNiNoy said:
Yes, they like to gamble. But my guess is that living in a tropical island and wearing no shirt on a humid night is akin to you there in the US living in your own home with air condition. They/we feel comfortable with it.
Click to expand...

I don't live in the US. I'm in Canada and here we are clothed with heaters more than skin and A/C.

You think the sticky skin would make for horrible cueing
 
Jason Robichaud said:
I don't live in the US. I'm in Canada and here we are clothed with heaters more than skin and A/C.

You think the sticky skin would make for horrible cueing
Click to expand...
That's why they use a lot of powder. Humidity in the Philippines can be brutal.
 
Patrick Johnson said:
"Carroms" was a common playground game in the 50s when I was a kid. Here's what the table looked like:

View attachment 80834

You can still get them today at the Carrom Company.

The "caroms" were wooden donut-shaped "pucks" with rounded edges. We aimed by getting down so our eyes were level with the "cues" and shot using a dart grip.

pj
chgo
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THAT'S IT!!!!!!! I've always wondered what that game was that we used to play. Thanks PJ rep to you.
 
My wife, cheapskate that she is, just found that you can buy the good one ($40.00) shown on the web site listed, from the Target Dept store for $30.0. I'll bet some other grandchildren should get one for Xmas too.
 
It's amazing how two countries as disparate as the Philippines and Latvia would share something as obscure as the table in discussion. Did they share a common history at some point? Were they ever trade partners?
I would guess both countries' versions of the table began as cheap version knock-offs of the 'carom table' PJ showed earlier....or was that just a spiffy copy of the Filipino (or Latvian) 'pool' table? Has Latvia produced any world-class pool (or snooker) players? IS this table the answer to all the world's problems?
 
I do not know the rules of this game but in India there is a similar game, its called caroms and you use ure finger to strike the striker any one know about that.............
 
vijesh said:
I do not know the rules of this game but in India there is a similar game, its called caroms and you use ure finger to strike the striker any one know about that.............
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Carroms (w/ two "r"s in the middle): For more info on this, go to http://www.uscarrom.org/. Very rock and roll indeed!
 
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