Flying cue ball on the break

[ball-banger]

I was hitting balls with a friend last night and we were talking about breaking and the cue ball jumping off the table. He was saying that it happens because something was loose in the rack, and I was saying that it happens because the cue ball is actually in the air a little when it hits the rack. Is either of us correct here? Both correct? Maybe another explanation?

 

[supergreenman]

You're right, he's wrong. Another cause for QBs growing wings is balls that are pitted from abuse.

 

[RiverCity]

The cueball is airborn when it hits the rack. When it flies off to the left.... the head ball was hit off center to the left while the cueball was in the air etc.
Chuck

 

[Junkyarddog]

Cueball in air when it hits the rack usually from hitting down on it like a jump shot or scooping under it. Since there is alot of velocity it doesn't take much air to deflect off the table. The only thing that you could do to the rack to make it jump off is install a ramp.

 

[iownthe412]

Off topic: Speaking of flying cueballs I was playing in league one night and on 2 different occasions in the same match I blew the cue ball off the table and hit random objects. The first one I killed a mosquito in mid air and the second I hit and crushed a redbull can. Needless to say I have calmed my break down since then. Sorry to throw you off the topic but just thought I would share my stupid story!

 

[Jason Robichaud]

Off topic: Speaking of flying cueballs I was playing in league one night and on 2 different occasions in the same match I blew the cue ball off the table and hit random objects. The first one I killed a mosquito in mid air and the second I hit and crushed a redbull can. Needless to say I have calmed my break down since then. Sorry to throw you off the topic but just thought I would share my stupid story!

The first kill in these parts would be welcomed with a cheer and a free round for you.

 

[Thunderball]

I was saying that it happens because the cue ball is actually in the air a little when it hits the rack.

Yup.

Hit centerball and keep the ass end of the cue down. Do these two things and you can hit em a ton and hold the rock. But if the back of the cue is elevated, be prepared to chase the cue ball through the pool hall.

Had this problem for a while. The above corrected it.

 

[HitHrdNDraw]

both correct

it is also because the head ball is loose, you need to mass of the rack to absorb the force of the cueball on impact, if the head ball is loose, the cueball (and object ball) may fly off the rack.... trying shooting at a single ball with a level stroke at break speed and see what happens.... actually, don't... you will kill someone

 

[sfleinen]

Thread title: Flying cue ball on the break

Sounds like a new martial arts movie:

"Flying Cue Ball, Crouching Bystanders!"



J/K,
-Sean

 

[TWOFORPOOL]

I believe it can also happen when you hit a rack where the head ball has been "Tapped" several times into place. It makes the head ball a little lower than the cue ball hitting it. People tapping the head ball into place will create a small dent where it sits and you can actually feel it.

 

[cajunfats]

Ask Bob Jewett

I was going to offer up the scientific explanation for spheres colliding on a flat plane with resistance coming from the surface of the flat plane having been covered by a friction producing material....oh heck,just ask Bob Jewett....he's the best qualified to explain all that technical stuff. It usually happens to me when I don't hit the racked ball directly and because the racked balls have greater mass than the cueball...darn...isn't the Fermi Lab working on this concept with the Supercollider?
All kidding aside,the cue ball is not off of the table surface,it is caused by the cue ball not striking the racked ball full. Because the racked balls have more mass/support upon impact,the cue ball velocity will take it either up directly over the rack area,or careening off the table. Can happen if chalk or other substances elevate the cue ball enroute,but isn't an absolute. It's a good question though.

 

[Hierovision]

It's impossible to go airborne without some upward influence (debris, hitting a pit in the head ball perfectly, jumping the cue ball and striking the head ball in mid-air or after a bounce mid-table, etc.)

99.9% of the time it's because the cue is slightly elevated, like a really long/low jump shot. The other .1% is split between dirt/debris in the path of the cue ball, hitting a pit in the head ball/cue ball, and the head ball being slightly lower than the cue ball thanks to a dent in the felt. The dent has to be pretty significant by the way. If it's slight from very gentle tapping it will cause the cue ball to jump MAYBE an inch with a full-force ~25mph break.

Anyway, good topic for the science guys to explore. If you watch high speed breaks that jump half a foot or more, I will personally guarantee it's because the cue ball is in mid-air thanks to an elevated cue on the break stroke.

 

[mosconiac]

I believe it can also happen when you hit a rack where the head ball has been "Tapped" several times into place. It makes the head ball a little lower than the cue ball hitting it. People tapping the head ball into place will create a small dent where it sits and you can actually feel it.

Although it is generally from a airborn CB AND a poorly struck break (remember SVB puts his CB airborne nearly every time...he just hits it SQUARE), the above plays a role too. SVB's CB bounces back to the middle of the table. Poorly hit balls bounce to one side or the other...& off table.

 

[td873]

I was hitting balls with a friend last night and we were talking about breaking and the cue ball jumping off the table. He was saying that it happens because something was loose in the rack, and I was saying that it happens because the cue ball is actually in the air a little when it hits the rack. Is either of us correct here? Both correct? Maybe another explanation?

Your understanding is the most likely culprit. There are other circumstances that might cause the cue ball to go flying as well. With respect to your suggestion, the cue ball is bouncing down the table. It can be in the air on the way up or on the way down when it hits the head ball. If it is on the way up when it contacts the head ball, the cue ball has a tendency to launch immediately [either up or up and to the side], sometimes shooting off the table. If it is on the way down, it might bounce again when it hits the table, but will not typically launch off the table.

One fairly common reason that the cue ball jumps is that people tend to tap the head ball into place, creating a divot in the felt. If the cue ball sits low enough in the divot, the cue ball will hit the head ball and jump virtually every time. Also, debris on the table and/or a slate imprefection can cause the ball to jump.

99.9% of the time it's because the cue is slightly elevated

A cue ball struck perfectly level with zero elevation but above the center [like shooting with top] will cause the cue ball to jump. Breaking from the side rail (even with a perfectly level stroke) can still result in the cue ball jumping off the table since you are hitting the ball above center. No elevation required.

-td

 

[stuckart]

Off topic: Speaking of flying cueballs I was playing in league one night and on 2 different occasions in the same match I blew the cue ball off the table and hit random objects. The first one I killed a mosquito in mid air and the second I hit and crushed a redbull can. Needless to say I have calmed my break down since then. Sorry to throw you off the topic but just thought I would share my stupid story!

Off topic also I was playing a game at this little bar with only two tables. I racked the balls and picked up the half pint of Bass Ale I had and some guy broke the balls on the other table. The Cueball flew off the table and took off the top half of my glass. Glass went flying everywhere, but I managed to hold onto the bottom half of the glass and spilled ZERO beer. Unfortunately I was unable to drink anymore because of the shards of glass in the beer. One inch lower and it would have hit my hand and the glass would have been airborn.

 

[smoooothstroke]

all are correct exept...

it is also because the head ball is loose, you need to mass of the rack to absorb the force of the cueball on impact, if the head ball is loose, the cueball (and object ball) may fly off the rack.... trying shooting at a single ball with a level stroke at break speed and see what happens.... actually, don't... you will kill someone

Actually more mass from a frozen rack will not absorb the force of the CB but would make it more likely to go airborne.

 

[rackem]

In barbox 8 ball you lose the game.

:frown:
Yeah, right! :withstupid:
Where does that one come from.
House rules at The Broken Window Saloon??

 

[nathandumoulin]

This also occurs because CB is actually larger than the object balls on most coin-op tables. The larger diameter means that contact will be made above the horizontal plane of the apex ball.

 

[ball-banger]

:frown:
Yeah, right! :withstupid:
Where does that one come from.
House rules at The Broken Window Saloon??

Never heard that one before, but it wouldn't surprise me if I did.

Thanks for all the great input everyone!

 

[rackem]

This also occurs because CB is actually larger than the object balls on most coin-op tables. The larger diameter means that contact will be made above the horizontal plane of the apex ball.

Not that much Big Cue Ball barbox out there anymore At least in most places south of the border. :grin-square:
We got rid of it in Cali when Keith left.