GCIV Side Pocket Video And Pics

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DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ok, i have a video of my side pockets on my Gold Crown IV. would like for some of you experts to check it out and tell me what you think of my side pockets. i even shoot some balls into it, and you can see them bouncing out. the last two shots of the '2' and '3' ball i feel should definitely have gone in.

let me know your email addresses so i can forward the video clips to you, i would like some of your thoughts/comments. also below are close up pics of the side pockets.

remember, i keep complaining that balls hit my side pocket facings and dont fall in. not sure what to do about it.

DCP
 

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I dont see anything wrong with the pics, the pocket has the factory cuts and the crease is barely visible, I dont think the crease is the reason they pop out.
 
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DrCue'sProtege said:
ok, i have a video of my side pockets on my Gold Crown IV. would like for some of you experts to check it out and tell me what you think of my side pockets. i even shoot some balls into it, and you can see them bouncing out. the last two shots of the '2' and '3' ball i feel should definitely have gone in.

let me know your email addresses so i can forward the video clips to you, i would like some of your thoughts/comments. also below are close up pics of the side pockets.

remember, i keep complaining that balls hit my side pocket facings and dont fall in. not sure what to do about it.

DCP
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Did you see the side pockets on the "HOW TO MAKE A POOL TABLE" thread? They had the exposed flap of the cloth and no seam across the middle. It doesn't look as good maybe, but won't throw the balls up and out. The wide angle of the gold crown pockets throws balls out anyway, but that little seem under you cloth is a killer and will certainly pop balls up and out of the pocket that should go. I've seen it many, many, many times.


unknownpro
 
well, for some reason or other my work computer deleted the video attachments. and since i cannot access my Yahoo email here from the office i will have to wait to send out the videos.

my apologies.

DCP
 
DCP,
They look exactly like the side pockets on the Diamonds at Chalkies; and exactly like the side pockets on my table (except mine are shimmed). Remember the ball is going to strike the cushion at it's equator; I'm a little puzzled how any creases below this level are going to affect your shot.
 
you should contact steve at hardtimes bellflower. he does all their tables and they play really good. he does pay attention to detail. he comes to this forum often. maybe he'll chime in.
 
well, perhaps from what everyone is telling me i need to have a wedge-shaped shim on the side pockets. that will eliminate the "flared" opening of the side pockets which apparently is causing the balls to pop out, and not the crease of the cloth.

i suppose after they are shimmed they might actually look smaller, but with the facing angle more parallel they will actually play bigger since balls will be directed towards the bottom, and not pop out.

DCP
 
STANTON said:
you should contact steve at hardtimes bellflower. he does all their tables and they play really good. he does pay attention to detail. he comes to this forum often. maybe he'll chime in.
Click to expand...

Steve set up my home table and I couldn't be happier with the results.. It's tight though.. Really tight, and now that the tables "wore in" it rejects em unless you hit them perfectly. That's exactly what I wanted.

RD
 
DCP - On the video where you're shooting balls, it looks like your approaching the side pocket from a pretty steep angle. My guess is that the object ball starts from between the rack area and the cushion on the pocket side. And it seems that you're shooting the balls with a lot of speed for a steep side pocket shot. I doubt that there's anything wrong with your pocket setup - I think you're just expecting too much. The steeper the angle into the side, the slower you have to hit it for it to go. And past a certain point of steepness, it's impossible (even at very slow speed it will hit both facings but won't drop). A corner pocket will accept balls from anywere on the table, but that's not true of the side pocket. I could have misinterpreted the video, but that's how I saw it.
 
yes, you are somewhat correct in your assessment of the video. the first two balls that pop out probably are not a good indication. but the last two balls i felt definitely should have gone based upon where they hit the facing. they didnt hit the front edge, but rather more towards the middle of the facing.

again, that video might not really be a good indication of what i am talking about. last night i had a real, real short cut shot into the side pocket, sort of a touch/feather shot. i hit the facing, the ball didnt fall, and it popped out only about 2" inches from the pocket.

i think what some posters say is probably true. that being to put a wedge-shaped shim into the side pockets and get the facing angle more parallel. the side pockets might be tighter, but when you do get the ball inside the kitty it is going to fall in instead of pop out.

DCP
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
i think what some posters say is probably true. that being to put a wedge-shaped shim into the side pockets and get the facing angle more parallel. the side pockets might be tighter, but when you do get the ball inside the kitty it is going to fall in instead of pop out.

DCP
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Are you saying that there's no face shim there to begin with? That's sound strange.

And speaking of sounding strange, the shots so sound strange. That could be the table solidness, but it sounds like the facings are a material that I'm unfamiliar with. Could be a GCIV thing.

The pockets also look too tight for a side pocket. The BCA minimum is 5 3/8th for side pockets (4 7/8th for corners). Going to 5 1/4" for sides and 4 1/2" for corners would make them "tight" for BCA specs. It looks like your side pockets are even smaller than 5 1/4"

I stopped and paused the last two shots over and over, and it looks like they shouldn't go in (or have a great chance at not going in), at that pace, angle, and spot where you hit the face.

I trigged out your side pocket angles, and I'd say you're at 97°, well short of the 103° - 105° spec. I'd say you need to go less parallel. But, that's just off the cuff.



Fred
 

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regarding my side pocket facings - my installer told me there is CHARCOAL under the cloth, attached to the cushion.

and to go less parallel seems like it would cause balls to pop out even worse instead of directing them to the pocket? what you are saying seems 100% opposite of what Greg (Diamond Billiards Owner) has recommended to me regarding the side pockets.

i know there are times balls pop out of the side pockets where i am just crying about the table, when the shot was probably off. but it sure seems to me there are times when balls hit those facings, should fall, and just dont. that little touch/feather shot i had last night was a classic example.

what to do, what to do??????????

HEELLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!

DCP
 
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DrCue'sProtege said:
regarding my side pocket facings - my installer told me there is CHARCOAL under the cloth, attached to the cushion
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Ah...CHARCOAL. That's the problem... just kidding. I have no idea why that would be the problem. Do other manufacturers use charcoal? My table doesn't.

DrCue'sProtege said:
and to go less parallel seems like it would cause balls to pop out even worse instead of directing them to the pocket? what you are saying seems 100% opposite of what Greg (Diamond Billiards Owner) has recommended to me regarding the side pockets.
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Yup, you're right. But, at the angle you're shooting at, plus the idea that your pockets seem to have a smaller gate opening, there isn't any face to shoot at. Maybe there's more of blending that has to happen.

Anyway, any chance on taking that video of the pocket from above while shooting those shots?

Fred
 
Cornerman said:
Are you saying that there's no face shim there to begin with? That's sound strange.

And speaking of sounding strange, the shots so sound strange. That could be the table solidness, but it sounds like the facings are a material that I'm unfamiliar with. Could be a GCIV thing.

The pockets also look too tight for a side pocket. The BCA minimum is 5 3/8th for side pockets (4 7/8th for corners). Going to 5 1/4" for sides and 4 1/2" for corners would make them "tight" for BCA specs. It looks like your side pockets are even smaller than 5 1/4"

I stopped and paused the last two shots over and over, and it looks like they shouldn't go in (or have a great chance at not going in), at that pace, angle, and spot where you hit the face.

I trigged out your side pocket angles, and I'd say you're at 97°, well short of the 103° - 105° spec. I'd say you need to go less parallel. But, that's just off the cuff.



Fred
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DCP - I printed your photo and took it downstairs to hold next to my GCIII side pockets. I think Fred's right - your cushion facings (if that's the right word) look more parallel than mine. You can measure the pocket width to see how it compares to the specs Fred quoted.

I still think you're hitting them too fast for that kind of shot. On a steep angle into the side pocket, you have to hit it so slow that the ball is just about dying when it gets to the pocket, and even then it might not drop. But I now agree that something is wrong - maybe the width but very likely the angle of the facings. Good luck.
Rich
 
some people say the facings need to be less parallel, others say the facings need to be more parallel.

whats a guy to do and what is a guy to think???

DCP
 
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