Heated pool/billiard tables?

Marie's husband

Marie's husband

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I understand that the high end billiards tables are heated so that they will play the same no matter what the temperature is and the humidity.

So why arent the high end pool tables heated, or has anyone actually seen a heated pool table?

I'm sure the cost has a lot to do with it, and I really dont know if it makes a difference if a table is heated so I'm not saying that they should be, I am just curiouse if someone actually knows why they're not.
 
I have both heard of and now seen regular gold crowns and higher end brunswicks heated but they were done after market.

I am sure cost is a factor as well.

From what I understand however the tables once heated play beautifully.
 
ForumGhost516 said:
I have both heard of and now seen regular gold crowns and higher end brunswicks heated but they were done after market.

I am sure cost is a factor as well.

From what I understand however the tables once heated play beautifully.
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I would think it would be heating pads under the slate all connected to a power strip that might work. :cool:
 
I knew a guy who, maybe 15 yrs ago, came up with an after market table heater. He could never get it to heat the slate uniformly. It was pretty patchy and he finally gave up though he did sell a few.
 
Three cushion billiards sometimes requires that you traverse the table multiple times hitting 5,6,7or 8 rails.In this case slow cloth (humid)would be notable.
 
The primary reason that billiard (Carom) tables are heated is to keep the relative humidity of the playing surface very low. That allows the banking angles to remain "long". The one thing that three cushion players don't want is a table that banks short.

By keeping the bed of the tables at least 10-15 degrees above the ambient temperature of the room, the table is always "dry". A dry table, with clean balls and a clean playing surface allows the table to "run out" at the longest possible angles. If you ever watch any championship level three cushion tournaments you'll notice they throughly clean the balls and the table after each game.

Pocket billiards calls for very few three, four, five, six cushion shots and the target (the pocket) is larger than a 61.5 mm ball. Heating a pool table will indeed make the table bank more consistently and is fairly easy to install, but keep in mind you have to allow 4-8 hours for the table to come up to temperature and you have to pay for that electricity. Most 10 ft three cushion tables are left on 24/7 and can cost $25-$40 per month for electricity.

If you still want to install heat on your pool table you can PM me and I'll give you a list of materials and a procedure to install them based on your brand of pool table.

Hope this helped
Jay
 
The pool table I learned how to masse on had a heater in it. I never saw it turned on, but it was in the table.

The table was a early Brunswick.
 
The Riley Aristocrat Tournament Snooker table has an option for heaters. They use it in Snooker tournaments as it makes the table faster.

Snooker uses a napped cloth which is slow. In pool, the worsted cloth is pretty fast, in fact the Simonis 860 that was designed for 9ball is slower than the 760 because it was hard to control the CB.
At the WTC most of the players complained that the tables played too fast (Milliken cloth was used).

So I don't see any reason to heat a pool table unless the room is freezing... :rolleyes:
 
A-1,

I was not looking to install a heating system on a pool table, I was just curiouse as to why a pool table is not heated and if anyone new the specific reason why they are not?

So far, from what I am understanding, the heat reduces the humidity in the cloth which makes the banks longer, but more true. I dont think that would be the reason why pool tables arent heated and actually I think that could be a reason to heat a pool table.

Also, I am assuming that with less humidity it will cause the cue ball to slide a lot more before english will take affect? I may be wrong on that, but that may be a distractor.


I thought that there would be a definite answer, like it causes the balls to melt, it burns my hands to easy, the cloth catches on fire, or it just causes the table to play too fast or it changes the way english reacts too much. But, I guess the real reason why pool tables arent heated is the time to heat up and cost of it.
 
Marie's husband said:
A-1,

I was not looking to install a heating system on a pool table, I was just curiouse as to why a pool table is not heated and if anyone new the specific reason why they are not?

So far, from what I am understanding, the heat reduces the humidity in the cloth which makes the banks longer, but more true. I dont think that would be the reason why pool tables arent heated and actually I think that could be a reason to heat a pool table.

Also, I am assuming that with less humidity it will cause the cue ball to slide a lot more before english will take affect? I may be wrong on that, but that may be a distractor.


I thought that there would be a definite answer, like it causes the balls to melt, it burns my hands to easy, the cloth catches on fire, or it just causes the table to play too fast or it changes the way english reacts too much. But, I guess the real reason why pool tables arent heated is the time to heat up and cost of it.
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Let me clarify further as to why pool tables are not usually heated, IMHO. First, their is the cost of the heating elements and thermostat. Second, the ratio of multi bank shots to directly pocketed balls does not warrant the additional costs and installation, particularly in normal to dry rooms. Third, the real benefit of heating the table shows up in the banking of the ball and only marginal differences in the roll on the bed (their is a larger difference in a high humidity environment). Fourth, the issue of the electrical cord run across the floor, most billiard (carom) table rooms have spent serious money having under floor electrical outlets installed to feed power to the table without having the trip hazard of the cord plugged into the wall. Fifth, most European heated billiard tables are manufactured to a higher standard of fit and materials, such as 2 inch slate beds, Kleber or Artemus cushions, much heavier frames and support members, additional rail attachments and heavier more substantial rails. All this additional material and expense is designed into the tables to produce the highest standards for consistency of play, table to table.

Unfortunately, most American pool tables are not manufactured with these same levels of materials or exacting fit. Therefore, adding heaters would not bring about the consistency of play when comparing one table over another. That being said, heating the slates of a pool table, any pool table, will allow that table, in that environment, to be as consistent as that table can be.

The question becomes one of costs verses benefit. Most customers find running a good dehumidifier more than an adequate solution for the playing of pool.

So, yes heat will help the consistency and play of the table, (properly installed) but is it worth the costs?

My apologies for not being more explicit in my earlier post.

Jay
 
Jay,

No apology needed, and thank you for the clarification because I do appreciate it. Just so we are clear, I do agree with you on all that you have said so far.


So to sum things up IMHO, the reason pool tables are not heated is not because of how it affects the game. But the benefits of heating a pool table are too costly for the very small improvement in the quality of play in the long run for the type of game we play.

Thank You
Paul
 
Good explanation A-1.I live in Arizona were we have single digit humidity and I can hardly tell the difference with the slate heater on but my table has heaters in the cushions and they seem more lively when warmed up.
 
Marie's husband said:
Jay,

No apology needed, and thank you for the clarification because I do appreciate it. Just so we are clear, I do agree with you on all that you have said so far.


So to sum things up IMHO, the reason pool tables are not heated is not because of how it affects the game. But the benefits of heating a pool table are too costly for the very small improvement in the quality of play in the long run for the type of game we play.

Thank You
Paul
Click to expand...

Paul,

I would agree with you fully with one exception. The improvement in playability is not "very small" in a humid room. In that case, the playability on a heated table greatly improved.

Thanks Again
Jay
 
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