How to draw the markings on a table?

OneArmed

OneArmed

the agony of billiards...
Silver Member
I'm going to be putting markings on all the tables at a local poolhall (as the mechanic didn't know how/didn't want to).

These are mainly straight pool tables, so I need the rack outline and a line going back to the end rail from the foot spot. Question is, how do you determine where the rack outline goes? Because the rack needs to move up and down to remove after the balls are placed, do you just add a certain distance?

Also, what about the "D" on a snooker table?

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks
 
this might be a good question for the "Ask a Pro" section.

I saw a guy doing this with a few yard sticks... I doubt it's the best choice of course. Good luck!
 
Easy

Rack the balls and trace around the rack. Seems simple enough to me. Once you have traced the rack, remove the rack and balls a run a straight edge (yardstick) from the center of the spot to the center diamond and draw your straight line. This is the process I use and is very simple to do.

For the snooker I am uncertain as I don't play or have access to a snooker table. I think Mueller Products or someone sells a D template for snooker tables.

Kevin
 
Kevin Lindstrom said:
Rack the balls and trace around the rack. Seems simple enough to me. Once you have traced the rack, remove the rack and balls a run a straight edge (yardstick) from the center of the spot to the center diamond and draw your straight line. This is the process I use and is very simple to do.

For the snooker I am uncertain as I don't play or have access to a snooker table. I think Mueller Products or someone sells a D template for snooker tables.

Kevin
Click to expand...


I agree, except that I draw the foot string line first, then you know you are racking straight through the middle of the center bottom ball.

I also draw a head string line as well, so there's no doubt about the "kitchen". :wink:
 
What I would like to know and this may be useful for you as well; what is the white marker they use in tourneys like the Mosconi Cup or World cup of pool?
 
Has anyone ever tried to add a half ball width between the rack and where you draw the outline? This is probably more trouble than it's worth but the reason I ask is because then you can gauge the ball's position using the base of the ball instead of the edge of the ball. It bugs me a little to use the base for the head string and the edge for the rack outline.
 
Question

Cuebacca said:
Has anyone ever tried to add a half ball width between the rack and where you draw the outline? This is probably more trouble than it's worth but the reason I ask is because then you can gauge the ball's position using the base of the ball instead of the edge of the ball. It bugs me a little to use the base for the head string and the edge for the rack outline.
Click to expand...

The edge of the ball detrmines if it is in the rack or not so why be concerned about the base of the ball when it is near the rack?

Kevin
 
OneArmed said:
Also, what about the "D" on a snooker table?

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks
Click to expand...

Marking for Smaller Snooker Table
http://www.snookergames.co.uk/qanda21.html

The "D" is exactly one third the width of the playable area. Thus the radius should be 1/6th that of the playable width of the table. The baulk line is 1/5th of the length of the table. The blue is in the middle, the pink is in the middle of the centre and corner pockets and the black is 1/11th from the top cushion.
 
I have Glen RKC mark my tables a certain way, perhaps he has a pic. I like what he does, he uses a sharpie permant marker, which will fade a bit in time but still stays forever.

on a snooker table they make a white pencil just for marking the cloth, because snooker cloth is sometimes re-tightened(moved) using a permant marker on it is a BAD idea. you have to use the pencil-you can buy them online from alot of places in the UK.
 
Kevin Lindstrom said:
The edge of the ball detrmines if it is in the rack or not so why be concerned about the base of the ball when it is near the rack?

Kevin
Click to expand...

Sorry I didn't really make my issue very clear. The issue I'm describing is that it's easier to tell if a ball crosses a line if you're using the base to judge. Imagine the head string line and another line parallel to it, but a half ball distance away. Now put the ball on one of the lines. So you have something like this....
__________
-------O------

Depending on how accurately you put your eye above the line, it's hard to tell if the edge has crossed the line. You don't have that problem with the base of the ball because the base is actually touching the cloth. That's why I think it's better to define "inside the kitchen" and "outside the kitchen" using the base rather than the edge.

You could apply the same concept with the rack, except that it would be a challenge to draw the rack outline with an extra half ball space between the rack and the outline. I can think of some ways to do it, but it's probably not worth that effort. It still bugs me though. LOL.
 
I used a long sturdy ruler and a leveler with the laser for the straight lines. I aligned the leveler with the diamonds and it projects the laser on to the cloth. Place the ruler alongside the laser and trace it with a marker. :thumbup:
 
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