Is It Possible To Establish Ball Cleaning Guidelines

Kickin' Chicken

Kickin' Chicken

Kick Shot Aficionado
Gold Member
Silver Member
az member randytabares started a thread asking what the best ball polishing method was and it opened quite a can of worms.

see that thread here:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=410410

there were a lot of opinions (including mine) and products discussed there and even a rule posted that stated balls should not be waxed.

I think there should be some guidelines (or at least guidance) on what products are acceptable and which are not.

Especially confusing was that Aramith ball polish, it was posted, contains some wax in their formula so is that product actually against the rules? :confused:

Inquiring minds want to know.

best,
brian kc
 
Last edited:
Kickin' Chicken said:
az member randytabares started a thread asking what the best ball polishing method was and it opened quite a can of worms.

see that thread here:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=410410

there were a lot of opinions (including mine) and products discussed there and even a rule posted that stated balls should not be waxed.

I think there should be some guidelines on what products are acceptable and which are not.

Especially confusing was that Aramith ball polish, it was posted, contains some wax in their formula so is that product actually against the rules? :confused:

Inquiring minds want to know.

best,
brian kc
Click to expand...

It is big in billiards. Some guys like the balls treated with silicone like products others will smudge the balls with sweaty palms if you let them.
 
Post

I have stated in the past that we are in the developing process of a ball cleaner/polisher.

The bottom line is that our design will polish and clean the balls as if they had just left the factory luster.
The process is very tedious and the machine is a bit of a challenge to complete.
We might complete in a few months or it could take another year or so to set in stone.

We'll go into depth about cleaning and polishing balls when the machine is ready.



Rob.M
 
Last edited:
On the other thread for this same topic, I earlier posted the WPA rules for sanctioned tournaments.
WPA clearly states polishing or waxing or compounding pool balls before a tournament is "verboten".
So as has been suggested, a more standardized way of cleaning the balls would seem merit worthy.

Matt B.
 
Kickin' Chicken said:
az member randytabares started a thread asking what the best ball polishing method was and it opened quite a can of worms.

see that thread here:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=410410

there were a lot of opinions (including mine) and products discussed there and even a rule posted that stated balls should not be waxed.

I think there should be some guidelines (or at least guidance) on what products are acceptable and which are not.

Especially confusing was that Aramith ball polish, it was posted, contains some wax in their formula so is that product actually against the rules? :confused:

Inquiring minds want to know.

best,
brian kc
Click to expand...

Where I play pool (Sam's in Portland Or) we have a Diamond ball polisher.

Best product out there in my opinion. Throw the balls in the polisher for about 2 minutes and they look like new.

Don
 
Aloha KC

Have you tried using rubbing alcohol to clean the balls?

I found a couple squirts with a misting squirt bottle works well. Let um run in the cleaner for a bit, and no need for wax. Also I have found a quick burst with static guard helps in the last few moments of the cleaning.

Just one of many ways. But have had good results.

Aloha
 
Albatross Cues said:
Aloha KC

Have you tried using rubbing alcohol to clean the balls?

I found a couple squirts with a misting squirt bottle works well. Let um run in the cleaner for a bit, and no need for wax. Also I have found a quick burst with static guard helps in the last few moments of the cleaning.

Just one of many ways. But have had good results.

Aloha
Click to expand...

Here's the thing.

You have a method that you feel works well and so do I (diff than yours).

And in the other thread there were quite a few other suggestions but then two important items came up that seem very important to me.

1. There is a rule stating balls should not be waxed. This is interesting since, as one poster pointed out, Aramith ball polish contains wax. Also, because I have been told that Meguiar Auto Polish (wax) was good to use on the balls in my Diamond ball polisher.

2. Dr Dave posted links to research vids he had done showing how various ball cleaning products effect throw; a very impressive piece it is.

Basically, what we should all want is to have balls that play like they are new just out of the box, even after cleaning, all while staying within the rules.

And on top of that, what would also be nice, would be knowing, definitively, what product(s) can achieve this while still being friendly to our polishing machines.

best,
brian kc
 
Last edited:
Aloha

I get what your typing, some standardized component would be nice, I could run testes on different products, but I only have a hillbilly version of a bucket ball polisher. I continually change out the microfiber pad between each cleaning.

As far a professional cleaning machine is concerned, it could give a completely different set of results, due to RPM's, pad consistency, heat transfer and the ability to keep the balls separated during cleaning. Many factors will change and may not attain the same results.

If in fact it is a rule that no wax should be left on the balls, then there are not many options for attaining a quality "new look polish" to the balls. Some for of alcohol or mild solvent may be the only option.

I got a couple friend who are professional auto refinishers, let me pose the question to them and see what kind of answer I get in return. I'll let you know how it goes.

Aloha
 
Albatross Cues said:
Aloha

I get what your typing, some standardized component would be nice, I could run testes on different products, but I only have a hillbilly version of a bucket ball polisher. I continually change out the microfiber pad between each cleaning.

As far a professional cleaning machine is concerned, it could give a completely different set of results, due to RPM's, pad consistency, heat transfer and the ability to keep the balls separated during cleaning. Many factors will change and may not attain the same results.

If in fact it is a rule that no wax should be left on the balls, then there are not many options for attaining a quality "new look polish" to the balls. Some for of alcohol or mild solvent may be the only option.

I got a couple friend who are professional auto refinishers, let me pose the question to them and see what kind of answer I get in return. I'll let you know how it goes.

Aloha
Click to expand...

fyi, Dr Dave's tests showed alcohol to affect throw quite a bit.

best,
brian kc
 
Albatross Cues said:
As far a professional cleaning machine is concerned, it could give a completely different set of results, due to RPM's, pad consistency, heat transfer and the ability to keep the balls separated during cleaning. Many factors will change and may not attain the same results.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. During high-speed abrasive cleaning, there is both a polishing effect and a burnishing effect. Burnishing can give the appearance of a high gloss without actually removing the scratches.

Some thought needs to be put into this problem IMO. At my level of play it doesn't really make a difference, but thinking it's OK to use Novus 1 or the Meguiar's Quik Detailer instead of the Aramith product might make a world of difference to pros playing under these varying conditions.

A single miss at their level can often mean the difference between taking home the trophy and sleeping in their car. Let's make sure their misses are their own fault, and not the fault of improperly maintained equipment. Differences in throw of several degrees is too much of a variable for such a precision game as this.
 
Kickin' Chicken said:
az member randytabares started a thread asking what the best ball polishing method was and it opened quite a can of worms.

see that thread here:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=410410

there were a lot of opinions (including mine) and products discussed there and even a rule posted that stated balls should not be waxed.

I think there should be some guidelines (or at least guidance) on what products are acceptable and which are not.

Especially confusing was that Aramith ball polish, it was posted, contains some wax in their formula so is that product actually against the rules? :confused:

Inquiring minds want to know.

best,
brian kc
Click to expand...


as per WPA RULES

16. Balls and Ball Rack
All balls must be composed of cast phenolic resin plastic and measure 2 ¼ (+.005) inches [5.715 cm (+ .127 mm)] in diameter and weigh 5 ½ to 6 oz [156 to 170 gms]. Balls should be unpolished, and should also not be waxed. Balls should be cleaned with a towel or cloth free of dirt and dust, and may also be washed with soap and water. Balls contaminated with any slippery substance - treated with a polishing or rubbing compound and/or waxed - must be cleansed and dewaxed with a clean cloth moistened with diluted alcohol before play.
 
Sloppy Pockets said:
A single miss at their level can often mean the difference between taking home the trophy and sleeping in their car. Let's make sure their misses are their own fault, and not the fault of improperly maintained equipment. Differences in throw of several degrees is too much of a variable for such a precision game as this.
Click to expand...

True, but just as I tell the local 70+ year old pool hall "greatest player in the world" guy at a place i frequent whom is constantly complaining about equipment.....

Great players can adjust to any condition, those that can't, aren't so great and deserve to lose to those that can. It is just as true for polished and waxed balls as it is for over-sized or heavy cue balls and fast / slow cloth.

The only thing I truly find unacceptable for balls are chips and dents. Those change the game and there is absolutely no skill in the world that will overcome them.
 
This is a really funny post for me. I own a pool room and I have my staff clean the balls every other day and especially the day after league play and tournament play. I ran a tournament on a thursday where I got on my staff for not cleaning the balls. So they cleaned them up and the very first game they were used in, a good customer complained that he wanted to play with dirty balls because it takes a few games to break them in to stop sliding. I laughed about that but you know, he's right. When the table and balls thoroughly cleaned they side like crazy. Maybe there is something to playing with dirty balls?
 
Kickin' Chicken said:
Here's the thing.

Basically, what we should all want is to have balls that play like they are new just out of the box, even after cleaning, all while staying within the rules.

And on top of that, what would also be nice, would be knowing, definitively, what product(s) can achieve this while still being friendly to our polishing machines.

best,
brian kc
Click to expand...

Brian, I think new balls play terrible....so the last thing I want is a ball-cleaning method
that makes balls play like they're new.
I want the balls CLEAN, without any residue from a cleaning product.
A player needs a certain amount of friction to play their best game.
I put nothing in the ball cleaner for 25 years

I might try something resembling what Albatross does, though.

One match that Alex and Dennis were playing, they asked that the balls NOT be cleaned
at the break interval.

ps...I have couple anecdotes supporting this point of view, if anyone is interested
 
Baby Huey said:
Maybe there is something to playing with dirty balls?
Click to expand...

There is. However just like players that have to adjust to dirty balls and tables, players can adjust to clean balls as well.

Sarcastically, maybe instead of saying we need to come up with cleaning guidelines we should try to establish guidelines for just how dirty the balls should be and the method used to be sure we get them there consistently every time.
 
Skippy27 said:
There is. However just like players that have to adjust to dirty balls and tables, players can adjust to clean balls as well.

Sarcastically, maybe instead of saying we need to come up with cleaning guidelines we should try to establish guidelines for just how dirty the balls should be and the method used to be sure we get them there consistently every time.
Click to expand...

Maybe they can rub them with Delaware River mud...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top