I've played on a GC with the thick facings from Classic Billiards and it played just fine. https://www.classicbilliards.net/cu...urometer-hardness-die-cut-cushion-facing.html very cost-effective way to snug the pockets.
Pocket Facing Thickness Question
- Thread starter ChrisinNC
- Start date
Thank you! It is interesting of what I have found in confirmations so far. My friends said that double shimmed or thick rubber facing pockets rejects balls a lot. Especially on the Olhausens tables. This is confirmed. I was very confused when most people woul states that thosr pockets will be dead, or hitting woods. I had the impressions that double shimmed pockets would not reject balls because balls dont bounce off woods
Anyways, thicker shimming pockets would be too hard to play on. We should have all agreed to this and started with this rather than the other confusings claims
So, in order to up your accuracy, you want double or tripple shimmed pockets, because they are pretty Lively and reject balls even at the slighted Errors.
It appears you are the only one who is confused.Thank you! It is interesting of what I have found in confirmations so far. My friends said that double shimmed or thick rubber facing pockets rejects balls a lot. Especially on the Olhausens tables. This is confirmed. I was very confused when most people woul states that thosr pockets will be dead, or hitting woods. I had the impressions that double shimmed pockets would not reject balls because balls dont bounce off woods
Anyways, thicker shimming pockets would be too hard to play on. We should have all agreed to this and started with this rather than the other confusings claims
So, in order to up your accuracy, you want double or tripple shimmed pockets, because they are pretty Lively and reject balls even at the slighted Errors.
you really don't know much about how a table should play based on some of the goofy stuff you've stated. tough but fair is what you want not gaffy ball-spitting pockets. either take advice from people on here that know their shit or hop. just don't spew nonsense and expect not to get hammered. over-shimming leads to table that plays like shit.
You dont have to come up with all the cursing and swearing. That makes you feel like a grown up ?
I never stated that overshimming makes a table play good. I stated the facts that I Do Not agree when people said Overshimming make the pockets play Dead.
No, overshimming make a pocket Play Tough! And Fun as it will be spitting and rejecting balls with any slights errors.
So, to clear it up to other newbies who wants a used table at home like me. That is the real statement. Double or triple or thick shimming makes your pockets play Very Very Tough. Not DEAD
I also saw statement that Overshimming makes pockets play like hitting Wood. NO!!! Woods dont bounce balls, rubbers do!! And Over Shimming will make pockets plays like hitting a Tire...not wood
When they talk about the area by the pocket being dead with double shimmed pockets they are talking about the end of the cushion, balls dont rebound off of the cushion where the facing is, the more facings the larger the area of dead cushion is. One of the best ways to see if any pocket plays fair is to line up 3 balls frozen on the rail, shoot the cue ball at the ball farthest from the pocket to make the ball, if the ball closest to the pocket should drop. This method eliminates any unintended spin on the ball.
OK. I don't think you understand.
Thanks for clarifications. That means the end corners of the pocket plays dead and not the pocket itself.
Can you tell more about 3 balls test ? Cause a good hit will always drop it no matter what
Its just a shot down the rail with the balls frozen to the rail. If you line 3 balls up you shouldnt be able to miss and any influence spin would have on the shot is eliminated. If the end ball goes in on a shot hit with pace the pocket is considered to play fair, if it rattles the pocket is gaffed.
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
Also a quick way to test if balls will actually go past the side pockets, as in the side pocket point isn't sticking out into the play field, you can run the ball down the rail past the side.
The tables at one of the bars we shot league at a few years ago whoever recovered the tables effed up the side pocket folds and there were protrusions from the folds sticking out proud of the rails. If you shot a ball down the rail the near side of the side pocket would kick the ball out before it even got to the far side where it normally happens.
I came to my friend house and did this 3 frozen balls. I dont think his poclet are gaffed. He uses double thick shims and the end ball just drops.
Unless I do a straight in shot from 1.1/2 diamond OB-Pocket distance with my CB down 7 diamonds away with a long draw shot. If I tried to draw back then the OB would rattle with the most miniscules errors of unintentional sidespins.
The side pockets my friend said is usually a mistake of when people didnt use Lazer to level the rails. Then it will stick out or worse, 1 rail would be offset from the rest by a couple mm.
He agrees that if we double shimming the way he does, there is a dead spot at the corner ends which is about 3/16" (1/2cm) away from the pocket opening. Therefore, trickshots like those that need a good rebounce from corners as shown on tiktok and so on, are mostly uncontrollable. However, in normal play, most people dont ever encounter the scenarios to rely on the end rails corners for deflections, and most people do not rely on it. Possibly only for 5% of the shots where a kick or bank is needed from within 1/2 diamond OB/CB/Pocket
If we talk into account that a purposefully good tables that needs subrail extensions with wood, then it is the best way to rebuild and reconditioning a table, most time consuming and expensive especially when looking for mechanic. But to him as a handy man, it is an easy job, just time consuming and he thinks it isnt neccessary to involve all that expenses of cloths and rubbers. Because a table that isnt fair have many other weakness that can easily outmaneuvering the 3/16" deadspot from pocket corners. Like a slight unleveled, cloth indents, cloths with holes and rips...etc. Rails that are not properly leveled to line up straight...etc
He definitely agrees that doing double shims on a table will improve the accuracy and precisions in making shots. Therefore, it is fine for players to practice at home table with just that and avoid incurring further expenses
I am learning the tables and it mechanics in relations to the game itself. Of course I am easily confused by different claims and statements. But so far, this is what I have been cleared about
Its negligible around here whether tight pockets are really a good idea for practice, what do you expect to gain and at what cost?? If you need small pockets where you must hit center pocket to develop accuracy how do you ever expect to play to different parts of the pocket when needed for shape?? If you are using different parts of the pocket there is no reason to have anything less than 4 1/2" because that about the tightest pockets most will encounter unless they are playing professional tournaments. I think even a 5" pocket is just fine for practicing on. Just because my table has 4 1/2" pockets doesn't mean I make every ball on a table with 5" pockets, heck, I don't even know if I even notice that its easier to pocket ball on 5" pockets, the biggest thing I notice on a big pocket table is that there are some shots I can make that I cant make with 4 1/2" pockets, like shooting past a ball already in the jaws. The important thing is to do what is right for you, if you don't enjoy playing on it it will be hard to put in the practice time. At least you didnt have to spend a lot of money extending the sub-rails to try out tight pockets and you can always do it properly when its time to replace the cushions. Good luck.
Thank you for this response. You have very valid points. One bar closest and nicest to my place has 4-1/8 pockets with Diamonds and Valley where they host many different tournaments. That was why I wanna put in the practices
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Gold Crown I with properly extended and calibrated subrails; Diamond Black Cushions. Corner pockets are cut to 140°, sides to 103° with proper 3/16" 60 Durometer Neoprene facings. Table and pockets play fantastic. Tight but fair. Stacking facings (shimming) is not the way to tighten a table up.
Very nice! Where do you find Diamond cushions ? And what pocket sizes ? The Side pockets lool large still isnt it ?Gold Crown I with properly extended and calibrated subrails; Diamond Black Cushions. Corner pockets are cut to 140°, sides to 103° with proper 3/16" 60 Durometer Neoprene facings. Table and pockets play fantastic. Tight but fair. Stacking facings (shimming) is not the way to tighten a table up.
The balls tell the size in inches. Diamond cushions are readily available from various billiard supply companies.
About 4 and 1/8 and 4 and 3/4 side?