Pocket reducers?

P

predator

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
How many of you have experience with pocket reducer inserts? I just tried them last night and they made pockets on my table about 1.3 ball widths! The pockets look rather big after you remove them, lol. Not really for playing games, but as a practice tool it might help. I was actually surprised that it is possible to cheat that small pocket a little.

Now I need to think of clever strategy on using these reducers. 50% of my solo practice time? Less? More? I'll need to experiment a bit...
 
one of the best practice aids there is as far as i am concerned. Tom "Dr Cue" Rossman spoke highly of them as well.

funny, though. when i practice with them on, and really try and bear down to make a shot and not hit the reducers, i usually struggle. if i just forget about them, pretend like they arent there, and just fire away, thats when i usually have the most luck with them on.

keep shooting with them on, its excellent practice!

DCP
 
predator said:
How many of you have experience with pocket reducer inserts? I just tried them last night and they made pockets on my table about 1.3 ball widths! The pockets look rather big after you remove them, lol. Not really for playing games, but as a practice tool it might help. I was actually surprised that it is possible to cheat that small pocket a little.

Now I need to think of clever strategy on using these reducers. 50% of my solo practice time? Less? More? I'll need to experiment a bit...
Click to expand...

EDIT: BTW, no offense meant to those who like pocket reducers as they come. Some of my best friends like pocket reducers. :)
I absolutely hate them as them come, but some alteration can make them really good.
I bought them and after I'd used them a couple of times decided they were totally useless and they just gathered dust on a shelf... until somebody posted the below thread on RSB. With them altered as shown in the below picture they suddenly became very useful allowing NATURAL shots and ball reaction with a reduced pocket width. I play games with them that way, not just use them for practice shot making. You might want to give it a try, it is a cheap experiment. Additionally, I put the pocket reducers in upside down so that the spring is in the pocket rather than over it. This way the spring doesn't interfer with any shots; it makes it a bit more difficult emptying the pockets, but that's no big deal.

See explaination here.

See pictures here.
 
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catscradle said:
EDIT: BTW, no offense meant to those who like pocket reducers as they come. Some of my best friends like pocket reducers. :)
I absolutely hate them as them come, but some alteration can make them really good.
I bought them and after I'd used them a couple of times decided they were totally useless and they just gathered dust on a shelf... until somebody posted the below thread on RSB. With them altered as shown in the below picture they suddenly became very useful allowing NATURAL shots and ball reaction with a reduced pocket width. I play games with them that way, not just use them for practice shot making. You might want to give it a try, it is a cheap experiment. Additionally, I put the pocket reducers in upside down so that the spring is in the pocket rather than over it. This way the spring doesn't interfer with any shots; it makes it a bit more difficult emptying the pockets, but that's no big deal.

See explaination here.

See pictures here.
Click to expand...
Perfect idea and an awesome find.
Thanks for sharing this idea...

Myron
 
pocket_reducers.jpg


I usually practice about 45 minutes to an hour with the reducers, then I remove them. The thing that annoys me is that they get in the way of some shots and if you're not careful you can damage your cue. Other than that, I like what they do.
 
Blackjack said:
... The thing that annoys me is that they get in the way of some shots and if you're not careful you can damage your cue. Other than that, I like what they do.
Click to expand...

Note: from my post above
...Additionally, I put the pocket reducers in upside down so that the spring is in the pocket rather than over it. This way the spring doesn't interfer with any shots; it makes it a bit more difficult emptying the pockets, but that's no big deal...
Click to expand...
 
I don't have experience with pocket reducers but I do have experience reducing the pocket size. A couple of years ago I wanted tighter pockets so I put a piece of rubber at all the pocket facings which resulted in tighter pockets but the table no longer play natural as whenever the OB/CB hit this new rubber the ball would deaden to a large degree. I've since done the job right. I got a stock piece of maple and made a subrail about two feet long to match my rail profile and cut out 3/8" shimms for the end of all my rails extending the original rails. Ofcourse this is an expensive way to go but worth it in my opinion. I bought new felt along with new Artemis cushions and the cushions went over the wooden shimms I added to the end of each rail resulting in a true bounce when a ball hits close to the pocket. This is not the way to go for everyone as it's expensive and takes a fair bit of time to do, I was able to do the job myself so it was just the cost of material and my time.

I've never used the pocket reducers you show in your post but they look like they'll get in the way when playing a game and they don't look like you will get a true bounce from them but i'm sure they'll help you with your focus and concentration for shot making. If you find you really like the tighter pockets and want to make your table a tight pocketed table permanently you might want to consider what I did.
 
I love using them for practice. On my very tight table they make the pocket just barely big enough for a ball. Ever since my local pool hall removed the snooker table, whenever people want to play a game of golf, we just use the reducers on the tightest 4.5x9 in the room. Not perfect, but it makes for an interesting golf game.
 
They are pretty good at making you focus on putting the object ball STRAIGHT into the pocket. Any anything that makes you focus during practice is a good thing, IMO.

At times, I feel like they limit your position play too much, where you really can't cheat or angle the the balls into the pocket in order to gain position, especially when your pockets are a tight 4 1/2" to begin with.
 
Gregg said:
They are pretty good at making you focus on putting the object ball STRAIGHT into the pocket. Any anything that makes you focus during practice is a good thing, IMO.

At times, I feel like they limit your position play too much, where you really can't cheat or angle the the balls into the pocket in order to gain position, especially when your pockets are a tight 4 1/2" to begin with.
Click to expand...
Those reducers can be hell with the exposed rubber and all. Has anybody tried putting cloth over them? They do make the pocket a whole lot smaller, too small on my table to realistically play. But as far as cheating the pocket, that's the point of playing on tight pockets to begin with. Cheating the pocket is a very bad habit to get into. A 4 1/2" pocket is huge, you can miss by a 1/2 ball either way, which is 1 full ball-width of built in error for balls in the middle of the table. Tight pockets make you learn to shoot to the center of the pocket and control the cueball by using the correct stroke and english instead of teaching you to miss a little to get shape. And they make you play your position to much tighter zones.

unknownpro
 
Now I see some really accomplished players use them for practice. Good enough for me.

Got those reducers off Seyberts.
 
reducing

I need to order some of these. I have been interested in trying them for all my practicing. I mean when I come off of an 8 or 9 foot table and play on a 7 table the pockets seem huge to me, so I would think the same effect would happen if I used pocket reducers on my 8 footer.
 
Pocket Reducers

I agree with Blackjack, they are a great practice aid, however, I learned the hard way that you have to be EXTREMELY careful or you will damage a cue shaft or two. I can't wait to start using them again using Catscradle's suggestion of placing them upside down.

Looks like my set are soon to be dusted off and put to "safe" use.

Thanks,
Nick
 
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