Pocket Shape

[Sloppy Pockets]

It makes perfect sense that narrow pocket openings are harder to shoot at than wide pockets, but how about the angle of the pockets sides? Do parallel sides makes it easier or harder to pocket balls than tapered pockets that are wider at the opening than at the back?

 

[Bob Jewett]

It makes perfect sense that narrow pocket openings are harder to shoot at than wide pockets, but how about the angle of the pockets sides? Do parallel sides makes it easier or harder to pocket balls than tapered pockets that are wider at the opening than at the back?

Tapered pockets reject balls. We seem to have gotten them from the Gold Crown design which was broken in many other ways as well. Even worse is when the pocket facing gets indented and cupped so that a ball shot perfectly down the rail -- but at high speed -- will be rejected. I think in a good pocket design the speed of the shot should matter as little as possible. The current pockets don't do that.

 

[Sloppy Pockets]

That makes sense to me and is what I thought, but I seem to have seen several references here and elsewhere that narrow Diamond pockets are made even harder by the straight sides.

My table has 5" openings but are only 4 1/8" at the back. They rattle a lot of balls out and it is very frustrating. To make it worse, the pocket shelves are 1 7/8" deep, with very little roll-off at the shelf edge. I can place a ball right at the shelf edge and the entire ball will be completely inside of the points.

Also, the pocket leathers themselves have hard points that are a ridiculously narrow 3 7/8" across. Hit one of those on the way in and the ball spits right back out. I'm bad enough as it is without having to miss well-hit shots all the time.

I'm thinking of having the table worked on by a better mechanic. Any suggestions you might make?

Maybe I should post this on the "Ask a Mechanic" forum as well.

 

[Tony_in_MD]

Posting this to the Ask the Mechanic Section is a great idea.

There are a number of posters on that site that can explain the details of the geometry of the pocket and how it affects the pocketing of balls. The opening size and angles, shelf depth,downangles of the facing, cushion type and facing materials all have a part to play in the the pocket accepts balls.

When RKC redid my Gold Crown last October, it was learning experience in seeing what it takes to create a great playing table.

That makes sense to me and is what I thought, but I seem to have seen several references here and elsewhere that narrow Diamond pockets are made even harder by the straight sides.

My table has 5" openings but are only 4 1/8" at the back. They rattle a lot of balls out and it is very frustrating. To make it worse, the pocket shelves are 1 7/8" deep, with very little roll-off at the shelf edge. I can place a ball right at the shelf edge and the entire ball will be completely inside of the points.

Also, the pocket leathers themselves have hard points that are a ridiculously narrow 3 7/8" across. Hit one of those on the way in and the ball spits right back out. I'm bad enough as it is without having to miss well-hit shots all the time.

I'm thinking of having the table worked on by a better mechanic. Any suggestions you might make?

Maybe I should post this on the "Ask a Mechanic" forum as well.