Purchasing Cheesy Pool Tables...

tigerallenyim

tigerallenyim

Hate has no home here
Silver Member
I don't have much money and not really looking for a more preferred name brand pool table. I am thinking of getting a cheesy pool table like the ones offered on Wal-mart, Sears, Sports Authority, at el..

I only plan to use the cheesy pool table to work on fundamentals and for something to play everyday so I can keep in stroke.

I need your input/thoughts on this kind of decision.
If you had any experience on playing on any of these, your input would be most appreciated!

Thanks in advance!
 
I'd say you're tossing good money away.
Find a used valley or diamond bar box. It will keep it's value, and actually help. Those cheesy rails will mess with your banks, which are something to practice on your home table.
Find out who distributes to the bars in your area, they'll probably have reasonable used gear for you.
 
My advice would be to use the $300 to $400 you're gonna spend on a cheesey table/accessories to find a decent poolhall near you and rent a table for working on the fundamentals. It's hard to get a good fix on what you're trying to achieve on a non-slate table with honest-to-goodness felt on it (as opposed to cloth!). If you think you've just gotta have a table at home, make a small loan and at least get a bottom-of-the-line slate/cloth table or find a good deal on a used table. You ain't gonna be satisfied with the "cheese" in the long run. Just my $.02.

Maniac
 
tigerallenyim said:
I don't have much money and not really looking for a more preferred name brand pool table. I am thinking of getting a cheesy pool table like the ones offered on Wal-mart, Sears, Sports Authority, at el..

I only plan to use the cheesy pool table to work on fundamentals and for something to play everyday so I can keep in stroke.

I need your input/thoughts on this kind of decision.
If you had any experience on playing on any of these, your input would be most appreciated!

Thanks in advance!
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How much do one of those cost? Unless they are close to free, I would pass and watch for a used table in your local classified ads and at http://fortlauderdale.craigslist.org

If you are not in a rush, you can watch and pickup a good slate table for next to nothing, certainly under $400. You have to be a bit patient, Christmas season is not a good time to get a deal. But if you just check Craigslist every few days something will popup in the new year. You will want to hire somebody to move and setup the table for you, that is not cheap, but not too terribly expensive either. In my area it costs less than $200.
 
Craigs list! You will be amazed at the number of great pool tables for sale there. People buy them..use them a couple of weeks...let them set there until the little lady wants the room back...then the tables are dumped for a fraction of their original cost. I have seen $2000+ tables for $500 and they included lights and cues etc too! Dont forget to factor in the cost of moving the table. Have it done by someone that knows what they are doing.
 
Get the cheesy table if you can't do better

Well, I'm going to go against the trend here. I fully agree that if you can come up with the dollars for a good used table, do so. However, if all you can afford is a cheap piece of crap used, grab it! When I was fifteen I bought a used Sears and Roebuck table with 3/4" imitation slate bed. It was four by eight and that is about all it had going for it. I didn't play solely on it but I did play on it many hours a week. That $125 investment returned me many thousands of dollars in the coming years. I did buy a good set of balls when I could. That table stayed around for many years and I finally sold it and the balls for a little more than I had in them. One of the best investments I have ever made in my life all things considered.

The people that have visited the Philippines have noted that the tables and playing conditions are terrible there for the most part. You may have noticed that those players manage to adapt rather nicely to good equipment and good conditions.

I say playing on anything at all is better than playing on nothing. Anyone serious about pool will get in many more hours of playing time by having a table in their home.

Hu
 
Don't buy junk. Do as DougT said...find a nice Valley barbox. They are easy to find under $500. I have one that has new rails, shimmed pockets, and 760.....plays wonderful!!! You'll be sorry if you buy a cardboard table.
 
DougT said:
I'd say you're tossing good money away...
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Maniac said:
you think you've just gotta have a table at home...
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Never thought of that. I should be able to contact someone soon about it.
mthornto said:
http://fortlauderdale.craigslist.org
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That will definitely help. Didn't think of that either. And ur right, I would have to develop some patience, which I think I got more than enuff of :)
Varney Cues said:
Don't buy junk. ...
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After been on this board, you seem to give helpful advice. So it will be something I will be thinking about....
ShootingArts said:
I say playing on anything at all is better than playing on nothing...
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Agreed. And ur input does help. It lets me know what the experience is, espcecially from one who owned one.

I may have to compromise and wait.

If anyone else has more opinions, pls post. I rely on ya'll.
 
I'm as big a pool equipment snob as anyone, and so I absolutely agree with everyone else's recommendation to invest in a quality used slate table.

However, after spending the Thanksgiving holidays last week shooting on my nephew's cheezy Walmart table (He and 2 friends kicked in $100 each to buy it.), I must admit, though it was a great deal less than ideal, it's better than nothing. Certainly it's useful for working on mechanics. So if it came down to you having no table at all, or a cheezy Walmart table, I'd recommend something over nothing.
 
figure out how much you spend in playing pool every month at a hall or bar..if your playing pool alot then stay away from the cheap tables .save up $1,000.00 and buy a good used Olhausen or Brunswick,ect.
 
How large is the room for the table. Should be about 21 feet by16 feet at a minimum for a 4 1/2 by 9. Cues are 5 feet long. That size room just gives playing room, not room for much decorating. Shop for a used name table and be willing to invest about $500 extra over the long term to get it right. Names are Diamond, Brunswick, Olhausen, but if anything has 0ne inch thick slate it is probably pretty fair. There are independent builders doing some good stuff andthe Chinese tables are looking good at about $1800 and then you assemble. The Valley bar boxes are excellent. You would need good balls and that is an extra expense, but you can get the correct feel with the correct balls. Maybe you should leave that work to a lady friend.
 
DaveFagan said:
How large is the room for the table. Should be about 21 feet by16 feet at a minimum for a 4 1/2 by 9. Cues are 5 feet long. That size room just gives playing room, not room for much decorating. Shop for a used name table and be willing to invest about $500 extra over the long term to get it right. Names are Diamond, Brunswick, Olhausen, but if anything has 0ne inch thick slate it is probably pretty fair. There are independent builders doing some good stuff andthe Chinese tables are looking good at about $1800 and then you assemble. The Valley bar boxes are excellent. You would need good balls and that is an extra expense, but you can get the correct feel with the correct balls. Maybe you should leave that work to a lady friend.
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Ok... here's another dumb question.... how does the thickness of a slate relate to the pool table/play? Please bear in mind i never bought one before.... hence thinking/considering buying a cheesy pool table.
 
DougT said:
I'd say you're tossing good money away.
Find a used valley or diamond bar box. It will keep it's value, and actually help. Those cheesy rails will mess with your banks, which are something to practice on your home table.
Find out who distributes to the bars in your area, they'll probably have reasonable used gear for you.
Click to expand...

Exactly. TAP TAP TAP!

Don't throw your money away on the walmart table unless you need a real nice "furniture" piece.
 
if you have 500 dollars and half way good credit . you should be able to go into your local pool table dealership and buy a table on credit.
I got a 1,700 dollar table with 500 down from jones brothers in Little rock.
they installed it and I got a good set of balls and equipment.
 
slate

tigerallenyim said:
Ok... here's another dumb question.... how does the thickness of a slate relate to the pool table/play? Please bear in mind i never bought one before.... hence thinking/considering buying a cheesy pool table.
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Do you think one inch thick slate is likely to warp? Do you think wood will warp and think about pool cue shafts as an example. You are trying to develop a level platform to play the game and machined slate is excellent and to support it requires strength. If the table has one inch slate, it is axiomatic but not certain that it will be a superior product. Since your thoughts will evolve, next will come complications of what felt, what rails, what size pockets, what balls, etc? Education is expensive and you gonna buy some. Good luck. Dont hurry in your shopping quest and you will do just fine.
 
Eeeeeek!!!!!

Avoid the cheese!

*sigh*
Go to Craig's List if you don't have any money to buy a new table. Only get a table that has 1 inch slate or more. Get a backed slate too. This will allow you to stretch the cloth more evenly by stapling the cloth all the way around the table. Slates that are 3/4 inch or less have more vibration in relation to the weight of the cue ball. This causes the ball to bounce more and become less accurate, hence affecting your aim and overall confidence. 3 Cushion Billiard tables are recommended to have a minimum of 1 1/2 inch slate. Why? Larger balls need a heavier/ thicker base to reduce the vibration factor. Also the Wal-mock tables have green material on them, but they are not the material that is consistant or durable in the long run. Also the 1/2 inch rubber on the tables rails are inferior in terms of durability and also in terms of consistancy of bounce. They will sometimes reflect the hardness of the rail behind them because they are not thick enough to absorb the weight of the ball. What does this cause? It means some areas of the table will bounce more or less depending on where on the rail it hits. There are about 100 more reasons you should NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER shop for a pool table at Wal-mart/ Sears/ Kmart/ Cosco etc etc etc. But I will have a stroke if I continue thinking about those tables. I have worked on those types of tables since I was a kid and 95% of them should be publicly burned in a bonfire.

I definitely disagree with the mentality of something is better than nothing when you are buying junk. Save your money wait a year and buy something you will have the rest of your life. Dont waste a year of your life on junk, getting headaches because you wanted to save a couple hundred dollars.
 
If you look around enough you can find killer deals. However you have to be ready to jump on them right then and there. And be able to get the table out that day.

Our shop has bought nice pool tables for $300-600. We normally don't pay more than that because the owner has to pay us to pick it up and then take it out. On top of adding new accesories and having enough of a profit margin to make a profit.

I remember 1 time we picked up a perfect condition 9' Gandy Savannah for I think $300. A buddy of mine got an 8' Olhausen for free. And another Gandy for $200. Now I will admit we get these because by the time someone calls us to buy it they want it gone quick.

However keep your eyes pealed and be patient. You'll eventually run across a great deal.
 
xidica said:
Exactly. TAP TAP TAP!

Don't throw your money away on the walmart table unless you need a real nice "furniture" piece.
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I disagree.

You wouldn't have to worry about your "furniture" grade pool table collapsing while doing this;
spaceball.gif
 
While we are all trying to help and may have different opinions, it is difficult to answer without some kind of budget parameters. What is your budget for a table, balls, cues, lights, etc.?
 
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