Racking Cloth????

T

TheBook

Ret Professional Goof Off
Silver Member
I was watching a tournament in England on UTube.

When they racked the balls they put a cloth on the table near the end rail, placed the rack on it and then proceeded to place the balls inside the rack. Then the rack was pushed forward into position.

This is something that I have never seen anyone do before.

Where do they sell them and how much are they? 🤔🤗🙄

I can see a potential here for a advertisement on that cloth, or people arguing about what cloth is better. 😀

I also wonder why someone hasn't promoted a break cloth with a x or dot on it indicating where to place the CB and why it will help to sink more balls and control the CB. There could also be a arrow pointing in the direction of the rack to help you line up and aim. 🤑

Merry Christmas 🌲🎄🎁🛍

🎱
 
Is it to cut down on cloth wear? Interesting idea. Template racks also solve this issue though I suppose.
 
TheBook said:
I was watching a tournament in England on UTube.

When they racked the balls they put a cloth on the table near the end rail, placed the rack on it and then proceeded to place the balls inside the rack. Then the rack was pushed forward into position.

This is something that I have never seen anyone do before.

Where do they sell them and how much are they? ������

I can see a potential here for a advertisement on that cloth, or people arguing about what cloth is better. ��

I also wonder why someone hasn't promoted a break cloth with a x or dot on it indicating where to place the CB and why it will help to sink more balls and control the CB. There could also be a arrow pointing in the direction of the rack to help you line up and aim. ��

Merry Christmas ��������

��
Click to expand...

Back when this was still America - with a poolroom on every corner - and a 'rackboy'
for poolrooms, the cloth under the balls rack was commonplace.

Even by the time I wandered in to the long established room in which I mis-spent too
much of my youth, they still used separate 'break' cue ball for hard break games, along
with a small square of cloth to set the ball on. Reduced wear and tear.

Them was the days.

Dale
 
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pdcue said:
Back when this was still America - with a poolroom on every corner - and a 'rackboy'
for poolrooms, the cloth under the balls rack was commonplace.

Even by the time I wandered in to the long established room in which I mis-spent fo
much of my youth, they still used separate 'break' cue ball for hard break games, along
with a small square of cloth to set the ball on. Reduced wear and tear.

Them was the days.

Dale
Click to expand...

I remember using a break ball and still use one occasionally on my home table when using a break cue with a phenolic tip. I think the break ball may have originated because of the ivory CB.

Also remember having a cloth repair needle and thread to sew up tears. It was as common as when we use to "darn" the holes in our socks.

🎱
 
JRusso said:
Is it to cut down on cloth wear? Interesting idea. Template racks also solve this issue though I suppose.
Click to expand...

The cloth wasn't under the rack when breaking. It was only used for setting the balls on the table into the rack. The rack would be moved ahead off the cloth and the cloth was removed. I think the purpose is for those players that like to toss or drop the balls into the rack instead of placing them.

🎱
 
Good idea.

It is probably a good idea. I used a break cloth for awhile and then grew tired of it.

I think moving the spot to the other end on a yearly basis spreads the table wear out.
 
many years ago that was common practice. I remember Allinger's poolroom in center cty philadelphia where you were not even allowed to rack the balls. They had "rack girls" and I believe the triangle of cloth was attached to the rack. Must have evolved from the depression era onwards when money was a factor.
 
Accu-rack from Outsville.com
The best.
That along with my cue ball break cloth has done wonders for my table.
 
They used a small square of scrap felt under the cue ball for the break during the Sitx challenge matches here in Wichita (there are several on You Tube). I asked about it and was told a fair amount of heat is generated when the cue is hit hard for the break. That heat degrades the felt after repeated shots. The scrap piece of felt helps prevent that.
 
I don't remember where but I've seen where there's a cloth stapled to the back of the rack. I used to play there quite often so I'm surprised I can't remember where, but it was an older pool hall.
 
A local club uses a rack cloth attached to the back of the rack...some type of leatherette. The balls are placed into the rack with the cloth underneath and on the bottom short rail. As the rack was pushed forward to the spot the cloth stayed in place as the balls rolled over it. No more lines to the spot on the cloth where the balls were. Mitch
 
nine o nine said:
A local club uses a rack cloth attached to the back of the rack...some type of leatherette. The balls are placed into the rack with the cloth underneath and on the bottom short rail. As the rack was pushed forward to the spot the cloth stayed in place as the balls rolled over it. No more lines to the spot on the cloth where the balls were. Mitch
Click to expand...

Not a bad idea. I have pretty noticeable wear makers on my table from racking. But I also have wear marks in the rail grooves, tracks to the rack, and other pretty bad wear on my 3 year old Simonis 860. Time for new cloth.
 
nine o nine said:
A local club uses a rack cloth attached to the back of the rack...some type of leatherette. The balls are placed into the rack with the cloth underneath and on the bottom short rail. As the rack was pushed forward to the spot the cloth stayed in place as the balls rolled over it. No more lines to the spot on the cloth where the balls were. Mitch
Click to expand...

Back in late 50's the racks had real leather attached to the back with upholstery tacks. The rack was
then pulled back toward the short rail and the leather would lie flat under the rack.

After the balls were racked the the rack was pushed forward as you said. Rack boys racked the balls.

.
 
flyrv9 said:
They used a small square of scrap felt under the cue ball for the break during the Sitx challenge matches here in Wichita (there are several on You Tube). I asked about it and was told a fair amount of heat is generated when the cue is hit hard for the break. That heat degrades the felt after repeated shots. The scrap piece of felt helps prevent that.
Click to expand...

I've seen this practice before, but if I'm understanding correctly the original post is referring to a cloth placed under the racked balls not under the cue ball.
 
9andout said:
Accu-rack from Outsville.com
The best.
That along with my cue ball break cloth has done wonders for my table.
Click to expand...
I agree. I can see the day where pool halls no longer use triangles. A template rack would extend the life of the cloth tremdously.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk
 
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