Rail cushion profile tool
- Thread starter saint1
- Start date
perfectpocketz
Banned
Sorry...but there's a lot more to cushion replacement than a table saw and gauge.
Mark Gregory
Mark Gregory
This is the first I have seen this tool.
I think it is a great idea, in theory, and it could be a fairly useful tool, but only for certain applications. What this tool does not take into account, is the fact that the nose height is not necessarily always the same for all tables. The height of the subrail primarily determines the correct nose height for a table.
The other thing to keep in mind, is that a table saw is not exactly ideal for modifying subrail angles. To get the best results, the rail should be bolted down, as it would be in its intended state of use, and modified in that state. This is not to say that a table saw shouldn't be used, but it is not the preferred way to do the job. The hardest part about using a table saw for cutting subrails is figuring out how to set up the fence. It is not nearly as cut and dry as it is shown in this video, and you could very easily screw up a set of rails by cutting them in this manner.
So, Mark is right.
I think it is a great idea, in theory, and it could be a fairly useful tool, but only for certain applications. What this tool does not take into account, is the fact that the nose height is not necessarily always the same for all tables. The height of the subrail primarily determines the correct nose height for a table.
The other thing to keep in mind, is that a table saw is not exactly ideal for modifying subrail angles. To get the best results, the rail should be bolted down, as it would be in its intended state of use, and modified in that state. This is not to say that a table saw shouldn't be used, but it is not the preferred way to do the job. The hardest part about using a table saw for cutting subrails is figuring out how to set up the fence. It is not nearly as cut and dry as it is shown in this video, and you could very easily screw up a set of rails by cutting them in this manner.
So, Mark is right.
I hear what you are saying, but it looks like thats where that small triangle piece comes into play. Depending on what brand of cushion is used determines what tool(or different triangle piece) comes with the tool they send you. So if you watch the video they check the subrail height first, then set the face angle, then check the nose height last.
perfectpocketz
Banned
That tool is good for billiard installers that move table....recover home tables....change cushions on sight.....things of that nature.
Not a bad idea....and will set cushions close to where they should be.
Just not as accurate as let's say and height gauge.
But how many want to protect and accurate height gauge in the field.
All cushions have different profiles...so just saying this is for a 66 cushion....or setting for a 55...is only going to get you close to where that brand of cushion will go on the sub rail.
But for the most part...again that tool would work as a close reference.....and most customers just are happy the ball bounces and don't knock their tooth out when they shoot hard.
Good tool for billiard stores....
Good luck if your selling them. Better than nothing and guessing.
Mark Gregory
Not a bad idea....and will set cushions close to where they should be.
Just not as accurate as let's say and height gauge.
But how many want to protect and accurate height gauge in the field.
All cushions have different profiles...so just saying this is for a 66 cushion....or setting for a 55...is only going to get you close to where that brand of cushion will go on the sub rail.
But for the most part...again that tool would work as a close reference.....and most customers just are happy the ball bounces and don't knock their tooth out when they shoot hard.
Good tool for billiard stores....
Good luck if your selling them. Better than nothing and guessing.
Mark Gregory
No not selling them at all. Was thinking of buying one on Monday and just wanted to see if there are others out there who might have used it. What I was told by them when I called that they make them according to the manufacture, not just the profile in general. So if you plan to install Artemis No. 66 for example you get the tool that is calibrated for that exact cushion.
This might be better that someone eyeballing them and using a Makita portable belt sander.
:grin-square:Seriously, that might be better than a lot of other system out there outside of a fixed-base router set-up I think.
perfectpocketz
Banned
This might be better that someone eyeballing them and using a Makita portable belt sander.
Seriously, that might be better than a lot of other system out there outside of a fixed-base router set-up I think.
The problem is not the tool....when you send a rail through a table saw....if the back of the rails are not perfectly straight....then your sub rail will mimic the back of the rail......trust me....I don't get any straight rails..lol
Like I said...the tools better than eye balling the rails
Mark Gregory
what can you do if your rails cushions are installed and you do not want to or cannot afford to correct them? can you loose them up and shim them o tool specs?
To better answer that question, it would be helpful to know what kind of table you have, as well as what you believe to be the problem with the rails. There are a number of reasons cushions play bad, so it's hard to give a solution without having more detail. In some cases, maybe you could shim the rails up, though, that makeshift solution won't work for all cases.
thank you Brad , my table is a Boesling 9 ft with artemis cushions the problem was when i bought it it had wrong rails i called seller and he said profile was fr 8 ft so he came back out with proper rail height but i always thought it didnt bounce as good , i may end up trading a few cues im making for a 9 ft Gandy , oh btw if i hit cue ball as in to break i can get it to bounce up to five times back and forth it hits rail 5th time and then comes to a stop bout a foot .....
5 table lengths is pretty good.. If you feel that it was better before, it's possible that the nose height was lower, causing a faster rebound. That doesn't necessarily mean that the rails played "better", but they played faster. I would be curious to see how true the table banks. That is what really tells the story.
You can set up a 3 ball combination shot, with all three balls frozen together. Place them at one end of the table, with enough room to shoot a cue ball at them, slow, to medium speed. The balls should all form a straight line from one corner pocket to the center diamond on the short rail. If the rails play true, the combination should bank straight into the opposite corner pocket. The reason for the 3 ball combination is so that contact induced spin is reduced. This is just one simple test, to see how true the cushions play.
Another thing that affects the way a table banks is the tension of the rail cloth across the nose of the cushion. This difference is not as huge as some other variables, but it is still there.
In your case, there may or may not be anything that can be easily done to improve the playability. Shimming the rails upward will make the cushions play slower. If you really wanted to play around with it, you could shim the back sides of the rails, which would lower the nose of the cushions. This is a less than ideal solution, but it could be easily implemented. Just keep in mind, dropping the nose too far will cause the ball to hop on rebound.
If it comes to it, I don't think you can go wrong with a Gandy.
very good info , i will set up test, and my friends say my table is fine im sure its a mental issue since i had issues with seller and when i go topool hall they have 8 ft Brunswicks and old Gandys that play faster , oh and 2 - 9 foot brunswicks that def bank diffrent