Right Cloth, Right Table?

Pre-Flag Master

Pre-Flag Master

Cue Ball Man
Silver Member
On 9' tables you typically see a worsted wool type cloth such as Simonis 860. OK fine, makes sense to me. The trend lately seems to be to put such a fast type of cloth on bar boxes. Seems to me that such small tables with such fast cloth is not a good combination. Yet, I see nothing but Simonis on the Diamond 7 footers. Is that 860 or something slower? I realize that the color has nothing to do with it, but I'm not used to seeing blue on bar boxes, so I wonder if it's 860. Is 860 considered worsted wool?

Now if it is generally considered that worsted wool type cloth isn't the right thing for bar boxes, then what is? How about Championship Tour edition? Seems like a good slower cloth to me.

I use Simonis and Championship only as examples - I am not saying there aren't other good cloth manufacturers out there.

And how about 8' foot tables? Here I would lean toward using a slower 7 foot cloth vs a faster 9 foot cloth. I consider 8 foot tables to be closer in terms of difficulty to a 7 foot table. For me the jump to a 9 footer is where the challenge increases disproportionately.

So am I thinking right? Slower cloth for small tables and faster cloth for big tables? Table mechanics especially, please chime in. What's the right cloth for a given table?

thanks
Fatz
 
http://www.simoniscloth.com/simonis-styles

As to speed: you basically have two choices; set up your home table so that it plays the same as the event tables you play on, OR; set up your home table to make you work on the side of your game that is lacking. The former is perfect choice for those whoes game is spot on, the later is for players still developing their game.

I am of the later, and I put 760 on my 8-footer. I did this so as to penalize overhitting of the CB (and OB) and thus develop the delicasy of position control. I find this stragegy works well of me, and I can transition to the 6.5 foot bar table with slow cloth instantly, and transition to the 9 foot tables with 760 immediately, and that it takes but a few strokes for adjust to a 8 footer with 860. That is, it is easier to add power/speed than it is to add delicasy.

Most people around here prefer strategy A--play and practice on the same cloth (and even the same sized tables--some going so far as to have the same practice table as their weekly play tables.)
 
MitchAlsup said:
http://www.simoniscloth.com/simonis-styles

As to speed: you basically have two choices; set up your home table so that it plays the same as the event tables you play on, OR; set up your home table to make you work on the side of your game that is lacking. The former is perfect choice for those whoes game is spot on, the later is for players still developing their game.

I am of the later, and I put 760 on my 8-footer. I did this so as to penalize overhitting of the CB (and OB) and thus develop the delicasy of position control. I find this stragegy works well of me, and I can transition to the 6.5 foot bar table with slow cloth instantly, and transition to the 9 foot tables with 760 immediately, and that it takes but a few strokes for adjust to a 8 footer with 860. That is, it is easier to add power/speed than it is to add delicasy.

Most people around here prefer strategy A--play and practice on the same cloth (and even the same sized tables--some going so far as to have the same practice table as their weekly play tables.)
Click to expand...

Thank you for your post sir. I found it very informative and thank you for the link as well.

However, I believe it goes off on a tangental topic. My question is not about setting up a home table. My question is more like...

Is it generally considered correct to use faster cloth on larger tables and slower cloth on smaller tables? The reason I ask this question is because I see a lot of 7 foot tables with fast cloth, but it doesn't seem right to me.

Fatz
 
Pre-Flag Master said:
I see a lot of 7 foot tables with fast cloth, but it doesn't seem right to me.

Fatz
Click to expand...
I don't know what's "correct", but I'd like them to have the same speed cloth. I think of moving the cue ball in terms of actual distance, not in terms of table measurements (i.e., x feet of cue ball travel vs. x diamonds or table lengths).

pj
chgo
 
Last edited:
Pre-Flag Master said:
Is it generally considered correct to use faster cloth on larger tables and slower cloth on smaller tables?
Click to expand...

8 footers should have 860 for league play (both 8-ball and 9-ball)
9 footers should have 760 for 8-ball, 1-pocket, 14.1 and 860 for 9-ball, 10-ball.
 
You can put what ever cloth you want on any table you like. Its a personal preference. There is set standard saying this cloth has to go on this table. Tour edition is a little faster than 860. So that isnt a good choice if your looking for something a little slower. Here at Shooters in Olathe Ks I put 860 on all the bar tables and 9fts. I put 760 on the Snooker table. And 300 Simonis on the billiard table. If anyone tells you that a certain cloth belongs on a certain table. IT is only there preference..
 
Pre-Flag Master said:
On 9' tables you typically see a worsted wool type cloth such as Simonis 860. OK fine, makes sense to me. The trend lately seems to be to put such a fast type of cloth on bar boxes. Seems to me that such small tables with such fast cloth is not a good combination. Yet, I see nothing but Simonis on the Diamond 7 footers. Is that 860 or something slower? I realize that the color has nothing to do with it, but I'm not used to seeing blue on bar boxes, so I wonder if it's 860. Is 860 considered worsted wool?

Now if it is generally considered that worsted wool type cloth isn't the right thing for bar boxes, then what is? How about Championship Tour edition? Seems like a good slower cloth to me.

I use Simonis and Championship only as examples - I am not saying there aren't other good cloth manufacturers out there.

And how about 8' foot tables? Here I would lean toward using a slower 7 foot cloth vs a faster 9 foot cloth. I consider 8 foot tables to be closer in terms of difficulty to a 7 foot table. For me the jump to a 9 footer is where the challenge increases disproportionately.

So am I thinking right? Slower cloth for small tables and faster cloth for big tables? Table mechanics especially, please chime in. What's the right cloth for a given table?

thanks
Fatz
Click to expand...

I think putting slower cloth on a small table is a good idea but does anyone make a high quality cloth that holds up good and doesn't end up with little fuzz balls all over when its played on? Diamond 7 footers are fast because of the Simonis but also because of the rubber (cushions).Personally I like the way a Diamond 7' table plays once I get get used to them.
 
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