Skidding object ball
- Thread starter dabarbr
- Start date
dabarbr said:
Most skids I see happen when follow is used. I mean, I know how to create a skid (chalk on point of contact) but I cannot say I know all the elements that could cause a skid. I know some people have argued that balls tend to skid more on new cloth which only makes me wonder if new cloth has some residue that the balls pick up. No matter what, there is usually a foreign substance to blame for a skid.
I would guess there just needs to be more friction between the balls than between the OB and the table in order to produce skid.. would explain the new cloth aspect of this. Inside english may be producing throw, which at speed could easily be confused for skid. Just a guess though~
I have also noticed most skid I see/get is when I am using follow. It occurs more often when the balls are clean and just start to get dirty spots. I guess felt conditions have something to do with it but I always thought it was just from chalk spots on the cue ball and the object ball contacting......
Eric.
Eric.
Here's what happens to a fresh chalk mark (just put on by the tip) as the cueball gathers topspin on the way to the object ball:dabarbr said:
The mark travels around the ball in the "equatorial plane", which rotates as shown.
As you can see, at typical cut angles, it'll tend to happen with low-right or low-left. You can get it with either low-inside or low-outside english. For straight or nearly straight shots, it can happen with any spin (tip placement). This all assumes that a new chalk mark is the usual cause of the skid.
If it occurs because of an old chalk mark, one theory offered by Fran Crimi (different forum), is that new cloth is less efficient at removing them.
But what is your idea?
Jim
Well, I have no idea what actually is the cause. In a Danny DiLiberto video, he suggests a good player attributed it to static electricity between two plastics. That was interesting.
What I think happens when there is some degree of dirt build up especially that offers more grab or friction, is that on a softly hit shot, with a relatively fat cut on the object ball, as the cue ball rolls with it 1 to 1 ratio of normal forward roll, as it contacts the object ball with this slow speed, the object ball doesn't snap off the cue ball with a slide and then its own forward spin, but rather takes some of the cue balls roll, and induces a very small amount of (not even spin) but what I'll call backward roll as they contact.
If you can picture the cue ball rolling into the OB, the OB (like a gear) takes the contact and imparts ever so small an amount of reverse spin prior to its inital slide of the contact to overspin.
This slight backward 1/8th roll I'll call it, causes the two balls to remain in contact just a spit second longer than normal as they both move along the tangent line together for an instant.
Anyway, thats what it feels like to me when it happens.
What I think happens when there is some degree of dirt build up especially that offers more grab or friction, is that on a softly hit shot, with a relatively fat cut on the object ball, as the cue ball rolls with it 1 to 1 ratio of normal forward roll, as it contacts the object ball with this slow speed, the object ball doesn't snap off the cue ball with a slide and then its own forward spin, but rather takes some of the cue balls roll, and induces a very small amount of (not even spin) but what I'll call backward roll as they contact.
If you can picture the cue ball rolling into the OB, the OB (like a gear) takes the contact and imparts ever so small an amount of reverse spin prior to its inital slide of the contact to overspin.
This slight backward 1/8th roll I'll call it, causes the two balls to remain in contact just a spit second longer than normal as they both move along the tangent line together for an instant.
Anyway, thats what it feels like to me when it happens.
3andstop said:Well, I have no idea what actually is the cause. In a Danny DiLiberto video, he suggests a good player attributed it to static electricity between two plastics. That was interesting.
What I think happens when there is some degree of dirt build up especially that offers more grab or friction, is that on a softly hit shot, with a relatively fat cut on the object ball, as the cue ball rolls with it 1 to 1 ratio of normal forward roll, as it contacts the object ball with this slow speed, the object ball doesn't snap off the cue ball with a slide and then its own forward spin, but rather takes some of the cue balls roll, and induces a very small amount of (not even spin) but what I'll call backward roll as they contact.
If you can picture the cue ball rolling into the OB, the OB (like a gear) takes the contact and imparts ever so small an amount of reverse spin prior to its inital slide of the contact to overspin.
This slight backward 1/8th roll I'll call it, causes the two balls to remain in contact just a spit second longer than normal as they both move along the tangent line together for an instant.
Anyway, thats what it feels like to me when it happens.
I thank everyone for their comments.
JAL you make an intersting argument. I will give this more thought and take some time to digest it.
3andstop, I believe your thoughts are more to what I believe is happening. You worded it much better than i could have.
I also think that this may happen more frequently with balls that were recently washed and polished, maybe because there may be more traction between them. A result of the residue left from the polish.
It seems like the ball always skids to the right if you are using left english, and vice versa.
The only good thing about a ball that skids is that you don't have to explain why you missed the shot because it is so obivous that everyone knows it skidded.
Another thing, I don't ever remember miss hitting the object and have the skid make it for me.
The amount of "static" electicity that could possibly be existent on the surface of a phenolic ball is so infinitesimal that it would have no chance in producing a change in the path of two balls as they collide.
It's like saying that if you drop of quarter in the ocean it can alter the path of that wave that is coming at you.
It's like saying that if you drop of quarter in the ocean it can alter the path of that wave that is coming at you.