Slow Rails - What to do

[ChrisinNC]

Hi all,

I purchased a GC3 9ft from a pool hall about 9 months ago. The table was already dismantled when I bought it so I have no idea about its condition.

I had it set-up at my place, and installed new Simonis cloth on it too. The rails had always been slow. Playing true, but slow.

Currently (the cloth is a bit worn now as well), If I shoot a full-speed shot from the headspot up to the footrail, it bounces off the footrail twice, and then rests at the center of the table. I.e. the cue ball travels up and down the table 2 + 1/2 table-lengths.

Questions:
1) Could this be because the table mechanic did not do the job right?
2) I am sure brand new superspeeds would make a difference. But I am actually thinking of switching to Artemis. Is it worth

generally about 4 1/2 table lengths if you hit it hard. if more or less you should be aware of why and are if you are happy with it.

There needs to be clarification whether the first table length the cue ball travels from where you hit it from the headstring to the end cushion counts as the first table length or are you referring to table lengths following contact of the cue ball with the first end cushion?

I’ve always considered 2 trips down and back for the cue ball as 4 table lengths, even though the cue ball is only going 3 table lengths after contact with the first cushion.

By my definition, it sounds like the OP‘s cue ball is getting 3-1/2 table lengths, not 2 1/2, which is still relatively slow, as I can get 4-1/2 table lengths on our 9 foot tables.

 

[Banger]

By my definition, it sounds like the OP‘s cue ball is getting 3-1/2 table lengths, not 2 1/2, which is still relatively slow, as I can get 4-1/2 table lengths on our 9 foot tables.

This is what I get on my GCIII, which has rails (and rubber) built by RKC. Cloth is 8 year old Simonis 860.

If I place the cue ball on the head string, and give it a hard hit, the distance it will travel is: from head string, to foot rail, to head rail, to foot rail, to head rail, and then stop in the middle of the table.

 

[JimmyWhite]

Thanks for the replies all!

I use aramith, and clean them regularly.

I had no idea the cloth was upside/down. I thought that this was the 860HR texture (I am used to 860 and 760). Oh well...this might slow things down.

But still, I am not happy with the way the balls are bouncing on the rails. I am pretty sure this is the stock GCIII rubber (the pool room owner had mentioned that I think).

So I am gonna change cloth and rubber soon. I guess that if I buy brand new superspeeds it is gonna feel fine. No reason to switch to artemis for more $$$, no?

 

[straightline]

...But still, I am not happy with the way the balls are bouncing on the rails. I am pretty sure this is the stock GCIII rubber (the pool room owner had mentioned that I think).

Do you mean aerial bouncing or just the rebound? Aerial bouncing goes hand in hand with livelier cushion rebound. The ball dying on the cushions is also a side effect of polished, slippery balls.

 

[JimmyWhite]

I am pretty sure I mean regular rebound. What do you mean by aerial bouncing?

The balls seem to lose too much energy when bouncing off the cushion regardless of how clean they are.

 

[L.S. Dennis]

This is what I get on my GCIII, which has rails (and rubber) built by RKC. Cloth is 8 year old Simonis 860.

If I place the cue ball on the head string, and give it a hard hit, the distance it will travel is: from head string, to foot rail, to head rail, to foot rail, to head rail, and then stop in the middle of the table.

I tried your test on my GClll and couldn’t get the ball to hit the head rail on its last time down it only reached about half the table coming down to the last head rail hit. I have about 4 year old 860 on the table. This confirms what I also thought that my rails are not good, I too like Jimmy White got my table from a pool hall that going out off business and it was used commercially for who knows how many years.

 

[L.S. Dennis]

Thanks for the replies all!

I use aramith, and clean them regularly.

I had no idea the cloth was upside/down. I thought that this was the 860HR texture (I am used to 860 and 760). Oh well...this might slow things down.

But still, I am not happy with the way the balls are bouncing on the rails. I am pretty sure this is the stock GCIII rubber (the pool room owner had mentioned that I think).

So I am gonna change cloth and rubber soon. I guess that if I buy brand new superspeeds it is gonna feel fine. No reason to switch to artemis for more $$$, no?

By looking at the picture, I’m not sure that your cloth is upside down. I like you purchased my GClll from a commercial pool hall going out of business, and like you have the same slow rail problem.

 

[straightline]

I am pretty sure I mean regular rebound. What do you mean by aerial bouncing?

The balls seem to lose too much energy when bouncing off the cushion regardless of how clean they are.

Going airborne off the nose rather than horizontally. There's a foot or so zone from the cushion where the rebounding ball retains the rotation it had coming in. This is why the ball curves as it careens around a table. If you shoot 180 degrees into a cushion the effect is every time the ball comes off a cushion it is trying to slow down. The effect is most pronounced on fresh cloth with polished balls. If the nose heights are below spec, the ball becomes airborne and the braking effect is reduced. Worn cloth has less of this braking effect although I haven't thought through the why of it.

 

[ChrisinNC]

By looking at the picture, I’m not sure that your cloth is upside down. I like you purchased my GClll from a commercial pool hall going out of business, and like you have the same slow rail problem.

I too did not think the cloth was upside down. Apparently there is some Simonis 860 going around that is a little fuzzier than it’s supposed to be, like the final shearing process was skipped. This info came direct from my 25+ year Simonis account rep at Simonis.

 

[Sheldon]

I too did not think the cloth was upside down. Apparently there is some Simonis 860 going around that is a little fuzzier than it’s supposed to be, like the final shearing process was skipped. This info came direct from my 25+ year Simonis account rep at Simonis.

I'm pretty sure that was the stuff they produced at an alternate location after the flood ruined the original looms. They have new equipment at the original location now, but I have yet to see the cloth being produced there, my fingers are crossed that it will be back to normal.