Table Leveling Specification

[Das Cue-Boot]

I’m not sure where to ask this question, so I’ll try here. Is there anywhere in the equipment or other rules that actually specifies how level a table should be? I’ve seen the flatness and coplanar requirement for slates and slate joints, but nowhere can I find anything defining level and how level it should be. I think we would all agree that a table with a 5 degree slant that collects all the balls on one rail would be unacceptable, but how good is good enough? 1 degree? 0.1 degree? 0.01 degree? Does anyone look at this for tournaments, and what criteria do they use?

 

[GoldCrown]

How level is level? I had BestBuy deliver a washer .., the two guys fiddle for a little bit and tell me they’re done … it’s almost level.

 

[Sheldon]

Paul mentions tolerances in this video:

Every table is a little different, has been my experience. It's rare that frames are perfectly flat, and it's rare that slates are perfectly flat, so there are almost always some compromise. The better you are, the less you have to compromise. This takes experience and intelligence and the ability to problem solve. It also takes time, which is why you'll run across a lot of unlevel tables. Hacks cut corners and this is one is pretty easy to cut.

 

[bbb]

if you play 9 ball the speed of your shots will not be as sensitive to how level the table is
if you play onepocket
and shoot at pocket speed
any roll off (unlevel) will drive you crazy
i am not a table mechanic
jmho
icbw

 

[Renegade_56]

I've personally watched Glen Hancock level 8 ft Diamond Pro Am tables, right after he took off like 27 Machinist Levels.

 

[GoldCrown]

I've personally watched Glen Hancock level 8 ft Diamond Pro Am tables, right after he took off like 27 Machinist Levels.

Glen should charge by the minute. And he’ll give the customer their monies worth.

 

[GoodPM]

Glen walked me through leveling my GC4 with a single Starrett 98-8. Moving around between 18(?) different locations on the table, the goal was to be within 5/1000's of level at each location.

He mentioned that most people won't be able to perceive an unlevel table until it's around 20/1000's off.