terminology question: tap or tape?

[dadid123]

If you don't want to use a triangle for racking the balls every time, do you "tap" or do you "tape" the table?

 

[Neil]

................

 

[Bob Jewett]

You tap the table. Tapping the balls means taking another ball and hitting the ball lightly down into the cloth. That leaves a slight indentation on the cloth that the balls then can be placed in. Giving you a tight rack without using the rack.

And if you want to do this, you have to be very careful. You want the craters slightly closer together than the diameter of the balls. Templates for this purpose are available -- you can't really do a good job with just a rack of balls.

 

[dadid123]

Thanks for the info!