The Laser Rack: __Official Rack for Allen Hopkins $1M 9-Ball Shootout

[i4pool]

http://www.milliondollar9ball.com/

It's official!

During the BCA Expo in Charlotte, NC, I had the honor and pleasure of meeting Hall-of-Famer Allen Hopkins. What a super-nice guy! I demonstrated how The Laser Rack worked and he really liked it. He made it a point to stop by and drop off his business card the following day so we could discuss possible use of my rack in his upcoming $1M Shootout. Since then we've been in communication and last week he tells me he wants The Laser Rack to be the official rack of the event. How disappointed do you think I was? This really is a dream come true for me. I can't explain the excitement I'm feeling right now. Anyways, I'll be in PA for the Shootout if anyone wants to meet up & shoot some pool (8/5 - 8/10).

Thanks to all who have given their support and positive thoughts. This is a dream come true for me. I have not been an AZB member long but always lurk and post from time to time. I've even had the pleasure of personally meeting some AZB members (3RailKick/Bill, Danny Kuykendal, Mike Janis, Shawn Putnam, coastydad/Chris, ceebee/Charley, John Schmidt, allen_jr, Michael-Hoang/Omega, koreandragon/Charlie Williams, Jay Helfert, JB Cases/John Barton). Sorry if I missed anyone. I look forward to future meetings with more members of the community and supporting/giving back to the sport I love. It's too bad I didn't learn of this forum sooner. Better late than never!


For those who don't know what The Laser Rack is, it's a ball rack which uses laser technology to give users visual confirmation that the rack is perfectly positioned. No more twisted racks! You can find more info on my website (see sig).

I want to give a big "Thank You" to Allen Hopkins Productions (Allen & Allen Jr.) for this wonderful opportunity!



Sorry for the long post... Take care!

 

[Steve Ellis]

I think you're rack is a great idea assuming it is a quality base rack not just a cheap one with lasers. Pretty darned expensive though. Good luck with them.

 

[ceebee]

Hi there Abe, what a great way to introduce your rack to some folks at a major Pool Tournament.

to Mr. Steve Ellis, the Laser Rack is a quality piece of equipment.

Thinking in terms of money; a rack that will pay for itself has gotta be worth the price. If you play for money (maybe lots of money), you won't miss the cost of this rack, very long...

Congrats Abe.. & Good Luck

 

[i4pool]

I think you're rack is a great idea assuming it is a quality base rack not just a cheap one with lasers. Pretty darned expensive though. Good luck with them.

Hello Steve,

I'm glad you like the rack and thank you for your feedback.

The base rack is a good quality wood rack (maple). The apexes have interlocking joints for rugged construction. And it's poolplayer-friendly. Meaning, it racks the balls tight and there is enough space behind the last row of balls to remove the rack without disturbing the balls.

We do realize that the price for the wood model may be cost-prohibitive for most. Unfortunately, our current manufacturing costs call for the current price level. We are working on bringing cost down as much as we can to enable us to make the price a little more appealing. But, honestly, I'm not sure how much better we'll be able to do.

Ultimately, adding a second model made out of injection-molded ABS (plastic) will be much more cost-effective and will appeal more to the masses. We are currently working on this model now. Keep in mind that we will not be sacrificing quality by going to a cheaper material.

Unfortunately, there is a bit of work involved during assembly. One major step is the calibration of all 3 laser positions. If any of these are off, the whole idea behind the laser rack is shot. This labor obviously adds to the cost of manufacturing.

The Laser Rack is not just another rack. I look at it as a precision tool which adds another level of accuracy & consistency to an already precise game/sport.



ceebee-- It was so nice meeting & chatting with you and your wife in Vegas during the BCAPL's. Thank you for the kind words and good luck to you.

 

[CrownCityCorey]

http://www.milliondollar9ball.com/

It's official!

During the BCA Expo in Charlotte, NC, I had the honor and pleasure of meeting Hall-of-Famer Allen Hopkins. What a super-nice guy! I demonstrated how The Laser Rack worked and he really liked it. He made it a point to stop by and drop off his business card the following day so we could discuss possible use of my rack in his upcoming $1M Shootout. Since then we've been in communication and last week he tells me he wants The Laser Rack to be the official rack of the event. How disappointed do you think I was? This really is a dream come true for me. I can't explain the excitement I'm feeling right now. Anyways, I'll be in PA for the Shootout if anyone wants to meet up & shoot some pool (8/5 - 8/10).

Thanks to all who have given their support and positive thoughts. This is a dream come true for me. I have not been an AZB member long but always lurk and post from time to time. I've even had the pleasure of personally meeting some AZB members (3RailKick/Bill, Danny Kuykendal, Mike Janis, Shawn Putnam, coastydad/Chris, ceebee/Charley, John Schmidt, allen_jr, Michael-Hoang/Omega, koreandragon/Charlie Williams, Jay Helfert, JB Cases/John Barton). Sorry if I missed anyone. I look forward to future meetings with more members of the community and supporting/giving back to the sport I love. It's too bad I didn't learn of this forum sooner. Better late than never!


For those who don't know what The Laser Rack is, it's a ball rack which uses laser technology to give users visual confirmation that the rack is perfectly positioned. No more twisted racks! You can find more info on my website (see sig).

I want to give a big "Thank You" to Allen Hopkins Productions (Allen & Allen Jr.) for this wonderful opportunity!



Sorry for the long post... Take care!

Congratulations! That's pretty cool!

 

[i4pool]

Congratulations! That's pretty cool!

Thanks Corey! Say "hey" to Tony for me.

Folks... Corey is another forum member I had the pleasure of personally meeting. Very nice guy! :thumbup2:

 

[TheWizard]

http://www.milliondollar9ball.com/

It's official!

During the BCA Expo in Charlotte, NC, I had the honor and pleasure of meeting Hall-of-Famer Allen Hopkins. What a super-nice guy! I demonstrated how The Laser Rack worked and he really liked it. He made it a point to stop by and drop off his business card the following day so we could discuss possible use of my rack in his upcoming $1M Shootout. Since then we've been in communication and last week he tells me he wants The Laser Rack to be the official rack of the event. How disappointed do you think I was? This really is a dream come true for me. I can't explain the excitement I'm feeling right now. Anyways, I'll be in PA for the Shootout if anyone wants to meet up & shoot some pool (8/5 - 8/10).

Thanks to all who have given their support and positive thoughts. This is a dream come true for me. I have not been an AZB member long but always lurk and post from time to time. I've even had the pleasure of personally meeting some AZB members (3RailKick/Bill, Danny Kuykendal, Mike Janis, Shawn Putnam, coastydad/Chris, ceebee/Charley, John Schmidt, allen_jr, Michael-Hoang/Omega, koreandragon/Charlie Williams, Jay Helfert, JB Cases/John Barton). Sorry if I missed anyone. I look forward to future meetings with more members of the community and supporting/giving back to the sport I love. It's too bad I didn't learn of this forum sooner. Better late than never!


For those who don't know what The Laser Rack is, it's a ball rack which uses laser technology to give users visual confirmation that the rack is perfectly positioned. No more twisted racks! You can find more info on my website (see sig).

I want to give a big "Thank You" to Allen Hopkins Productions (Allen & Allen Jr.) for this wonderful opportunity!



Sorry for the long post... Take care!

Nice little idea

There is another plus side to this rack and that is, it allows a player/room owner with their own table(s) to be more precise in marking out the rack area, which essential for guys like myself who shoot alot of straight pool or for any local straigh pool leagues that are played

Well done on the new invention and I wish you guys the very best of success with it

Willie

 

[Michael-Hoang]

Good for you, Abe.

I thought that your rack was the most exciting thing at the BCA Expo. Glad to see that it is the Official Rack of the tournament.

 

[JAM]

IF this rack prevents those racking arguments between the players that seem to always happen at tournaments, then it is worth its weight in gold.

I can't wait to see one up front and close. Congratulations on the upcoming tournament.

JAM

 

[Fatboy]

congrats i'm happy for you.

 

[Snapshot9]

This rack

is going to create a lot of passive-aggressive feelings in players .... LOL

I would be willing to bet that they won't be used in money matchups.

 

[i4pool]

Thanks to all

Thanks to all for the congrats! I'm very excited and the response from this community is heart-warming. Thank you.

Willie- very good point about marking out the rack area for straight pool. I don't play much straight pool and would never have thought about what you just pointed out. Thanks.

Michael- Thanks for the kind words. It was nice seeing you at the Expo and I appreciate you stopping by. I'll see you in vegas for the APA NTC's. You're gonna be there right? I have a booth this year.

JAM- If twisted racks are a problem, I believe this rack will prevent those arguments. I hope you do get a chance to personally see and try my rack. Will you be at the Shootout?

Snapshot9- Why wouldn't they use it in money match ups? Just curious?
I think it would prevent arguments about ball/rack positioning. Any attempts to twist a rack (on purpose or not) would now be highlighted since both parties can now see if the rack is straight by looking to see if the lasers are lined up. To quote Shawn Putnam (with his permission of course), "...this [rack] levels the playing field."



Regards,
Abe

 

[Danny Kuykendal]

Abe has been kind enough to sponsor our next $2,000 added pro Rotation Continous tournament at Danny K's. We will be using exclusively the laser rack in this event.

I think it's a great, high quality rack that will eventually become the industry standard.

Danny K

 

[powerlineman80]

I have one of these racks and will have a review posted up very very soon on it. I can tell you now that its not a cheap made rack. You can pick it up and tell how sturdy it is. I dont even think I can touch the lasers because they are built into the rack so well.

I cant wait to try it out this weekend and will be testing its durability too:thumbup:

 

[JAM]

JAM- If twisted racks are a problem, I believe this rack will prevent those arguments. I hope you do get a chance to personally see and try my rack. Will you be at the Shootout?...

I need to speak to Allen Hopkins before we attend future events about a matter.

I must admit that the $5,000 entry fee is the stumbling block for my household at this time.

That said, I hope Allen Hopkins' tournament is successful. I know when he had the very first Skins Billiards Championship, the entry fee was $5,000, and there was a waiting list for players wanting to get in on the fun. The total purse was $130,000, I think.

I am glad to see this Laser Rack come into play for the major events. Most players study the rack like they're reading The New York Times.

My boyfriend, bless his heart, NEVER checks the rack. It drives me insane that he doesn't. I used to give him hand signals from the audience to CHECK THE RACK, CHECK THE RACK, CHECK THE RACK, but he just goes about his merry way and plays the game at his own pace. :angry:

I would be interested to have a review by the renown break-master himself, Joe Tucker. He is an expert when it comes to racking AND breaking. :smile:

JAM

 

[i4pool]

Abe has been kind enough to sponsor our next $2,000 added pro Rotation Continous tournament at Danny K's. We will be using exclusively the laser rack in this event.

I think it's a great, high quality rack that will eventually become the industry standard.

Danny K

Danny-- Thanks for the feedback on the rack and allowing me to be a part of your tourny.

Folks, if you're in SoCal the weekend of 8/23 & 8/24, join in on this "ALL OFFENSIVE" format Danny has come up with. I played in his 1st tourny and found the format awesome! If you find yourself being more of an aggressive player, you will love this game! If you'd like more info on the format, I'm sure Danny wouldn't mind filling you in. :thumbup:

I have one of these racks and will have a review posted up very very soon on it. I can tell you now that its not a cheap made rack. You can pick it up and tell how sturdy it is. I dont even think I can touch the lasers because they are built into the rack so well.

I cant wait to try it out this weekend and will be testing its durability too

powerlineman80-- I look forward to your product review. Thanks again for offering your time to test it out. :thumbup:

...

My boyfriend, bless his heart, NEVER checks the rack. It drives me insane that he doesn't. I used to give him hand signals from the audience to CHECK THE RACK, CHECK THE RACK, CHECK THE RACK, but he just goes about his merry way and plays the game at his own pace. :angry:

I would be interested to have a review by the renown break-master himself, Joe Tucker. He is an expert when it comes to racking AND breaking. :smile:

JAM

JAM-- Lol. Maybe a neon sign would catch his attention better. Or how about a laser pointer pointed at his bridge-hand while he's down ready to break. Btw, I would love to meet Keith one of these days and you, of course!

Having Joe Tucker review the rack would be awesome. I wonder if he'd be interested?? I have his DVD "Racking Secrets" and have gotten a lot out of it. The purchase was well worth it. I haven't been able to get through the entire DVD set. I've only watched the 9-ball segment. Can't wait to see the rest. :thumbup:

 

[Steve Ellis]

Hello Steve,

...
Unfortunately, there is a bit of work involved during assembly. One major step is the calibration of all 3 laser positions. If any of these are off, the whole idea behind the laser rack is shot...

That brings to mind another question. Can rough treatment of the rack cause the lasers to become misaligned?

 

[i4pool]

Good question

That brings to mind another question. Can rough treatment of the rack cause the lasers to become misaligned?

Hi Steve-- Very good question. It depends on how rough, I suppose. I've done some preliminary drop-tests at 2', 4', and 7' onto wood flooring and the lasers stayed aligned. :thumbup:

I will make it a point to perform more of a destructive test to see at what point do the lasers become misaligned (if at all). Good stuff! I'll try to do that this weekend and post results. Thanks for bringing it up.

--Abe

 

[whitewolf]

My boyfriend, bless his heart, NEVER checks the rack. It drives me insane that he doesn't. I used to give him hand signals from the audience to CHECK THE RACK, CHECK THE RACK, CHECK THE RACK, but he just goes about his merry way and plays the game at his own pace. :angry:

JAM

I am glad you told us that - otherwise I would have had a false impression. A few years back in the Planet 9 Ball tour I saw Keith check the rack every time Mike Davis racked. I had a suspicion that he was doing it to slow Mike down and was sharking a little - so my suspicion was correct

Jeeze, a couple of weeks ago I saw Matt Clatterbuck complain so many times about Manual Chau's (sp?) racking that I thought he was sharking, until he called over the ref and she judged the rack crooked three times and finally racked herself. They could have used the laser rack :grin-square:

 

[Mr. Wilson]

I suppose this is as good a place as any for my 2 cents.

Abe was kind enough to select me to test his rack.

Thus far, I have been very pleased with the performance. The quality of construction appears to be very solid, using nice hardwoods.

The application is very straight forward and so easy to use...... ( no offence to any Cavemen ) even I can do it.

I've run about 50 racks though the device and have not found a single thing that I do not like about it.

My only question that has me scratching my head is calibration. Is there a need? Can it be tested?

I will continue to run more racks and provide further updates and platitudes or concerns where they arise.

Well done Abe, Thanks!


Dave