The Triangle Rack

I use both the Delta 13 (for 9-Ball or Ten Ball) and the Diamond rack for full rack games. The Diamond has ample room to get your fingers inside and press the balls in tight. The Delta 13 will give you a tight rack but there is no room to get your fingers in there with a full rack, and adjust it if necessary. You can only adjust or tighten the rack from above with your hands. So when we play One Pocket the Diamond rack comes out. The Delta 13 is a great rack though, probably the next best thing to a magic rack or template. But if you buy one make sure to get the leather sound dampeners. Otherwise the clanking noise when racking will make you want to throw it away. :)
 
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jay helfert said:
I use both the Delta 13 (for 9-Ball or Ten Ball) and the Diamond rack for full rack games. The Diamond has ample room to get your hands inside and press the balls in tight. The Delta 13 will give you a tight rack but there is no room to get your hands in there with a full rack, and adjust it if necessary. You can only adjust or tighten the rack from above with your hands. So when we play One Pocket the Diamond rack comes out. The Delta 13 is a great rack though, probably the next best thing to a magic rack or template. But if you buy one make sure to get the leather sound dampeners. Otherwise the clanking noise when racking will make you want to throw it away.
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Diamonds are a mans best friend.
The plastic rack I used last week was an embarrassment. I kept reracking and re-tightening. I asked my opponent to rack his own. I sat and watched/relaxed during the process. I’m BMOR from now on.
 
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Pockets in Tucson. Racks are total sh!t. Replaced the wood with hollow molded garbage racks. Try every corner as much as you,like. You will not get the front six balls to touch. If you have a bad back I recommend playing elsewhere or using a template.
 
Most of the plastic racks I've seen are crap... you try to get a tight 9 or 10 ball rack and the whole triangle flexes... can't get a tight rack. Someone mentioned the balls sticking..
just encountered that with an older wood rack.. you cinch up the back balls, go to take the rack off, and the 1 ball sticks to the rack... mind you, that was at a VERY humid pool hall.

There's a wood rack that I've seen that has the brass reinforced corners.. that one is the nuts, tight 9 or 10 ball, and One Pocket racks... not sure what brand that one is?
 
jay helfert said:
The Delta 13 is a great rack though, probably the next best thing to a magic rack or template. But if you buy one make sure to get the leather sound dampeners. Otherwise the clanking noise when racking will make you want to throw it away. :)
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Here is the big advantage of the clanking/tinking sound the Delta-13 rack makes: If your opponent is racking and you here a clank/tink sound when they lift the rack off, you know that the balls quite possibly are no longer touching. You cannot even slightly brush a wing ball without making the sound. Gives you a heads-up to at least go inspect the rack if you choose to. Wooden/plastic racks...not so much help in that department.

Also, I find that if I scoop up the balls with both hands gripping the sides of the Delta-13, it cuts most of the annoying sound out. If there is a ball I cannot scoop into the rack, I simply pick it up with the one hand while maintaining my grip on the rack with the other hand. I have it down pat to where there's not enough annoying sound to bother you or anyone else in the room.

If you want a triangle rack that racks the balls consistently tight, will not warp, flex, nor splinter, does not stick to the front ball, and will last forever, the Delta-13 is the way to go IMHO.

Maniac (I look at the clanking as the sweet sound of a tight rack)
 
Bob Jewett said:
If it were up to me, they would all have trained/tapped tables. Lacking that, the Delta-13 with sound dampers is the next best choice.
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Bob,

Is there a best practice for how to train the table? I'd hate to do it wrong if I'm going to try it at home.
 
GideonF said:
Bob,

Is there a best practice for how to train the table? I'd hate to do it wrong if I'm going to try it at home.
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I think the best way to do it is with a template that has hole spacing slightly smaller than the balls, which will be less than 56mm for worn balls. Tape it in place and tap one ball at a time using a little water. I think that's how they do it in Europe, and maybe a Euro can confirm/correct.

You can practice at the head end.

I've found that sometimes you need to retap particular locations.
 
Maniac said:
I do this also in my "home" poolhall....on the days I forget to bring my Delta 13.

Maniac
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I also turn the plastic racks over and usually have to go about 1/4 inch forward.My home room does not apply spots on the tables. I rotate the 2nd 2 balls a half turn or so and rotate the back 5 forward, then gently take the rack off and look it over,( 8 ball). 9 and 10 ball also works out this way. I use firm pressure.

I believe the rotating of the balls helps them to stay frozen.
 
dbgordie said:
I wonder if cleaning the rack might help. With chalk, sweat, beer, and food, it might be sticky anyway. I'm sure they get cleaned sometimes, but who knows unless your doing it.

Just a thought.
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I’m betting that all the racks in my neck of the woods have never been cleaned. The hotter it is in the room the more the black gunk on the inside of the rack holds the balls.


Shooter 1 = Bob Frey, Bacote sneaky
Shooter 2= Stelzenmuller, Titleist conversion
 
Bob Jewett said:
One room has pretty good plastic racks -- not the kind that bend and give with the least pressure. The other has some wooden racks that are starting to fray and can leave splinters on the cloth.



If it were up to me, they would all have trained/tapped tables. Lacking that, the Delta-13 with sound dampers is the next best choice.
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Trained/tapped tables is not a particularly good solution for a commercial environment. First of all, people will not use them properly. Other issues include the variety of games people play, which may include 9 on the spot. I think it's a more practical option for a home table that will be used by limited people to rack a specific game.

I find the Delta 13 to work pretty excellent. I further find that the amount of noise it makes is up to the user. There is really not reason to fling the balls forcefully into the front of the triangle as many people do. You can grip the sides of the rack such that your hands act as sound dampeners. I'd love to see my pool hall replace the aging poorly working racks with Delta models.

KMRUNOUT


Sent from my iPhone using AzBilliards Forums
 
KMRUNOUT said:
I further find that the amount of noise it makes is up to the user.
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I don't understand people complaining about racking noise. For openers I like the sound:grin:
Racking balls is quiet compared to the sound of an 8/9ball break. The Delta13 (or any Delta) is well designed. I have a 13. My community room had Selects. Currently using Diamond racks.
 
In the bigger room in our area, we have Diamond wooden racks (for the Diamond tables, natch) and they're fine.

In my home room, we have some older plastic racks, ones that aren't terribly flimsy, and they work fine for me, as well. Though for some reason, I have fewer problems racking than many that I play with. Perhaps its attention to detail, heh. As long as the spot hasn't been dinged too many times, or the balls terribly beaten up, I can usually make a decent rack anywhere.
 
justadub said:
In the bigger room in our area, we have Diamond wooden racks (for the Diamond tables, natch) and they're fine.



In my home room, we have some older plastic racks, ones that aren't terribly flimsy, and they work fine for me, as well. Though for some reason, I have fewer problems racking than many that I play with. Perhaps its attention to detail, heh. As long as the spot hasn't been dinged too many times, or the balls terribly beaten up, I can usually make a decent rack anywhere.
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Do you mind sharing your technique? Are you just super patient and keep at it until you’re satisfied or do you tend to get a kick-up rack fast?

Do you...
- spin balls or tap balls?
- press from the back or press from the top?
- just let them roll in place?
- lift the rack as a unit or tilt the back first?
- flange up or flange down?
- gently slide the rack up before removing?
- press with thumbs in the back or fingers?
- _________________?

I wish instructional videos covered technique for this. Some people seem very good with the plastic rack.


Respectfully, Matt
(I don’t take myself too seriously. I hope you can return the favor.)
 
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