To double or triple shim...

[scottjen26]

I'm hopefully getting a GC IV in the near future. It's coming out of a pool room that closed down, total of 8 tables. Rubber been replaced somewhat recently so should be good, also based on reviews of some of the other tables from the same lot that have been setup already.

First step in the process is get a light and get the table setup, then a year or two down the road perhaps send the rails in for a real good workup.

In the meantime, pretty sure (still verifying) that the pockets are standard, so probably 5". Definitely too big for me, I want the table to play like the equipment I'm used to, either procut Diamond pockets (4 1/2" I believe) or the 4 3/8" Metro tables at the other place I play. Two balls should barely fit between the noses of the cushions, would be okay if they didn't quite fit too as long as the pocket played fairly decently (again, know it won't be perfect yet).


I know that shimming isn't ideal, but until I can get the rail work done, should I do a double or triple shim? From what I understand the installer will use precut shims from Brunswick that are preset for the right thickness, that way at least it's one piece of material and not several wood or rubber pieces nailed to each other. I'm guessing the ball will react a little differently if hit directly into the shim, so maybe a case for limiting the extra material. I just don't want them to be too loose. I just played on a triple shimmed table last week at someone's house and it wasn't bad, didn't notice any horrible ball rejections or anything.

Thoughts/advice much appreciated.
Scott

 

[fastone371]

I dont know about the GCIV, but I have a GCI, even though it has a 4 7/8 corner pocket it does not play easy because it has much deeper shelves than a Diamond, I would look real close at the whole pocket area before I shimmed them down. I think the shimming the pockets is fine if your pocket angles are correct, if they are like my GCI you will get many rejections on a less than nice hit. I am in the process of having mine recushioned now with updated pocket size and angles, I dont think I would change the pocket width without changing the pocket angles though, maybe its only a problem on the early GCs, I am sure others will share thier thoughts.

 

[realkingcobra]

I dont know about the GCIV, but I have a GCI, even though it has a 4 7/8 corner pocket it does not play easy because it has much deeper shelves than a Diamond, I would look real close at the whole pocket area before I shimmed them down. I think the shimming the pockets is fine if your pocket angles are correct, if they are like my GCI you will get many rejections on a less than nice hit. I am in the process of having mine recushioned now with updated pocket size and angles, I dont think I would change the pocket width without changing the pocket angles though, maybe its only a problem on the early GCs, I am sure others will share thier thoughts.

No, the pocket shelfs are not any deeper than a Diamonds, if your pockets were 4 1/2" then the shelf would be less, but if Diamond's were the size of yours...the slate shelf would be even deeper than it already is

 

[fastone371]

Are you sure about that Glen? I made a template of my pocket size and shape including the depth of the shelf, I only compared it to a Valley and a 7' Diamond bar table but my shelf is way deeper, if the ball is deep in the jaws you can not hit a cushion first and drop the ball, you need to hit ball directly because ball sits behind the points of the cushions. My playing surface measures correctly and the nose height seems correct so I am guessing it has the correct cushions. This table has been privatley owned its whole life so I do not think it has been butchered, the guy I got it from from bought it in late 80s, original owner bought it in late 60s or 1970, I think it has only been felted once, getting done again right now so I will know in 2 days if it still has Monarchs on it.

 

[realkingcobra]

Are you sure about that Glen? I made a template of my pocket size and shape including the depth of the shelf, I only compared it to a Valley and a 7' Diamond bar table but my shelf is way deeper, if the ball is deep in the jaws you can not hit a cushion first and drop the ball, you need to hit ball directly because ball sits behind the points of the cushions. My playing surface measures correctly and the nose height seems correct so I am guessing it has the correct cushions. This table has been privatley owned its whole life so I do not think it has been butchered, the guy I got it from from bought it in late 80s, original owner bought it in late 60s or 1970, I think it has only been felted once, getting done again right now so I will know in 2 days if it still has Monarchs on it.

Positively sure, the Diamond 7ft's don't have the same shelf depth as the Diamond 9fts do, they're deeper.

This is the depth of the Diamond shelf at 4 1/2" pocket opening,



about 60% of the ball is in the pocket, and it would be much deeper if it was the Brunswick standard 5" pocket opening, as at that width there would be more slate in the pocket for the ball to sit on, in fact I don't think you'd even be able to hit the ball in the pocket if the cue was froze to the long side rail, you'd have to come off the end rail with side spin to angle the cue ball into the object ball in the pocket in order to pocket it. That was what the pocket shelfs where like on the first Diamond smart tables back in 2000 when we first started building them with league cut 4 3/4" corner pockets.