Top priority in a table

[Andrew Manning]

So just out of my own curiosity, what's your top priority in a pool table you'll be playing on, to include aspects of construction, materials used, and setup aspects? For example, is it more improtant to you that the slate is perfectly level, or that the rails play very true, etc.? I realize that the answer may be different depending on whether you're using the table for practice or competition (i.e. pocket tightness preferences, etc.).

I know my answer, and somehow I don't think it will match many others.

-Andrew

 

[cueandcushion]

So just out of my own curiosity, what's your top priority in a pool table you'll be playing on, to include aspects of construction, materials used, and setup aspects? For example, is it more improtant to you that the slate is perfectly level, or that the rails play very true, etc.? I realize that the answer may be different depending on whether you're using the table for practice or competition (i.e. pocket tightness preferences, etc.).

I know my answer, and somehow I don't think it will match many others.

-Andrew

I think having a table that is above average in playing difficulty is a great asset. It forces you to be a better player having tighter and deeper pockets. I think durability of construction which will have a long term consistancy to the play is important too. Mostly having a table away from smoke will make it play so much better and keep the cloth in good shape for a longer time. Materials used doesn't matter too much to me as long as it isnt pressboard or MDF. Solid wood or epoxy impregnated wood or heavy grade Formica over wood all play well to me. But then again. I am an average player at most.

 

[Island Drive]

So just out of my own curiosity, what's your top priority in a pool table you'll be playing on, to include aspects of construction, materials used, and setup aspects? For example, is it more improtant to you that the slate is perfectly level, or that the rails play very true, etc.? I realize that the answer may be different depending on whether you're using the table for practice or competition (i.e. pocket tightness preferences, etc.).

I know my answer, and somehow I don't think it will match many others.

-Andrew

Gold Crown I

Dowled 3 piece slates
Ability to put/bring table to most any location, plus can store it in a small closet.
High Quality wood slate frames
Kiln Dried wood frames
Indestructible formica top rails
Best made 'ever ball' counters built into foot rail
Ball Box's that were easy to use
Best ever heavy duty crome rake holders, both sides of table
Flint based slates, repairable if cracked
Low cost of pocket replacements, many mfg. to choose from
Rock Solid Frame
Barrel hole pocket irons, never come loose.
Aprons are all rock hard poplar, three or four pieces, glued together, and never separate.

I've always found the rail nose height and cushions (natural gum rubber) with original equipment to accept the natural two rail cross side shots.
With dowled slates, no side to side roll off due to slte seams when set up right.
I think it was also 1" slates, not too thick not too thin, but frikin' heavy.
This table has the thicker slate frames to bring the playing surface to its accepted 31" height.
The thicker slate frames and their quality of wood hold up better through years of stapling cloth to it without wanting to splinter.

Other than that, little by little thereafter there table goes through changes but the frame structure with the legs underneath giving the player the ability to form a good stance is the best, no table legs in the way of your legs.

 

[StevenPWaldon]

Properly maintained rails are the most important to me. Broadway Billiards in NYC is where I mostly shoot, and all their tables are different -- some not 100% level, some with pockets cut funny, some fast, some slow.

But by far the worst used to be #7 before it was worked on. "Shape" isn't so much possible or predictable, because once the cueball hit the rail it died and the angle changed dramatically. VERY frustrating.

 

[Andrew Manning]

Sorry, work got frantic and I never got back to this thread. For me, I can play on anything as long as the pocket facings are good. I don't care how tight/loose they are as long as the facings are flat, the cloth is stretched over them well evenly, and they are close to parallel in the corners. I absolutely hate it when I hit the pocket opening and the ball doesn't drop. It ruins the rack for me. I can deal with tables that roll off, as long as the pockets accept balls predictably.

-Andrew

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

The most important thing for me is how level the table is. Of course, everything can be a factor depending on how bad it gets but assuming that on a scale of 1-10, anything could be a 10 and the rest would be 5s, I would want the table to be perfectly level and would rather have that than perfect rails.

 

[skins]

Gold Crown I

Dowled 3 piece slates
Ability to put/bring table to most any location, plus can store it in a small closet.
High Quality wood slate frames
Kiln Dried wood frames
Indestructible formica top rails
Best made 'ever ball' counters built into foot rail
Ball Box's that were easy to use
Best ever heavy duty crome rake holders, both sides of table
Flint based slates, repairable if cracked
Low cost of pocket replacements, many mfg. to choose from
Rock Solid Frame
Barrel hole pocket irons, never come loose.
Aprons are all rock hard poplar, three or four pieces, glued together, and never separate.

I've always found the rail nose height and cushions (natural gum rubber) with original equipment to accept the natural two rail cross side shots.
With dowled slates, no side to side roll off due to slte seams when set up right.
I think it was also 1" slates, not too thick not too thin, but frikin' heavy.
This table has the thicker slate frames to bring the playing surface to its accepted 31" height.
The thicker slate frames and their quality of wood hold up better through years of stapling cloth to it without wanting to splinter.

Other than that, little by little thereafter there table goes through changes but the frame structure with the legs underneath giving the player the ability to form a good stance is the best, no table legs in the way of your legs.

yes! solid solid solid! i think what plays as the biggest factors is rail construction and the overall weight of the table in which the frame plays a big part. the weight of a table plays a big part in the longevity of how a table will play. even though you didn't metion this and others did, levelness is not a factor because any table that can't be "somewhat" perfectly leveled isn't worth the space it's taking up imo.

 

[xidica]

Indeed. I don't care too much about the cloth's condition (I'll get used to it and I've played on worse). The main thing for me is rails and pocket facings.

 

[Da Poet]

Anything that makes one area or direction of the table play different from the other just breaks up the harmony of the game for me.

 

[xidica]

Anything that makes one area or direction of the table play different from the other just breaks up the harmony of the game for me.

I think that's pretty true. Takes a good long while to adjust to something like that; but it can also be exploited just as easily. THINK SAFE!