Tournament ball rails

[bricktip]

Hi,

Re: http://www.peradon.co.uk/table-parts...284750%29.aspx

I'm trying to determine whether the longer rails are worth it. Does anyone have them and know how many more balls they hold compared to the normal length rails?

[Harry Hossack]

played on a table with them n i think there good. u never have to move the balls from pocket to pocket or take the out to get a ball thats just been potted.

[williak]

I've never understood why tables are not set up with the extended runners going towards each other at the top end (only.) Watching the silly pas de deux between the ref and a pro on black (see Ronnie in high gear for example) shows both the problem and its solution. If the runners were aimed toward each other, the ref would only need to step in, retrieve black, spot it, and step back. The player would only have to step behind the ref on his way to the other side of the table. No traffic jams or collisions and Ronnie could see about that sub 5 minute maximum! Note, opposed top end runners would also serve pink respots equally as well. Blue, of course, is normally made in the middles, so it would not be affected, nor would baulk.

[Geoff Large]

The reason the spot end do not have middle pocket rails faceing the spot end rail dates back to billiards , when the manufacturers first started useing ball rails to return balls to Baulk , they ran the entire lenth of the frame on the outer as well on some makes on the inner part of the frame to return the billiard ball back to Baulk for the next shot after an in off , and since those days all centre pocket rails face to Baulk , you do get some that a fitter who has not been taught that the rail should face to baulk put them on the wrong way towards the spot end , some players prefer it , but it is traditional that they face to baulk .
as for the longer rails , the Rails these days are not as strong as the older made in UK rails and simply fall apart easy even on standard lenth rails , the nuts are badly made and come loose , now take these flimsy made in china rails and extend them which puts more strain on them and they fall apart even quickly , unless they can be made to a good standard they are just not upto the job .... Did you know old solid brass rails made around 1910 onwards and they useualy have red rubber over the metal runners are very saught after in the antique table market and fetch over £100 a set in todays market , after all they have lasted over 100 years and still going strong UNLIKE the chinese rubbish they import for us to use nowdays .

[williak]

Oops, I was not clear in my previous post. My ideal setup leaves the middle and baulk runners as is. Whether one wishes to replace standard size with extended length runners is immateriel and left to the owner. Where I have an issue is with the spot end runners set up towards baulk in any size. I believe extended length runners for both top corners should be installed FACING EACH OTHER along the spot end rail. As I said previously, watch Ronnie or some other hyper-potter on a (near) maximum and note the many interference occasions between player and ball spotter. Almost all these near collisions and awkward pas de deux would be obviated with the facing runner setup. The only problem with my proposal is the necessary relocation of the standard rest. Which brings up another issue!

I believe standard rests should be provided at all four corners with the handle frame hooked near the corner and the X head resting on the floor towards the middle pocket. A player would then need only to reach under the table for ready access to the standard rest with having to leave the shot position. Rests are rarely needed to bridge the 6' dimension, but are routinely required on the diagonals and along the 12' dimension. The half-butt and other miscellaneous tackle should be stored vertically away from the immediate vicinity of the table (or underneath the table accessible from one end or the other.) Wasting precious outside frame real estate along the 12' dimension with half-butt rests and cues is silly, considering the rarity of their use. Similarly, the paucity of standard rest locations ready to hand needlessly delays the game while the player or ref fusses with detaching one from its hooks and replacing it after use. I suggest people try the four corner setup (two running from baulk to middles in a pinch!) and see how smoothly the game proceeds. In most snooker rooms, a half-butt rest and cue pair can easily service four busy tables with almost conflicts due to simultaneous need.