Come on newbies get posting

[DeanH]

The WPBSA Rules state that the table shall have 6 pockets, see page08 Section1 Rule1. The Standard Table.
Where is the definition of the pocket shape?
If there is a Standard Template or Templates then there must me detailed drawings for these.
Where can I find these drawings?
Regards Arnold

This has been asked many times and it is known that WPBSA did not want to "share its template with the general public" for many years, and still doesnot really.
If you search the internet I am sure you will find such drawings. Also here on TSF there are those that have made their own physical sets.

When designing the layout for a multy tabled Snooker and/or Pool Room is there a recomended minimum clear space between tables and between tables and perimeter wall enclosures?
Regards Arnold

I have not come across any such official measurements. Obviously the answer is "as much as possible"
Obviously the space available determines what you end up with.
If you take the often mentioned "standard" space around a table as 5ft, just a bit more than a standard cue (as quoted 22ft x 16ft floor space for a full size table), so it could be you could call this the recommended minimum space between tables and walls.

In my current club we have 3 tables two alongside each other and the third off on its own.
The space around the outer sides and between the two tables is about 6ft (minimum) and the space around the single one is about 6.5ft (min).
See photo below.
I have visited another club in the past where they also had three tables, two parallel to each other and one across the two short ends, in this space the gap was actually barely 5ft! And was a pain to get down on the shot (Robertson would hate the lack of walk-in space!), and the amount of time you had to wait for another player to complete their shot was very distracting! We don't go there any more

https://i.ibb.co/NN7CYdP/BBSC-Snooker-Hall-Lights.jpg

[arnold jones]

Many visiting teams complain that the pockets on our club tables are too big.
Where in the WPBSA Rules of Snooker does it define the size and shape of the pockets?
Regards Arnold

[arnold jones]

If the WPBSA Rules do not define the size and shape of the pockets then the pockets can be as big as anyone decides.

[mikee]

This comes up all the time and has been discussed for years ,pocket size is a strange one and all tables are not the same .it’s not just the pocket size. But the shape and the undercut of the rubber .Most club tables have bigger pockets as it generates more income for the club as new players want to pot balls ,if the games too hard they won’t come back .Some clubs with lots of tables will have a couple that are tighter than standard club size .Generally a pocket should be no bigger than 3.5 inches at the slate fall ,straight cut angle into the pocket with no undercut on the nose of the rubber .Some tables have had their slate falls filed away to make the pocket bigger .As a rule tighter pockets suit fast tables as the ball does not need to be batterd around too much .On my table you can fit a credit card in the pocket just behind the slate fall and it will sit there snug ,at my club it will just fall the the floor ,in other words most club tables have bigger pockets .Are the guys that are saying the pockets are too big knocking in tons every week .

[Delphi]

I’d like to see a few shed projects on the go?? C’mon..

You can expect mine in coming fall

[Delphi]

Just posting on this thread to keep it alive! I'd like to see some new content from new people as well.

Locally a new small club has opened with 4 tables, 3 BCE Westbury and a Star. They want to keep a membership of around 100 and the fee is around 60 GBP pa. Table rates are excellent at 2 quid per person per hour on the BCE tables and 2:50 for the Star. Solo rate is the per person singular charge so very reasonable for my neck of the woods. Have a friend who knows the manager and is going to check it out next week so hopefully we will have another place to play and mix things up a bit.

Be good to hear of any other news like this from new members and old.

I wonder if there are clubs in England that have the same system as my club.
We pay a big annual fee (325 euro) but are never charged for table usage, all in all a better system for players i think.

[arnold jones]

The cushions on my snooker table are quite high above table bed, making life difficult when the the cue ball is tight on the cush.
Can anyone tell me if there is a standard or regulation height for the cushion and/or rubber above the slate bed.

[DeanH]

The cushions on my snooker table are quite high above table bed, making life difficult when the the cue ball is tight on the cush.
Can anyone tell me if there is a standard or regulation height for the cushion and/or rubber above the slate bed.

Again, some years ago this was discussed, and again no table fitter has every confirmed the dimensions you ask for.
I found an old image of a cross-sections of a cushion where the height of the cushion was noted at 39mm from the bed; and the profile of the cushion at point of contact on a ball was 30mm.

[Danger Steve]

The cushions on my snooker table are quite high above table bed, making life difficult when the the cue ball is tight on the cush.
Can anyone tell me if there is a standard or regulation height for the cushion and/or rubber above the slate bed.

Approximately 38-39 mm from cloth to the top of the cushion. 29-30 mm to the bottom nose of the cushion to the cloth.


If fitting new blocks to your cushion these usually come planed to size, around 36mm..

[mikee]

Older tables had slightly higher cushions ,this makes for a slower bounce ,the modern table the blocks are set lower ,makes for a faster table but the downside of this is that when the cloth wears the balls can bounce in the air of the cushion . Got to strike that happy medium to get it just right .

[arnold jones]

What exactly are cushion blocks?
Forgive my ignorrance.

[Danger Steve]

What exactly are cushion blocks?
Forgive my ignorrance.

They are basically a separate piece of wood that can be replaced, they are fixed to the main cushion. The cushion rubber is glued to the blocks. Sometimes after years and years of having cloth changed and the rubber changed the block can get a bit worn out so they get replaced! The new blocks are made from Poplar (a hardwood) and cut to a more modern size which seats the cushion lower on the table creating a lower contact point between the rubber and the ball, which in turn gives a better bounce! The other benefit is you can see more of the cue ball when playing off the cushion! Of course much of the setup is down to the fitter, each probably has their own way of doing things, and the older fitters generally stick to the old ways! You could ask your fitter to plane the existing blocks if there are in good condition, but you have to be careful not to have them set too low or you’ll actually get balls bouncing upwards off the cushion! The sweet spot is to have the bottom nose of the rubber contact the ball just above centre

[arnold jones]

There are discussions at my Club, relating to improving the layout of the Games Room, which would involve relocating two snooker table within the room. One table would be moved 5.5 m approx., and the other also moved 5.5 m approx., and also rotated 90 deg.. All on a carpeted solid concrete ground floor slab.
Is there any way that the tables could be moved using trolley jacks or similar (by club members) without having to dismantle and re-assemble the tables at great cost by table fitters?.
I look forward to any comments and or advice from anyone on the proposal.

[Danger Steve]

There are discussions at my Club, relating to improving the layout of the Games Room, which would involve relocating two snooker table within the room. One table would be moved 5.5 m approx., and the other also moved 5.5 m approx., and also rotated 90 deg.. All on a carpeted solid concrete ground floor slab.
Is there any way that the tables could be moved using trolley jacks or similar (by club members) without having to dismantle and re-assemble the tables at great cost by table fitters?.
I look forward to any comments and or advice from anyone on the proposal.

Errrrrrr NO! No chance

The moment you have to lift a table it’s game over! So before you even try I’d say don’t bother, you’ll just damage either the table, or worse someone might get hurt! A snooker table weighs approximately 1 ton, they are heavy for a reason, and that is so they stay still when you play snooker. Trying to lift one to slide something in under the legs and then move it without causing the table any stress would be virtually impossible! The only way would be to hire a specialist team who would excavate beneath it and somehow slide in a jack that would take the weight without the table moving a millimetre, like some sort of specialist archeological team, it would probably cost you about a million quid to have the two tables relocated!…. I’d just get a table fitter! Much cheaper.

Where is your club? If you where local to me I might be willing to help you out.

[arnold jones]

Thank you for your response.
For your information, some years ago, the Club commitee decided to change the room layout, and moved the 2 tables exactly as I described but in reverse sequence.
The work was carried out by members, shifting the tables on trolley jacks or simmilar to their present lications.
It is hoped that the tables can be returned to the previous locations.
How much would it cost to have table fitters dismantle, move and re-assemble the tables I wonder.
Further comments would be appreciated.