Project Snooker Shed!

[Danger Steve]

I can well see me ordering a thermometer now to measure the cloth temperature! I suppose once that’s up to 20 then I’ll know what temperature the panels have to be set at and I can then control them with the thermostat.

[itsnoteasy]

Great idea and looks very neat , Geoff Large does say heat is best no matter what system is used on the slate ,the trick is if you do use heating on a table to keep it consistent and not hot ,if you can feel the heat on your hand on the table it’s too hot .I have played on a pro,s table that was too hot ,you could feel the heat on the cloth ,someone turned the heating off one night by mistake and the table went out of level and started creaking ,fitters had to come in and re level it .Thing to remember is that slate like wood has a grain and over time can split and warp .Low mild constant heat is probably best .

Thanks for that Mikee, I didn't know that. We played on a heated table and its was definitely warm on your hands, it was hot enough to warm the balls through after a few frames. I'm guessing that's too hot, I would like to know what the right temp should be.

[mikee]

Around 20 to 23 degrees ,just a bit more than the room temp ,the old tube heating that was used with 5 tubes under the table is not great and when the heat is too much will cause hot spots all over the table ,which makes the game harder and the balls run faster and slower all over the table ,you can imagine the damage those tube heaters were doing to the inside frame of the table .

[Danger Steve]

Thanks Mikee! Is there anything you don’t know? What are next weeks winning Lotto numbers?

Yeah I remember when I first started this project and I wasn’t sure how to best heat the table, I looked at tube heaters, oil heaters etc etc but came to the conclusion they’ll warm the frame and everything and be totally inefficient! The good thing with the carbon heat mats is to actually feel the heat you have be literally touching or very close to touching them. The heat doesn’t seem to radiate out far....and they don’t get hot, so zero damage to the frame. It’ll be interesting to see what the surface temperature is reaching, with the WiFi thermostatic controller though I should be able to control this pretty easily.

[trying]

Time to sort out the table heating!!

Firstly I cut a sheet of 25mm insulation to match the dimensions beneath the table, next I cut a length off the roll of carbon heat mat. The kit came with some heat mat connectors that crimp onto the copper strip.

Good stuff Steve. I have table heating on the list to sort at some point. Was it a hotwire kit/components?

[Cue crafty]

I’m taking no credit for this concept what so ever, if you want to buy a similar system for yourselves then check out Hotwire snooker table heating.... For me though keeping this a totally DIY build was important and taking what is out there and trying to improve it and personalise it for my own benefit was definitely the way to go!

I checked out Hotwire on FB, Justin Greatrix has fitted these heating systems for every player in the top 16 and probably many many more outside that having looked through his posts. Amazing that it seems WSC are not using his system and Mark Williams asks him why, he hints there is a reason but wont tell Mark, probably to do with their contract with Star and Star's own heating system. This guy is changing out Star heating systems on tables all over GB and Ireland.

Recently in August he did table 14 at Frames bar in Coulsdon so Neil Taperell should probably know how good this system is too by now.

[trains]

Thanks Mikee! Is there anything you don’t know? What are next weeks winning Lotto numbers?

Well your post about the american triple crown a few days ago would have made you a good phone a friend to pat gibson ( possibly the world’s greatest quizzer ) for the million pound question on who wants to be a millionaire , he was pretty sure it wasn’t the arlington million but just wanted to make sure so used his phone a friend , he may have given you a fifteenth 66 k and 66 pounds , just another feather in the cap of the great Lord Danger Steve !!

[Danger Steve]

Good stuff Steve. I have table heating on the list to sort at some point. Was it a hotwire kit/components?

No I sourced everything myself...

Hotwire kits are I think 375, this DIY version with a standard thermostat would come in at less than 190 & 220 with the WiFi thermostat. But it wasn’t just about saving money, as good as that is, it was about sticking to the DIY theme for the whole project!

[Danger Steve]

Well your post about the american triple crown a few days ago would have made you a good phone a friend to pat gibson ( possibly the world’s greatest quizzer ) for the million pound question on who wants to be a millionaire , he was pretty sure it wasn’t the arlington million but just wanted to make sure so used his phone a friend , he may have given you a fifteenth 66 k and 66 pounds , just another feather in the cap of the great Lord Danger Steve !!

There only easy when you know the answers! And a lifetime of following horse racing helps!!..

[trains]

There only easy when you know the answers! And a lifetime of following horse racing helps!!..

My residing memory of horse racing was making i think my first ever bet on racing in the 90 grand national on mr frisk , he won in a record time , i hardly remember ever betting on horses since , bit weird eh it never really floated my boat

[mikee]

Thanks Mikee! Is there anything you don’t know? What are next weeks winning Lotto numbers?

Yeah I remember when I first started this project and I wasn’t sure how to best heat the table, I looked at tube heaters, oil heaters etc etc but came to the conclusion they’ll warm the frame and everything and be totally inefficient! The good thing with the carbon heat mats is to actually feel the heat you have be literally touching or very close to touching them. The heat doesn’t seem to radiate out far....and they don’t get hot, so zero damage to the frame. It’ll be interesting to see what the surface temperature is reaching, with the WiFi thermostatic controller though I should be able to control this pretty easily.

I like the history of snooker and the tables over the years ,also Geoff has a great knowledge of everything snooker .One year at the crucible I got to have a good look around the main match table on the final before the evening session ,you could see the temperature underside the table ,also the cloth felt pretty normal ,more just slightly warm at most .I used to do a bit of photography at snooker events so was always sniffing around the main tables ,and yes the pockets always looked and felt small .

[mikee]

Be interesting to hear how your table plays Steve when you get settled on the temperature and it’s been on a bit ,looks a real tidy set up .

[trying]

No I sourced everything myself...

Hotwire kits are I think 375, this DIY version with a standard thermostat would come in at less than 190 & 220 with the WiFi thermostat. But it wasn’t just about saving money, as good as that is, it was about sticking to the DIY theme for the whole project!

Ah, great stuff. I like your thinking. It looks like the same film which is why I asked. Do you mind sharing your source?

[Neil Taperell]

I checked out Hotwire on FB, Justin Greatrix has fitted these heating systems for every player in the top 16 and probably many many more outside that having looked through his posts. Amazing that it seems WSC are not using his system and Mark Williams asks him why, he hints there is a reason but wont tell Mark, probably to do with their contract with Star and Star's own heating system. This guy is changing out Star heating systems on tables all over GB and Ireland.

Recently in August he did table 14 at Frames bar in Coulsdon so Neil Taperell should probably know how good this system is too by now.

I've not played on it Marc , but by all accounts they are very pleased with it . I think they have more tables done as well . But would need to double check that .

[itsnoteasy]

Had building inspector round this morning, all systems go. He's happy with everything we've done , we have taken loads of pictures as we went along and sent them to him to show the different steps, I don't know if it helped but it can't do any harm. We won't see him again until he signs the shed off. Unless deliveries are slowed down with covid we could be in by first week in December. I can't wait. The sheds ended up six inches wider and longer , not complaining and inspector wasn't bothered.