Snooker table pockets and playability.

[barracuda911]

Hi everyone.

Over the weekend I finished putting together and recovering my 140 year old snooker table, an Alcock Thompson Taylor.

Prior to me purchasing it, the cushions have just been re-rubbered etc.
Now... they have been done exactly as they were, shape and size.
They are extremely tight.
The centres are fine, if marginally on the small side, but they go in.
The corners, at the fall of the slate, are 3 1/4 inches.
You can tell a tight or 'buckets' table when you look along the rail...and wow, on this one you wonder, How the hell is a ball going in there?

I had a session on it last night and it mentally drained me. The hardest session I've ever had.

I will put some pics up in next few days, but what i was wondering, could some of you guys comment on your club's or your own tables on the pocket sizes and playability?
I'd love to see some over head shots of other corner pockets etc.
I'm sure a lot of us would.

I plan on getting the corners opened and reshaped a bit... more to modern times.

Cheers,
Jerry.

[brettski]

Good post Jerry, but just think when your used to it potting on a normal table even a match table should be easier for you. The pockets on the tables at my local rileys on the practice tables are fairly wide or at least allow most pots that would never go in on the match table. The pockets near the black are annoyingly open, 3 hours on there and you think you can pot anything. Then when you play on a match table and can't pot a ball its aweful. I play as much as I can on the match table as it really helps me in the long term.

[barracuda911]

Hi Brett.
Yeah, you're not alone in your thinking; my potting should be pretty good when i go to my usual club.

The tightness of the pockets doesn't help with break building though

I was actually looking at the undercut of the pockets,,,,and there isn't much.
I guess the undercut would be around 20 degrees...if the straight edge on the cushion were 90.

The table will continue to test me and to punish me until I remedy those pockets openings.

BUT....don't get me wrong....I am VERY lucky to have my own table to practice and play on. The dream of many, but the reality of few.
I am lucky.
:snooker:

[brettski]

BUT....don't get me wrong....I am VERY lucky to have my own table to practice and play on. The dream of many, but the reality of few.
I am lucky.
:snooker:

You sure are, hopefully with my change of career this year I may be able to afford my own place and the top of the list is a snooker table, hell if I had to sell my car to pay for it I probably would. One thing I have noticed about match tables with tighter pockets is that middle pockets are a nightmare to try and cut into even if you play it dead weight. I imagine this for you is going to be really annoying on your table. :snooker:

[100-uper]

Hi everyone.

Over the weekend I finished putting together and recovering my 140 year old snooker table, an Alcock Thompson Taylor.

I hope it won't come as too much of a disappointment, but Alcock, Thomson & Taylor Pty Ltd were formed in 1930, so not quite as old as you think.

[noel]

Jerry... you are so fortunate!
I have always wanted to have my own proper table one day.
What a labour of love to have refurbished it and joy to play on. Well done!
Looking forward to seeing your and others' pics to compare pocket shape and sizes...
from your description I wonder if you have to have small children on hand
to retrieve the balls from the pockets?


=o)

Noel

[barracuda911]

Hello 100-uper.
By all means you are right in what you say. Alcock Thompson Taylor began trading under that name, January 1, 1930
BUT... before that, and since 1852, Alcock were manufacturing tables.
Perhaps I should have been a little more specific....
It is an Alcock table. Here is a link to my table, "The Squatter's Favourite"
http://www.alcocks.com.au/fullsiz.html
They were manufactured between the 1860's and 1890.
Mine, however, is a very low serial number, which suggests that it was one of their early ones.
For any of you interested, their history is very interesting...
http://www.alcocks.com.au/Ahist.html

[brettski]

Wonderful table pity I'd have to build an extension and sell my car to get it. The one good thing about it, I don't think anyone could ever steal a snooker table.

[RGCirencester]

The pockets at our club are buckets in comparison to other places i've played. To be honest at my current level its a help but i do get annoyed when some shots go in that in my mind shouldn't be possible. One table in particular i played on last week i potted 4 flukes across the top rail in 4 hours (bouncing out of the left pocket hugging the cusion into the other side). You can also hit both jaws of the middle pocket and the ball still sometimes falls.
That looks like a nice table and your very lucky to have it. Maybe one day i can follow in your example.
My Dad has a slate bed barbilliards table back home, thats about as close as im going to get for a while.

[Mully]

Hello Jerry
Have just finished putting my table (a Heiron and Smith)back together again after moving house. Had the cushions re done and the fitter said they conform to amateur standard templates. He did mention they can cut them to professional standard tempates but they are then very difficult to play. The way mine are now they are a lot tighter than previously, and if the professional cut is much harder than these, then I would agree with him that they would be very difficult to play.

My new ones are 31/2 inches wide at the very front of the slate drop, and 31/4 inches at the rear of the slate drop.

After playing on them for a week or so now, I seem to be potting balls a bit better now, although I think I am still very ordinary and need lots of practice!!!

[nideKer]

Hello barracuda911!
You so lucky men! you have so good table! =)

Here, in TSF (link) I found a pockets templates. I post they here (sorry for the russian...). maybe it will help You.
Also You can compare these templates with pockets in club where You always play...

But I think for training better have mo tight pockets - for better play on another tables. =)

[Mike P]

Congratulations on your new table. I am sure it is a welcome addition to the family. Hope you have many enjoyable hours on it. I have a Burroughes & Watts from the 1800's. Here are what the pockets look like. When shooting a ball close to the rail, there isn’t much pocket available. In another thread someone shows pockets that were extremely tight. They reminded me of snooker tables that had been converted to accommodate the game of golf.
Mike