6811 Tournament or Hainsworth match?

[nuts00]

Looking to recover my pool table soon. But I want it as close to IPA/EBA events as possible.

Are these the premium cloths available? Anyone found any cheaper alternatives that play just as fast.

[Big Splash!]

You question contains an oxymoron. If you want a comp standard cloth, you need to spend comp standard money. Cheaper cloths are cheaper for a reason. They're either not up to scratch or not made of the best wool or not hard wearing.

Spend a bit more on a Hainsworth or Strachan. I'd go Hainsworth for a pool table.

[nuts00]

Yeh sorry. What I meant was were there any alternatives to consider. As these are the only two I've seen really

[Big Splash!]

Hundreds of alternatives. You can get speed cloth for £15 a sheet.
http://www.snookerandpool.co.uk/Snoo...C17-43-1-0.htm
Probably won't last as long as Strachan or Hainsworth but if it plays well and you're covering it yourself, it's a bargain. They have many other cloths as well, some wool/nylon.

[Geoff Large]

99% of Snooker tables I re-cover are done with Strachan 6811 tournament 30 oz weight
these last in a club around 2 years

it it was a match cloth they would be lucky to get 9 months out of it

as all snooker table funding in clubs is taken from the light revenue , this includes rate value of that part of the club soft furnishings lighting heating and cloth wear and accessories replacement and upkeep and table maintenance and room decoration .
I will admit Match cloths are faster than a tournament strachan 30 oz cloth , but club owners will not have a table recovered every 9 months if the revenue is not coming in to cover all the above

pool tables are a little different as they should be recovered every 6 or 12 months depending on winter summer leagues and how much use of the table .
if recover is every 6 months then by all means use a match cloth
but if 12 months or more is required then use Strachan 6811 either in tournament or pool version , the pool version is 28 oz but is still the same format as 30 oz and is still 100% pure new wool with a nap on it .

if using the 30 oz strachan then ironing on a regular basis will replicate match cloth eventually as the nap wear in
it is lack of brushing an ironing that makes a slow table , and most clubs do not brush and iron enough

low cost iron for a pool table is available from https://www.decathlon.co.uk/waxing-iron-id_8319488.html
I would only use these for pool tables they are not heavy irons but are a smaller version of a square plated iron , just make sure the surface plate is the none grooved version and is perfectly flat .
the professional dowsing billiard irons are over £200

[Big Splash!]

Hopefully Dave Walton, Danam or Geoff Large will come on the thread as this is their area of expertise.

*Geoff beat me to it! lol

[Big Splash!]

99% of Snooker tables I re-cover are done with Strachan 6811 tournament 30 oz weight
these last in a club around 2 years

it it was a match cloth they would be lucky to get 9 months out of it

as all snooker table funding in clubs is taken from the light revenue , this includes rate value of that part of the club soft furnishings lighting heating and cloth wear and accessories replacement and upkeep and table maintenance and room decoration .
I will admit Match cloths are faster than a tournament strachan 30 oz cloth , but club owners will not have a table recovered every 9 months if the revenue is not coming in to cover all the above

pool tables are a little different as they should be recovered every 6 or 12 months depending on winter summer leagues and how much use of the table .
if recover is every 6 months then by all means use a match cloth
but if 12 months or more is required then use Strachan 6811 either in tournament or pool version , the pool version is 28 oz but is still the same format as 30 oz and is still 100% pure new wool with a nap on it .

if using the 30 oz strachan then ironing on a regular basis will replicate match cloth eventually as the nap wear in
it is lack of brushing an ironing that makes a slow table , and most clubs do not brush and iron enough

low cost iron for a pool table is available from https://www.decathlon.co.uk/waxing-iron-id_8319488.html
I would only use these for pool tables they are not heavy irons but are a smaller version of a square plated iron , just make sure the surface plate is the none grooved version and is perfectly flat .
the professional dowsing billiard irons are over £200

True this, lazy folk like the Hainsworth match as it plays fast to begin with, with little work. But it slows after a month, has lost much speed after 6mths and needs replacing after 9mths. Can't beat a properly looked after 6811T but you need the ****ers to do 5mins of work on it each day.

[Geoff Large]

There is only one brand of speed cloth I would recommend and that is Strachan super pro speed cloth
http://gclbilliards.com/pool-table-r...o-speed-cloth/

Super pro is the best speed cloth for fitting , other speed cloths tend to be very difficult to form around bends and the centre pocket falls
you can use starch on speed cloths and not a lot of people know this but also an iron , but not too hot as the man made fibers will melt
I use starch and iron on the 9ft butlins tables http://gclbilliards.com/lincolnshire...n-pool-tables/

there are some very low cost speed cloth around one is euro speed cloth , it marks very easy with ball skid friction burns , the super pro speed cloth is 70% wool / 30% man made fiber and is not 100% man made fiber like the euro speed cloth .

You get what you pay for

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

There is only one brand of speed cloth I would recommend and that is Strachan super pro speed cloth
http://gclbilliards.com/pool-table-r...o-speed-cloth/

Super pro is the best speed cloth for fitting , other speed cloths tend to be very difficult to form around bends and the centre pocket falls
you can use starch on speed cloths and not a lot of people know this but also an iron , but not too hot as the man made fibers will melt
I use starch and iron on the 9ft butlins tables http://gclbilliards.com/lincolnshire...n-pool-tables/

there are some very low cost speed cloth around one is euro speed cloth , it marks very easy with ball skid friction burns , the super pro speed cloth is 70% wool / 30% man made fiber and is not 100% man made fiber like the euro speed cloth .

You get what you pay for

What about simonis 860 on English tables?

Also, as we're talking about them, I'm thinking about getting an English table installed at home - trouble is, the ball return system makes an absolute racket and it would annoy my neighbours off no end, so have you ever changed the pockets on an English pool table so they are drop pockets instead? Would prefer not to stuff socks in them if possible lol.

[DeanH]

an old friend many years ago had a UK pool table in the house and he lined the pockets and returns with a thin carpet bits (DIY job), worked quite well but I am sure there could be better alternatives.

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

an old friend many years ago had a UK pool table in the house and he lined the pockets and returns with a thin carpet bits (DIY job), worked quite well but I am sure there could be better alternatives.

Yeah, I've thought about that, but would block up all the time, i suspect. They really are amazingly noisy when you listen out to them.

[DeanH]

6811 Tournament or Hainsworth match?

yes they do make a racket when in a small and quiet locale
Maybe carpet is the wrong term
sure you'll find something, let us know what you find.

[Geoff Large]

Not seen any UK ball pockets they are all liners that require ball runners

you can get american gully pockets all in one moulded but they are too large for UK tables .

Home play tables just have one ramp to one end , by lining the end box with a carpet tile and a thin strip of tile at the opening where they make the most noise this will reduce most of the noise .
you can line the inner ball ramp with old cloth but do not glue it on , just staple it around the outside .
after a while balls will stick on old cloth or carpet so you have to clean out regular basis to stop fluff collecting in there .
thin carpet like flotex may work but after a while I can see sticking balls a problem , it depends on the type of table it is being fitted to
my experience with Supreme winner and prince is you have to keep the insides clean to stop balls sticking in there .
but I would recommend a Home play version over a coin op if you are afraid of noise , and try a thin matting like smooth darts mat or thin flotex on the main ramp and thicker carpet tiles down in the ball collection box at the end of the table , the loudest bang is where the ball hits the alloy trim surrounding the hole, so a thin strip piece of carpet tile there and make sure it covers that alloy trim .
you may want to put a little thin sponge or flotex just where the ball drops on the pocket runs
and if in a upstairs flat put a carpet piece under legs if on a hard floor .

make sure the nap of any flotex follows the run off of the ball direction

[Big Splash!]

What about simonis 860 on English tables?

Also, as we're talking about them, I'm thinking about getting an English table installed at home - trouble is, the ball return system makes an absolute racket and it would annoy my neighbours off no end, so have you ever changed the pockets on an English pool table so they are drop pockets instead? Would prefer not to stuff socks in them if possible lol.

Chipboard junk. Get a C8 table, you know you want to!

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

Chipboard junk. Get a C8 table, you know you want to!

If i had the space, i would.