Ring around black spot

[wigansnooker]

I have noticed on some tables a light ring around the black spot greater than the circumference of the black, what causes this phenomenon, is there any way it can be prevented?

[Cue crafty]

I think its just from respotting the black which generally gets done more often than the other colours, even if you roll the ball onto it's spot as you are supposed to (watch the TV refs) the wear will show eventually still. It's just a high usage issue really.

Trying to keep finger tips from touching the cloth around the spot when replacing the black should help delay this too

[ecofoo]

I think it's due to the cueball friction on the cloth when it hits the black, similar to the lines along the cushions on more worn out cloth. And since the black is potted the most of it's spot, especially if people are practising a lot on the table, you notice it there first. I never measured it but if my assumption is correct the ring should be 52,5mm around the black spot.

[vmax]

It's a ring of chalk dust off the cue ball, when it strikes the black the dust settles around the ball and accumulates under the cloth and can be removed using a pin to loosen it and then vacuum away. It's usually removed when the table is re-clothed and you'll find that all the colours spots are like this to some degree but the black most of all because it's the colour potted the most, or attempted the most in my case 😁

[itsnoteasy]

Can't quote vmax I agree, I used to think it was a burn mark with the cue ball skiding initially on contact before it rolls so wearing the cloth away. You get a kind of St. Andrews cross around the black area as well on really well used cloths.
I realised it was chalk when in the club a very old cloth was changed and my pal said he was going to try and cover a couple of pool tables, that were kept for the special needs kids that the schools brought in.
He said he was taking the cloth home and was going to wash it, I'll be honest I was laughing at him and told him he was wasting his time.
A couple of days later he brings the cloth back in and the ring around the black spot and all the track marks had gone, it was all just chalk and the cloth covered the pool tables a treat. The cloth also went a lot more greener with a wash, although I wouldn't recommend anyone else try this and then try to put it back on a snooker table, it was worth a gamble for a couple of pool tables and saved the club a few quid.
I will add, using taom makes no difference, which surprised me a bit, my tables cloth looks wrecked in about four months.

[Cue crafty]

Really interesting last two quotes, I've been toying with the idea of taking a vacuum down my club as when the tables are brushed the dust ploom is so bad everyone is coughing and sneezing!! Nasty stuff.

The cloths have been replaced every year near enough so I'm not too worried about slate filler getting sucked up as it's fairly fresh. Seems two good reasons to take a cordless vac down there now!!

Thanks.

[ecofoo]

Very interesting, i would have bet on it being burn marks like on pool tables for example. About vacuuming the table, especially with a cordless vac or on a lower setting, i can't really imagine it can pull out the slate filler. Often there are ports on the vacuum you can open so it won't suck itself onto something, maybe that should help as well?

[vmax]

Very interesting, i would have bet on it being burn marks like on pool tables for example. About vacuuming the table, especially with a cordless vac or on a lower setting, i can't really imagine it can pull out the slate filler. Often there are ports on the vacuum you can open so it won't suck itself onto something, maybe that should help as well?

Use one of those small brush attachments on the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner to cut down the power of the suction.