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.

[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 😁

I'm taking the plunge and re-clothing the match table in our club on wednesday. I've bought a bed and cushion cloth re-covering kit from easysnooker at £395 (strachan 30 oz club) that includes a tuition dvd plus staple gun, tacks and marking pencils so I should be good to go by wednesday as I've watched the dvd twice so far and will do a couple of times again before I actually go for it. Club has promised me free snooker for a year to compensate my initial cost and that will be more than what I paid so all's good. I will also be widening the corner pockets to the WPBSA template pdf that DeanH emailed me, fed up with those 1950's billiard cut pockets that inhibit your game. Joe Davis must have been something really special to have made over 600 plus centuries on tables like that.

I will take photos of what the bed slate looks like when the old cloth is removed and put this thread to bed, cloth is over three years old and very worn and torn in a couple of places so this chalk dust will be all over the bed slate.

[Cue crafty]

That's very bold V but I'm sure with your patience and craft skills that you will make a good fist of it! Look forward to the pics and good luck to you.

[DeanH]

I'm taking the plunge and re-clothing the match table in our club on wednesday. I've bought a bed and cushion cloth re-covering kit from easysnooker at £395 (strachan 30 oz club) that includes a tuition dvd plus staple gun, tacks and marking pencils so I should be good to go by wednesday as I've watched the dvd twice so far and will do a couple of times again before I actually go for it. Club has promised me free snooker for a year to compensate my initial cost and that will be more than what I paid so all's good. I will also be widening the corner pockets to the WPBSA template pdf that DeanH emailed me, fed up with those 1950's billiard cut pockets that inhibit your game. Joe Davis must have been something really special to have made over 600 plus centuries on tables like that.

I will take photos of what the bed slate looks like when the old cloth is removed and put this thread to bed, cloth is over three years old and very worn and torn in a couple of places so this chalk dust will be all over the bed slate.

Can not wait to see the photos of the whole process
Good luck

[Nifty50]

Good luck Vmax. Take you your time. Baby steps. See if you can salvage a few bits of the old cloth for napping blocks.

[vmax]

Well I finally did it although it took me nearly a week after I ripped the original cloth that came with the kit and had to order another one. The wood capping that surrounds the slate that the tacks are hammered into was so worn around the middle pockets that when I pulled on the cloth 'as hard as you can' according to the tuition dvd the tacks came out and the cloth ripped where I had made the cut to fit around the middle pocket fall another £350 for a bed cloth only and I went for a 28 oz instead of the original 30 oz as it was cheaper, and this time I didn't pull as hard as I can, just quite hard, so 30 oz on the cushions and a 28 oz bed, should be good enough for club players.
I couldn't cut the rubber to shape the corner pockets even with a brand new blade in my stanley knife so they had to be sanded to shape which took a very long time but the pockets will now accept a ball near the cushion at pace

As usual I didn't take my phone with me so couldn't take any pics, sorry, but that's my habit as I grew up without the things and never take it with me except when I ride my bike in case of breakdown and even then most times I forget. But be assured the rings around the spots and also the lines along the cushions are in fact compacted chalk that has to be lightly sanded down and brushed away. I'll try to get a screen shot from the tuition dvd that shows this clearly and post it.

Quite an experience re-covering a table, very hard work for someone of my age, took me a couple of days to get over all the aches and pains from the muscles I haven't used in a long time.
I will be going back to that table though to fit some threaded inserts for the pocket screws as the wood around that area has so many old holes it was difficult to find one that wasn't too worn. I don't see why tables aren't fitted with these in the first place to avoid all that, after all the cushion bolts thread into inserts in the slate, same principle.
Maybe modern tables do have them, I would expect so.

So I have a brand new cloth for sale that would fit a ten foot table once the rip has been removed so if anyone is in need of one make me an offer

[itsnoteasy]

Well done Vmax, apply for an apprenticeship with DangerSteve

[philip in china]

I did think a scrap cloth ought to make a decent green screen.