snooker bed slow

[mazz]

I have just brought an old snooker table and although is perfectly level with a fairly new Strachan cloth it plays really slow, if you run the ball gently it tends to bear slightly off course. Can any one give some advise please?

[DeanH]

As you may know, snooker cloths do have a nap (alignment of the weave of the fibres) which shows itself as what you describe where the ball will gentle swerve out of a straight line. The thicker the cloth, the greater the nap and hence greater the swerve.
This nap affect can be different due to how slow the cloth is, to check your cloth do the following.
First thing would be to brush it (from baulk to black in straight parallel lines), then iron it (again only in one direction) to flatten the weave, and then block it (a piece of wood with the same cloth wrapped on it) to align the weave of the nap.
Then see how it plays.
Secondly, where are you located? If the environment is very humid, the cloth will absord moisture and go slow.
Thirdly, get your recommended table fitter to check the table and tightness of the cloth, restretch if required.
let us know how it goes
good luck

[mazz]

Thank You Dean,
I shall try that