Project Snooker Shed!

[NonStarter]

It'll be well worth the wait and enjoy the process.

Definitely recommend the air con units. As itsnoteasy says, would be unplayable at times in this weather. And when you need heat it's great, too.

[Danger Steve]

We put in an air conditioning unit, it would have been impossible to play in the shed recently without it. It's worth while giving the summer heat a thought and not just keeping warm in the winter.

Aircon/heater unit is essential! Over the past week or so I’d just go and sit out there even when not playing snooker, just to cool off! I was close to setting up a camp bed out there the other night it was so hot in the house! Lol

[Danger Steve]

Good luck with the cabin Paz! I can’t wait to see some photos of the build! Plenty of info on this thread regards the lighting and table heating. LED panels are probably the more cost effective route rather than the louvre style table lights? But the advantage of the office/Louvre light are that they direct the light downward and not outwards, also you can change the bulbs when they go. The LED panels give excellent coverage of the whole table, but they do throw the light out and will illuminate the whole space pretty much.

[Paz369]

My plan was to have an IR heater at each and get a free standing ac unit from bnq for next summer but I guess it's probably more cost effective and probably a damn sight better going for the heater/ac unit right off the bat, I'll take my time and look into it a bit more and will re read most of these pages again in a bit more detail ( it takes a few tries to make things stick) as for the lights, I like the led panels as they do the job well and look really good but I also like the louvre lights as it's more focused on the table so the surrounding area is not so well lit, if I've got that right???
Lots to think about and weigh up

[Danger Steve]

My plan was to have an IR heater at each and get a free standing ac unit from bnq for next summer but I guess it's probably more cost effective and probably a damn sight better going for the heater/ac unit right off the bat, I'll take my time and look into it a bit more and will re read most of these pages again in a bit more detail ( it takes a few tries to make things stick) as for the lights, I like the led panels as they do the job well and look really good but I also like the louvre lights as it's more focused on the table so the surrounding area is not so well lit, if I've got that right???
Lots to think about and weigh up

Yes your right about the lights. I went with panels because Steve Barton used them and I was impressed with how well they lit the whole table, also, they where much cheaper. But I can see the benefits of both types, either way I’m sure you’ll be happy.

Honestly I wouldn’t bother with a freestanding unit! The heater, aircon, dehumidifier units once installed are excellent value for money and they will easily heat or cool your cabin in a matter of minutes! Plus if you get one that connects to your smart phone you can set programs for them to run when the table isn’t in use! Which is good to stop the room from freezing in the winter. Go with the carbon heat matting for your under table heating, very efficient and cheap to run! You can pay someone like Justin at Hotwire, or like me just make your own, happy to help with advice in this area, I did also dedicate a section of this blog to how I made those. Hotwire is around 380 vs DIY at about 270.

Hope that helps!

[Paz369]

Yeah I think I'll definitely go the heat/ac route, maybe a bit more expensive initially but I guess it will pay me back come summertime when it's unbearably hot and I can still play, nothing worse than trying to play snooker in hot sticky conditions, will definitely get the table heating, will probably give Justin a shout but I'll let you know if I go the DIY route.
I'm definitely leaning more towards louvre lights at the moment for that more intimate game when you just want the table lit and nothing else but I do have a habit of changing my mind lol.
I even toyed with the idea of getting one of the old canopies but they really do look dated now.
All help is really appreciated, I'd like to get this done right first time if I can, so to talk to people who's actually done it and can say what's worked well and what hasn't is important and the right way to go I think
Cheers

[mikee]

I bought a Meaco 12 litre dehumidifier last year and it does a better job than I thought it would ,they cost around 160.00quid
and this is in a room around 32 feet by 19 feet will drop the humidity down from 60 to around 45 in a couple of hours .Keeps the table running better ,no sticky cues and better all round for the cloth ,table furniture etc .Really is a good investment .
As for my lighting I have the four strip lights boxed in up to the ceiling ,this is great lighting but I,m dreading having to change the tubes when one goes as ai don’t want to climb on the table ,I’m thinking some sort of ladders either side with a plank of wood going across ,I’ve got a feeling that could not end well though

[Paz369]

I'm already picturing the chandelier moment from only fools and horses

[mikee]

I'm already picturing the chandelier moment from only fools and horses

Lol ,yes pretty much agree

[Danger Steve]

Ok.. Im trying to decide if I should do a re-stretch on my cloth? It’s been on now roughly 12 months. It isn’t really showing much sign of wear, just maybe around the black spot. It’s a lot of Faff to take the cushions pockets etc off to get to it, and then there’s the stretching itself which is no fun job let me tell ya!

I’ve got a few games lined up next week against some really good players so I want to make sure the table is playing as well as it can be and match ready so to speak!

Do I leave it as it is? Does it really make that much of a difference? Speaking to Steve B the other day and he’s had his superfine re-stretched and said he didn’t notice any difference… Although that said when I played on his table the cloth seemed loose to me? Not a good stretch imo which might be why he hasn’t noticed the difference?

[mikee]

Really dig your your fingers into the cloth near the top end around the black spot move them up hard to the top cushion ,really gripping the cloth , if it ripples up at all it needs stretching .My last cloth which came with the table needing stretching after 5 months .After one stretch the cloth has used all its stretching ability and then won’t move or ripple again .All I can say is that you will notice a difference if your cloth is loose ,it will be faster .6811 is known to play at its best after the stretch ,after that any deterioration is time for a new one .All cloths are different ,even the same sort and brands ,some need stretching ,some can get away with out it ,but if it’s rippling it needs doing .Stretching also pulls away any ball wear marks around the pocket openings ,the tracking lines ,so the cloth lasts longer .Another thing is that a loose cloth is more likely to get cut damage on miscues as the tip can grab a loose cloth ,it is more likely to skid off a tight one and just leave a slight divot .

[Danger Steve]

Really dig your your fingers into the cloth near the top end around the black spot move them up hard to the top cushion ,really gripping the cloth , if it ripples up at all it needs stretching .My last cloth which came with the table needing stretching after 5 months .After one stretch the cloth has used all its stretching ability and then won’t move or ripple again .All I can say is that you will notice a difference if your cloth is loose ,it will be faster .6811 is known to play at its best after the stretch ,after that any deterioration is time for a new one .All cloths are different ,even the same sort and brands ,some need stretching ,some can get away with out it ,but if it’s rippling it needs doing .Stretching also pulls away any ball wear marks around the pocket openings ,the tracking lines ,so the cloth lasts longer .Another thing is that a loose cloth is more likely to get cut damage on miscues as the tip can grab a loose cloth ,it is more likely to skid off a tight one and just leave a slight divot .

Hi Mikee, I was hoping you would reply mate.

The loose cloth is on Steve Barton’s table not mine. Mine actually seems fine from that point of view, if that is the best way to tell…

Seems like I stretched it pretty good first attempt then really? TBF my hands did hurt for a few days after I fitted the cloth due to all the pulling, so it definitely went on tight.

Hummm, in two minds with what to do

[mikee]

Is that the Steve Barton on YouTube Steve,that has the superfine ? Most Strachen cloths need a re stretch as they are 100% wool ,Hainsworth on the other hand have a certain amount of nylon in the cloth so probably can get away with out a stretch ,never had one so hard to say .That new superfine is supposed to be really nice and fast ,might try one next year .If your cloths not literally rippling under your fingers I would say it’s ok ,you might get more out of it with a stretch though ,how’s your cushion cloth on the pocket jaws holding up mate ,much wear on there .

[Danger Steve]

Is that the Steve Barton on YouTube Steve,that has the superfine ? Most Strachen cloths need a re stretch as they are 100% wool ,Hainsworth on the other hand have a certain amount of nylon in the cloth so probably can get away with out a stretch ,never had one so hard to say .That new superfine is supposed to be really nice and fast ,might try one next year .If your cloths not literally rippling under your fingers I would say it’s ok ,you might get more out of it with a stretch though ,how’s your cushion cloth on the pocket jaws holding up mate ,much wear on there .

It looks like I never use the table! Lol. Yet I’m in there at least an hour or two on average per day.

[mikee]

Pocket jaws have no wear because your slotting them into the middle and Back of the plate Steve ,or like me your missing by a few inches