Factors affecting table performance

Quality of cloth is essential
A quality well maintained cloth is one of the most essential ingredients in delivering a pleasurable pool experience. Every shot feels so much better on a good cloth and players quickly improve their potting and positioning skills. The cloth will last a long time and retain its game enhancing characteristics through correct and regular cloth maintenance.

Cloth fitting
Your pool cloth should always be fitted by a qualified or experienced fitter. A poorly fitted cloth will slow down ball speed, create abnormalities in the playing area and cause uneven, premature wearing. A well fitted cloth will always feel tight on the slate. The cloth must have even tension over the slate to create a smooth and equal playing surface. The cushion cloth should be fitted tightly but with even tension over the cushion rubber do not fit too tightly, or the nose of the cushion rubber will be pulled down.

Cushions
Good quality cushions will always produce the best ball response. They should be bolted tightly to the table and set flush against the bed in order for the balls to rebound correctly. Faulty or badly set cushions are known as dead cushions as they achieve a poor ball response. Cushion rubbers have a limited life span of approximately 10 years. If your rubbers are past their best or you have poor quality ones fitted, this will decrease the balls rebound speed - these cushions must be identified and replaced by your operator.

Humidity
Wool is hygroscopic, a natural characteristic that allows it to absorb and release moisture in the air - it can absorb 30% of it's own weight and not feel wet to the touch! The higher the moisture content the slower the cloth will play. Humid conditions afso tend to lessen the effects of screw and side on the cue hall. The recommended humidity for playing conditions is 50%. Your table should ideally be in a warm, dry environment kept at a constant room temperature of between 15 - 20�c. If your cloth becomes too dry and warm, the wool fibres become brittle and will wear prematurely.

Table level
Occasionally tables need to be re-levelled as they can become slightly unbalanced over a period of time for a
variety of reasons. The playing surface should be perfectly horizontal in order for the balls to run true - the table has beeome un-level if balls start pulling strongly in one direction when slowing down. This can be simply rectjfied using a quality spirit level and adjusting the height of the feet. If in doubt, your operator can level it for you when they next visit.

Balls
Always use clean undamaged balls for the perfeet game. Damaged or dirty balls will slow down play, wear the cloth and will not run true, causing shots to be inaccurate, lessening the playing pleasure!