Repairing a Warped Cue – Pool Cues

It’s interesting to hear a guy who recycles old warped or bent pool cue sticks by making walking canes out of them. That’s probably telling enough to say that warped and bent cues are no longer usable.

Cues are built to withstand the normal straight line impact occurring in the game. However, wood cues, as they are mostly made of one, may not hold up well with side impact.

Being dropped on the floor or persistently leaning the cue against a wall result in side impact pressures that may seem insignificant, with no visible damage on a cue’s finish.

But repeated side pressure can cause internal fractures to the wood that will later show as a crack or warpage. Not only can this be aesthetically unsightly, but in severe cases, the warpage can cause the cue stick to lose its straight line shape that it becomes difficult to use in a pool game.

(Some good players have been known to stick with their warped cues and still win games.)

Bear in mind that the straightness of a cue is crucial in hitting the ball in the direction your want and in the proper consistency. And two-piece cues are often more vulnerable to warpage than one-piece cues.

Slight warping may not adversely affect your play. Professionals value familiarity with their cues to a point that over time, slight warpage of their favorite but aging cues really don’t matter.

But a severe warpage is something else. It is therefore important to keep the cue vertically straight when not in use. 

There are cue stands available that hold the cue in such positions when being stored.

This is one storage accessory that is essential if you are a serious pool aficionado.

But what if the cue wood starts to show signs of warping and bent, can it be reversed? Is there anything a player can do to restore the cue?

Here’s some notes to consider.

(1) On a two-piece cues, the easiest way is to replace the offending part with the bent or warpage. These are mostly the bottom handle section that can easily find a replacement.

(2) Otherwise, you can suspend the cue with a string in an upright position with the heaviest bottom part hanging. Leaving it in that position can often restore the cue’s straight shape.

(3) Lean the bent cue against a wall and rotate until the bump juts out of the wall. With your palm pressed against the bump, you can then carefully press on the cue a few inches in the direction opposite the bump. Hold it there for sometime and the cue often gets back to shape. It’s possible you can snap the cue in two if you bend it far enough. Some say you lose nothing, after all, the entire warped cue is useless anyway. But still, try to do this with some caution.

(4) There are some newly patented lathe-like devices that allow storing the cue on a forced position that can restore the cue’s straightness over time. They are quite expensive but if you really have “cue loyalty”, you might go for the extra mile.

But the best thing really is to have a professional cue repair shop do the job for you. It may incur some expense, but the simplicity of “drop it and take it later” means you can concentrate more on the game.

If you can’t repair the cue to your satisfication, www.AlkarBilliards.com has some of the widest selections of pool cues on the internet.

Pool Table Lights – Billiard Lights

When buying pool table lights make sure they come with everything you need to mount them to your electrical box, including chains, matching decorative cover plates, hardware and more. Also, you may want to consider buying personalised brand names.

Other popular lighting fixtures for pool tables are neon bar lights. These lights come in soft drink and beer brand names, and make a nice addition to any recreation room.

One of the best places to buy billiard lamps and pool table lights is www.alkarbilliards.com

Pool Table Refelting – Billiard Cloth

Can you do it yourself? What does it take to refelt a pool table?

Until recently the world of pool retained it secrets and had been a mystery. Those who were good players or table mechanics kept their knowledge to themselves to protect their livelihood. The Information Technology era has made it profitable for players and table mechanics to share their knowledge and allow the average person to benefit from their knowledge.

So what should you look for if you want to save some money and undertake the task of recovering your own pool table? There are three factors that are going to make the task much easier and raise you level of success mainly:-

• The quality of materials being used
• The correct set of tools.
• Lastly is a good set of instructions.

So how do I know if I am getting good materials? Locally this is much easier than on the Internet, but even there, there are ways to identify a reputable dealer for your purchases. Here are a few things to consider.

First if the price seems low there will always be a reason. It may be old cloth, materials from odd lots or even overseas material that will not have quality controls found in the US. If you find a website that looks good and the prices seem reasonable. If they provide a contact method send them an email and ask a technical or service question. See what kind of response you get and how responsive they are. This will give you an idea how responsive they will be if you have a problem later when something goes wrong or you have another question.

www.alkarbilliards.com is one of the best stores to buy pool table felt from.  They will give you the tips to help you refelt your pool table.

8 Ball Rules – Billiards

8 Ball Rules

Call Shot
Racking the Balls
Opening Break Shot
Open Table
Choice of Group
Legal Shot
Safety Shot
Scoring
Foul Penalty
Combination Shots
Illegally Pocketed Balls
Jumped Balls
Playing the 8-Ball
Loss of Game
Stalemated Game

DISCLAIMER: This file contains property copyrighted by the Billiard Congress of America. Any modification or sale of the information herein is strictly prohibited by the laws governing that copyright. Please direct questions regarding interpretation of the following, or information on how to receive the current BCA Billiards – The Official Rules and Records Book to the Billiard Congress of America. “Effective July 1, 2000”

Except when clearly contradicted by these additional rules, the General Rules of Pocket Billiards apply. 4.1 OBJECT OF THE GAME Eight-Ball is a call shot game played with a cue ball and 15 object balls, numbered 1 through 15. One player must pocket balls of the group numbered 1 through 7 (solid colors), while the other player has 9 through 15 (stripes). The player pocketing either group first, and then legally pocketing the 8-ball wins the game.

8 Ball Pool Games

 

4.02 CALL SHOT

In Call Shot, obvious balls and pockets do not have to be indicated. It is the opponent’s right to ask which ball and pocket if he is unsure of the shot. Bank shots and combination shots are not considered obvious, and care should be taken in calling both the object ball and the intended pocket. When calling the shot, it is never necessary to indicate details such as the number of cushions, banks, kisses, caroms, etc. Any balls pocketed on a foul remain pocketed, regardless of whether they belong to the shooter or the opponent. The opening break is not a called shot. Any player performing a break shot in 8-Ball may continue to shoot so long as any object ball is legally pocketed on the break.

Calling on combination shots

The balls are racked in a triangle at the foot of the table with the 8-ball in the center of the triangle, the first ball of the rack on the foot spot, a stripe ball in one corner of the rack and a solid ball in the other corner.

For any misunderstanding regarding the accurate order of the rack, see pool rules clarfication

(Defined) On all shots (except on the break and when the table is open), the shooter must hit one of his group of balls first and (1) pocket a numbered ball, or (2) cause the cue ball or any numbered ball to contact a rail. Please Note: It is permissible for the shooter to bank the cue ball off a rail before contacting the object ball; however, after contact with the object ball, an object ball must be pocketed, or the cue ball or any numbered ball must contact a rail. Failure to meet these requirements is a foul.

Clarification of Legal Shot rule

Opposing player gets cue ball in hand. This means that the player can place the cue ball anywhere on the table (does not have to be behind the headstring except on opening break). This rule prevents a player from making intentional fouls which would put an opponent at a disadvantage. With cue ball in hand, the player may use a hand or any part of a cue (including the tip) to position the cue ball. When placing the cue ball in position, any forward stroke motion contacting the cue ball will be a foul, if not a legal shot. (Also see Rule 3.39.)

Combination shots are allowed; however, the 8-ball can’t be used as a first ball in the combination unless it is the shooter’s only remaining legal object ball on the table. Otherwise, should such contact occur on the 8-ball, it is a foul.

An object ball is considered to be illegally pocketed when (1) that object ball is pocketed on the same shot a foul is committed, or (2) the called ball did not go in the designated pocket, or (3) a safety is called prior to the shot. Illegally pocketed balls remain pocketed and are scored in favor of the shooter controlling that specific group of balls, solids or stripes.

If any object ball is jumped off the table, it is a foul and loss of turn, unless it is the 8-ball, which is a loss of game. Any jumped object balls are not re-spotted.

4.18 JUMP AND MASS SHOT FOUL

While ‘cue ball fouls only’ is the rule of play when a match is not presided over by a referee, a player should be aware that it will be considered a cue ball foul if during an attempt to jump, curve or mass the cue ball over or around an impeding numbered ball that is not a legal object ball, the impeding ball moves (regardless of whether it was moved by a hand, cue stick follow-through or bridge).

When the 8-ball is the legal object ball, a scratch or foul is not loss of game if the 8-ball is not pocketed or jumped from the table. Incoming player has cue ball in hand. Note: A combination shot can never be used to legally pocket the 8-ball, except when the 8-ball is the first ball contacted in the shot sequence.

A player loses the game by committing any of the following infractions:
1. Fouls when pocketing the 8-ball (exception: see 8-Ball Pocketed On The Break).
2. Pockets the 8-ball on the same stroke as the last of his group of balls.
3. Jumps the 8-ball off the table at any time.
4. Pockets the 8-ball in a pocket other than the one designated.
5. Pockets the 8-ball when it is not the legal object ball.

Note: All infractions must be called before another shot is taken, or else it will be deemed that no infraction occurred.

If, after 3 consecutive turns at the table by each player (6 turns total), the referee judges that attempting to pocket or move an object ball will result in loss of game, the balls will be re-racked with the original breaker of the stalemated game breaking again. The stalemate rule may be applied regard-less of the number of balls on the table. Please Note: Three consecutive fouls by one player in 8-ball is not a loss of game.

Pool table rules wants to make it very clear that these 8 ball rules belong to the Billiards Congress of America. We hope to promote recreational & competitive 8 ball pool games!

More 8ball pool rules: split shot

If you still have unanswered questions about 8 ball rules, visit our pool rules clarification page.

Game Table Tid Bits

Everybody likes to have a little fun now and then. For those who’d prefer a lot of fun to a little, game tables might just be the way to go. If you’re a serious aficionado of games like poker, roulette and craps, you may well want to consider getting one of our stylish and fashionable game tables.

For poker you’ll want a whole different kind of table – and we have those as well. Our high-quality wood poker tables come in a number of styles so that you can match your set to your home. You may also choose the type of wood that best suits your own unique needs, including mahogany, honey, and oak.

Our poker game tables are fully outfitted for the Vegas in us all, and include boards for craps and roulette wheels for play – the perfect way to warm up before a tense Texas Hold ’em tournament with your friends. Many of our tables include playing cards, poker chips and roulette balls. Some even include quality chairs.

For those who’ll accept nothing but the best, consider our oak casino craps table. At eight feet long and five feet wide, this piece is the ultimate in home gaming entertainment. You can buy it in a number of colors, including oak, cherry, mahogany, and ebony. It even includes a removable padded armrest!

www.alkarbilliards.com has some of the best “Game Tables” available.

Billiard Supplies Tid Bits

Welcome to AlkarBilliards.com:  As a trusted supplier of billiards supplies and pool table accessories we are dedicated to making your experience with us as easy and satisfying as possible. If there is any billiards supplies you cannot find on our billiards site feel free to contact us with a special request and we will do our best in finding the billiards item you are looking for.and other billiard brands including snooker balls and more. All of our billiard supplies are available through our billiard supplies catalog portion of our website. Choose from our full line of custom pool cues, wood pool tables, cue racks, pool table lights in many designer styles, pool table felt, pool sticks by many manufacturers, pool ball sets by   www.AlkarBilliards.com

In a tough economy, one of the best things you can do is entertain at home more.

We have all been hearing a lot of negative news related to the economy.  In a tough economy, many people are compelled to spend less money and cut out unessessary expenses from their lives.  Just remember that no matter what happens, family and friends are the most important thing.  Nothing else matters.  A good way to entertain friends and family is to furnish your basement with fun items such as a pool table, dart boards, game tables, table tennis, foosball, shuffleboard tables, and possibly a megatouch.  These items in your basement will provide a lifetime of inexpensive entertainment for the whole family.

The largest online billiard supplies retailer has enhanced their billiards website for customer convenience in ordering online!

Our goal is your satisfaction. We have been serving the U.S. and Omaha, NE area since 1947 and we carry a complete line of game room equipment. Pool tables, game tables, darts and all the accessories, shuffleboard, bars and barstools, pub tables, foosball, table hockey, casino games, poker chips, neon pictures, cue sticks, dice, clocks, table tennis, juke boxes, mega touch video games and all of the supplies to keep your game room in shape. So if there is anything you need and do not see it on our web site, please email or call us and we will let you know if we have it or can get it for you.

By Alkar Billiards Management Team

www.alkarbilliards.com