Pool table/billard guys I need advice on a table.

**Murder after Midnight** · 10-22-2006, 05:27 PM

I currently have a sportcraft pool table on layaway at walmart lol(I know I know) anyway I want to know what the difference is between something like this and somthing more higher end like a brunswick table, is it worth it to spend more money on a higher end table or is the table I have in layaway fine? I dont know much about tables so any advice would be appreciated.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5172015

**Murder after Midnight** · 10-22-2006, 05:33 PM

guys any advice?

modlistic I see you looking at the thread...........................

**Modulistic** · 10-22-2006, 05:39 PM

the main difference in low end to high end pool tables is the playing surface. you want it to be perfectly flat and not warp from stress. The most economical material for that is slate.

I dont know about the sport craft, but the playing surface may be made out of wood, or pressboard. if so, it is susceptible to warping from humidity or if you spill some shit on your table.

the next step up is one piece slate, which is difficult to level exactly. the best is three piece slate, which requires pool table mechanics to come out and level each slate and fuse the three together to form a level surface.

after that, the only difference between pool tables is the furniture... things like hand carved legs or exotic woods.

I have an olhausen 8.5, which is a long table. if you are just a casual player and want to just have fun and have friends over to play, a smaller table is funner, the shots are easier. When you go to a poll hall, they are usually 8 foot tables. bars are more like 7-8 feet and they have huge pockets, so its easier to score.

if youd rather have a table to practice on hard core so that you can be good at the pool halls, get a bigger table, so that you will be forced to take longer shots.

the sportcraft is probably a good table though if you arent too serious, cause 9 out of 10 tables (including mine) just end up sitting around unused and gathering dust.

**Murder after Midnight** · 10-22-2006, 05:46 PM

well the sportcarft said it was duraslate, do you know anything about that?

**DrMilhouse** · 10-23-2006, 05:54 AM

I don't really know what makes it that much different one way or the other. I do know that you'll get what you pay for with it and you'll probably be wishing you had just gone and gotten a "real" table. I might very well be wrong. A couple of really good friends of mine are pro pool players, or at least semi pro. If it's a huge deal, I could ask them about it next time I see them.

I'd say that at the end of the day, the huge difference is going to be quality. You'll know right away I'm sure from the feel of the felt on a better table vs. felt on a walmart table that there's a difference when it comes to that. That's a quality difference that's right there on the surface. Imagine what lies beneath....

**Murder after Midnight** · 10-23-2006, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by DrMilhouse

I don't really know what makes it that much different one way or the other. I do know that you'll get what you pay for with it and you'll probably be wishing you had just gone and gotten a "real" table. I might very well be wrong. A couple of really good friends of mine are pro pool players, or at least semi pro. If it's a huge deal, I could ask them about it next time I see them.

I'd say that at the end of the day, the huge difference is going to be quality. You'll know right away I'm sure from the feel of the felt on a better table vs. felt on a walmart table that there's a difference when it comes to that. That's a quality difference that's right there on the surface. Imagine what lies beneath....

Yeah if you could ask them that would be great, as for it being a walmart table it's just a seasonal item there I have seen sportcraft tables sold in more expensive sporting good shops.

**Wulfe13** · 10-23-2006, 08:50 AM

I'd shoot for the middle of the road. Alot of the higher end tables have things like a little better pockets and more decoration. Usually the middle end tables use real slate but don't look like a nice piece of furniture. Like others have said, get a 9' table if you have the space.

**Murder after Midnight** · 10-23-2006, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by Wulfe13

I'd shoot for the middle of the road. Alot of the higher end tables have things like a little better pockets and more decoration. Usually the middle end tables use real slate but don't look like a nice piece of furniture. Like others have said, get a 9' table if you have the space.

cool thanks for the info, what brand table do you consider the
"middle of the road"

**whitelightnin99** · 10-23-2006, 09:05 AM

i bought a used coin machine type bar table (slate top) delivered to my shop for $700 and its got new rails, sticks, balls, felt, etc and will not warp like most if not all walmart/sears tables. id check local classifieds and get a heavy slate top table at a good used price. my .02

**Modulistic** · 10-23-2006, 02:19 PM

yeah, coin tables are sturdy, and made to be placed without a pool table mechanic

**0rion** · 10-26-2006, 12:07 AM

I would get whatever you shoot on the most in public. Switching from one size to the other always threw me for a bit and it would take me a while to warm up to the size difference. I played in bars mostly so we bought a "bar" table which was a 7' table. Got boring after a while and basically ruined my desire to play pool.

**Nastyfoot** · 10-26-2006, 04:35 AM

The bumpers on the cheaper models will need to be replaced a lot sooner than a higher end model. And slate doesn't warp. I'm suspecting a wal-mart tbl. isn't gonna come with slate.

But if it's about the budget, low pool is better than no pool

**Trouble maker** · 10-26-2006, 10:28 AM

and....make sure they deliver and set it up for you!!Did you ever try to lift and move a solid slate pool table?

Maybe ZBONER will help you!!

**Nastyfoot** · 10-26-2006, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by Trouble maker

and....make sure they deliver and set it up for you!!Did you ever try to lift and move a solid slate pool table?

Maybe ZBONER will help you!!

It's only 286 lb. I doubt that it's a slate top

**Trouble maker** · 10-26-2006, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by Nastyfoot

It's only 286 lb. I doubt that it's a slate top

that for sure is not a slate!!LOL...should be a pretty nice table to mess around with!!!

**Red00WS6_DreamBird** · 10-26-2006, 02:38 PM

As an owner of a 3 piece Italian slate 8 foot table, I would strongly recommend that you don't settle for one of those Walmart or Sportscraft tables. It may seem cheap and easy to install, but your game is going to go to hell. Trust me, I've played on those tables... they are typically 7 foot tables and their rails are stuffed with some weird stuff for rebound and they don't simulate the real deal at all.

If you're just into messing with it with some friends, then go ahead and get that. If you want to improve your game and have a real liking for pool, then spend the extra money and get a 3 piece slate. Right now, I won't even play for fun on one of those tables... it just messes up your game.

- Fred.

**Murder after Midnight** · 10-26-2006, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by Red00WS6_DreamBird

As an owner of a 3 piece Italian slate 8 foot table, I would strongly recommend that you don't settle for one of those Walmart or Sportscraft tables. It may seem cheap and easy to install, but your game is going to go to hell. Trust me, I've played on those tables... they are typically 7 foot tables and their rails are stuffed with some weird stuff for rebound and they don't simulate the real deal at all.

If you're just into messing with it with some friends, then go ahead and get that. If you want to improve your game and have a real liking for pool, then spend the extra money and get a 3 piece slate. Right now, I won't even play for fun on one of those tables... it just messes up your game.

- Fred.

Thanks for the advice

**Stone** · 10-26-2006, 05:52 PM

Get a 9ft Brunswick....its pricey but will last you forever. Just re-do the felt every now and then. I shoot pool every day and table makes all the dif. I have 3 sticks ranging anywhere from $250-$780. The only reason i bought them is the way they shoot and they are FINE!! Pool sticks to me dont really make that much of a dif as long as you shoot with the same one. Felt on the table makes a good dif too. But as stated above....i would get something similar to the tables you shoot with the most.

**Stmpdust** · 10-26-2006, 09:00 PM

a little advice for you, there are so so many people that have pool tables and NEVER play them , and in fact are in there way more than not, try placing an add in the local paper to pick up and move there unwanted table for free, i will bet your phone rings more then once, it is a proven way to get a free table, well not totally free you will have to do a little work for it
Todd

**whitelightnin99** · 10-27-2006, 05:26 AM

Originally Posted by Stmpdust

a little advice for you, there are so so many people that have pool tables and NEVER play them , and in fact are in there way more than not, try placing an add in the local paper to pick up and move there unwanted table for free, i will bet your phone rings more then once, it is a proven way to get a free table, well not totally free you will have to do a little work for it
Todd

very true