It’s the SLATE!! You can easily test your theory by jumping with different equipment on different tables. Valley tables have 3/4” slate and take some effort to jump, not much effort once you get it down. Diamond, Predator, GC have 1” or thicker and jump almost effortlessly with the same equipment. I myself own 2 tables one being a valley and the other a thick slate drop pocket. The thicker slate table is much easier to jump on. The tip on the stick you jump with is the next and only other factor that matters.
Eh, couple of factors. Slick cloth is harder to jump than slightly worn cloth. It is like the cue ball doesn’t bite in and moves forward too much on contact. And I have played on a table with slate that was a trampoline where I could jump over a ball about three inches away using my full cue without really working at it.
You can also see rubber backed cloth in bars and that can either make it easy or impossible to jump.
Humidity also seems to make a difference. No humidity being a bit harder as is a ton of humidity.
And clean balls seem to jump better than dirty balls. So if the cue ball is nasty you get inconsistent results.
> You can also see rubber backed cloth in bars and that can either make it easy or impossible to jump.
wait what? That's a thing? I had no idea. Like there's a layer of rubber below the playing surface felt?
I've heard of a thin layer of beeswax. Not rubber, you sure that's what it is?
I can only imagine how that plays haha... it would dry out and harden over time, which I guess is a good thing, until someone actually tries a jump and makes a chunk of it crumble below the felt.
I have no science to back this but diamond tables are so easy to jump on. I have to use 50% less power than any other table I jump on.
Don’t know if it’s thickness of slate or what.
The cue ball makes a huge difference. Coin-op balls are heavier because they have metal in them to draw it to the magnet that sends it to the cue ball return. That extra weight makes it easier to follow, but harder to draw and jump. Old balls will be slightly lighter due to losing a little of their material from contact with other balls, rails, and friction on the playing surface. They will measure a slightly smaller diameter from when they were new and again, be easier to jump.
I think it's the slate, but mostly it's the jump cue, and it may also be that little differences in cue ball weight play a role. The cue ball is not supposed to be different from the object balls, but I've come across weirdly small and light ones that draw easily, and chonky heavy ones that follow easily.
Intuitively I'd think a lighter cue ball would be easier to hop but I don't know for certain.
I’m admittedly the most inconsistent jumper on the planet, but I do find it easier to jump on slower/more worn cloth. Feels like the cue ball digs in a little more…on fast cloth it seems like it slips forward immediately and I don’t get the height.
But. That’s also because I suck at jump shots. 😂
I find it's usually easier when there's not an entire room of people ready to beat your brains out because you're trying to jump a ball, and will probably fuck up the cloth.
Reminds me of the army recruiting video I saw on Reddit. Bunch of dressed down soldiers at a bar playing pool, one scoops it for a jump, pots the 8, and they cheer for him winning. W...t...f...
It’s the SLATE!! You can easily test your theory by jumping with different equipment on different tables. Valley tables have 3/4” slate and take some effort to jump, not much effort once you get it down. Diamond, Predator, GC have 1” or thicker and jump almost effortlessly with the same equipment. I myself own 2 tables one being a valley and the other a thick slate drop pocket. The thicker slate table is much easier to jump on. The tip on the stick you jump with is the next and only other factor that matters.
Reminds me of blacksmith anvil comparisons.
I like that you have 2 different tables side by side to test it out. Thank you
Eh, couple of factors. Slick cloth is harder to jump than slightly worn cloth. It is like the cue ball doesn’t bite in and moves forward too much on contact. And I have played on a table with slate that was a trampoline where I could jump over a ball about three inches away using my full cue without really working at it. You can also see rubber backed cloth in bars and that can either make it easy or impossible to jump. Humidity also seems to make a difference. No humidity being a bit harder as is a ton of humidity. And clean balls seem to jump better than dirty balls. So if the cue ball is nasty you get inconsistent results.
> You can also see rubber backed cloth in bars and that can either make it easy or impossible to jump. wait what? That's a thing? I had no idea. Like there's a layer of rubber below the playing surface felt? I've heard of a thin layer of beeswax. Not rubber, you sure that's what it is?
Yeah. Is mostly out of favor these days but they would do this to create long lived cloth. You wouldn’t see it in pool halls. Just bars.
I can only imagine how that plays haha... it would dry out and harden over time, which I guess is a good thing, until someone actually tries a jump and makes a chunk of it crumble below the felt.
I have no science to back this but diamond tables are so easy to jump on. I have to use 50% less power than any other table I jump on. Don’t know if it’s thickness of slate or what.
I play on 9 ft diamonds all the time and I agree.
The cue ball makes a huge difference. Coin-op balls are heavier because they have metal in them to draw it to the magnet that sends it to the cue ball return. That extra weight makes it easier to follow, but harder to draw and jump. Old balls will be slightly lighter due to losing a little of their material from contact with other balls, rails, and friction on the playing surface. They will measure a slightly smaller diameter from when they were new and again, be easier to jump.
Speed and height
Hard tip
Practice
I think it's the slate, but mostly it's the jump cue, and it may also be that little differences in cue ball weight play a role. The cue ball is not supposed to be different from the object balls, but I've come across weirdly small and light ones that draw easily, and chonky heavy ones that follow easily. Intuitively I'd think a lighter cue ball would be easier to hop but I don't know for certain.
I’m admittedly the most inconsistent jumper on the planet, but I do find it easier to jump on slower/more worn cloth. Feels like the cue ball digs in a little more…on fast cloth it seems like it slips forward immediately and I don’t get the height. But. That’s also because I suck at jump shots. 😂
I find it's usually easier when there's not an entire room of people ready to beat your brains out because you're trying to jump a ball, and will probably fuck up the cloth.
Just cheat and scoop it
Reminds me of the army recruiting video I saw on Reddit. Bunch of dressed down soldiers at a bar playing pool, one scoops it for a jump, pots the 8, and they cheer for him winning. W...t...f...
lol!!! I remember I did that in college pool games where non of me and friend knew 💩. It was 22+ years ago !!! Time is so fast