Thanks, Barry, I have been playing American pool for a year now, and I have realised that I brush the table like a kid and sets the balls up kind of rough.:0 thanks for your videos, it really helped my game. You are truly a great teacher.:)
Movies. Please don't overdo the ironing though, only do it when necessary. The reason I say that is of the three, (Brushing, Napping, Ironing) Ironing will wear the cloth out the quickest.
Just wanted to find out more about the iron temperature and you have answered my question. Brilliant tip with the paper. I've never seen anyone brush a table as fast as you Baz, how do you do that!!
Awesome video I did this also when I worked In a pool room here in Canada the iron I used was the iron you use for ironing clothes but it was an old one and heavy worked awesome I brushed the tables then I vacuumed them then I ironed them once a week they were Dufferin we had a tournament there pro am Jim wych kirk Steven's and cliff thorburn came for it the last day of that tournament cliff ran 147 the owner of the pool room made a plaque for he said it was his 45th he also said how consistent the tables were the rails of all of them and him and wych ended up in the final and cliff won it Dufferins are not bad tabbles but I've played on bce tabbles and them at one time were the best In the world and my favorite table to play on when I played the game tc stay safe
Dave. It is great to play on good, well cared for tables, well done. Some years ago I was fortunate to share a table briefly with Cliff over in England, lovely man and a great player, I wish I had his powers of concentration.
Hi barry, lovely video. Shout out from Bangladesh. I have got myself a snooker table last week. We play around 5 games per day. 3 to 4 days a week. I got myself a table cover as well. How frequent should i brush my table and how frequent shoild i iron my table?
Taimur. I would recommend brushing and napping the table every day to keep it in ideal playing conditions, no need to do this too vigorously though.The one thing that wears the cloth out more than anything is ironing it, especially if the iron is too hot, (it shouldn't be of course) It tends to make the fibres a little brittle. I would recommend ironing the table once or maybe twice a week, the playing conditions should be okay and the cloth should last longer. Its an expensive business recovering a table.
hello can i ask a question? mechanic installed new cloth on my table and he streched the cloth well hard on bed and cushions on my pool table but now i feel my cushions doesnot take spin shot as well as before cushions doesnot rebound wider or thighter during the right or left spins can you tell me what is the problem?
Hey Barry! Hope you are well, more recently I have been playing with a friend on his table and thought it would be worth checking how to do things properly 👍 cheers 🍻
Great video as always.... I just bought a napping block. The block itself has a nap, smooth in one direction and rough in the other. Should the smooth side be run from baulk to black end?
Great video Barry. One question - I notice on the TV tables, the nap is totally smooth from the baulk area downwards. Is this achieved with the 'block' (ie napping the cloth)? I find the brush by itself isn't enough to achieve this effect and the iron would be so close to the cushion it might damage it!
Mrphil. As you already know brushing, napping and ironing should always be carried out in the direction of the nap.i.e. from the baulk end of the table towards the black spot end. The brush will help to rid the table of chalk dust and any other matter, it will also level out the nap to some degree. The napping operation finishes the job off by ensuring the nap lies in the same direction. Ironing should be done in the same direction and the iron should not be too hot as this can damage the fibres of the cloth.
Paul. The cloth that is used in pro tournaments is Strachan No. 10. However, it is not generally used in clubs because of the heavy use it can get, clubs tend to go for the 6811 cloth. Hainsworth also do cloth that is a mixture of wool and man made fibres, they make the precision cloth, the match cloth and the club cloth. I find the precision too fast and the club too slow, whilst the match is okay and is becoming quite popular because it lasts a good length of time. At the end of the day I'm afraid its down to personal choice and needs.
Thomas. I assume that when you say "hold longer" that you mean the "cloth lasts longer" Well I am not too certain of that but it will certainly play a lot better.
Hello, which factors effects in the speed play of snooker cloth? According to you, I brushed and ironed the table cloth twice, of course, with a home and dry iron, the first time I brushed the cloth less and ironed more, but the speed of the cloth decreased and the ball moved bad. The second time, I brushed the cloth a lot, and ironed more and hotter, the result was an increase in the speed of the table. My question is, less temperature of iron caused increased the speed of the table, or does the table brushing well cause the greatest speed? High temperature of ironing increases speed or decreases it?
Master. I'm sorry this is beyond my field of expertise, but if you contact World Snooker Services I'm sure they will help. Contact them through the 'World Snooker' web site.
about $30,000 for a good table with complete installation. Don't try to do it yourself if you want professional results on the first installation....these massive tables are cut, glued, bolted and trimmed piece by piece from the ground up for perfection.
It depends on how far the table is being moved and if stairs are involved, a full size table weighs over 1100kg, j have personally moved and installed my table start to finsh, it nearly killed me!!!! Itried to do away with getting the professionals in, and i really regretted it, though i built, slated, and reclothed myself and I have been told it plays well...the pro fitters earn every penny, do as barry says, give them a call.😉
Hi Barry, just bought a 12ft tabke and your videos have bene great. Quick question regarding the ironing, do you iron the cushion rails because my cushions seem a little slow when a ball hits them? Thanks
Hi Barry, can I ask what you use to mark table out with, pen or pencil ? As I have had my table recovered and marking out has faded, on my old cloth I used a pencil, but i felt the continuous pressing with pencil created a dip in cloth. Any suggestions please
Michael. Not entirely sure what the table fitters use in the pro game but I believe it is similar to a Tippex pen. I certainly would not use a pen though and in our club we use a very soft grade pencil, there is little need to press on providing it is a soft grade pencil.
Hi Barry, I have a new slate pool table with Hainsworth Match cloth at home. I brush the cloth regularly and have ordered a napping block but have not bought a table iron yet due to the huge expense (hundreds of pounds!). Even with very careful use, the cloth is developing a lot of "bushy" patches where it's been rubbed against the nap, which cause the balls to slightly roll off line when rolling at a slow pace. Will the napping block be enough to fix this to a good degree or would you say I need to get a table iron also? I'd have already ordered an iron if it were not for the expense, but I could find a second hand one cheaper. I also read a lot of folk saying that ironing wears the cloth down faster too, so is it really necessary for home use? Thanks in advance for any advice.
A D. Certainly ironing a table cloth is the process that will wear the cloth out the most. It does this because the fibres can become brittle and snap off. Table irons are ridiculously expensive and I believe that they are used too frequently by some players. Brushing and napping the cloth properly and regularly should suffice and the cloth will last longer.
darren. Don't see why you cannot iron the table cloth, I would be tempted to use minimal temperature though, there may be a danger of warping the wood.
Hi Barry, we had are tables done recently all fitted with 6811 cloth, the tables played great at first but after a few months the speed went out from the cloth. You can see the white ball pulling up and and it particularly noticeable when trying to split the pack. Even with and good solid contact the ball just don't open the way they did when the cloth was first put on. The cloths and brushed and ironed regularly. What steps can I take that may help improve the speed of the cloth?
Mr. 6811 is a very good cloth and is used in a lot of good clubs and academies. As with any cloth two factors tend to materialise, it loses the sheen that is there when it is new and becomes a little woolly, it also tends to give a little and become slightly loose. Unfortunately it may be necessary to have the fitters back and have the cloth stretched, its also worth mentioning that ironing can damage the fibres of the cloth (particularly if the iron is very hot) causing them to break off during the brushing and napping process. A hot iron will speed the table up initially but I wonder if it is worth it in the long run, may I suggest that you try increasing the napping of the cloth at regular intervals and restrict the use of the iron for a spell.
@rez. Brush and nap the cloth regularly, ironing wears the cloth cloth quicker than brushing and napping. It does this by having the tendency to make the fibres of the cloth slightly brittle and therefore prone to snapping off. For certain it makes the playing surface great but unless you have plenty of money for a regular re-cover I would suggest you do it sparingly, say once a week.
Great tips Barry , i have just changed my cloth on my 8ft table, i hope to keep it looking new as long as possible with your helpful hints and the block for nap is a great way to do it i made my own nap block and wished i thought of that with brush, them blocks are dear to buy and just by using cloth of off cuts from snooker cloth will do the trick and making sure the block of nap(smooth) follows the nap on bed from bulk to black spot end, is there a video of how to repair cloth with abit of nap missing not ripped ,i have alittle bald patch of nap missing out of my new bed cloth?
Michael. I would love to offer you a solution on the missing nap but I am afraid that I do not know of one, its probably been caused by a miscue or a sharp edge on the ferrule. I have seen repairs done with needle and thread but never really satisfactorily.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Ok thanks Barry , the cloth is made by Strachen 6811 and i found out what substandard means which is not the the top quality as standard so theres little defects in the cloth like little bits of nap missing, i only found out after putting it on the table the nap bit was missing before started playing on the cloth and not from miss cuing ,the cloth was cheap too from Rosetta Sports for £136 but the balls play well on it so im pleased with it and made a 64 break already on first day using it, hope to make more bigger breaks tc Barry!
Mathis. Professional tables have a heater fastened to the framework of the table underneath the slate, this alters the playing conditions by making the cloth more responsive and faster. If the room temperature is cold the playing conditions will change, the cloth tends to make the balls run sluggishly, the balls will also be cold and not react as well as they might, even the rebound from the cushion rubbers can be different.
I went back to my old club the other day after a year away. I used to brush block and iron my regular table and it was spotless. It is now filthy I don't think it's been cleaned since I left!
Hi Barry, would you advocate spraying the table with water after napping and prior to ironing the cloth. At my club we operate this policy but a few members have questioned whether we should be doing this?..Many Thanks..:-)
MEECHIO. It is not a practise that I have ever done so I cannot in all honesty recommend it. What I can say is that a lot of players are not ironing their table on a regular basis now because it is recognised that the ironing process can make the cloth fibres brittle and decrease the playing life of the cloth.
harry. If a table is used daily it should be brushed and napped daily. Ironing should be done perhaps a little less frequently in clubs and perhaps twice a week will suffice.
jama211. The table is covered in the same cloth as is used in professional tournament play. Unfortunately it is expensive, very fine and would not last very long in clubs.
ItzShaun. Good question. The nap of the cloth should always run in one direction, if it is disturbed by the players finger marks etc, it can affect the direction in which the balls run, particularly on gentle shots. It is one reason why at professional level they have an interval after four frames, the table fitters will brush and nap the table.
aayush. Believe it or not the thing that wears the cloth out most of all (other than abuse) is ironing, So brush and nap daily but iron perhaps twice a week.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach hello Barry. do you have any brush/iron recommendations? The table I play on currently doesn't get too much attention and I was looking to take the responsibility on myself.
I know you asked Barry directly but I'm always whiling to offer suggestions, I maintain the tables at my local club. We use Horse hair brushes only. That happens first, Always remembering to brush with the nap so towards the black spot, Then we use a napping block with a lightly wet cleaning cloth draped over it, It pains me when I see people using a dry napping block. Then we spray the table with a water bottle, Just a nice light mist over the table then we iron them once a week, No more is needed generally as you'll wear the cloth. As Barry has mentioned about ironing, Always hold the iron on a slight angle. As a result of our table management we have the fastest tables in Australia NSW Illawarra area. Hope that helps, And look forward to hearing Barry's input.
just a suggestion ifs you start on the yellow side cushion then go down and then across the baulk then green side cushion then black cushion the nap should be correct
no problem Barry I have seen a lot of people brush tables and personally I think you should start with brushing and blocking table then start with the cushions then iron it as dust still on the bed of the table thanks for the reply
Nope. If you play on the table everyday I think the table should be ironed every week, maybe every 14 days not more. Otherwise the cloth might go "blind"
Alan. Bro is about right when he says once a week, if I have a match to play we iron it a little more frequently. Ironing a table too frequently will wear the cloth out faster than brushing or napping ever could.
Siraj. You will notice that when a table is ironed the iron should be turned at a slight angle, this helps to prevent lines on the cloth where the iron has been. If you use an ordinary iron you do increase the chances of extra lines on the cloth because it will be smaller and of a different shape. Snooker table irons are thermostatically controlled so please be careful not to have the iron too hot. Lastly it should be said that ironing is the one practise that wears the cloth out more than brushing or napping the cloth. It does this because of the tendency for ironing to make the fibres brittle, eventually break off and reduce the life of the cloth.
piespeafield. I have seen them used effectively but there is a danger of disturbing the filler that is sometimes used to fill any discrepancy between the slates.
Tomas. Not sure on this but irons should have a thermostat on them to stop them getting too hot. It is better to use a cool iron because a hot iron can damage the cloth fibres and make them very brittle. Some of the pros never iron their cloth preferring to brush and nap only, ensuring that the cloth lasts longer.
Wade. In clubs they generally use stick on spots, mainly because players are careless about replacing balls back onto their spots. In clubs they sometimes also use a soft grade pencil while on the television tables they use a white marker so that it is more visible, not sure of the name of it though.
Hello Barry, I'm a 12 year old boy. My best break in frame is 43, in practice 55. I've been playing really poor lately and can't seem to get out out of it have you got any tips for me to be able to get out of this poor performance rot. Also I find that I put unwanted sides on some of my shots and can't fix it. Basically that makes me rattle and miss a lot of my shots. Is there anyway to stop that? Thanks Barry, your videos help a lot.
Golden. Its probably the unwanted side that is causing the inconsistency, generally speaking if it is not corrected it can lead to aiming incorrectly or cueing across the ball. In short one fault leads to others. To determine the centre of the cue ball look down on it, this is the true picture. To achieve this set up an angle pot, say half ball black or blue, aim with a loop bridge (don't hit the ball) now let go of the back end of the cue and rest it on the cushion (hence the need for the loop bridge) stand up and look down over the top of the cue tip and cue ball and ensure you know where the centre is. If you are applying side unintentionally this will show you. Don't worry though, just correct it, the brain will soon adapt.
Joseph. Ironing of the cloth with a very hot iron will make the fibres brittle, consequently when brushing the fibres can break off causing unnecessary wear.
Red. Once the table has been brushed and Napped ironing it will make it run faster and and become more responsive to the various spins a player needs to apply.
Just had a table installed in my house recently , the blokes who fitted it left me a piece of the new cloth, I had no idea why so I just threw it away... wish I hadn’t now!! a nap block is like 40quid online 😢
Lewis. I am afraid you have learned a hard lesson, however, if there is a club in your vicinity (when they open after the pandemic) They often have spare pieces.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach Barry I’d love an extra piece of advice please !! I currently only have a brush to maintain my table , saving for the iron.. your comment makes me feel that an iron is a more important purchase than a nap block?
Jemzer. This can vary so much and depends on who is doing it and whether the cushions need doing as well, also what cloth is to be used. Somewhere between £400 and £500 is usually about average.
Boteethz. I have seen it done with good effect but great care is needed. Most tables have a small amount of filler at the joints of the slates and this is very easily disturbed, a vacuum cleaner will easily do this. It will also be argued that the suction will slacken the cloth somewhat, I don't subscribe to that but again, care must certainly be taken.
Shilo. You will have to make sure that it is not too hot, you will also have to apply a little downward pressure because it will not be as heavy as the snooker table iron. Because it is smaller you will have to make more passes down the table and you will need to be very careful about the ironing lines that you leave on the cloth.
yvan. I totally agree with you as long as the suction on the vacuum is not too powerful. Convincing club owners of this is difficult they say that you don't see that done on the professional tables, I am afraid most do not have the savvy to realise that their cloths are renewed a lot more frequently. When a club cloth is replaced which has been vacuumed instead of brushed the slate is very clean, this fact alone tells its own story.
Hi, i didn’t know you respond to my say. Thank you, i found you the best coach around. You made me improve my game after i stop playing for 10 years. I still have problem sending the white exactly where i want. My grip is the most problem i have, can’t remember the way i was holding it. I found that the last finger, the little one, made my cue moving so i put side that i don’t want. My higher run when i was young is 131 ( at least 20 run over 100 ). Now im 60 of age and 76 is the higher i done so far in 3 years, lots of 50-60. Anyway, thank you for your tutoriel on snooker.
Thanks, Barry, I have been playing American pool for a year now, and I have realised that I brush the table like a kid and sets the balls up kind of rough.:0
thanks for your videos, it really helped my game. You are truly a great teacher.:)
Sam. Thanks, glad you like the videos.
Now, I am going to have to teach my friends how to brush a table correctly.
I never thought we should iron the cloth... Thanks Barry Sir
Movies. Please don't overdo the ironing though, only do it when necessary. The reason I say that is of the three, (Brushing, Napping, Ironing) Ironing will wear the cloth out the quickest.
Just wanted to find out more about the iron temperature and you have answered my question. Brilliant tip with the paper. I've never seen anyone brush a table as fast as you Baz, how do you do that!!
Awesome video I did this also when I worked In a pool room here in Canada the iron I used was the iron you use for ironing clothes but it was an old one and heavy worked awesome I brushed the tables then I vacuumed them then I ironed them once a week they were Dufferin we had a tournament there pro am Jim wych kirk Steven's and cliff thorburn came for it the last day of that tournament cliff ran 147 the owner of the pool room made a plaque for he said it was his 45th he also said how consistent the tables were the rails of all of them and him and wych ended up in the final and cliff won it Dufferins are not bad tabbles but I've played on bce tabbles and them at one time were the best In the world and my favorite table to play on when I played the game tc stay safe
Dave. It is great to play on good, well cared for tables, well done. Some years ago I was fortunate to share a table briefly with Cliff over in England, lovely man and a great player, I wish I had his powers of concentration.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach awesome no kidding he his a great guy
Hi barry, lovely video. Shout out from Bangladesh. I have got myself a snooker table last week. We play around 5 games per day. 3 to 4 days a week. I got myself a table cover as well. How frequent should i brush my table and how frequent shoild i iron my table?
Taimur. I would recommend brushing and napping the table every day to keep it in ideal playing conditions, no need to do this too vigorously though.The one thing that wears the cloth out more than anything is ironing it, especially if the iron is too hot, (it shouldn't be of course) It tends to make the fibres a little brittle. I would recommend ironing the table once or maybe twice a week, the playing conditions should be okay and the cloth should last longer. Its an expensive business recovering a table.
hello can i ask a question? mechanic installed new cloth on my table and he streched the cloth well hard on bed and cushions on my pool table but now i feel my cushions doesnot take spin shot as well as before cushions doesnot rebound wider or thighter during the right or left spins can you tell me what is the problem?
Thank you very much sir, these videos are really helpful!!!! (Also I want snooker to be my career) so this also helps for that to! Thank you!
comet3bc13 32 is my highest, 4 reds and 4 blacks
Master Yang. A long way to go, but keep doing the right things and practising and who knows.
Hey Barry! Hope you are well, more recently I have been playing with a friend on his table and thought it would be worth checking how to do things properly 👍 cheers 🍻
Chris. I am well, thanks for asking. I hope you like the channel and hope that the videos help in your quest for doing things properly.
I love the channel, just remember, your an inspiration to a lot of people, hope to see a new video soon
Great video as always.... I just bought a napping block. The block itself has a nap, smooth in one direction and rough in the other. Should the smooth side be run from baulk to black end?
Deepak. I like to use the napping block the rough way(as you call it) the fibres tend to intertwine together more and smooth the nap out better.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach thanks..will use it that way :-)
Great video Barry. One question - I notice on the TV tables, the nap is totally smooth from the baulk area downwards. Is this achieved with the 'block' (ie napping the cloth)? I find the brush by itself isn't enough to achieve this effect and the iron would be so close to the cushion it might damage it!
Mrphil. As you already know brushing, napping and ironing should always be carried out in the direction of the nap.i.e. from the baulk end of the table towards the black spot end. The brush will help to rid the table of chalk dust and any other matter, it will also level out the nap to some degree. The napping operation finishes the job off by ensuring the nap lies in the same direction. Ironing should be done in the same direction and the iron should not be too hot as this can damage the fibres of the cloth.
Thanks for your videos. I’m going to replace my cloth I’ve seen tournament and club cloth. Can you recommend one please: thanks again Paul
Paul. The cloth that is used in pro tournaments is Strachan No. 10. However, it is not generally used in clubs because of the heavy use it can get, clubs tend to go for the 6811 cloth. Hainsworth also do cloth that is a mixture of wool and man made fibres, they make the precision cloth, the match cloth and the club cloth. I find the precision too fast and the club too slow, whilst the match is okay and is becoming quite popular because it lasts a good length of time. At the end of the day I'm afraid its down to personal choice and needs.
Thanks for your help..
Thank you Barry for the great video. Would you recommend a good way to clean the pocket?
DH. Not something that I have ever thought about but I suppose the leather can be cleaned and preserved with saddle soap.
Very entertaining video there, Barry. Does the table hold longer if you do cleaning of it often?
Thomas. I assume that when you say "hold longer" that you mean the "cloth lasts longer" Well I am not too certain of that but it will certainly play a lot better.
Hi Barry, great video. I am just wondering is it possible to use a normal iron instead of a snooker one?
H21. I have done this and whilst this is possible it is very easy to leave lines on the cloth so please be careful, not too hot with the iron.
If it’s not too much hassle, can you please do a video on ironing snooker table with a normal iron?
Hello, which factors effects in the speed play of snooker cloth? According to you, I brushed and ironed the table cloth twice, of course, with a home and dry iron, the first time I brushed the cloth less and ironed more, but the speed of the cloth decreased and the ball moved bad. The second time, I brushed the cloth a lot, and ironed more and hotter, the result was an increase in the speed of the table. My question is, less temperature of iron caused increased the speed of the table, or does the table brushing well cause the greatest speed? High temperature of ironing increases speed or decreases it?
lovely videos.....please upload more often
Spinz. Very difficult to upload more often due to other commitments.
What about hoovering the table. Our table is very very dusty at the moment. Could I risk it?
Barry, would you have any idea of how much it would cost to move a table to my home?
Master. I'm sorry this is beyond my field of expertise, but if you contact World Snooker Services I'm sure they will help. Contact them through the 'World Snooker' web site.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach ok thank you anyway
about $30,000 for a good table with complete installation. Don't try to do it yourself if you want professional results on the first installation....these massive tables are cut, glued, bolted and trimmed piece by piece from the ground up for perfection.
It depends on how far the table is being moved and if stairs are involved, a full size table weighs over 1100kg, j have personally moved and installed my table start to finsh, it nearly killed me!!!! Itried to do away with getting the professionals in, and i really regretted it, though i built, slated, and reclothed myself and I have been told it plays well...the pro fitters earn every penny, do as barry says, give them a call.😉
Hi Barry, just bought a 12ft tabke and your videos have bene great. Quick question regarding the ironing, do you iron the cushion rails because my cushions seem a little slow when a ball hits them? Thanks
Nick. Never seen the cushions ironed and there should not be any need for this, you may also cause the rubber to come away from its base.
Hi Barry, can I ask what you use to mark table out with, pen or pencil ? As I have had my table recovered and marking out has faded, on my old cloth I used a pencil, but i felt the continuous pressing with pencil created a dip in cloth.
Any suggestions please
Michael. Not entirely sure what the table fitters use in the pro game but I believe it is similar to a Tippex pen. I certainly would not use a pen though and in our club we use a very soft grade pencil, there is little need to press on providing it is a soft grade pencil.
Hi Barry, I have a new slate pool table with Hainsworth Match cloth at home. I brush the cloth regularly and have ordered a napping block but have not bought a table iron yet due to the huge expense (hundreds of pounds!). Even with very careful use, the cloth is developing a lot of "bushy" patches where it's been rubbed against the nap, which cause the balls to slightly roll off line when rolling at a slow pace. Will the napping block be enough to fix this to a good degree or would you say I need to get a table iron also? I'd have already ordered an iron if it were not for the expense, but I could find a second hand one cheaper. I also read a lot of folk saying that ironing wears the cloth down faster too, so is it really necessary for home use?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
A D. Certainly ironing a table cloth is the process that will wear the cloth out the most. It does this because the fibres can become brittle and snap off. Table irons are ridiculously expensive and I believe that they are used too frequently by some players. Brushing and napping the cloth properly and regularly should suffice and the cloth will last longer.
Hi Barry, can you iron a wooden bed table or would you just brush it ?
darren. Don't see why you cannot iron the table cloth, I would be tempted to use minimal temperature though, there may be a danger of warping the wood.
Hi Barry, we had are tables done recently all fitted with 6811 cloth, the tables played great at first but after a few months the speed went out from the cloth. You can see the white ball pulling up and and it particularly noticeable when trying to split the pack. Even with and good solid contact the ball just don't open the way they did when the cloth was first put on. The cloths and brushed and ironed regularly. What steps can I take that may help improve the speed of the cloth?
Mr. 6811 is a very good cloth and is used in a lot of good clubs and academies. As with any cloth two factors tend to materialise, it loses the sheen that is there when it is new and becomes a little woolly, it also tends to give a little and become slightly loose. Unfortunately it may be necessary to have the fitters back and have the cloth stretched, its also worth mentioning that ironing can damage the fibres of the cloth (particularly if the iron is very hot) causing them to break off during the brushing and napping process. A hot iron will speed the table up initially but I wonder if it is worth it in the long run, may I suggest that you try increasing the napping of the cloth at regular intervals and restrict the use of the iron for a spell.
Another question is, should I always brush and iron cloth together? Or can I only brush table without ironing?
@rez. Brush and nap the cloth regularly, ironing wears the cloth cloth quicker than brushing and napping. It does this by having the tendency to make the fibres of the cloth slightly brittle and therefore prone to snapping off. For certain it makes the playing surface great but unless you have plenty of money for a regular re-cover I would suggest you do it sparingly, say once a week.
Can anyone brush be used? Horse hair better? What about vacuuming with a brush attached? Thanks Barry
Great tips Barry , i have just changed my cloth on my 8ft table, i hope to keep it looking new as long as possible with your helpful hints and the block for nap is a great way to do it i made my own nap block and wished i thought of that with brush, them blocks are dear to buy and just by using cloth of off cuts from snooker cloth will do the trick and making sure the block of nap(smooth) follows the nap on bed from bulk to black spot end, is there a video of how to repair cloth with abit of nap missing not ripped ,i have alittle bald patch of nap missing out of my new bed cloth?
Michael. I would love to offer you a solution on the missing nap but I am afraid that I do not know of one, its probably been caused by a miscue or a sharp edge on the ferrule. I have seen repairs done with needle and thread but never really satisfactorily.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Ok thanks Barry , the cloth is made by Strachen 6811 and i found out what substandard means which is not the the top quality as standard so theres little defects in the cloth like little bits of nap missing, i only found out after putting it on the table the nap bit was missing before started playing on the cloth and not from miss cuing ,the cloth was cheap too from Rosetta Sports for £136 but the balls play well on it so im pleased with it and made a 64 break already on first day using it, hope to make more bigger breaks tc Barry!
No wonder why cue spin like bowling ball in end even I pointed accurate. It's table condition 😗
Hello Barry, do cold temperatures have a negative effect on your cloth, even when it's not humid? Thanks in advance!
Mathis. Professional tables have a heater fastened to the framework of the table underneath the slate, this alters the playing conditions by making the cloth more responsive and faster. If the room temperature is cold the playing conditions will change, the cloth tends to make the balls run sluggishly, the balls will also be cold and not react as well as they might, even the rebound from the cushion rubbers can be different.
Lol, I don't think my club even irons the tables.
My pool-bar even don't change cloth with holes(!!!!) :)) It's not speaking about cues, made from the mop. :))
I went back to my old club the other day after a year away. I used to brush block and iron my regular table and it was spotless. It is now filthy I don't think it's been cleaned since I left!
Hi Barry, would you advocate spraying the table with water after napping and prior to ironing the cloth. At my club we operate this policy but a few members have questioned whether we should be doing this?..Many Thanks..:-)
MEECHIO. It is not a practise that I have ever done so I cannot in all honesty recommend it. What I can say is that a lot of players are not ironing their table on a regular basis now because it is recognised that the ironing process can make the cloth fibres brittle and decrease the playing life of the cloth.
Many Thanks for replying Barry. I will pass on your feedback to the members at my club.:-)
How often should you brush and iron the snooker table?
harry. If a table is used daily it should be brushed and napped daily. Ironing should be done perhaps a little less frequently in clubs and perhaps twice a week will suffice.
Amazing, also never seen a cloth this good at any club near me, a shame really.
jama211. The table is covered in the same cloth as is used in professional tournament play. Unfortunately it is expensive, very fine and would not last very long in clubs.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Barry which cloth do you find best, Hansworth Precision, Match, Smart, Strachan 6811 or do you prefer another?
Hi Barry,
I was just wondering what the importance of napping the cloth is?
ItzShaun. Good question. The nap of the cloth should always run in one direction, if it is disturbed by the players finger marks etc, it can affect the direction in which the balls run, particularly on gentle shots. It is one reason why at professional level they have an interval after four frames, the table fitters will brush and nap the table.
sir, how often should one iron the table...?
At our club we iron them once a week.
aayush. Believe it or not the thing that wears the cloth out most of all (other than abuse) is ironing, So brush and nap daily but iron perhaps twice a week.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach hello Barry. do you have any brush/iron recommendations? The table I play on currently doesn't get too much attention and I was looking to take the responsibility on myself.
I know you asked Barry directly but I'm always whiling to offer suggestions, I maintain the tables at my local club. We use Horse hair brushes only. That happens first, Always remembering to brush with the nap so towards the black spot, Then we use a napping block with a lightly wet cleaning cloth draped over it, It pains me when I see people using a dry napping block. Then we spray the table with a water bottle, Just a nice light mist over the table then we iron them once a week, No more is needed generally as you'll wear the cloth. As Barry has mentioned about ironing, Always hold the iron on a slight angle. As a result of our table management we have the fastest tables in Australia NSW Illawarra area. Hope that helps, And look forward to hearing Barry's input.
Dan. I cannot improve on the answer given by Rat Trap, every point has been covered professionally, well done.
just a suggestion ifs you start on the yellow side cushion then go down and then across the baulk then green side cushion then black cushion the nap should be correct
Aaron, Thanks for pointing that out and refreshing my memory.
no problem Barry I have seen a lot of people brush tables and personally I think you should start with brushing and blocking table then start with the cushions then iron it as dust still on the bed of the table thanks for the reply
great video sir thank u
should the table be ironed every time you brush and clean it
Nope. If you play on the table everyday I think the table should be ironed every week, maybe every 14 days not more. Otherwise the cloth might go "blind"
Alan. Bro is about right when he says once a week, if I have a match to play we iron it a little more frequently. Ironing a table too frequently will wear the cloth out faster than brushing or napping ever could.
Can u use normal clothing irons just checking
Siraj. You will notice that when a table is ironed the iron should be turned at a slight angle, this helps to prevent lines on the cloth where the iron has been. If you use an ordinary iron you do increase the chances of extra lines on the cloth because it will be smaller and of a different shape. Snooker table irons are thermostatically controlled so please be careful not to have the iron too hot. Lastly it should be said that ironing is the one practise that wears the cloth out more than brushing or napping the cloth. It does this because of the tendency for ironing to make the fibres brittle, eventually break off and reduce the life of the cloth.
Do I have to wear the vest and bowtie when I do this?
The Outsider. Hardly, but if you are cleaning club tables and you value your health please wear a mask or gently vacuum the tables.
could you not use a handheld vacuum?
piespeafield. I have seen them used effectively but there is a danger of disturbing the filler that is sometimes used to fill any discrepancy between the slates.
What is the optimal temperature for ironing a snooker table?
Tomas. Not sure on this but irons should have a thermostat on them to stop them getting too hot. It is better to use a cool iron because a hot iron can damage the cloth fibres and make them very brittle. Some of the pros never iron their cloth preferring to brush and nap only, ensuring that the cloth lasts longer.
What sort of marker is used for indicating spots?
Wade. In clubs they generally use stick on spots, mainly because players are careless about replacing balls back onto their spots. In clubs they sometimes also use a soft grade pencil while on the television tables they use a white marker so that it is more visible, not sure of the name of it though.
Hello Barry, I'm a 12 year old boy. My best break in frame is 43, in practice 55. I've been playing really poor lately and can't seem to get out out of it have you got any tips for me to be able to get out of this poor performance rot. Also I find that I put unwanted sides on some of my shots and can't fix it. Basically that makes me rattle and miss a lot of my shots. Is there anyway to stop that? Thanks Barry, your videos help a lot.
Golden. Its probably the unwanted side that is causing the inconsistency, generally speaking if it is not corrected it can lead to aiming incorrectly or cueing across the ball. In short one fault leads to others. To determine the centre of the cue ball look down on it, this is the true picture. To achieve this set up an angle pot, say half ball black or blue, aim with a loop bridge (don't hit the ball) now let go of the back end of the cue and rest it on the cushion (hence the need for the loop bridge) stand up and look down over the top of the cue tip and cue ball and ensure you know where the centre is. If you are applying side unintentionally this will show you. Don't worry though, just correct it, the brain will soon adapt.
Why the cloth fur coming out while brushing? The felt cloth is new.
Joseph. Ironing of the cloth with a very hot iron will make the fibres brittle, consequently when brushing the fibres can break off causing unnecessary wear.
what is the advantage of ironing billiard cloth?
Red. Once the table has been brushed and Napped ironing it will make it run faster and and become more responsive to the various spins a player needs to apply.
Berry what brand is this cloth?
Miguel. It is identical to what you see on the television Strachan No.10
Just had a table installed in my house recently , the blokes who fitted it left me a piece of the new cloth, I had no idea why so I just threw it away... wish I hadn’t now!! a nap block is like 40quid online 😢
Lewis. I am afraid you have learned a hard lesson, however, if there is a club in your vicinity (when they open after the pandemic) They often have spare pieces.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach Barry I’d love an extra piece of advice please !! I currently only have a brush to maintain my table , saving for the iron.. your comment makes me feel that an iron is a more important purchase than a nap block?
Can anyone tell me roughly how much it is for someone to get their table recovered?
Jemzer. This can vary so much and depends on who is doing it and whether the cushions need doing as well, also what cloth is to be used. Somewhere between £400 and £500 is usually about average.
$400-$600 bucks
Is a vacuum cleaner good for cleaning? May i ask
Boteethz. I have seen it done with good effect but great care is needed. Most tables have a small amount of filler at the joints of the slates and this is very easily disturbed, a vacuum cleaner will easily do this. It will also be argued that the suction will slacken the cloth somewhat, I don't subscribe to that but again, care must certainly be taken.
respect the game.
thank you sir.
Whats going to happen if i will use a regular iron
Shilo. You will have to make sure that it is not too hot, you will also have to apply a little downward pressure because it will not be as heavy as the snooker table iron. Because it is smaller you will have to make more passes down the table and you will need to be very careful about the ironing lines that you leave on the cloth.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach thank you Barry
This brush is not online how to buy this brush
Hemendra. I cannot believe they are not online somewhere, ours was provided with the table.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach this brush are so amazing this is not online any store how to buy this brush
You are amazing
Good thing I don’t have a table… cause if I did I would have been cleaning maintaining it wrong
Jacob. So many people do it wrong, mainly because they have not been shown the correct way.
This vid alone, shows the supremacy of the british culture.
Twit off ya spoon
The dictator culture, making mankind slaves , looting wealth of earth .
You just move dust around. Vacuum it, all problem solve with dust. I been doing it for 25 years and it doesn’t ruine the cloth at all.
yvan. I totally agree with you as long as the suction on the vacuum is not too powerful. Convincing club owners of this is difficult they say that you don't see that done on the professional tables, I am afraid most do not have the savvy to realise that their cloths are renewed a lot more frequently. When a club cloth is replaced which has been vacuumed instead of brushed the slate is very clean, this fact alone tells its own story.
Hi, i didn’t know you respond to my say. Thank you, i found you the best coach around. You made me improve my game after i stop playing for 10 years. I still have problem sending the white exactly where i want. My grip is the most problem i have, can’t remember the way i was holding it. I found that the last finger, the little one, made my cue moving so i put side that i don’t want. My higher run when i was young is 131 ( at least 20 run over 100 ). Now im 60 of age and 76 is the higher i done so far in 3 years, lots of 50-60. Anyway, thank you for your tutoriel on snooker.
That’s a big a$$ pool table lol
6:24 earrape