Three cue balls

[lfigueroa]

Hey Lou, Do I still get that 11-7? I may come to LV. All that talk about steak dinners is making me hungry. Why don't you come to the one pocket in Mt View? It ends a few days before LV.

11-7?! WHEN did I offer THAT?

As to Mt View -- unfortunately my pool fantasy camp monies are finite. I've been blowing some of thems in Chicago this week, so a trip to the coast is a no go. I'll barely make it to Vegas, as it is :-o

Lou Figueroa

 

[jwp]

While I will agree with what you say is mathematics, the two balls can be made of different components. This is what I believe is the different densities. All I know is they play different. When I started this, I was trying to find out why and how they play different. So far, not much on that except some people think the Measles is sticky to object balls. I haven't seen a red triangle ball in years.

Ah, sure, they could play differently and still have the same overall density. Bowling balls are a good example: they're mostly the same size and weight, and therefore the same overall technical density, but they have quite a number of components, all of which can be, and are, varied so that they play differently. The parts just have to "add up" to the same density.

From Aramith's web site, it seems that all of the balls are made from the same phenolic resin. The difference between their various lines (including Centennials) seems to be the "grain size" of that resin. The cheaper ones have a larger "grain size". I don't know enough about phenolic resin chemistry to know what that really means. (Spending 30 years in a chemistry department taught me a lot of things, most of which are of absolutely no use whatsoever in trying to answer rational questions like this one.)

I would expect that it means the more expensive ones polish better (analogous to sanding soft and hard wood). It seems possible that the more expensive ones might be somewhat harder, though whether that would be enough to make a difference, I don't know. I would expect them to sound a little different when they hit another ball, though I don't know if any difference would be detectable by ear.

Finally, a larger "grain size" for the cheaper ones could possibly mean that the cheaper ones are really a little less dense in the technical sense. I don't know enough to be able to say one way or the other with certainty, but it seems sort of reasonable. That would show up quickly by weighing and measuring them very carefully; if they aren't the same size and weight, then they aren't the same density. Whether there could be enough difference to be noticeable isn't clear.

 

[beatle]

i suspect a lot of the measles balls arent the comparable aramith ones to the brunswick centennial blue dot and aramith red circle.

 

[gulfportdoc]

Cueballs made of different compositions have different coefficients of elasticity while still having the same volume and mass.

Frmn, that's the way I understand it as well. The outer layer of polymer determines the "playability" of the CB, all else being equal.

What further confuses the issue is that certain CBs, such as the Aramith balls, have at least two different variations. Outside of experimenting with the ball through play, the only other indication is the shade of white. Some have a snowy white color, whereas others have more of a cream colored finish.

The whiter ones have more sensitivity, which makes the creamier one seem to play "heavy", even though they're the same weight and size.

But you'll find no area of more varied differences of opinion than the subject of cue balls. There are many different preferences, and a whole bunch of misinformation.

Doc

 

[SJDinPHX]

IMHO there has never been a better combination for playability, than the original Brunswick Centennial's (before they were made by Aramith) paired with the Blue Circle cue ball. It is still a good match even with the new balls.

The only group who may disagree, would be straight pool players...They like the weight of the red dot, for plowing into the stack. I also believe the blue circle holds up better with excessive 9/10 ball play. I have no proof of this, other than personal observation.

 

[Scrzbill]

11-7?! WHEN did I offer THAT?

As to Mt View -- unfortunately my pool fantasy camp monies are finite. I've been blowing some of thems in Chicago this week, so a trip to the coast is a no go. I'll barely make it to Vegas, as it is :-o

Lou Figueroa

11-7, WOW. I knew you were a great player and that confirms it. I must have dreamt about it after taking my pain meds. I win lots of games in my dreams. Too bad you can't make it to Mt View. Maybe next year you can plan a circle trip that goes to Mt View, LV, then home. Ghost will miss you I'm sure.