Second Hand Snooker & Pool Equipment | Sports & Leisure Classifieds

Since losing its "misspent youth" image, snooker, and latterly pool, has retained its popularity remarkably well, especially considering what some might consider "overexposure" on television.

CHOOSING A SNOOKER OR BILLIARDS CUE
The most expensive cue will not necessarily suit you best. It is expensive because of the materials that have been used and the man-hours that it takes to produce each individual cue. Spending ridiculous sums on a top of the range cue will not make you World Champion overnight! You can get the same performance out of a cheaper, plainer looking cue. One-piece cues are more expensive than two-piece, but do not necessarily perform better. Two-piece cues are easier to transport. Most snooker and billiards retailers have a table in the shop on which you can try out several candidate cues. Take advantage of this opportunity.

An important note to beginners: don't go for a cue with a tip diameter of less than 10mm, to avoid the chance of miscuing.

CHOOSING A POOL CUE
As with snooker and billiards, know your skill level. Like many things, a pool cue is only as good as the person using it. Pool cues tend to have a slightly thicker tip than snooker cues (about 13mm).

Beginners
For beginners and novices, stick with inexpensive pool cues. However, very cheap cues tend to have basic problems such as not being straight! They are often finished poorly and wear out quickly. A good, basic starter cue should be about �30.

Intermediate / Advanced
A good cue for intermediate to advanced players will cost perhaps �120. The trend with professionals is towards lighter cues between 18-21 ounces. Match the length of the cue to your arm.

Break cues and other special cues
As pool allows it, you may want to consider a separate cue for breaking. Breaking can shorten the lifespan of any cue, so buying a special break cue will minimize wear and tear. You may even want to consider buying cues for special shots such as jumping, which again is not allowed in snooker.

Cases
Having purchased the perfect cue, you need to protect your prized asset.

Soft Cases
Such cases usually only fit a two-piece, centre-jointed cue and offer only minimal protection. They are available for as little as �5, but this does seem false economy if you have anything like a decent cue.

Box Cases
These cases are designed to give a lot more protection to your cue and come in a variety of sizes for cues of all types. The box nature of the case will protect your cue whilst stored from minimal knocks and bumps. However, they do have a tendency to break at the ends, as they are only made of a heavy-duty cardboard with a plastic finish. Slightly more cumbersome to carry, but will protect much more effectively than a soft case.

Aluminium Cases
These give the best available protection. Padded foam interiors stop the sections of your cue from knocking together whilst in transit. The exterior is made from aluminium, which is light but also very robust. Such cases are available for one and two-piece cues, with some allowing extra room for an extension. For this type of protection, expect to pay in excess of �65. An aluminium case will protect your cue whilst in storage from all manner of knocks and bumps.

SNOOKER, BILLIARDS & POOL TABLES
There are a wide variety of snooker and pool tables available on the market today, with differences in quality, durability, and price. It is a straightforward process to find a snooker or pool table that fits your taste and budget, whether you're putting together a home games room or buying commercial tables for your bar or business.

Choose the Right Table
When looking for the right table is to consider the type of construction. For recreation, a wood-on-wood or solid hardwood table will give you many years of entertainment. If you have children, and don't want to make a big investment, particleboard (laminate) tables are fine. For businesses such as bars, a metal-on-wood table is the best pick, as its durable construction will survive thousands of games.

Table Bed
The bed of the table is the surface upon which the baize is laid. Traditionally, snooker and pool table beds are slate, a durable rock, which can be polished smooth. A thickness of �" is common, while 1" slate is used in professional tables. Beware of cheaper alternatives, which tend to have warping and durability problems.

Legs etc.
Pay attention to the quality of the legs, rails and cushions. High quality table legs should be made out of solid hardwood. They also should extend all the way to the slate, not just to the frame of the table.

The Right Size Table
A table is measured by its length, which is usually between six and nine feet. Home snooker tables are generally six or nine feet long. An eight-foot table is the standard size for recreational pool. On average, you will need about six to nine feet around the table in order to have a comfortable playing space.

SNOOKER & POOL BALLS
Most balls today are made from thermoset or phenolic resin, a synthetic substance, which forms the basis of plastics and adhesives. A standard snooker ball set consists of fifteen red balls, six coloured balls (yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black) along with a white cue ball. Many sets also include a "spot white" ball for Billiards. For all types of pool, a standard sixteen ball set (1 to 8 solid, 9 to 15 striped, plus a cue ball) is adequate.

ACCESSORIES

Snooker / Billiards Scoreboard
If winning's not important, why do we keep score? Wall-mounted scoreboards are inexpensive and readily available.

Chalk
Chalk keeps the cue tip from slipping when it contacts the ball. Make sure to buy branded chalk, as low quality chalk can ruin your tip. Also, consider purchasing a chalk holder, which you can strap onto your belt for easy access (and stop you from wearing holes in your pockets!)

Table Covers
Covers are a must. Protect your table from humidity, fading and dust by covering it whenever not in use.

Brush
Regular brushing with a quality horsehair brush will keep your baize in top condition.

Ball "Racks"
Triangles for snooker and diamonds for pool, these are needed to set up the balls before a game.

Spare Tips
Cue tips eventually wear away and become unusable. Replacement tips, along with repair and maintenance kits are stocked by every snooker/ pool retailer