You may have pondered this question while shooting a game of eight ball at your neighborhood bar. Whether it’s a Valley, Dynamo, Global, Murrey, American Shuffleboard, Fischer, or Irving Kaye coin-op pool table, I’ll clue you in on how it all works.
First and foremost, you have to feed the beast (A.K.A. coin-op pool table). Your quarters go in the slots and you push in. But, then what? The coin mechanism has a plate at the end that pushes a hinge arm on the inside of the pool table. Your quarters drop into a bin while the arm rolls back and allows the ball trap to dump the balls out and down the chute and roll down to the ball return box at the foot of the table below the triangle. Now you are ready to rack ’em up. As you pocket numbered balls throughout your game, they drop in the pockets and go down the gully boots toward the maze of tracks that will lead them to the ball trap.
I know, you’re wondering about that pesky cue ball, right? How does the pool table know the difference between a numbered ball and the cue ball? Losing your cue ball in a pocket during your game of pool doesn’t usually mean your game is over. You need to get the cue ball back and continue your game without having to stick more quarters in, right? There are three different ways a pool table knows to send your cue ball to the head of the table instead of the ball trap. Depending on the age and brand of the pool table cue balls are either magnetic, oversized, or weighted differently. Upon scratching, all cue balls run along the same track as the numbered balls until they get to the cue ball separator.
In the case of an oversized cue ball, there is an attached ball shunt. The shunt is set to a height of just over 2.25 inches allowing the numbered balls to pass under. The oversized (2.375 inch) cue ball cannot pass under the shunt, makes a hairpin turn, and drops to a track leading to the head of the pool table.
Newer coin-operated pool tables may use a magnetic cue ball. This cue ball is 2.25 inches, the same as the numbered balls. Magnetic cue balls either have a small metal cage embedded inside the ball or more recently are coated with a metal skin (Aramith type). Instead of a shunt forcing the ball to the cue ball return, a strong magnet is attached to the cue ball separation area and pulls the cue ball towards the track leading to the head of the pool table.
Weighted cue balls are most commonly used in older Dynamo pool tables. These tables actually have three methods of distinguishing cue balls from numbered balls. They have a shunt for oversized cue balls, a magnet for magnetic cue balls, and a patented designed weighted cue ball return. Billiard balls weigh 6 ounces. The slightly heavier cue ball rolls through the separation interchange and activates a rocker dropping the cue ball into the hairpin turn leading to the head of the pool table.
On my next bar table refelt job I’ll take some pictures of the inside of a coin-op pool table and then post them here. Until then, keep racking ’em up!
Thanks for all the insight! Pool tables can be a bit mysterious sometimes.
We go play pool on a coin operated and there is 2 pool tables there the one we play on its got the right cue ball but the other one doesn’t and when you scratch the cue ball goes where the other balls go and I going to buy a cue ball for that table but don’t know which one to get a over sized cue ball or just the regular size magnetic cue ball or will a regular one fit and these pool table or old I believe and don’t know the name of the pool table
it’s hard to say without a brand. If the table is the same as the one next to it, look at the ball that is working. Does that one drop to the right spot on the other table? If that one works for both tables, determine if it is oversized. then purchase what that one is.
The other thing that may be preventing the cue ball from returning to the foot of the table, is the arm may be out of adjustment.
There are also different coin-op balls, like the heavy one they use on Dynamo tables.
hey there, awesome billiards website i’ll definitely give it another look again.
I have a fischer regant 8 ft one piece slate . When I got it was in rough shape but a little work and it was back to working close to like new . I want to use a magnetic cb an was wondering where to put and what kind of magnets to use? Any help would be appreciated greatly thanks. I used this web site to help me out when I first acquired it . For identifying , learning the origins and how it should look . Also some assembly techniques.
Hello Mr. Gates, I’m sorry to tell you but Ewald Fischer never produced a coin op pool table with a magnetic cueball separator. Valley, Dynamo, Murrey and Global Mfg all figured out ways to utilize magnetism to attract the special “metal-cored” cueballs. Fischer used a spring to deflect the oversized cueball which measures 2.375 inches thus allowing the numbered balls which measure 2.25 inches to pass underneath the “spring separator” (genius idea). I’d say though with a little bit of engineering work on your Fischer pool table’s innards you can devise a way to attach a magnet near the area where all the balls file through and hopefully the magnetism would penetrate through the wood just enough to redirect a “Magnetic Cueball”
Happy engineering, PTK.
What kind of spring did the Fisher table use for the cue ball returnI have a fisher table and can tell where the spring used to ride but the spring is gone thanks for any help
There won’t be a specific aftermarket part to replace this. You’ll have to find something that is close enough and modify to let the ball pass.
Where can I get a cue ball for a fisher table old coin operated one
Use an Oversized Cue ball. THese tables don’t use magnetic cue balls.
Recently bought a American Shuffleboard coin op pool table. Trying to reconfigure the coin and ball stop/release mechanism. Anyone have any pics of the insides of a American Shuffleboard pool table?
No pics of inside but if you take it apart you should see how it works. It’s a bit of work to push in the lever and keep it that way to bypass the ball drop mechanism. Good luck!
I have a United Billards coin opp. Not sure what mine is but the cue ball goes where the others go. I see the separator but the cue ball don’t go down it. Need help.