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Home Shuffleboard Table Set-Up

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 21:31:25 GMT

You bought a new shuffleboard table...Now what?

We all know that most people love playing shuffleboard, and if you are looking to buy or have purchased a shuffleboard table, you will need to know all of the ins and outs. We thought we could help with that!

Things to keep in mind with setting up a shuffleboard table in your home

Make sure there is room for your shuffleboard table

First things first...Do you have the space? If you answered yes, just continue reading. If you answered no, go and find some more room...NOW! �� You want to reserve at least 2′ on each side of the table and 3′ at either end where the players will stand. Cramped, small areas make it difficult to play without being able to maneuver around the table to find just the right angle to take a shot.

Setting up your shuffleboard table

Once you have your shuffleboard table in your home, you want to make sure it is level and adjusted properly. You will want to place a level across the width of the your table's surface towards the end of the table. If you can easily slip a piece of paper under the middle of the level, then you’re in good shape and your table is level. If the middle of your table isn’t slightly concave, then you’ll want to adjust the climate adjusters in until it is concave. Make sure not to make it too concave though. The concave nature of the table is just a precaution to keep the pucks on the table and not flying across the room. You will also want to check the level of your table if there is a temperature or humidity change in the room.

Call Jones Brothers Pool Tables

If you still aren't sure about setting up your new table, contact our team to help!

If you haven't checked out our last shuffleboard table blog, go check that out for more shuffleboard FAQ's!

Stuck at Home? We Can Help

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 20:15:01 GMT

Let us help your family conquer boredom while you're stuck indoors.

As we all know, we may be stuck in our homes for just a bit, which could get pretty boring! There is only some much AMI work you can do, TV/YouTube you can watch, and video games you can play. Have you thought about getting something new to entertaining you and your family? Here at Jones Brothers Pool Tables, we have a few solutions to conquer the boredom.

#1: Table Games

You don't have to be an expert to have some fun with table games...yes, even chess. You look up different chess games that any kid would love and that beginners would even love. Not only is chess an excellent educational tool that helps strengthen both sides of your brain, but the game is also an endless source of pleasure.

You can start out a little easier with a game of checkers. This easy to love game will keep you entertained while learning strategy. Now, Chinese checkers on the other hand...maybe a little more difficult for little ones to learn.

#2: Cards

It's hard to believe, but sometimes all you need to get rid of that bored feeling, is a simple set of traditional playings cards. Just think of the number of games that can be played for all ages groups with only 52 cards. Here are a few of our favs:

War - It's a classic and easier to learn
Gold Fish - Test your matching (and bluffing) skills
Slap Jack - Put those reflexes to the test
Memory - See how well your memory is doing
Rummy - A little harder, but still entertaining
Spoons - This has been known to get a bit physically, but offers a lot of laughs

#3: Darts

We know what you are thinking...DARTS?!?! FOR KIDS?!? We say YES! Did you know that there are dart boards that don't use the sharpened darts...they are magnetic, soft-tipped or even velcro.

Darts teaches math and concentration and can keep those young and old entertained for hours. For those who are older, darts can be a competitive game for those that are skilled. For the younger players, it will not only teach kids counting skill, it will teach them patience (since they have to wait their turn).

So, if you're looking for a little entertainment, that is known to reduce stress, this game is perfect.

#4: Air Hockey, Foosball, & Ping Pong

Air hockey, ping pong (or table tennis) and foosball are really fun games that some people take very seriously. They can get you up and off the couch for a little physical activity without being too intense. This mean that just about anyone of every age can enjoy any one of these games.

For kids, these games are not only hours of fun, but they will help them with their hand eye coordination. If you are playing with 4 players, it teaches them the value of teamwork. For older players, all of these games will help to keep their reflexes sharp and help them to socialize.

Any one of these games will be tons of family fun and will be sure to cure the boredom while being stuck at home.

#5: Shuffleboard

If you have a little extra space and you need a surefire way of adding a lot of fun to your space, then you should consider getting a shuffleboard table. Shuffleboard is one of those games that most people get really into. So into, that they forget about everything else...even time!

Since the rules of the game are fairly simple, people of all ages can enjoy playing. Not only are the rules simple, the game is pretty easy to play (if you are playing for fun that it). Players of every age will spend hours spending time with their family and friends while playing. So, think of the cost of a shuffleboard table as an investment into family entertainment that will last for years to come.

#6: Pool or Billards

Pool is a game that can be played by almost anyone! Even children can learn to play this game. As long as that can hold a cue and see the balls, they are good to go.

For children, playing pool helps build their concentration and it teaches them geometry...yes, geometry! So, take that MATH! Older players reap the benefits of pool helping with balance, muscle strength, and socialization.

Playing pool is a game of ability and technique, but its also an excellent way to add some fun in your home. Like the shuffleboard table, a pool table is an investment in spending time with your family and friends.

Darts: Setup and How To's

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 23:13:04 GMT

Learning the Game of Darts

The game of darts is a sport that can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of age or gender, and it's becoming more and more popular. People play for fun while others take this sport very seriously...very, very seriously. We have gathered up a few facts about how to set up your new dartboard and other how to's like how to play, how to throw, etc.

About the Dartboard and Dartboard Setup for Both Standard & Wheelchair

The most common dartboard today is the "clock", "trebles" or "standard" dartboard. The pattern on the board is divided by wire and different colored spaces. It consists of a circle of 20 segments that are numbered from 1 to 20 in what seems to be a "random" order. At the center of the board is a small black circle called the "bullseye" and the bullseye is counted as a single point (as in the points are not doubled or tripled). Inside of the bullseye is a thin red ring called the 25 ring, and this is scored as a double or 2 times the points. The segments spread out from this ring broken only by the "triple" ring about half way to the edge and "double" ring which marks the rim of the circle. If you hit a number in the double ring, you get two marks, or, double points, and if you hit a number in the triple ring, you get 3 marks, or triple the points.

One of the most common questions when it comes to the game of darts is "What height and distance to the oche (the line that the dart thrower stands behind) should a dartboard be?" Well, the set-up can vary for example the Standard Dartboard, Yorkshire Dartboard, the Fives Dartboard, and the smaller Manchester Dartboard all have differing rules and regs. These dartboards can have either different board height or oche throwing distances. The most common Standard Dartboard distance is 7' 9 1/4" with the height of the board placement being 5' 8" from the bullseye to the ground. For the wheelchair oche distance that actually remains the same, but the height from the center of the bullseye to the ground will be 4' 6".

A Few Dart Games and How to Play

Standard #01 Game

About the game: The 01 series are popular dart games and are all essentially the same, with the exception that you begin with a different number of points depending on the number of people you are playing with. You begin with 301 points (or 501/701/801/etc.) and the objective of the game is to get to zero points the quickest.

Starting the game: The order of play is normally either determined by a toss of a coin or by each player throwing for the centre bull the nearest being the player that throws first. When throwing for the bullseye, if the first thrower hits the center bullseye or outer bullseye the dart is usually removed before the second player throws. If the second player hits the same as the first player then the process starts again. If the first player's dart does not hit either the center bullseye or outer bullseye, then the dart remains in the board until the second player throws. If the first player's dart is obstructing the bullseye the second player may request to straighten the dart.

Scoring and playing the game: A throw consists three darts except were the game is finished in less throws. Darts cannot be re-thrown...duh. This includes darts that miss the board and darts that bounce of the board wiring system. Only darts that have their points touching the scoring area of the board will be scored. You must hit a double to begin scoring (well actually to begin subtracting points) and a double to win. The goal is to hit the largest numbers in order to win quickly. But there is a hitch: if you are shooting for an out (an end to the game), and you throw your exact score, you have to start over...yes from the beginning. Also, when shooting for an out, if you shoot a number higher than your current score, you go bust. Because of those two rules, the end can be tricky. Bullseye scores 50, the outer ring scores 25 and a dart in the double or triple ring counts double or triple the segment score.

Variations (yep, we have those) : Depending on who you are playing with, variations can include not having to “double in” or “double out.” Doubling out is almost always a requirement, but doubling in is optional. Also, some won't pull the "go back to the beginning" rule or the "bust" rule when playing

Cricket (no not that kind of cricket)

About the game: There are few dart games that are played that are based around other games, and Cricket is the most common of them.

Starting the game: This is a game for 2 players or 2 teams (normally). To start, players toss a coin to decide who goes first, or both players throw a dart at the bull’s-eye and whoever is closest starts. You will need a score chart that is set up with the numbers 15 – 20 and the bullseye.

Scoring and playing the game: Each player or team will take turns throwing. Three dart throws is a turn. The object of the game is to t hrow at the numbers 15-20 and the bullseye in order to "close" each number before your opponent and score the most points. That means you need to hit each number three times, or hit a double and a single, or hit a triple in order to close a number. Numbers can be 'owned' or 'closed' in any order by the player/team. If the number is not closed out by the other player/team, the player that has it closed can now score points on that number. If both players/teams hit the number 3 times the number is closed and can no longer be scored on. Bullseyes can be closed by hitting either the single outer ring or the inner double ring a total of 3 times. Bullseyes score 25 for the single and 50 for the double. If a number is closed and the player/team that has it closed hits a triple or a double, it will triple or double the value of the zone. Points are added throughout the game as they are scored.

Winning the game : There are a few ways to win this game:

1. The player/team that closes all numbers first and has the most points, wins.

2. If both sides are tie with points, or have no points at all, the first player or team to close all of the numbers will win.

3. If a player or team closes all of the numbers first, but they are behind in points, they must continue to score on any of the numbers that are not closed until either the point deficit is made up, or the opponent has closed all innings.

Table Tennis: Just the Facts

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 22:13:58 GMT

Millions of people play it, but do you think they know these facts?

FACTS:

Table-tennis or, yes, ping-pong is indeed a sport (most people don't know that).
Thi s sport is for EVERYONE! It can be played for someone's whole life! You can be male or female, young or old, disabled or able-bodied and can compete against each other. No matter if you're 18 months old or 100, you can still master this game!

It is the third largest participation sport in the world right after soccer and cricket.

The best player in history is Sweden (nope, not Chinese...GASP). His name is Jan-Ove Waldner or “The Mozart of Table Tennis” as he is known in this sport. Before his retirement in 2016, he had won 16 World Championships medals AND a gold and silver medals in the Olympics.

HISTORY:

The game as we know it started in England in the 1800's. The creators tried to mimic the popular lawn tennis for the indoors. We would say that they succeeded.
Names such as Ping-Pong, Indoor Tennis, & Gossima were originally trademarked names form the earliest manufactures all for the same game, table tennis.
In the 1920's, owners of the "Ping-Pong" name actually threatened legal action for anyone using that name without using their equipment. This is around the time that "Table Tennis" became the official name of the sport.

HEALTHY BENEFITS:

It puts less stress on the joints if played recreationally and provides some with needed exercise.
Table-tennis has been shown to activate more parts of the brain than any other sport. Doctors recommend table-tennis to the elderly to help battle mental diseases such as Alzheimer’s & dementia. Exercise keeps the body young and table-tennis is an excellent way to keep the brain young. Don't believe us? Check out this story from ABC News: This is Your Brain on Ping Pong
Playing table tennis improves hand-eye coordination. Playing stimulates mental alertness, concentration and tactical strategy as well. This makes it the perfect game for young people to sharpen reflexes, and for older people to refine tactics.
Considering the fact that the sport is entertaining and can be fast paced, it can be a fun and easy way to burn calories.
As with any sport, this is a great opportunity to meet new people and make new friends which is great for your mental health.

RANDOM FACTS:

There is an actual Governing Body & Constitution of Table Tennis called the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)...It's not as scary as it sounds we hope!
The rules have mostly remained the same for over 100 years.
Ping Pong reunited China with the world! In 1971, China invited the USA, Canada, England & Columbia to play a friendly ping pong tournament. This was after China had not spoken to these countries in over 6 years. This tournament became known at the Ping Pong Diplomacy. After this, political relations between the US & China started to soften up a bit and in 1972, President Richard Nixon visited China in order to develop collaboration between the two countries.
China has over 100 million table tennis players with 40,000 of those being pros.
Table tennis was banned in the Soviet Union from around 1930 to 1950. They believed that the sport was harmful to the eyes.

History of the Billiard Ball

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 17:13:28 GMT

The Beginning of Billiard Balls

Ivory Billiard Balls

**CLICK TO ZOOM IN**

Many people don't know that the best billiard balls once came exclusively from the tusks of Asian elephants. No natural material other than ivory had the size, strength, and beauty to perform in billiard rooms and halls.

The earliest known written reference to ivory billiard balls is in the 1588 inventory of the Duke of Norfolk, but these types of balls were recorded to be in high demand and more main stream as far back as 1627. Then the dyed and number balls were not as popular until the 1770's. Ivory balls were used up until the 1970's with A.E. Schmidt manufacturing them until 1975.

The problem with Ivory is that it is a natural substance and tends to react poorly with certain temperatures and humidity. It can shrink when very dry, and swell when conditions are humid. Another problem is that an elephant’s tusks have a nerve that runs down the middle of it and it can be seen when the tusk is sliced opened. This meant that there could be a hole in the balls that had been cut from area around the base of the tusk. These holes were filled with ebony, and were known as the “spot” ball. The “spot” balls were considered to be a disadvantage for players. This is due to the occurrence of them kicking when the ivory and ebony came in to contact.

Manufacturing ivory balls required the services of skilled craftsmen known as "ivory turners". Raw tusks arrived at shops in New York and Chicago where master ivory turners would reduce blocks of ivory to gleaming spheres. The turners would have to make sure the ivory ball was spot on the center of the tusk to assure that it was balanced and rolled true. Great care had to be taken to that during the process of cutting and turning of the balls, that the balls did not heat up too quickly and crack. Then the balls had to be left to season for almost two years before they were considered suitable for play.

Ivory balls required lots of maintenance and had to be trued or re-rounded constantly. In the 1800's, it was customary to check the size and weight of the balls in front of all present before beginning a championship match. Periodically, these ivory balls would also have to go to master craftsman to be reshaped and shined as they would sometimes warp or go out of round. Ivory pool balls were also prone to yellowing with age and tended to crack in humid climates or if struck with excessive force.

On average, a tusk would only yield up to 5 balls. Sometimes a shipment of 50 tusks would only have as few as 1 tusk that was suitable for making billiard balls. Of course you could run in to complications involved with supply, shipping, and storage of the tusks as well. All of these things made ivory balls a very expensive matter. There were so expensive, that a set of matched ivory billiard balls (3 balls total) went for around $60.00 in the 1870's or over $1,200 today.

By the mid-19th century, elephants were being slaughtered for their ivory at an alarming rate, just to keep up with the demand for combs, piano keys, commercial trinkets and high-end billiard balls. This placed the wild elephants in serious jeopardy in the 19th century.

A New Kind of Billiard Ball

Shuffleboard FAQs

Fri, 20 Sep 2019 17:41:04 GMT

Shuffleboard is a unique game for all ages that dates back over 500 years. If you can stand or even sit at the end of a shuffleboard table, you can glide the pucks down the table. Shuffleboard has made a strong, steady climb back over the last decade with few changes. The gaining of its popularity is due to the fact that is easy to learn and easy to play. If you are ready to start playing or just want to learn more about the game, check out a few facts about this game below.

WHAT YOU NEED

To play shuffleboard, the major things that you need are:

Shuffleboard table - Come by Jones Brothers and we'll help you find the perfect table!
Set of pucks
Scoring Beads - A scoring bead is designed like an abacus. It is a means of scoring in table shuffleboard.
Bowling Pins - This gives players different options of playing the game.

HOW TO PLAY

The first player slides his/her first puck to the other end of the board trying to make in to one of the numbers blocks labeled "1, 2, or 3". Then his/her opponent shoots his/her own puck with an attempt to knock off the first player's puck. It might also be to shoot their punk further down the board than their opponent. The choice depends on the skill and the instinct of the player. Both players continue to shoot their pucks in an alternating turn until all the pucks have been shuffled (played). This makes it a single round. The player whose puck moves furthest down the board is the winner, and they collect the number of points that correspond with the number block that their punk in on. The game can be played by two people (single) and also by four people (double).

TIPS

P lacement of your puck is crucial. This is a skill that needs constant practice. It is important to place your puck at the far end of the board without it falling out of the large framed triangle at the end of the court.
B e offensive minded: As you learn how to play shuffleboard, try to knock off your opponent’s highest scoring pucks to prevent them from scoring.
Be defensive minded. You have to place many of your pucks in front of your highest scoring puck so that your opponent will not be able to knock you off or score.

FACTS

SIZE OF THE BOARD

Shuffleboard tables range in size from 9 to 22 feet in length, 16 to 20 inches in width and the thickness of the board ranges from 1.5 inches to 3 inches. The most common tables are between 12' to 16' in length. Just remember when purchasing a shuffleboard table you will need to leave space in your room to have at least 2 feet on each end for players to shoot. This means if you were buying a 14' table you will need a space of at least 18' to make it easier to play.

SHUFFLEBOARD "SAND"

Shuffleboard "sand" is not sand at all! Shuffleboard wax, also known as sand or salt, is a what is sprinkled on table to decrease friction between the puck and the table. It also helps to preserve the tables thickness, and increase the speed of weights as they glide across the table. It is one of the most essential accessories you need to play table shuffleboard.

SHUFFLEBOARD TABLES ARE NOT FLAT

You read that right! Shuffleboard tables are usually concave meaning that the table bows down slightly in the center. This helps keep the pucks on the table instead of flying off.

SHUFFLEBOARD PLACEMENT

You want to keep your shuffleboard table away from windows because of the inconsistencies in the daily changes in temperature and sun exposure. The sun will dry out your table's surface and can even bow your table.