Best way to put lines on your table?

[gulfportdoc]

FrenchAT's suggestion on another thread ("... Take a piece of dental floss and tape it to the 2nd diamond on each side of the table and mark the line on your table.") got me to wondering what would be the most efficient way to mark the head string and other lines on a pool table.

I've used a yardstick or other straight edge, and made the actual lines with an extra fine Sharpie. But I'm sure there are better methods. Do any of you mechanically minded guys like Miller or Frank have any suggestions? I'm sure that Diamond has a fail-safe method.

~Doc

[Jimmy B]

A carpenter's chalk line marker that you snap. Then go over it with the permanent marker after you double check it to make sure it's right

[sappo]

Yo Doc, I used a small laser. Put it on the bed of the table, got it exactly on line with the side rail dots and marked the cloth at one side and then close to the other side. Then I just used a straight edge on the 2 dots and used a uni ball Vision Elite pen. It did a very nice neat line. keith

[NH Steve]

A carpenter's chalk line marker that you snap. Then go over it with the permanent marker after you double check it to make sure it's right

Carpenter's chalk comes in different colors. Blue is considered NOT permanent, but red and yellow are considered permanent. The width and neatness of the snapped line varies greatly depending on how much chalk is on the line, so experiment first or you could leave a huge mess on the table. A strange thing about a snapped chalk line is that when you snap it from one end, the chalk comes off heavier on the opposite end. So if you want a more even line, snap alternately from both ends without moving the line.

---> tips from a second generation carpenter

[LSJohn]

...have any suggestions?

~Doc

Take a 1 X 4 or 2 X 4 long enough to reach the outside of both rails. Notch each end so that your board will barely fit inside the two rails, and the notched portion will rest on the top of each rail. This avoids the necessity of eye-balling the distance from the rail point to the diamond on each side. Fine Sharpie from there.

The dental floss method also would work fine if you also have a straight edge that fits perfectly between the two rails, and is tall enough that the floss rests lightly against its side.

Caution might suggest a second person to hold one end of the straight edge to be sure it doesn't get moved by the Sharpie.

[beatle]

arent the lines just so there arent arguments when gambling, or for tournaments. why mess up your home table for that.

plus if you ever re-stretch your cloth or move it you will regret the lines that dont match up.

[sheldon]

Straight edge and a tape measure.

[JoeyM]

A mirror and a credit card

[androd]

A mirror and a credit card

They never last.

[Jeff sparks]

Go to Home Depot, Loews, or a lumber yard and buy 5' of plain 2" x 1/4" slat wood, cut it to 1/4" larger than the inside measurement of the top edges of the cushions... Now just force it in between the cushions splitting the diamonds, eyeball it to make sure it's perfect, then mark it with a fine sharpie... Put away your new wooden tool and play some one pocket. cost about $4.00, sharpie included...