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2005 / 2006 collection: brochure by Billards Plaisance =================================================================
English Translation: (Pages 1-3)
Billards Plaisance is the established name in pool diners
Quality furniture combined with the pleasure of the game (of pool)
More than 20 years’ experience: What has motivated Billards Plaisance for more than 20 years is our passion for billiards. Founded in 1985 in Plaisance (near Toulouse) by Gilbert FITAN, our company specialises in creating, manufacturing and selling pool tables. When his son joined the company, and thanks to his taste for billiards, he brought in many changes to adapt the aesthetics to today’s requirements. He surrounded himself with men and women – designers, engineers, technicians, professionals – all highly trained perfectionists sharing the same passion for beautiful pool tables. There is a state of mind, exclusive to Billards Plaisance, which is to worship innovation while adhering to professional specifications and rules.
A network of professionals in France and throughout the world The Plaisance pool tables are distributed by experts in the game and furniture industry in France and abroad. Renowned for their professionalism and their personalized service, they take care of the delivery and installation of your pool tables. Our aim is to meet your expectations. Should you have any ideas, suggestions or criticisms contact us on our e-mail address: Billards.plaisance@wanadoo.fr At Billards Plaisance, we are always working on improving our products – their functionality as well as their quality - and optimising our services in order to be in touch with our customers. This spirit of enterprise has led us to design the pool diner table. Since its creation, the pool diner table is constantly being improved upon. This constant and deliberate creativity is our best asset, our best guarantee for success. For all of us, our home is a place of social interaction with family and friends. What can be more pleasant than adding to the play activity of the billiards game, the practical side of the dining room table. You are bound to find the harmony you long for with one of our dual purpose pool tables. One day, Billards Plaisance will certainly be part of your home.
Billards Plaisance researches, designs and manufactures all sorts of pool tables. This brochure will allow you to imagine a pool table within its surroundings. We invite you to meet our experts who will help you to choose your dream pool table. All our designs are registered and subjected to a patent. Choose the original Billards Plaisance! ================================================================== Page 4 Good to know
Key words
A pool table is an assembly of numerous parts which all have a specific name. The diagram below will help you visualize the different components of a pool table and familiarize yourself with the vocabulary, hence allowing you to communicate better with your Billards Plaisance adviser.
1. The legs: always in solid wood with built-in leg levellers to make your table level whatever your floor. Stained and veneered, these hardwoods woods obtain a beautiful sheen with time. 2. The frame: acts as a support for the game top. In order to prevent any bending, the frame is very tough. It can be made of either wood or metal. 3. The slate: comes exclusively from quarries in Italy where it is well known for its top quality and density. In one, or sometimesseveral parts, the slate is precisely adjusted and meticulously rectified. 4. The rubber cushions: they determine the quality of the rebound. a. American game: triangular cushions for 57 or 52 mm balls depending on the models. b. French game: conversion accessories for French 57 mm balls or quadrangular cushions for French 61.5 mm balls. c. English game: L cushions for pool 50.8 mm balls. 5. The cushions’ frame: firmly attached to the cushions, it must be perfectly fixed onto the slate in order to transmit the rebound. It is manufactured on a numeric control machine to allow for extreme precision. 6. The cloth: draped on the slate, stapled and glued onto the cushions, the cloth comes from renowned professional suppliers: Gorina and Simonis, registered by the Fédération Francaise du Billard. The cloth is manually fixed, following a rigorous and meticulous technique, which can only be achieved by the finest craftsmen. 7. The ball return system: there are 3 systems according to the models. a. The ball-drawers : soundproofed and padded, the balls return to the centre of the table behind the drawer fronts on either side of the table. b. The pool pockets: extremely thick rubber is placed on top of each pool pocket which can contain up to 4 balls. c. The box: with 2 openings on one side of the pool table, its design is very simple. 8. Storage: two panels are fixed to accommodate for the accessories.
The reliability of your pool table will not only be determined by the quality of the various components’ assembly, but also by the quality of the materials used. Only the know-how, experience and professionalism of a manufacturer can guarantee you a good pool table.
The Billards Plaisance models are guaranteed 2 years from the good’s delivery time.
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Page 5 Recommendation: how to choose your pool table?
A beautiful pool diner table is a successful blend between your home decoration and the space you give it.
1) A choice of style: our experts will endeavour to help you choose the pool table best suited to your needs, taking into account your taste and budget. Billards Plaisance offers all the contemporary, modern, rustic, classic and timeless designs… More than 30 models with more than 10 standard finishes, not to mention the personalised options, the 3 sizes (1.90 m; 2.10 m; 2.40 m) and the 3 games, American, French and English. We offer a very wide selection.
2) Space: These diagrams show how much space is required around your pool table. =========================================== Page 6 and 7 Please note that these 2 pages, in the main, present the features of "changeable cushions" designed primarily for the French market, where carom billiards (no pockets) is popular. Most UK customers prefer to have traditional fixed cushions for either English pool or American pool Ingenious pool tables! 6 uses with only 1 Plaisance pool table
1. American game: conviviality 2. French game: dexterity 3. English game: relaxation 4. Dining room table: practical and convincing 5. Desk: at last some space 6. Card table: cloth and cards come free
All your accessories are tidy
No accessories lying around. No need to find a dry and temperate space where to store your cushions nice and flat. At Billards Plaisance, the pool tables equipped with drawers accommodate all the for storage space needs.
Pool tables available in 1.90 m – 2.10 m and 2.40 m (6f ,7ft, and 8ft).
Your accessories and cushions can be stored under the frame.
Practical, functional, easy to use.
Very ingenious, the Plaisance pool table allows you to play several games on the same table.
1. Thanks to its interchangeable cushions (patent)
Ø We are the only one to guide the cushion on its entire length. Ø We are the only one to tighten the cushions on their entire length. Ø We are the only one to tighten the cushions against the cushions’ frame which guarantees no vibrations. Ø We offer 3 sets of cushions in conformity with each game (American, French or English) as far as the rubber’s shape and cushions’ height are concerned. Each interchangeable cushion is tightened or un-tightened by ¼ turn. The cushions are stored underneath the slate bed.
2. Thanks to the conversion accessories (6 plugs)…
American game – French game A plug, fixed to the cushions’ frame, is fitted to each hole. Billiards is a clever mixture of skills and strategy. Each game, American, French or English allows you to relax, improve yourself and interact with others. Have fun with your Plaisance pool table! ========================================= Page 42 -43
Get to know everything about billiards
Billiards: since when? Billiards developed in France in the 18th century. All the Kings of France, from Henri II to Louis XIV, devoted themselves to billiards and Napoleon was also an enthusiast player.
French pool, American pool, English pool: what differences? Three very different games. French pool is played with 3 balls: 2 white and 1 red. The player must, with his/her ball (one of the white ones), hit one of the other two. For the American pool, there are 1 white ball and 15 coloured numbered balls. The aim is to push, with the same white ball, all the others in the pool pockets. The English pool (7 yellow balls – 7 red balls – 1 black ball – 1 white ball) and the snooker pool (10 red balls – 1 yellow - 1 black – 1 brown – 1 green – 1 pink – 1 blue and 1 white) are both developing and becoming very popular.
French pool, American pool, English pool and snooker, which one to choose? The French pool is without any doubt the most rigorous game: this is probably due to the contrast between the great simplicity of the rule and the nonetheless difficulty of the shot. However, the American pool appears to be merrier, therefore more appealing because easier at first glance. Most people choose the American pool, which can then be complemented by subsidiary rules: 8 pool, snooker (see rule of the games) hence creating a spirit of competition between the players.
Is there a statutory size? The official competitions are played on 3.10 m pool tables while lower category competitions are played on 2.80 m pool tables. All sizes are statutory as long as the ratio is respected: length = width x 2. Consequently, the change from a big to a small pool table is not a problem: the angles, the effects and the strikes are the same and a few minutes are sufficient for the eye to get used to the new size.
What is the right age to play billiards? You can play billiards at any age. Considered like an educational game, it is both interesting and entertaining and children love it (let them play and do not worry about the cloth!). It helps to develop many qualities such as resistance, observation, skill and patience. Billiards is very popular with the 30 – 40 years old: many young French people choose to have a pool table convertible into a dining table in their homes. As for the retired people, they consider billiards to be a very pleasant hobby.
How do you learn to play billiards? With a good instruction book, recommendations from skilful players, practice and…a pool table! And contrarily to what you might fear, you will very quickly reach a satisfactory level even if you have never played before. Especially since the pool tables you have at home are relatively small, making it easier to hit the balls.
New pool table or second-hand pool table? It is now difficult to find a good second-hand pool table. Of course, the attraction of discovering one is undeniable, but it must be in perfect condition which is far from easy to find. You have to be very cautious as the maintenance work can be very expensive! Only a new pool table, for approximately the same cost, can give you the maximum guarantee as regards performance and reliability.
Where should the pool table be installed? Which dimensions to choose? You can choose to dedicate one room for the table: conservatory, mezzanine, attic, basement. Alternatively, you can have it installed in your living room or dining room. A pool table convertible into a dining room table would then be more suitable. You are bound to find one that would fit smoothly in your home. Bear in mind that wherever you install it, it will be fine. The tables’ reasonable weight allows installation on the second floor or on old parquet floors. To calculate the required space for the game, you must add twice the length of a cue to each side of the table and take away 20 cm to the final result. 1 m – 1.10 m – 1.20 m and 1.40 m cues are available.
What is a pool table convertible into a dining room table? In refining the pool table’s design, Billards Plaisance was able to make it aesthetically more pleasing without affecting its results. The clever addition of a dining top adapted to each model allows to convert the pool table to a dining table very easily. It will take a clever man to guess the pool table underneath the dining table…
How do you recognize a good pool table? There are basically three criteria: Ø The table’s levelness Ø The cloth’s bearing Ø The cushions’ rebound As far as the levelness of the table is concerned, all the Plaisance pool tables are equipped with a slate. The slate bed is fixed to the frame, giving a very accurate result. As for the cloth, a study with a microscope clearly showed the ball being carried by the cloth’s hairs. Finally, the cushions on the Plaisance pool tables are always made of natural rubber ensuring an optimal result.
Do you have to fear the tear? The easily ripped cloths made of felt are over. They are now in wool and nylon and are nearly impossible to tear. So you can play as much as you like! After using the pool table, you will notice that the cloth is covered with small white specks. Do not worry, it is normal. When you hit the ball, it is subjected to an acceleration from 0 to 30 km/h in a split second. The temperature due to the rubbing between the ball and the cloth can easily reach 250° C at the friction point resulting in these white specks.
How much does a pool table cost? Is a pool table expensive? The answer is NO. A pool table is not more expensive than a good quality household equipment: sofa, big screen television or beautiful dining room table. A pool table is now affordable, the reasons being: Ø Billiards is now arousing much interest Ø Its mass production has allowed to reduce the costs.
Is the pool table’s installation a problem? The Plaisance pool tables can be dismantled and are easy to install. If it is a second floor installation, the one piece slate bed will get through the stairs or the window. It is however advisable to take prior measurements to ensure that all the components can go through.
Can the pool table be moved to another location? With a weight between 160 and 320 kg, the Plaisance pool tables can easily be moved around. Whether it is to make space for one evening or to move it to another room, do not hesitate: only a few minutes are required to make your pool table level, the built-in leg levellers being easy to use.
Why billiards lights? The quality of the lighting is vital for a good game. It must be straight and homogeneous. For an incandescent lighting, the light must be placed between 0.85 and 0.90 m above the cloth.
Why are there landmarks on a 2.40 m pool table? From an aesthetic
point of view, these landmarks bring a finishing touch to your pool
table. However, this is not their primary goal. These marks, sometimes
used for classic “cannons”, are indispensable for the game in “three
cushions” in order to calculate the “front cushion” shot. Tips and recommendations
In order to preserve the original colour of you table’s cloth, we recommend you avoid leaving it for prolonged exposure to the sun or the moon. To remove the chalks’ residue and the dust on the cloth, you just need to brush it with the brush included with the table, devised to go under the cushions. Alternatively, you can use your vacuum cleaner, equipped with its brush nozzle, on its slowest speed. Finally, let us remind you the two golden rules to adhere to around a pool table: 1. Do not smoke above the table top 2. Do not put your drinks on the cushions’ frame.
The Plaisance pool tables must be looked after like a beautiful piece of furniture. For the polished tables (“Athenes”, “Florence”) dust them regularly and polish them with a wool cloth. For the varnished tables (all other tables apart from “Paris”), dust them following the wood thread and clean them occasionally with a soft dry cloth. Polish them softly with bee’s wax – with time their sheen will be even more beautiful. For the “Everest” table: clean them with soapy water. Do not use any alcohol based products or solvents.
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