9. TRANSLATED EXTRACTS (FRENCH TO ENGLISH) FROM BILLARDS
PLAISANCE PRINTED BROCHURE (2007 EDITION)
Please note we recommend we send a
copy of the current product brochure to those considering buying
a Billards Plaisance pool dining table. The following are
some of the key messages:
20 years’
experience making pool diners
Billards Plaisance have been passionate about billiards and pool dining
tables for more than 20 years. Founded in 1985
in Plaisance (near Toulouse) by Gilbert FITAN, the company specialises in creating,
manufacturing and selling pool tables. When his son
joined the company - and thanks to his special taste for billiards - he brought in
many changes, focussing primarily on aesthetics. He
surrounded himself with designers, engineers,
technicians – all highly trained professionals sharing
the same passion for beautiful pool tables. There is a state
of mind, now embedded in the Billards Plaisance culture, which is to
constantly pursue design
innovation while adhering to game functionality and agreed playing
standards
A network of pool and snooker
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
please
contact us via our website. 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
All our designs are registered and subjected to a patent. Choose the
original Billards Plaisance!
A pool table is an
assembly of numerous parts which all have a specific name. The diagram
(in the brochure)
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.
The pool table 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.
The pool table 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.
The pool table slate
Comes exclusively from quarries in Italy, well known for its
top quality and density for billiard slate. In each and every part, the slate is
precisely adjusted and meticulously polished to the finest level.
The pool table rubber cushions
They determine the quality of the rebound:
i) American game:
triangular-shaped
cushions for 57 or 52 mm balls depending on the models.
ii)
French game: conversion
accessories for French 57 mm balls or quadrangular cushions for French
61.5 mm balls.
iii) English game: L-shaped cushions
for pool 50.8 mm balls.
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.
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.
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.
Storage
Two panels are fixed to accommodate 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.
Choosing your pool
diner table
A beautiful
pool diner table is a successful blend between your home
decoration and the space you give it:
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.
Space: These diagrams
show how much space is required around your pool table.
Ingenuity: 6
uses with only 1 Plaisance pool table
American game:
conviviality
French game: dexterity
English game: relaxation
Dining room table:
practical and convincing
Desk: at last some space
Card table: cloth and
cards come free
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.
Interchangeable cushions (patent)
We are the only one to
tighten the cushions on their entire length.
We are the only
one to guide the cushion on its entire length
We are the only one to
tighten the cushions against the cushions’ frame which guarantees no
vibrations.
We offer 3 sets of
cushions in conformity with each game (American, French or English)
General information about the game of 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:
The table’s levelness
The cloth’s bearing
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:
Billiards is now arousing
much interest
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 when playing on a pool table:
Do not smoke above the
table top
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.
If you are interested
in purchasing a pool dining table we recommend you
request a
CURRENT brochure
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