Glass pool table is an expensive, bad idea

There's numerous reasons why this G-1 transparent pool table (no relation) is a bad idea, the least of which is the game-changing elimination of a more frictive felt in favor for smooth, slippery glass . Still, if you're in the market for a novelty pool table that can shatter into a thousand pieces on a break, the G-1 is on sale for only $26,150.

Nottage Design's G-1 Glass Top Pool Table Is One Neat Innovation [Born Rich]

[#1 posted by bazzargh , February 2, 2009 8:56 AM]

"smooth, slippery glass" - the video says they have a transparent playing surface, 'vitrik' on top of the glass, and the balls in the video do seem to slow down ok. The real crack is in their FAQ:

How do I move the table?
Please contact us if you need to move the table. To prevent voiding your warranty it is required that Nottage Design carry out the move.

I guess they don't want Laurel & Hardy to move it, but that's ridiculous.

[#2 posted by Teufelaffe , February 2, 2009 8:59 AM]

Actually, it's not a smooth slippery surface. From the linked article:

"It enjoys a transparent playing area with a glass top and patented resin playing surface. The patented transparent Vitrik playing surface has been used instead of the traditional felt surface. It gives resistance to rolling balls, just like cloth does."

Still, close to $30k USD for what is essentially a novelty is pretty insane in my book.

[#3 posted by dculberson , February 2, 2009 9:05 AM]

It is pretty, but I doubt the Vitrik makes it play exactly like a slate-and-felt table. I also bet it's noisy, as the felt is pretty sound dampening.

The big failing to me, design wise, is the boxed in ball return channels. It would seem to me that part of the 'fun' of a glass top would be watching the balls travel through the ball return mechanisms.

[#4 posted by JoeKickass , February 2, 2009 9:08 AM]

I assume this is from the catalog of goods marketed strictly to rappers and pro-football players.

[#5 posted by Moriarty , February 2, 2009 9:16 AM]

"Warning: using as a pool table voids warranty."

[#6 posted by Grenoire , February 2, 2009 9:27 AM]

Wait for the release of Light Balls and Magnosticks before buying into spacepool.

Although that said this would kinda cool with plain old UV active balls and cues, along with some vest and bowtie silhouettes on black shirts. Voila: new Justice/Daft Punk video

[#7 posted by Patrick Austin , February 2, 2009 9:28 AM]

If it's properly tempered, it can be plenty strong and shatter resistant.

Check out James May's 20th Century episode where the drop a mini cooper 10 feet onto a piece of structural glass.

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/James-Mays-20th-Century_199222.htm

[#8 posted by pork musket , February 2, 2009 9:36 AM]

Can you bone supermodels on it with no issue? Cuz if I have enough bread to buy this thing, I'm gonna be boning supermodels on it.

[#9 posted by pduggie , February 2, 2009 9:49 AM]

"The big failing to me, design wise, is the boxed in ball return channels. It would seem to me that part of the 'fun' of a glass top would be watching the balls travel through the ball return mechanisms."

That's what happens toward the end of the video. The channels are not boxed.

[#10 posted by Chrs , February 2, 2009 11:26 AM]

Agree with #7. That is some seriously thick glass, and they designed the table such that, except for the cutouts for the pockets, it appears there are no holes through it. With those structural supports in the middle, it is likely that it could, in fact, handle multiple supermodels.

[#11 posted by semiotix , February 2, 2009 11:45 AM]

Am I crazy, or should this by all rights be cheaper than a high-end regular table? The manufacturing should be dead simple compared to all the gluing and laminating and whatnot for a wood-and-slate-and-leather table, and the raw materials should be cheaper. I mean, sure, it's a boutique item right now, but even so I bet their overhead isn't anywhere remotely near what it would have to be to justify a $28K price tag.

As for the question of slipperiness, how's this for a concept pool table: balls, rails, and surface made of metallic glass (aka amorphous metal) and bolted to a concrete plinth. You'd break, then come back an hour later to find three balls left on the table still slowly rolling around.

[#12 posted by joe , February 2, 2009 12:15 PM]

It'd be pretty cool to hook up a projector above it and a camera and use a computer to calculate paths to show where the ball will go depending on how you aimed your cue.

[#13 posted by Mycroft , February 2, 2009 2:08 PM]

Wouldn't you end up with a clear table covered in blue fingerprints from the combination of putting your fingers on the glass when you make a shot, and chalk dust falling off the tip of the cue stick when it impacts the ball?

[#14 posted by Enochrewt , February 2, 2009 2:12 PM]

To pay that much for a pool table that doesn't have Simonis felt is a crime. This is non-negotiable.

What if an experienced player wants to jump a ball or Masse? Even if it doesn't break the table, can you brush the "divots" out of the resin? And also, will this resin allow you to clean the pool chalk up. or will the owner have a weird looking blue/green/red table after a year of use?

[#15 posted by DeWynken , February 2, 2009 5:03 PM]

I second Pork Muskets question. Although I'd be fine boning common bar sluts on it.

[#16 posted by Peter ID , February 2, 2009 5:33 PM]

I was the lecturer who supervised Craig when he designed this as his final year Industrial Design project at the University of South Australia, so it is with some interest I found his work on Boing Boing and read the comments.

The plastic coating on the glass makes the balls run in as way that is VERY similar to felt. It also has advantages of being resistant to spills (beer etc.), just wipe up and keep playing which is impossible with felt. It also burns much slower then felt if a cigarette is dropped in it (a common problem for bar pool tables back when people could smoke indoors in public spaces).

The glass is VERY strong. Before releasing it Craig did extensive research and testing, having these things break and hurt people is not a desirable outcome!

Any large, high quality slate pool table is typically moved by experts as there are issues around the brittleness of the surface (in the case of slate) and getting it flat when reinstalled.

The price is high, but...
It is an early release of limited volumes with all of the manufacturing issues that come with low volume production leading to high part and assembly costs. Higher volumes would, as always, drop the prices significantly.
Also in this area of high end pool tables there are much more expensive (and weirder) options.

In an ironic twist the original idea to use glass was to find a cheap alternative to slate, but once he thought of glass it made sense to maximise the materials properties and make a clear table for the experience of playing pool as if the balls were floating. One he went down that path it got a little bit more crazy and challenging to create a clear, strong surface that would recreate the rolling resistance of felt. This is where the patent and the real innovation rests.

Is it going to save the world, no. Was it an idea worth pursuing. Yes. It was an interesting materials and design challenge and was a great graduation project. What is really amazing is that he took what was a student project and turned it into a real product, the dream of many ID grads. Henry Dreyfuss, the great American Industrial Designer, cut his teeth on designing sets for Broadway musicals before doing significant work for Bell telephone, Honeywell and other iconic American companies. So often great talents start in the oddest places.

By the way the experience of playing on it is quite unique...

[#17 posted by Peter ID , February 2, 2009 6:11 PM]

I was the lecturer who supervised Craig when he designed this as his final year Industrial Design project at the University of South Australia, so it is with some interest I found his work on Boing Boing and read the comments.

The plastic coating on the glass makes the balls run in as way that is VERY similar to felt. It also has advantages of being resistant to spills (beer etc.), just wipe up and keep playing which is impossible with felt. It also burns much slower then felt if a cigarette is dropped in it (a common problem for bar pool tables back when people could smoke indoors in public spaces).

The glass is VERY strong. Before releasing it Craig did extensive research and testing, having these things break and hurt people is not a desirable outcome!

Any large, high quality slate pool table is typically moved by experts as there are issues around the brittleness of the surface (in the case of slate) and getting it flat when reinstalled.

The price is high, but...
It is an early release of limited volumes with all of the manufacturing issues that come with low volume production leading to high part and assembly costs. Higher volumes would, as always, drop the prices significantly.
Also in this area of high end pool tables there are much more expensive (and weirder) options.

In an ironic twist the original idea to use glass was to find a cheap alternative to slate, but once he thought of glass it made sense to maximise the materials properties and make a clear table for the experience of playing pool as if the balls were floating. One he went down that path it got a little bit more crazy and challenging to create a clear, strong surface that would recreate the rolling resistance of felt. This is where the patent and the real innovation rests.

Is it going to save the world, no. Was it an idea worth pursuing. Yes. It was an interesting materials and design challenge and was a great graduation project. What is really amazing is that he took what was a student project and turned it into a real product, the dream of many ID grads. Henry Dreyfuss, the great American Industrial Designer, cut his teeth on designing sets for Broadway musicals before doing significant work for Bell telephone, Honeywell and other iconic American companies. So often great talents start in the oddest places.

By the way the experience of playing on it is quite unique...

[#18 posted by Halloween Jack , February 3, 2009 7:18 AM]

having these things break and hurt people is not a desirable outcome!

No shit. I'm imagining some big guy being thrown on it during a bar fight and having to be carried out in 2 or 3 laundry baskets.

[#19 posted by SamSam , February 3, 2009 7:22 AM]

Peter ID: Thanks for the added insight! Very informative, and it sounds like it was a cool project.

[#20 posted by Quibbler , February 3, 2009 9:17 AM]

Doesn't the cloth on traditional tables have a nap? This allows players (more skillful than I am) to swerve the ball in a direction dependent on the direction of the nap.

[#21 posted by Anonymous , February 3, 2009 9:58 AM]

It's not that big a deal that you have to call them to move it if your in their area etc. Most good pool tables need to be moved by professionals because of the heavy slate under the felt. Improper moving of any good pool table can cause damage to the table.

[#22 posted by Johnny One Spur , February 3, 2009 11:19 AM]

Peter ID, in your otherwise useful comments you missed addressing the all-important supermodel-boning issue. Thoughts?

[#23 posted by Camillo Miller , February 4, 2009 5:19 AM]

They should properly credit the Actua Pool game designers for this "invention". I used to play it on PSX (the best pool game around) and you could play on a glass table just like this one...

[#24 posted by Itsumishi , February 4, 2009 3:41 PM]

Am I the only one that thinks this is quite cool? The video shows the balls moving around pretty much like they would on a normal table, if anything they seem to have slightly more resistance than a good felt table (more in line with grubby old pub tables).

I also highly appreciate the Beasties.

[#25 posted by brj1212 , February 13, 2009 11:19 AM]

This table is something I have never seen before. Crazy design. I found a bit more information and a few more pictures of it on another site. Check it out.

http://www.gotoguy.com/2009/02/13/g1-pool-table/