Interested in understanding home game product terminology like a pro? Well, don’t just leave it to the professionals…we can give you some of that knowledge from the comfort of your home, and we are doing that today.
Tip tapper…pea bottle…ferrule. What do these words all have in common? Well, they all do sound a bit interesting and, aside from the unplanned double consonants, these words are very specific to home game room products. These words also are not the easiest terms to understand at first glance unless you are seriously into billiards and the gaming industry as a whole. Today, Games For Fun is excited to create this beginner-friendly list of interesting home game product terminology so that you can start your gaming knowledge off right.
When it comes to home game room products, knowing what certain terms mean could turn you into a home game room connoisseur (or at least you could fake it until you make it). You could leave the terminology to the professionals like our team at Games For Fun, but if you simply want to get that knowledge from the comfort of your home and on your own terms (pun intended), we have got you covered in this article!
Whether you are a professional gamer or you are a prospective gamer who is interested in acquiring more hands-on gaming knowledge, our goal of this article is to define some terminology. When you are ready to revamp your home gaming room, you will not be totally lost in the woods. Keep in mind that when we say we are going to define gaming terminology, we are not talking about video games. This is strictly for defining home game products, so video game terminology will not be included. Let us take a look at some common home game terminology based on popular home game products, ranging from pool to darts.
Pool Products Terminology
Most people have played a game of pool at least once in their life, and if they have not played it, they have probably observed people playing it. If you own a pool table or are planning to own one, check out these related words below:
- Bridgehead: Unrelated to both a bridge and head, a bridgehead gives you that extra reach for those hard-to-reach shots. The bridgehead is meant to slide onto your bridge stick (we can never get enough terminology). It will attach with a screw so it won’t slide up and down, essentially allowing you to be locked in for your next difficult cross-table shot. Think of this part as your little helper when trying to make a shot.
- Tip Tapper: Sounds like some cool lingo from the 1920s, right? The pool cue Tip Tapper is a compact accessory tool with small spikes on one side. It is designed to keep the leather fibers of your cue tip loose, thus limiting the number of potential miscues and allowing your tip to hold to the chalk better.
- Pea Bottle: This is not about peas in a bottle, though the aesthetic might allude to peas in a bottle. A pea bottle is from an Old Geezer game called Pea Pool (or Kelly Pool), a type of billiard game that uses small numbered balls referred to as “peas” along with a shaker bottle referred to as the Pea Bottle. How to play the game is another story, but at least you know that terminology now if you overhear someone talking about a pea bottle.
- Ferrule: Right underneath the tip of your cue stick is the ferrule. The ferrule is often white but can be black as well. This part of the cue stick is used to help reinforce your tip as well as limit the vibrations felt when you shoot. For the novice pool player, the ferrule is not something that is often thought about. However, league players and world champions do not want a ferrule that will affect their shot due to inconsistency.
Foosball Products Terminology
- Rubber Bumper: The rubber bumper is placed on the foosball rod between the player and the washer to dampen the impact of the player hitting the side of the cabinet.
- Bearing: A well functioning Plastic Foosball Rod Bearing is essential for a smooth and enjoyable game of foosball. This is the part that allows the foosball rod to spin freely with as little friction as possible so that your little guys could have the best possible chance of striking the ball.
- Washer: If you need to do some laundry, this will not exactly clean your clothes. The Plastic Foosball Rod Washer is designed to go between the bumper and the bearing on a foosball table. Its primary function is to reduce the amount of bounce that the rod has when pushed against the side of the foosball table. The plastic washer also prevents the bumpers from leaving black residue on the walls of the table.
Table Tennis Terminology
- Strut: There are variations of a strut, but with this particular part, we are not talking about strutting yourself. In table tennis, this is specific to the Kettler brand. The locking strut’s function is to lock the tabletop in an up position. The non-locking strut is designed to help keep the legs in place and guide them when closing and opening your Kettler ping pong table.
While there are loads of other home game room terms with the variety of home games available, at least starting with a few terms could hopefully help. What do you think about our selection of pool and billiard, foosball, and table tennis terms? Have you heard some of these before, or maybe you have used them in the past? No matter your reason, there is never such a thing as having too much knowledge!
Maybe you could some of your non-gaming friends and strut your stuff during a game of pool. We want you to know your games just as much as we know them. So, remember, if you have any questions regarding what a specific word means, we would be happy to help you in our showroom in San Bernardino. Not only can we help you define home game product terminology, but we could show you what the product looks like and demonstrate how it works. Visit us right off of the 215 freeway on exit 43 for West 2nd Street!
If you are not in the area or would prefer to stay indoors, simply give us a call at (909) 885-3604 and we will answer any home game questions you may have.
