Alright, I'm messing with the idea of building a foosball table. I love the game quite a lot, but am by no means pro; probably not even "good" by some of your standards. I was raised on the 1-man goalie with ramps, so naturally that's the table I wanted to build. I've done my searches (searched: ramp, goalie, build). I have nearly sufficient information to start. My hang-up is on the goalie issue. A 3-man would be easier to build, no doubt. I don't think anyone playing my table will notice the intricate little differences you guys can see. I've seen the pros and cons and have a question regarding that.
3-man advocates say there is less "slop" with a 3 man goalie. What is slop? It seems to refer to just lucky, or sloppy playing getting goals. I would ask how having 3 goalies as opposed to 1 cuts this down?
Another question I have is for someone familiar with the 1-man style. What kind of angle is the corner at? I know a guy that owns a 1-man coin-op (no idea which brand) that will probably let me check. I'm just wondering if anybody knows offhand. I know it must be enough to get the ball back into play without being enough to give it air when hit. If anyone knew the exact angle, that'd be REALLY helpful.
And, my final question would be what kind of play surface to use? With a ramped table I would need something that can be molded seamlessly to the table. I was thinking some sort of plastic. Otherwise I'm tempted to make it out of a good solid wood like oak or cherry because I could make the field all one piece. I'm just afraid that the wear on wood would lead to dead spots and dents really quick, even on something that hard. I also don't believe the play surface is meant to be totally smooth, someone correct me if I'm wrong. It seems a slightly abrasive surface would give more power and control.
Edit: Just for reference, I'm from Upstate NY, about an hour out of Syracuse, half hour from Utica.
Also, just a final final question. I've considered having the rods machined out of a solid steel bar. I know the ones on a lot of tables are hollow. It seems solid steel would hold up much better. I'm potentially going to be putting this in a local high school and I'm sure you know how rough kids can be on things. Will the increase in weight make a significant difference to an amateur player like myself or the kids? Are hollow rods sturdy enough to stand a beating? Picture a 170lb kid lifting themselves up on the rods with one in either hand.
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