Description
The Spider is effectively a tall rest. Where a rest is required and the cue ball is just the other side of another ball, a cross rest will not do the job because the cue needs to go over the intervening ball. Such shots are only possible with a spider.
A spider will be required fairly regularly on a large table and occasionally on smaller tables – so ideally the minimum for any table is both a cross rest and a Spider.
For smaller tables where perhaps the expense of 2 rests is undesirable, Masters Traditional Games suggests, somewhat unconventionally, that if you have only one rest, you could select a Spider. Although it’s a harder implement to use than an ordinary rest, it will mean that almost all shots are possible.
Standard length spider for a full-size table is around 60 inches but this will be too long for smaller tables. The 48 inch shaft is more suitable for 6 and 7 feet tables and the 54 inch shaft works well for 8 and 9 feet tables.
We also can supply a long spider which is a non-traditional implement but can be useful in some situations or as a compromise solution for those who don’t want to buy both a spider and a half butt.