Choosing an Air Hockey Puck
An air hockey puck is in constant movement over the air hockey table
and it tends to sustain plenty of abuse in a single game. Eventually it would wear out, crack or break and you would have to choose a good puck to continue enjoying games on the air hockey table. With the variety of air hockey pucks available in a sports shop, it might become difficult to choose a good piece. The guide below will make it easier by highlighting what you need to look for.
1、Size
The size of the puck you select depends upon the dimensions of your air hockey table. A commercial air hockey table
is between seven to eight feet long and the puck that would be used has a diameter of 3 1/4 inches. The tables which are generally used for home game rooms are six feet in length and they would need a puck which measures 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
2、Weight
The weight of the puck will determine how it behaves on the air hockey table. Each air hockey table has a certain fan capacity that is capable of handling a particular weight. If the puck you choose is too heavy then it would not move across the air hockey table
freely, or it may even scratch the surface. A light puck, on the other hand, would tend to fly off the surface of the table. Larger tables tend to use heavier pucks which smaller ones which are built for children use lighter ones.
3、Details
An air hockey puck is levitated by the air generated by a fan or compressor which pushes it up off the surface of the table. Both the sides of the puck must be perfectly smooth and no cracks, chips or scratches should be seen.
It is better to keep a few spare air hockey pucks as they tend to get misplaced and they are generally inexpensive to purchase. You can extend the life of your puck by lightly sanding the both sides and getting rid of and irregularities around the edges. A good puck should travel smoothly across the air hockey table and stay in the play area as much as possible.
