Pool table recover

[Steve B]

Anyone done this? I've moved mine, and reinstalled rails and old cover. Doesn't seem that hard. Any suggestions on types of felt? New rails?

Steve

[Finman]

[LouB]

Ask at local pool hall(s)??

[The Daring Dufas]

Cool! I wonder if I could get a shirt or suit made out of it?

*snicker*

TDD

[Roger Shoaf]

It is not hard. You remove the rails, and then you can see how the felt is stapled to the table and the rails.

Once the felt is removed, vacuum up any loose material from the slate and inspect for any divots. You also want to check that the slate is level. Often tables are made with two pieces of slate and the seam is plastered with fix-all. If you have any divots or the seam is not dead flat and level, use fix-all to fill any divots or the seam. When dry use sandpaper with a long bock to knock down any proud area and vacuum.

Staple new felt pulling it tight and smooth, re-cover the bumper rails and reassemble.

[Steve B]

When I moved the pool table, it was quite a while until the room it went into was constructed. It laid on the floor for about four months. When I reassembled, it was remarkably easy, and the thing that made it was a long aluminum extrusion I had that was essentially a straight edge. I had three piece slate, and would not have recognized the dip had it not been for the extrusion. The stapling and pulling was remarkably easy, just learning to start in center and work out. If I can get Simonisi felt done for $100 install, I may just call a pro and not mess with it. They charge $300 here locally (maybe less now), but I don't know what type of felt they use. I want good felt, and Simonisi wants about $225 for their top wool felt. I think I can do this, but if it takes two days, I'd just as soon spend the Franklin.

Steve

[gfretwell]

I did it once years ago on a used table I bought cheap because the cover was trashed. It is not really that hard to do but the cover material is pretty expensive. You need to get it at a pool table supply place. These days that is probably on the internet.

[mm]

He means ask the management, not the pool players.

[Roger Shoaf]

When I was a kid I would hang out at the pool hall and assisted in several of these projects. If I recall it was only a couple of hours, but they had done this a few times.

[LouB]

True!!

[Hustlin' Hank]

It isn't that hard to do. But it may be a little time consuming if you've never done it. If it is 3 piece slate, fill the seams with either bees wax (prefered) or some type of plaster of paris.

Start by setting up the frame and leveling. Then install the slate and re-level by placing shims (usually matchbook covers or the like between the slate and frame). Let it stand a day or two to settle into the carpet, if you have carpet (if you have the time). It will probably need leveled again after everything is installed tho. So no big deal.

Install the bed cloth from end to end first. Then the sides, then cut and fit the pockets. Don't stretch too tight, but firm. The tighter you stretch it, the faster it will play.

Install the rail cloth. Most home tables have pieces of wood that hold the top of the rail cloth. Be carefull not to break these. They are not expensive, just a pain in the ass to get them. Usually pulling the cloth up will release them. If it don't have the wood strips, them both the top and bottom rail cloth is stapled. Wrapping the corners of the rails are where it gets tricky. Take your time. A good installer will be able to wrap the side pocket corners rather than fold them. So, if you decide to hire someone, ask them if they wrap the side pocket corners. Some of the less experienced only fold them over. Which is ok, but not quite as good.

There are many good brands of cloth. Simonis is the prefered cloth of pro's because it will allow the cue ball to spin more. But there are others that are almost as good. Don't buy too cheap tho.

If you decide to hire someone, call a FEW poolhalls and ask them for names. Just because they charge alot doesn't mean they are good at it. Again, they best will wrap the side pocket rails. The beginners will fold them.

[Bill]

There are a couple of books available only on the internet called... "Pool Table Sales and Service" - Conway "Secrets to a Perfect Pool Table Recovering Job" - McCauley

Most of the pool players hang out at the following forum. Might want to ask there.

Billiard table cloth...

[Bill]

Usenet... rec.sport.billiard

[Worn Out Retread]

I watched a "pro" recover a snooker table and he repaired some flaws in the slate at the same time. It took less than half an hour to make the repairs and put a new felt on, replace the rails and re-level the table. It was fun to watch.

[Tony]

I'd guess I've recovered 75 to 100. How to do it depends on the table. Lot's of different factors. In general the tables made for home use can be the hardest to cover. Antique ones are fairly easy. Coin operated ones are the easiest for me since that is mostly what I recovered. Back when you could by good cloth I could do the side pocket rails with no fold. These days the cloth has too much synthetic blend and doesn't stretch like it used to. Take a close look at the ends of the rails on the side pockets, most likely folded. Maybe the very thin cloth still stretches? I don't know. Thin cloth will give you great action and wear out fast, heavy cloth is the opposite.

On some of the cheapest tables, if you take time, you can make the 3 piece slate near perfect using shims, make the shims out of cereal box type cardboard. And I've seen brand new "Valley" brand coin operated tables come from the factory with the supports not all on the same plane. Put it together and the one piece slate bends (yes slate does bend, and one piece slate is normal for coin-op tables) MFers knew the table was bad at the factory, things were out of place so bad that they had to grind the rail bolts to a point in order to get them started.

[Hustlin' Hank]

Some of the cloth that is used for commercial purposes have a backing on it and doesn't stretch very well for the rails. That backing has to be peeled off for the rails to be done correctly, but not the bed.

Hank

[Steve B]

"Hustlin' Hank" wrote

It sounds as tho you will be one of the few that will get their money's worth out of a pool table. Most use it for a short period and then stack shit on it.

reply: People in my house know better than to put stuff on my pool table. I let others play with the same rules I learned by: you have to be as tall as a stick to play. Knock the ball off the table, and you're out for an hour. Second time, the day. No slam banging. Funny, after I show some of the kids the right way to do it, they just slow down by themselves seeing that aim is better than strength.

Steve

[Tony]

Yes I've heard that and I think I pulled some backed cloth off a couple slates, but I've never used the backed stuff on the slate or rails. Ever hear of "House" brand felt? That was once supposed to be the good stuff, but we were doing coin op tables where the thicker the cloth the longer it lasted meant more profit. Anyway I heard quite a few times that "house" pool table cloth was a sideline. There main product was the felt pads that piano hammers rest on. I've no idea if it was true.

[Hustlin' Hank]

true.- Hide quoted text -

Never heard of that.

People do funny things to pool tables. They have gone to the extent of shimming the pockets. That is where a thin piece of rubber (1/16") is glued to the inside of the rubber rails at the pocket to make the pocket smaller. Then this is where they practice. They feel a "tighter" pocket will help with their aim. In pool halls that charge by the hour, this will increase the play time.

I also heard, but not verified, that on the coin-ops, the slate is shimmed slightly high in the middle so that balls will go easier, therefore faster game time. Also, the pockets are wider. Again, faster games and makes the shooter look good.

In reality, every table plays different. No table is perfectly level. And many times it doesn't matter anyway. A good player can adapt quickly and play on almost anything.

Hank

[Steve B]

"Hustlin' Hank" wrote

In reality, every table plays different. No table is perfectly level. And many times it doesn't matter anyway. A good player can adapt quickly and play on almost anything.

Hank