Deeper Sholf Solution?

mosconiac

mosconiac

Job+Wife+Child=No Stroke
Silver Member
Is there any way to increase the pocket shelf (basically extending the bed into the pocket) that would not be a structural/reliability nightmare?

If so, can this be done without ridiculous cost?

The reason I ask is my Kim Steel has pretty large pockets with shallow shelf. I've seen reliable solutions for tightening up the pocket widths, but haven't seen anything on increasing shelf depth (other than having new slate cut, of course).

I'm assuming something as small as a 1/4" - 1/2" would be a significant change.

EDIT: I can't fix the spelling error in the title...that shoudl read: SHELF of course.
 
Extend the slate liner first to the distance and radius desired.
Drill and dowel the existing slate edge.
Set a plastic form block to the edge of the extended liner.
Fill with bondo between form block and slate.
Smooth.
Recover table.

That's how I'd approach it but the benefit, IMO, is not worth the time or aggravation..
 
Dartman said:
Extend the slate liner first to the distance and radius desired.
Drill and dowel the existing slate edge.
Set a plastic form block to the edge of the extended liner.
Fill with bondo between form block and slate.
Smooth.
Recover table.

That's how I'd approach it but the benefit, IMO, is not worth the time or aggravation..
Click to expand...

I would think that Bondo applied that thickly would most likely crack.

I overheard a guy at the pool hall saying he had a 1/4 or 1/2" strip of wood behind his cushions, said it shrunk the play area a little but also made the shelf deeper? Not sure how that would work as I never saw his table but he said he loved it.
 
magnetardo said:
I would think that Bondo applied that thickly would most likely crack.

I overheard a guy at the pool hall saying he had a 1/4 or 1/2" strip of wood behind his cushions, said it shrunk the play area a little but also made the shelf deeper? Not sure how that would work as I never saw his table but he said he loved it.
Click to expand...

Bondo would be supported by the extended liner so it would be fine.
Adding a filler to the rails would make for a deeper shelf while throwing off everything else. :rolleyes:
People need to get off the shelf kick. If it's so important get a Diamond.
 
Dartman said:
Bondo would be supported by the extended liner so it would be fine.
Adding a filler to the rails would make for a deeper shelf while throwing off everything else. :rolleyes:
People need to get off the shelf kick. If it's so important get a Diamond.
Click to expand...


Liner or not, bondo is not designed to be put on that thick and it's just asking for trouble,

I thought the filler on the rails was kinda hacky myself but I didn't know the guy that well so I didn't feel like bursting his bubble lol.
 
magnetardo said:
Liner or not, bondo is not designed to be put on that thick and it's just asking for trouble,
Click to expand...

I would use "long strand reinforced body filler". It is sometimes known as "kitty hair" which I believe is a brand name. It is like bondo, but it has long strands of fiberglass mixed in so that it can be applied as thick as you like and it is still very strong. I have used this stuff to fill in chips right at the pocket drops on my table and it has not been damaged or chipped at all.
 
Dartman speaks the truth. Shelf extensions are BS. They are almost as useless as rail ext's. Oh boy! do you know why rail ext's are BS? Now why would I say that? Its all comical in a way. The defining difference is this business is experience. Its not about this or that. Its like every other business.
 
Mosconiac,
Go to the thread in my signature there is some very detailed info there working with pocket shelves. Bondo maybe tiger hair or fiberglass reinforced bondo better. I would go those routes if I were just going to try something that I could knock off and go back if I didn't like it. Tried that done that been there.

JB weld is the nuts and you could reinforce that stuff with some pins when you poured the mold. You cab use a plastic homer bucket from home depot cut it up as a mold or just masking tape but then you will have to sape it and this stuff is not like bondo in that respect. Just read my thread lot of info there. Anything I can do to help let me know but I haven't been on here lately.

BTW reducing the pockets effectivley increases the shelf search out some of the RKC posts on this issue. If you are going to reduce pocket opening you need to pay carefull attention to angles as many times if you just reduce the opening you will have a miserable table to play on.
IMHO everybody seems to want their table to play like a Diamond and IMO nothing plays like a Diamond. Every table is a bit different. I will say this my table has been good for my game but Scott Lee has done more for it. Either way a lesson or pool table mods it was all more painful and time consuming than originally thought.
 
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