Finally Figured It Out

[Sloppy Pockets]

I moved into this place last year. Started with bare basement walls and floor, put down some Armstrong vinyl tile, and got my table in and set up. Since then, it seems all I've been doing is working on the room and the adjacent workshop. Lots of 2x4s, sheetrock, mud, etc leads to lots of dust in the air. I covered the table every time I worked on the room, but seems that after a few racks I'd start to see crud appearing on the table. Some dust, but very oddly, lots of small particles visible to the eye.

These particles seemed to be like sawdust, so I assumed that they got stuck to my clothes while working. They were large enough that they couldn't have been airborne, and they weren't present if I left the table uncovered for a week at a time, only while I was playing. I had to assume that somehow or other they were on me and got transferred to the cloth as I played. I started changing my clothes before I played. Clean shirt, brushed hair (what little I have), clean hands. I even took the air compressor and blew off the hair on my arms. Ridiculous. Still, nothing I did had any effect. The particles would start to appear within a few racks, and just got worse as I played.

Just before Christmas I finally got the room painted. Swept and washed everything, brushed and vacuumed the cloth several times until no more dust seemed to be settling on it. Then I hung several old sheets between the workshop and the pool room (temporary fix, there will be nice French doors in their place when I can afford them). Well, that eliminated the fine dust, but the small tan particles kept accumulating.

A few days ago I decided to give the balls a good cleaning. I don't have a polisher, so I put them in a box, grabbed the Meguire's, and headed up to watch some pool on YouTube. Under the bright halogen work lamp I could see that the balls all had little bits of sawdust on them. Crazy!

Then I looked really close at some and realized they weren't sawdust at all. They were little bits of leather from my drop pockets.

Now for the fix. What can I do? The insides of these pockets are just covered with rough fuzz. Looks to be about 40 years worth of future aggravation hanging off them. I thought maybe I could take them off and burn off the fuzz with a torch, then seal them somehow to keep the more stubborn stuff in place. Now that I know what it is it's making me nuts. Plus, some of them are actually large enough to turn a very slow rolling ball. I wonder, did Johnny Archer learn to play on a table like this?

Anyway, any advice would really be appreciated.

 

[Cdryden]

I moved into this place last year. Started with bare basement walls and floor, put down some Armstrong vinyl tile, and got my table in and set up. Since then, it seems all I've been doing is working on the room and the adjacent workshop. Lots of 2x4s, sheetrock, mud, etc leads to lots of dust in the air. I covered the table every time I worked on the room, but seems that after a few racks I'd start to see crud appearing on the table. Some dust, but very oddly, lots of small particles visible to the eye.

These particles seemed to be like sawdust, so I assumed that they got stuck to my clothes while working. They were large enough that they couldn't have been airborne, and they weren't present if I left the table uncovered for a week at a time, only while I was playing. I had to assume that somehow or other they were on me and got transferred to the cloth as I played. I started changing my clothes before I played. Clean shirt, brushed hair (what little I have), clean hands. I even took the air compressor and blew off the hair on my arms. Ridiculous. Still, nothing I did had any effect. The particles would start to appear within a few racks, and just got worse as I played.

Just before Christmas I finally got the room painted. Swept and washed everything, brushed and vacuumed the cloth several times until no more dust seemed to be settling on it. Then I hung several old sheets between the workshop and the pool room (temporary fix, there will be nice French doors in their place when I can afford them). Well, that eliminated the fine dust, but the small tan particles kept accumulating.

A few days ago I decided to give the balls a good cleaning. I don't have a polisher, so I put them in a box, grabbed the Meguire's, and headed up to watch some pool on YouTube. Under the bright halogen work lamp I could see that the balls all had little bits of sawdust on them. Crazy!

Then I looked really close at some and realized they weren't sawdust at all. They were little bits of leather from my drop pockets.

Now for the fix. What can I do? The insides of these pockets are just covered with rough fuzz. Looks to be about 40 years worth of future aggravation hanging off them. I thought maybe I could take them off and burn off the fuzz with a torch, then seal them somehow to keep the more stubborn stuff in place. Now that I know what it is it's making me nuts. Plus, some of them are actually large enough to turn a very slow rolling ball. I wonder, did Johnny Archer learn to play on a table like this?

Anyway, any advice would really be appreciated.

I used Murphy's oil soap on my new leather pockets and I continue to do it about twice a year. This keeps them from drying out and may help solve your problem. Just make sure you wipe off any excess from inside the pockets and give it some time to dry.

 

[sfleinen]

I moved into this place last year. Started with bare basement walls and floor, put down some Armstrong vinyl tile, and got my table in and set up. Since then, it seems all I've been doing is working on the room and the adjacent workshop. Lots of 2x4s, sheetrock, mud, etc leads to lots of dust in the air. I covered the table every time I worked on the room, but seems that after a few racks I'd start to see crud appearing on the table. Some dust, but very oddly, lots of small particles visible to the eye.

These particles seemed to be like sawdust, so I assumed that they got stuck to my clothes while working. They were large enough that they couldn't have been airborne, and they weren't present if I left the table uncovered for a week at a time, only while I was playing. I had to assume that somehow or other they were on me and got transferred to the cloth as I played. I started changing my clothes before I played. Clean shirt, brushed hair (what little I have), clean hands. I even took the air compressor and blew off the hair on my arms. Ridiculous. Still, nothing I did had any effect. The particles would start to appear within a few racks, and just got worse as I played.

Just before Christmas I finally got the room painted. Swept and washed everything, brushed and vacuumed the cloth several times until no more dust seemed to be settling on it. Then I hung several old sheets between the workshop and the pool room (temporary fix, there will be nice French doors in their place when I can afford them). Well, that eliminated the fine dust, but the small tan particles kept accumulating.

A few days ago I decided to give the balls a good cleaning. I don't have a polisher, so I put them in a box, grabbed the Meguire's, and headed up to watch some pool on YouTube. Under the bright halogen work lamp I could see that the balls all had little bits of sawdust on them. Crazy!

Then I looked really close at some and realized they weren't sawdust at all. They were little bits of leather from my drop pockets.

Now for the fix. What can I do? The insides of these pockets are just covered with rough fuzz. Looks to be about 40 years worth of future aggravation hanging off them. I thought maybe I could take them off and burn off the fuzz with a torch, then seal them somehow to keep the more stubborn stuff in place. Now that I know what it is it's making me nuts. Plus, some of them are actually large enough to turn a very slow rolling ball. I wonder, did Johnny Archer learn to play on a table like this?

Anyway, any advice would really be appreciated.

Sounds like the leather in the pockets is suffering from dry rot, or else the leather is so dried out that it's literally disintegrating.

I'm not an expert at leather treatment, but I do use Neatsfoot oil to rejuvenate leather on leather boots, etc. Not saying this is what you should do in this case, because Neatsfoot oil tends to leave an oily film that would transfer onto the pool balls (not good!).

Probably a good question to post in the "Talk to the Mechanic" subforum.

-Sean

 

[Sloppy Pockets]

Sounds like the leather in the pockets is suffering from dry rot, or else the leather is so dried out that it's literally disintegrating.

Sean, the table is used but was completely reconditioned, with new Simonis 860 and brand new cushions and pockets, so no dry rot. The fuzz looks almost like the back of the leather was sanded by machine or something, leaving long strands of fine leather stuck all over the inner surface. Probably made is some third world country like everything else.

The Neatsfoot might work, and it might soften them up as well. We used that all the time when I worked at a show horse stable as a kid. The stuff never seemed to completely dry IIRC, so it might not be a good choice.

Thanks for the recommendation to put it on the Mechanic's Forum. (although I've asked a few questions there and never got a response).


CD, I think I might try the Murphy's. I know there's a bottle somewhere around here, the wife uses it all the time.

 

[Chopdoc]

Being a leather aficionado one of the things I have noticed on all tables with leather pockets is the dismal leather used to make the basket part of the pockets. I mean serious crap. I am talking about all of them that I have ever seen, even brand new expensive tables and serious high end restorations. I never understood how people could put so much into a table and then tolerate such crap. This is literally the first time I have heard anybody else complain about it though.


First, get the loose junk off. Then I would recommend a good leather moisturizer and then maybe a protectant. It is important to be careful that whatever you use does not get all over the balls and screw things up as bad as the dry crappy leather did.

FYI- The inside of the pocket will be unfinished leather, so treating it will darken it virtually for certain.

You might try something from here: http://www.lexol.com/

Good luck.

.

 

[MitchAlsup]

Leatherique!

 

[Cdryden]

.


CD, I think I might try the Murphy's. I know there's a bottle somewhere around here, the wife uses it all the time.

Yeah, just apply some to the grain side of the leather and that should do the trick. And as stated by others, I also recommend the mechanics forum (they know their stuff, except for that RKC. I think he's a newbie! j/k

 

[Lock N Load]

I, use saddle soap to clean leather items. But I am not sure about the inside of the pool table pockets. It will clean leather real good though. I hope this helps.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.

 

[Sloppy Pockets]

I also recommend the mechanics forum (they know their stuff, except for that RKC. I think he's a newbie! j/k

Yeah, I heard he's only set up one table so far. In fact, word is he's still on the same table many, many years later, but I'm sure it will be perfect by the time he's done.

All kidding aside, I'd love to have Glen take a look at my table, but I don't think he goes to East Bum F*** in the Adirondack region of NY. In the meantime, I think I'll post the question over on the Mechanic's forum.

 

[measureman]

Sean, the table is used but was completely reconditioned, with new Simonis 860 and brand new cushions and pockets, so no dry rot. The fuzz looks almost like the back of the leather was sanded by machine or something, leaving long strands of fine leather stuck all over the inner surface. Probably made is some third world country like everything else.

The Neatsfoot might work, and it might soften them up as well. We used that all the time when I worked at a show horse stable as a kid. The stuff never seemed to completely dry IIRC, so it might not be a good choice.

Thanks for the recommendation to put it on the Mechanic's Forum. (although I've asked a few questions there and never got a response).


CD, I think I might try the Murphy's. I know there's a bottle somewhere around here, the wife uses it all the time.

I hope she does not use it on any wood floors if you have them. Thats a big no no. :nono::nono::nono::nono: