Garage Table Seams Separating

pocket said:
I'm curious if your table is in a garage?
Click to expand...

Not a garage, but a non temperature controlled room still, in the winter I kept it only at 50 degrees until I shot pool then turned it up to mid 70's and in the summer I keep the Windows open so humidity and temperature varies a lot still in the past year and can't find the seams if I try
 
poolguppy said:
Not a garage, but a non temperature controlled room still, in the winter I kept it only at 50 degrees until I shot pool then turned it up to mid 70's and in the summer I keep the Windows open so humidity and temperature varies a lot still in the past year and can't find the seams if I try
Click to expand...

He forgot to mention he has a one piece slate! LOL
 
PoolTable911 said:
This is what you need. I have to say please do not use spray glue and Durhams Rock Hard. Use the Liquid Dowel with 4 pieces of paper on each seam. If you want to beef it up more than that use Bondo afterwards for the seam instead of the wax sticks.
Click to expand...

Thanks PT, appreciate the perspective. What is the blue roll on the right? Is that the paper?

I spoke to Donny (SDBilliards) this afternoon, he too thinks the seams should be glued. I guess once tables have been waxed it is difficult for bondo (or rock hard) to adhere due to the wax residue.

When you say four pieces are you suggesting four layers of paper in the seam, or four smaller points along the seam?
 
poolguppy said:
Not a garage, but a non temperature controlled room still, in the winter I kept it only at 50 degrees until I shot pool then turned it up to mid 70's and in the summer I keep the Windows open so humidity and temperature varies a lot still in the past year and can't find the seams if I try
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks.
 
happens all the time around here. the shims expand and contract. I fix table like this a couple times a year lol I take a little hammer .. tap the shim back into place POOF all fixed in 5 mins
 
pocket said:
Thanks PT, appreciate the perspective. What is the blue roll on the right? Is that the paper?

I spoke to Donny (SDBilliards) this afternoon, he too thinks the seams should be glued. I guess once tables have been waxed it is difficult for bondo (or rock hard) to adhere due to the wax residue.

When you say four pieces are you suggesting four layers of paper in the seam, or four smaller points along the seam?
Click to expand...

I believe the blue stuff is the wax. Looks like bees wax with resin added.
 
buckshotshoey said:
I believe the blue stuff is the wax. Looks like bees wax with resin added.
Click to expand...
The blue stick is synthetic wax with resin hardeners. Has a much higher flashpoint than bees wax. Also, the easiest way to take wax out of slate is turpentine. Make sure it is well ventilated but it will work quick and thorough. This thread should be in the Talk to a Mechanic section.
 
pocket said:
Thanks PT, appreciate the perspective. What is the blue roll on the right? Is that the paper?

I spoke to Donny (SDBilliards) this afternoon, he too thinks the seams should be glued. I guess once tables have been waxed it is difficult for bondo (or rock hard) to adhere due to the wax residue.

When you say four pieces are you suggesting four layers of paper in the seam, or four smaller points along the seam?
Click to expand...

The paper is put in 4 points between the slate. The picture is of a GC IV I was setting up. You can see the pieces of paper sticking up in the slate seams. After table is leveled the glue is dripped on the paper which wicks the glue down.
 

Attachments

  • abs38.jpg
    abs38.jpg
    70.5 KB · Views: 179
PoolTable911 said:
The paper is put in 4 points between the slate. The picture is of a GC IV I was setting up. You can see the pieces of paper sticking up in the slate seams. After table is leveled the glue is dripped on the paper which wicks the glue down.
Click to expand...

OMG I about passed out looking at all those machinists levels. That's some serious leveling power right there.

Is there any wisdom to using plastic shims instead of the wood to keep them from swelling/shrinking?
 
pocket said:
OMG I about passed out looking at all those machinists levels. That's some serious leveling power right there.

Is there any wisdom to using plastic shims instead of the wood to keep them from swelling/shrinking?
Click to expand...

I use 9" wood shims from Home Depot. RKC turned me onto them years ago. I don't care for the plastic shims. Stay away from the short wood ones too...they fall out.
 

Attachments

  • shim.jpg
    shim.jpg
    14.1 KB · Views: 224
Last edited:
If you want to learn how to do the felt job just buy the dvd that Simonis has.RKC made it and if you can't watch that and follow...well anyhow its well worth the money I can tell you that
 
Colormegone2002 said:
If you want to learn how to do the felt job just buy the dvd that Simonis has.RKC made it and if you can't watch that and follow...well anyhow its well worth the money I can tell you that
Click to expand...

You must have misunderstood, I am asking about the seams separating, not a re-cloth. Thanks for the suggestion though.
 
Table

pocket said:
You must have misunderstood, I am asking about the seams separating, not a re-cloth. Thanks for the suggestion though.
Click to expand...
-

Wick bonding the 3pc slate and leveling of the slates to the frame is critical if you want it to stay true..it's no quick fix in my opinion if bees wax was last used in the seams.

Some table frames are poorly designed and can't hold the slate as it should to prevent unwanted movement.



Rob.M
 
Since I am having the mechanic come back out and look at the table, what, if anything, do you think he may have done incorrectly?

From what I am finding out now, it would have been preferable to use something other than wax for the seams, and perhaps glue the slates together.

While that seems like the best approach, isn't using shims and wax an accepted method of putting the table together?

I got a pm from a table mechanic, who said in part "Someone did not set up your table right is what it comes down to". Agree?

Thanks again, I really appreciate all the feedback. I've certainly learned a lot by it.
 
So, the original mechanic and his helper came out today. Turns out the problem was not that the seams had separated, simply the way had gotten hot enough to seep up and create ridges along the seam lines.

Pulled the cloth back, scraped off the excess wax, and bingo.

If I had it to do again, I would have glued the seams and had him use bondo or rock hard.

I'm thinking of adding some insulation to the bottom of the table to see if that will help keep it from happening again-though the excess wax most likely is all gone now.

Very relieved it was an easy fix.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and input, I really did learn a lot.
 
pocket said:
So, the original mechanic and his helper came out today. Turns out the problem was not that the seams had separated, simply the way had gotten hot enough to seep up and create ridges along the seam lines.

Pulled the cloth back, scraped off the excess wax, and bingo.

If I had it to do again, I would have glued the seams and had him use bondo or rock hard.

I'm thinking of adding some insulation to the bottom of the table to see if that will help keep it from happening again-though the excess wax most likely is all gone now.

Very relieved it was an easy fix.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and input, I really did learn a lot.
Click to expand...
The seams nead to be glued. There is a reason the wax came up. The table wood is expanding and contracting. The wax was pushed up. It will happen again. I have seen this a hundred times.
 
PoolTable911 said:
The seams nead to be glued. There is a reason the wax came up. The table wood is expanding and contracting. The wax was pushed up. It will happen again. I have seen this a hundred times.
Click to expand...

I agree. What I found interesting was the fellow was a good enough business man to return and repair, but didn't seem to have the presence of mind to glue the seams so as not make a career out of returning to customer's homes for future repairs.
 
I have a 100 year old Brunswick Balke Calender in my basement. No plywood in the table. Due to the humidity changes my table does the same thing. When it is a little off I merely make very slight adjustments in the shims. This has worked for several years. I am about ready for a recover and when I do I will incorporate the cardboard method and see how it goes. I also find that I have to fine tune the rails from time to time probably due to humidity changes as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top