Table tear down

Ipmtim

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I purchased a used table and will be disassembling and transporting this weekend. Since this will be my 1st attempt at imitating a table mechanic, and I didn't stay at the Holiday Inn Express, I would appreciate any tips and tricks to make this go a little smoother.
TIA
Tim
 

mchnhed

I Came, I Shot, I Choked
Silver Member
Tons of zip lock bags, snack, quart and gallon size.
Get the bags with the plastic slide, much more secure.
Slips of paper to write descriptions on.
Sharpie Black Pen.
***Write the description on the paper and place it inside of the baggie.***
Six boxes in two or three sizes for castings, pockets, parts bags, corner skirts.
10-20 moving blankets.
Packaging tape to keep blankets around the rails, side skirts, ball box.
Be sure to check every bolt for a washer. They can get stuck in a hole and pop out later and get lost.
***Do not just throw the bolts and screws all into one box. Bag them by like items. Segregation and labeling are key to an easy assembly later.***
After you get back......
Clean and inspect all of the pieces for repair or replacement.
Check the nuts inside the rails for problems.
Clean everything now before beginning assembly.
Create a “shopping list” of needed, bolts, screws, washers, etc.

Remember....never dry assemble any fastener.
Use a very light coat of grease or oil on the threads of any and all fasteners.
Actually I would suggest using a “dry lubricant” spray on the threads, so nothing is wet.

Organize all of the parts before beginning assembly.
 
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mchnhed

I Came, I Shot, I Choked
Silver Member
All good info. I do have to say the above statement is fun: I would like to see someone grease every thread of every bolt and machine screw. "

Trent from Toledo

If you don’t...you increase the chance of frozen bolts later.
I do it on all threads including cues.
Using bee’s wax of course.

Not that hard to do a very light coat, not goobs of grease. Even oil will work.

I do it on every thread on my bicycles, motorcycles, cars and tables.

I thought you were a “mechanic” Trent!
 
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bradsh98

Bradshaw Billiard Service
Silver Member
All good info. I do have to say the above statement is fun: I would like to see someone grease every thread of every bolt and machine screw. "

Trent from Toledo

Yeah... Please don't... It makes a mess for the next guy who recovers the table. Unless the table is going into a very wet environment, the threads do not typically need to be lubed.
 

bradsh98

Bradshaw Billiard Service
Silver Member
If you don’t...you increase the chance of frozen bolts later.
I do it on all threads including cues.
Using bee’s wax of course.

Not that hard to do a very light coat, not goobs of grease. Even oil will work.

I do it on every thread on my bicycles, motorcycles, cars and tables.

I thought you were a “mechanic” Trent!

A pool table is not designed for exposure to the same elements that a bicycle, motorcycle, or car may see.
 

mchnhed

I Came, I Shot, I Choked
Silver Member
All good points guys but explain to me why so many rails bolts are seized up after sitting for years indoors?

I said a light coat of grease, so later you won’t even notice the lubricated threads when taking it apart.

Corrosion happens everywhere given enough time.

Rust never sleeps.
 
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Lawnboy77

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
All good points guys but explain to me why so many rails bolts are seized up after sitting for years indoors?

Corrosion happens everywhere given enough time.


Clean and dry would be the way to go when dealing with a pool table. A little bit of rust on threads is no big deal, not at all like with autos or airplanes where extreme conditions are experienced. Seizing bolts are more than likely caused by inexperienced folks who cross-thread hardware by using the wrong tools or assembly techniques. Just starting threads by fingers will go a long way to preventing that. If it won't start by hand then readjust the components and/or clean the threads with a tap.
 
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mchnhed

I Came, I Shot, I Choked
Silver Member
I agree then.

Too much, is too much.

People think a little is good, so a lot must be better.

At no time do any of my lubricated fasteners make a mess when removed.

Yes....you shouldn’t just throw them onto the pool cloth...lubricated or not.
Small tears can happen from items being tossed on the cloth. Coins for example.
Put some paper down or a box.
Many times a “table guy” places his tools directly on the cloth when doing work.

Nothing should ever touch the cloth except billiard balls, your clean hands and a brush/wipe.
 
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bradsh98

Bradshaw Billiard Service
Silver Member
Worse yet, is when there is a small spot of grease or lube on the bottom side of a rail... You go to install the rails, not expecting to have to worry about such a thing, and end up with it on your hands. Again, unknowingly, you touch the freshly installed cloth..

Experience that, and you might just curse anyone who uses grease on a pool table.

But, that's just my opinion.
 

mchnhed

I Came, I Shot, I Choked
Silver Member
I agree that would piss me off also.
Sloppy, too much grease.

I’ll start using spray-on Dry Lube.
 

Ipmtim

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
All great info guys.
Didn't know thread lube could get so technical :D
I'll be sure to keep the never seize in the cabinet, one drop and it'll be everywhere lol.
 

mchnhed

I Came, I Shot, I Choked
Silver Member
OK....

So aside from the not using lube......

What pointers do you guys have for the OP?

Unless.....I covered all the bases already.
 
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trentfromtoledo

8onthebreaktoledo
Silver Member
I agree then.

Too much, is too much.

People think a little is good, so a lot must be better.

At no time do any of my lubricated fasteners make a mess when removed.

Yes....you shouldn’t just throw them onto the pool cloth...lubricated or not.
Small tears can happen from items being tossed on the cloth. Coins for example.
Put some paper down or a box.
Many times a “table guy” places his tools directly on the cloth when doing work.

Nothing should ever touch the cloth except billiard balls, your clean hands and a brush/wipe.


I would never grease anything. Now when restoring a table, I clean and lubricate all the hardware and DRY IT COMPLETELY. I also let it sit out to make sure it is not still moist anywhere.

As for the putting the tools on the cloth, I do it ALL the time. Keeping your hands and tools clean are obviously a part of this.

Trent from Toledo
 

Ipmtim

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well boys, I got the table home without any casualties other than a little more wear and tear on the body lol.
Now the fun begins. The table came with worn out red felt.
I would like to go blue, but the rails are a lot of work.
To shim or not to shim pockets.
 

realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
Well boys, I got the table home without any casualties other than a little more wear and tear on the body lol.
Now the fun begins. The table came with worn out red felt.
I would like to go blue, but the rails are a lot of work.
To shim or not to shim pockets.

All these comments, and still have no idea what kind of pool table you bought. No all pool tables disassemble the same, or go together the same for that matter.

And for the record, I don't lube any bolts on a pool table, but I do use bar soap on the slate screws to avoid breaking them off.
 

Ipmtim

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
All these comments, and still have no idea what kind of pool table you bought. No all pool tables disassemble the same, or go together the same for that matter.

And for the record, I don't lube any bolts on a pool table, but I do use bar soap on the slate screws to avoid breaking them off.

I bought a used Brunswick Glenwood and being a long time wood worker soap or the like is a requirement.
Thanks for the info, this voyage is just beginning and any help will be appreciated.
 

Ssonerai

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Prefer Beeswax. Or Trewax brand paste wax.

As a long time woodworker I despise soap. There should not be water around a pool table, but more than people realize are in humid environments or temporarily exposed to such on many summer days. IME, soaped fasteners rust/corrode faster over time. Even the brass ones, pretty sure i can tell when they have been soaped - upon removal they have a lot of green schmutz around them & in the wood.

Beeswax crumbs can mess up cloth, as can soap. Soap can be washed out, Beeswax not so much. Maybe with carbon-tet. :D If using paste wax, my preference is for the Trewax brand because it does not smell disgusting like Johnsons or some others. Also has more carnauba in the mix.

smt
 
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