Antique pool table refurbishing

coltwknight

Registered
Hello All,

I actually tried joining this forum earlier this summer, but I did not get moderator approval until recently. Anyway, I have always loved the game, and I have always wanted my own table. After buying a farm this year, I thought I might actually have some room for a table, so I started searching local ads for a good deal.

Then I saw this ad saying they had a turn of the century pool table in parts, located in Augusta, Maine. Well, I figured I would take a trip down to Augusta because if they pool table is already apart, that will make it easier for me to lug it up to the 2nd story of my barn.

Well, the pool table was definitely old, looked rough, but it also looked like it was all there. I offered the guy a few 20s, and loaded it up and hauled it home.
 

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coltwknight

Registered
As you probably noticed, this was going to be a lot of work getting it together, and as I looked at it closer, I realized this table was old. Some of the bolts look hand forged, but that could just be 100 + years of being used.
https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501180&stc=1&d=1537749551

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501181&stc=1&d=1537749678

I started putting the pieces in place to see what was missing

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501182&stc=1&d=1537749778
https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501183&stc=1&d=1537749818

Look at this old joinery, no screws, nails, etc..
https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501184&stc=1&d=1537749874
 

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SBC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
That is a serious project.

You can post in table mechanics section to get advice as well.
 

coltwknight

Registered
I really wanted to find a makers mark somewhere on this table, but the best I could find is where someone had filled the place where the name badge would have been with clay.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501185&stc=1&d=1537749989

I searched online forever, but I finally found what badge fit in that shape, J. E. Came out of Boston, MA. They went out of business in the 1920s, maybe early 1930s, so the table is at least that old.


After playing with the pieces awhile, I was satisfied that enough of them were there to proceed with the project.


Then of course, the real hard work began. Stripping and sanding the table
https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501186&stc=1&d=1537750165

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501187&stc=1&d=1537750189


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coltwknight

Registered
The old finish has to sit with the stripper for awhile before it peels off. The citristriper works good on old paint/varnish but not so well on modern poly finishes.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501190&stc=1&d=1537750470

Well damn, this is a monkey wrench in the process. While stripping the corners, I realized that this table was once covered in oak verneer, but somewhere along the lines, someone peeled most of it off and refinished with black oil base paint.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501191&stc=1&d=1537750517

I had to use an assortment of heatgun, scrapers, pry bars, etc to get it all scraped off and clean.
https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501192&stc=1&d=1537750619

Then, the fun begins. Hours and hours of sanding with an assortment of power and hand sanding devices.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501193&stc=1&d=1537750736

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coltwknight

Registered
Then I got to fill all the dings and dents to make it look good

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501195&stc=1&d=1537750875
t
Then, you have to sand it all again. Such a PITA!

I opted to brush on some satin black so that it would should some wood grain through the paint, but still look nice. I wanted to retain the age of the table while still looking good.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501196&stc=1&d=1537750999

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Took 3 coats to make it look nice.


https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501198&stc=1&d=1537751114
 

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coltwknight

Registered
Of course, the rails were tougher. They were recoated with polyurethane, and took three rounds of stripper.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501201&stc=1&d=1537751631

Originally, I was just going to paint this table all black and use red or blue table felt, but when I saw the flake in the oak on the rails and all the cigarette burns, I decided to leave it a natural finish.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501207&stc=1&d=1537751763

I dug out the old cracked/shrunken clay dots with a razor, and gave the wood a few coats of dark Danish oil for color.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501208&stc=1&d=1537751829

Refilled the diamonds with water putty
https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501209&stc=1&d=1537751885


Then gave it a few coats of lacquer

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501210&stc=1&d=1537751927
 

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coltwknight

Registered
The next big hurdle was actually getting the dang slate upstairs by myself. If my math is correct, the slate is about 570 lbs, or 180 something a piece.

I ended up using a dolly and brute force.

Then I had to position them up on the frame.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501211&stc=1&d=1537752117

I really thought leveling was going to be a bigger chore than what it was.

First, I leveled the table, then I repaired the wooden frame on the slate and set it up on the table, and made sure the pieces were on the same plane and all level across the table using a good precision level and numerous straight edges.

Took me three days. I would level, let it sit overnight, relevel, screw the slate down, relevel, etc.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501212&stc=1&d=1537752336

I also put two playing cards between each slate joint and glued it in place with thin CA glue. I also set a crack in the table with thin super glue.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501213&stc=1&d=1537752489

I filled all the gaps, scratches, and missing chips with bondo. I would have used beeswax, but the this table had some serious chipping along the edges that I didn't feel comfortable filling with wax.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501214&stc=1&d=1537752597
 

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coltwknight

Registered

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coltwknight

Registered
Fitted and lapped all the pockets. I did the best I could matching the old pockets. These are damn close



https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501220&stc=1&d=1537752902

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501221&stc=1&d=1537752946

Then, I releveled and lapped the entire surface so it was smooth as a babies ass.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501222&stc=1&d=1537753024

While I am beginning to feel better about this project actually coming together, The thing I am worried about the most is making sure the rails will attach to the table.

The rail bolts attach to holes in the side of the slate. Because this is pre modern machining, the slate doesn't have nice tapped inserts or sleeves. It has a hole filled with lead that acts like a threaded insert. It took me about 3 hours to handfit and retap all the lead filled holes with the these square head bolts. Each hole is specific to the bolt I used to tap the hole since they are hand made bolts. I had to catalogue each bolt and hole so they went together during finally assembly
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coltwknight

Registered
Lets talk about rail cushions. These were so old they are brittle. Cracking and shrunk.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/atta...nt.php?attachmentid=501226&stc=1&d=1537753765
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After a lot of digging, I think this pool table is from around 1895 but could be as late as 1915-1918.


Where does a guy get parts for prestandardized pool tables?


I measured these cushions, and no modern commonly available cushions have the same dimensions. I had a choice of U23 or K66. The 66s were a little longer, but the backing matched the rail. The U23s were closer to the right width, but other dimensions were off. Plus, I couldn't find any 23s in stock for a 9 foot table, so I ordered the k66

I glued the new ones on with contact cement.


https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501228&stc=1&d=1537753864

Took some work, but finally got them all on straight

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501229&stc=1&d=1537753902
 

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coltwknight

Registered
These old rails aren't made exactly new rails, so I fretted over cutting the ends for awhile before just jumping in and doing it.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/atta...achmentid=501231&stc=1&d=15377540811537754048

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501232&stc=1&d=1537754133

I don't have any pics of installing the rubber end caps, but that went pretty smooth.

I had to make some new feather strips, before stretching the new CHampion Teflon felt

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501233&stc=1&d=1537754239

I watched every video online, and my old rails simply don't have the same amount of realestate to stretch and staple the felt over the rails. I was able to get all the corners and rails nice and tidy, but I had to put a fold along the edge in the side pockets

https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501234&stc=1&d=1537754355
 

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coltwknight

Registered
Preparing for this project, I watched every youtube video on stretching felt over the slate and rails, and every single video had comments from folks calling themselves professionals saying they are idiots, and they did it wrong. In fact, I could not find any pool table setup videos where the comments weren't fool of people calling each over names and saying they are doing it wrong. The slate seam filling videos really got nasty. Beeswax vs. bondo is apparently a hot button issue.

Anyway, with the help of a buddy, I got the felt all stretched nice and tight with no dirt or debris underneath. Unfortunately, there is nowhere to hide the staples for the pockets on this table.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/atta...hmentid=501236&stc=1&d=1537754665d=1537754437

Beginning to look like a pool table!


Attaching the rails was easy since I hand fitted all the rail bolts earlier.


https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501237&stc=1&d=1537754763

As per the Colorado State University's pool information, the rail height needs to be 63.5% the height of the balls, plus or minus 1%. That is where I set these rails, which is just over 1 3/8"
 

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coltwknight

Registered
The irons on this table are pre #3 irons, so Im glad they were all there. You can't just buy replacements.


https://forums.azbilliards.com/atta...tachmentid=501239&stc=1&d=1537754983537754958

I gave the leathers a good soak in neatsfoot oil

https://forums.azbilliards.com/atta...nt.php?attachmentid=501241&stc=1&d=1537755071

Installed on the table
https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501242&stc=1&d=1537755126

The leathers are falling apart, but I have the temporarily mounted and rigged up so I can play. This winter, I will make new leather pockets, and post about it on the forum.
 

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coltwknight

Registered
I am absolutely tickled pink with this pool table. I have played on bar tables and pool hall tables all around the country and never had a table play this well. Of course, I have never played on a pro setup tournament table either.


I bought a set of Aramath balls and some cuetec house cues, and I have been enjoying the hell out of this table.


https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=501243&stc=1&d=1537755325
 

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Straightpool_99

I see dead balls
Silver Member
What a great thread! I learned a lot about antique tables (haven't seen or played any in person).

I was very surprised with the corners of the slate being made of wood. Was this a carom table slate, converted, or did they make them like that before? Because I could see how it would be possible to convert a carom table with simple tools this way, but maybe they didn't have good enough tools at the factory to give the pockets a decent finish?
 

coltwknight

Registered
Holy crap.

You are a bold man...incredible job.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks - it was a fun project

What a great thread! I learned a lot about antique tables (haven't seen or played any in person).

I was very surprised with the corners of the slate being made of wood. Was this a carom table slate, converted, or did they make them like that before? Because I could see how it would be possible to convert a carom table with simple tools this way, but maybe they didn't have good enough tools at the factory to give the pockets a decent finish?

I don't know about all antique tables, but this was common for this era.
 

Cuebuddy

Mini cues
Silver Member
You are not a lazy man. Posting this thread with the verbage and pictures would have been more than many could have done! The black base and natural oak rails is what I chose for my table also. Who would've thought that this relic would rise again?

Thanks for the time and energy you paid out to resurrect the old girl.:cool:
 
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