Is there such thing as a cheaper table
- Thread starter PoolFan101
- Start date
This reminds me of a funny experience. After my divorce I bought a house and agreed that they could leave the pool table and accessories in the basement. My plan was to remove it, renovated the basement, then install the Dufferin Challenger that I'd bought for the place (I did all that 
). Anyway on possession day I went into the basement and tossed out some balls to see what the left-behind cues could do ... the first shot was a ways out and I leaned on the table to make the shot ... the cheap wooden table tilted away from scaring the bejeezus out of me :yikes:
I got the last laugh cutting up with my Skil saw :thumbup:
Dave <-- has never tilted the Challenger
). Anyway on possession day I went into the basement and tossed out some balls to see what the left-behind cues could do ... the first shot was a ways out and I leaned on the table to make the shot ... the cheap wooden table tilted away from scaring the bejeezus out of me :yikes:I got the last laugh cutting up with my Skil saw :thumbup:
Dave <-- has never tilted the Challenger
My Son is wanting to get a table to start out with , Price is not to much of a problem as I have seen some nice Brunswick's on Marketplace for around 350 range. There is a 1978 Brunswick Leisure table in mint condition that looks like it was never played on . The lady said it may have had 10 games played on it. The cloth still looks new, It is a 4x8 . The Problem lies in the Building , He is looking to get a Building installed behind our house that is a 16 ft wide and 24 ft long. They build them with pressed floors like a mobile home. So weight worried me , A guy told me that you could put a piece of plywood under the table to help support it. I thought maybe a 7 ft table would fit better, But if a table weigh's around 400 pds then that would not be much of a problem after all . maybe
Would it be feasible for your son to have a concrete slab poured to have that building installed on? Then, it wouldn't be necessary to need weight restrictions.
Maniac (friends don't let friends play on pool tables with pressed-wood beds)
VarmintKong
Cannonball comin’!
That is funny as hell, I don’t care who you are.
You know the answer to your question already. Are you and your son serious about your game or not?
VarmintKong
Cannonball comin’!
There is a difference between being frugal and cheap. Frugal, save up for awhile and you spend what you need to in order for the best bang for your buck. Cheap is a press wood floor that swells in the first year under a press wood table.
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Any floor that you can access the ground from below can be supported. It's generally a simple matter of adding 4X4 posts to support floor joists or adding a couple of 4 X 4's girders across the joists supported by piers/posts. A couple hour job and $50, made easy with framing angle. People say tables need special floor supports, but they really don't. Most tables spread the weight evenly pretty well. My 2nd story loft has plywood floors and floor joists with a 20 foot span. When it was being built, I asked the engineers if it needed any special supports for my 1100 pound table they said "not at all" - it hasn't even needed to be re-leveled in 5 years.
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VarmintKong
Cannonball comin’!
There’s the error. I picture some #57 limestone and a pre-fab shed; maybe some 7 mil visqueen would help. I think you’re picturing a footer and 13 course basement.
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Not really.
In my area one can buy a decent used table for $300...or ‘Free’ if I waited a week or two.
At a mining camp we had a wooden table someone had made using a full sheet of 1 inch plywood. Played fine. However, there were a half dozen trades that likely pitched in to build it.
In principle non slate tables could be fine. Part of the issue with non slate tables is the ‘whole package‘...base , rails, etc are also built for low cost and convenience...light weight, easy assemblage, etc. With modern technology and materials a quality non slate table might be possible but likely ould not be a sustainable market.
In my area one can buy a decent used table for $300...or ‘Free’ if I waited a week or two.
At a mining camp we had a wooden table someone had made using a full sheet of 1 inch plywood. Played fine. However, there were a half dozen trades that likely pitched in to build it.
In principle non slate tables could be fine. Part of the issue with non slate tables is the ‘whole package‘...base , rails, etc are also built for low cost and convenience...light weight, easy assemblage, etc. With modern technology and materials a quality non slate table might be possible but likely ould not be a sustainable market.
So I guess that leaves out the 200,000 Valley barboxes out there...since the slate is only 1/2"!
Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour
Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour
Totally agree. Never had any problems jumping a ball or having table move when playing on a Valley.
It's actually BETTER than slate Walter! It's twice as heavy as slate. There was a small company in western MN many years ago that built tables with granite beds. I've seen several of them, including a 5x10 one-piece granite bed that weighed literally a ton...just the table bed! They had to pour a special footing for the weight of the table, and then use a come-along to literally drag the table bed onto the frame! That table played amazingly great, and jumping a ball was super easy!
Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour
They had to pour a special footing for the weight of the table, and then use a come-along to literally drag the table bed onto the frame! That table played amazingly great, and jumping a ball was super easy!Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour