Only hire a pro to re-cloth a table?

L

livemusic

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
An area expert pool tech re-clother was recommended to me to put cloth on my 8 ft Brunswick Windsor table. He never called me back to set the appointment after we made the deal. Meanwhile, a guy I shoot pool with in a bar says he can do it, no problem. He's a real good player, knows a lot about pool, does own a 7 ft table but I don't know how many he's done. Seems to be a straight shooter, scuze the pun. General statement is the delicate part is the rails and just be careful and blah, blah, blah, do it right. But it's not that complicated, etc. he says.

I watched a couple of youtube videos on doing it and hmmm... it seems that yeah, if you have some knowledge, you can do it but it seems having true expertise and skillset in shape might be a good thing? The rails worry me. Plus, something unexpected might crop up. The table has never been done over since install 44 years ago.

The original guy's price was $300; this friend's price is $150. Money really doesn't matter that much to me on this; heck, the Simonis cloth is going to cost $300. What would you do?

EDIT: I forgot to mention... anybody I get, I have no idea how good they are. The original guy was recommended by somebody that should know, for sure, he owns a pool hall. The pool tech he recommended does his pool hall tables but I do know the tech guy is NOT full-time. He has another 'main' job and does tables on the side. I have no idea if anybody around here does tables full time.
 
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ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
livemusic said:
An area expert pool tech re-clother was recommended to me to put cloth on my 8 ft Brunswick Windsor table. He never called me back to set the appointment after we made the deal. Meanwhile, a guy I shoot pool with in a bar says he can do it, no problem. He's a real good player, knows a lot about pool, does own a 7 ft table but I don't know how many he's done. Seems to be a straight shooter, scuze the pun. General statement is the delicate part is the rails and just be careful and blah, blah, blah, do it right. But it's not that complicated, etc. he says.

I watched a couple of youtube videos on doing it and hmmm... it seems that yeah, if you have some knowledge, you can do it but it seems having true expertise and skillset in shape might be a good thing? The rails worry me. Plus, something unexpected might crop up. The table has never been done over since install 44 years ago.

The original guy's price was $300; this friend's price is $150. Money really doesn't matter that much to me on this; heck, the Simonis cloth is going to cost $300. What would you do?
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I'd wait for the pro installer. If he's good, he's busy. That's just the way it works no different than getting a really good plumber or electrician or whatever on short notice - very hard to do. If it was my table, I wouldn't take the chance even if I had to wait longer and pay more. I would just do a little more research to confirm this pro installer is the best in your area before you commit.
 
L

livemusic

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ChrisinNC said:
...I would just do a little more research to confirm this pro installer is the best in your area before you commit.
Click to expand...

How would you do this? I am a casual player, I don't know anyone. I just happened to call the pool hall owner because I found that he builds cues and I found articles about him from years past, figuring surely he must know. But who else should I call to get a recommendation?
 
C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
livemusic said:
How would you do this? I am a casual player, I don't know anyone. I just happened to call the pool hall owner because I found that he builds cues and I found articles about him from years past, figuring surely he must know. But who else should I call to get a recommendation?
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The local pool room owner who recommended this installer should be a good indicator, as I assume this installer does the re-covering on the pool room's tables? Ask the owner how long this guy has been working on tables and if he does it full time or just part time? If the installer does re-cover/maintain the tables in the pool room, take a close look at the tables in the pool room this installer has worked on.

Does the cloth jobs on the pool room's tables appear to look good - stretched properly and a neat job of stapling on the underside of the slates in the pockets, and cloth stretched properly on the top side and the underside of the rails? Roll some balls on the tables to see if the tables are level.
 
Colormegone2002

Colormegone2002

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Recloth

I recommend you buy the DVD;s from Seyberts and do the recover yourself.
I had never done a table in my life and I bought them and I have never looked back
and I have recovered several tables since then including my own.Glen (RKC) did
an excellent job explaining how to do this.

The DVD;s are about 30 bux and then YOU could be the local expert!
 
Cornerman

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
Silver Member
livemusic said:
An area expert pool tech re-clother was recommended to me to put cloth on my 8 ft Brunswick Windsor table. He never called me back to set the appointment after we made the deal. Meanwhile, a guy I shoot pool with in a bar says he can do it, no problem. He's a real good player, knows a lot about pool, does own a 7 ft table but I don't know how many he's done. Seems to be a straight shooter, scuze the pun. General statement is the delicate part is the rails and just be careful and blah, blah, blah, do it right. But it's not that complicated, etc. he says.

I watched a couple of youtube videos on doing it and hmmm... it seems that yeah, if you have some knowledge, you can do it but it seems having true expertise and skillset in shape might be a good thing? The rails worry me. Plus, something unexpected might crop up. The table has never been done over since install 44 years ago.

The original guy's price was $300; this friend's price is $150. Money really doesn't matter that much to me on this; heck, the Simonis cloth is going to cost $300. What would you do?

EDIT: I forgot to mention... anybody I get, I have no idea how good they are. The original guy was recommended by somebody that should know, for sure, he owns a pool hall. The pool tech he recommended does his pool hall tables but I do know the tech guy is NOT full-time. He has another 'main' job and does tables on the side. I have no idea if anybody around here does tables full time.
Click to expand...
If you're handy, you have patience, and you don't mind if it doesn't come out perfect, go for it. You should partake in the exercise.

If you're not all three, then hire the professional.

It's similar to doing your own plumbing, electrical work, or auto mechanics. Anyone handy can do these things. The professional won't be swearing so much, and they deserve to be paid for their knowledge and expertise.

For me, I'll do my brakes, but never want to do a heater core again in my life. Heater core is "simpler," but it's waaaaaaaay more hours (and patience) than I can stand.


Freddie <~~~ swears a lot
 
L

livemusic

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ChrisinNC said:
The local pool room owner who recommended this installer should be a good indicator, as I assume this installer does the re-covering on the pool room's tables? Ask the owner how long this guy has been working on tables and if he does it full time or just part time? If the installer does re-cover/maintain the tables in the pool room, take a close look at the tables in the pool room this installer has worked on.

Does the cloth jobs on the pool room's tables appear to look good - stretched properly and a neat job of stapling on the underside of the slates in the pockets, and cloth stretched properly on the top side and the underside of the rails? Roll some balls on the tables to see if the tables are level.
Click to expand...

Before you ever replied, I edited my OP and provided EXACTLY the info regarding emboldened part above. Yes, he does the pool hall tables and he is not full time, he has another job.
 
B

Bca8ball

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The real question is do you want to do it yourself or pay someone else?

The playing surface is straight forward and YouTube videos are spot on.
As you surmised, it's all about the rails and there is certainly a technic to the corners.

The first one will make you wish you hired someone; it gets easier and once you have completed all 6 rails, you are pretty proficient at it.
Then it's a couple of years before you do it again and the learning curve starts all over again.

I only do about 3 or 4 a year counting mine and other pool junkie friends; it really isn't a huge deal once you have done it a several times.
I take longer than a pro but I do a great job (maybe even more attending to detail).

Of course there will always be a camp that says to only let a pro do it; there is also some that say to only bring your car to a dealership too.

I see no issue with having the non-pro recover the table as long as they have done it several times. You seeing him often is also a plus.
Certainly he has done someone else's locally and/or go look at his work on his home table.
 
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ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
livemusic said:
Before you ever replied, I edited my OP and provided EXACTLY the info regarding emboldened part above. Yes, he does the pool hall tables and he is not full time, he has another job.
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Even doing it part time, if he's done it for years, depending on his age, he's likely done hundreds and maybe thousands of tables in his career. To think your buddy who has done a handfull of recover jobs could do as good a job is highly unlikely. In an attempt to save $150, I wouldn't want to risk wasting a $300 piece of Simonis cloth if for whatever reason an issue came up, then it's going to end up costing you big time. If it was me, I'd spend the extra $$ for the peace of mind of knowing it is being done the best it can be done.
 
M

maha

from way back when
Silver Member
generally the not as good installers get the flat part okay but dont get the seams between the slates perfect and you get a hump soon. or they dont spend the extra 20 minutes getting all the rolls out that sometimes get worse with a little time.
and few do the rails tight enough.
plus they arent picky enough to make sure the table top is perfectly clean and the underside of the cloth is too before they pout it down.
 
lfigueroa

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
livemusic said:
An area expert pool tech re-clother was recommended to me to put cloth on my 8 ft Brunswick Windsor table. He never called me back to set the appointment after we made the deal. Meanwhile, a guy I shoot pool with in a bar says he can do it, no problem. He's a real good player, knows a lot about pool, does own a 7 ft table but I don't know how many he's done. Seems to be a straight shooter, scuze the pun. General statement is the delicate part is the rails and just be careful and blah, blah, blah, do it right. But it's not that complicated, etc. he says.

I watched a couple of youtube videos on doing it and hmmm... it seems that yeah, if you have some knowledge, you can do it but it seems having true expertise and skillset in shape might be a good thing? The rails worry me. Plus, something unexpected might crop up. The table has never been done over since install 44 years ago.

The original guy's price was $300; this friend's price is $150. Money really doesn't matter that much to me on this; heck, the Simonis cloth is going to cost $300. What would you do?

EDIT: I forgot to mention... anybody I get, I have no idea how good they are. The original guy was recommended by somebody that should know, for sure, he owns a pool hall. The pool tech he recommended does his pool hall tables but I do know the tech guy is NOT full-time. He has another 'main' job and does tables on the side. I have no idea if anybody around here does tables full time.
Click to expand...


I have personally seen the work of guys who move, install, and recover tables for a living and still do shee-at work.

Like anything else in life, you can almost always DIY. But if you want it done really right... fine a good mechanic who knows what they're doing. It'll be worth it in the long run.

Lou Figueroa
 
book collector

book collector

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have been down this road with a hundred things.
Experts that screw it up, friends that screw it up .
I ,like you, don't care so much what it costs , but it has to be almost perfect, especially if I paid top dollar for it.
I have found that I am very much a perfectionist, and that most peoples work is substandard for me , so, if it is not a one time thing, I learn to do it myself.
If you have any mechanical and common sense at all , you can put the bed cloth on yourself.
Watch all the videos on You Tube and check out Real King Cobras stuff and decide what parts you like from those sources.
The bed is easy , the pockets are tricky so get some cheap cloth and practice doing a few of those before you put your good cloth down.
My first pocket ever was probably as good as most people would do, but as I finished it, I realised how could do it better, and the other 5 were really great.
I did not do the rails on mine , they were still like new and the same cloth.
You can always take the rails to someone and have them done , or let your pool player friend do 1 and see how he does, it may be fine and you can learn while he does it.
Good luck , take your time and you will be fine.
You could also ask the player friend to show you a table he has done?
Here is what I have found with the "Experts" in my area.
They usually have another job and work through the billiard supply places . If all they do is pool tables , they want the whole pool room jobs , that way they get a good payday every week. They do the poolroom tables for 150 each but at your house it's 3 or 400.00, and most of them don't want to do it at all.
I had 3 or 4 make appointments and never show.
 
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strmanglr scott

strmanglr scott

All about Focus
Silver Member
book collector said:
I have been down this road with a hundred things.
Experts that screw it up, friends that screw it up .
I ,like you, don't care so much what it costs , but it has to be almost perfect, especially if I paid top dollar for it.
I have found that I am very much a perfectionist, and that most peoples work is substandard for me , so, if it is not a one time thing, I learn to do it myself.
If you have any mechanical and common sense at all , you can put the bed cloth on yourself.
Watch all the videos on You Tube and check out Real King Cobras stuff and decide what parts you like from those sources.
The bed is easy , the pockets are tricky so get some cheap cloth and practice doing a few of those before you put your good cloth down.
My first pocket ever was probably as good as most people would do, but as I finished it, I realised how could do it better, and the other 5 were really great.
I did not do the rails on mine , they were still like new and the same cloth.
You can always take the rails to someone and have them done , or let your pool player friend do 1 and see how he does, it may be fine and you can learn while he does it.
Good luck , take your time and you will be fine.
You could also ask the player friend to show you a table he has done?
Here is what I have found with the "Experts" in my area.
They usually have another job and work through the billiard supply places . If all they do is pool tables , they want the whole pool room jobs , that way they get a good payday every week. They do the poolroom tables for 150 each but at your house it's 3 or 400.00, and most of them don't want to do it at all.
I had 3 or 4 make appointments and never show.
Click to expand...

I bought Mueller basalt tourney cloth. It's as fast, if not faster than Simonis, only w better feel, imo. 7ft $150.00

Got a quote from local advertised guy. $300.00.

I could buy two sets of cloth for that. I guarantee by the third time, total of $450, I'd have it down. Highly doubt I would need to buy more than two sets, thinking I might mess up a rail one or two times, even though I could mess up 6x for two sets of cloth.
 
jay helfert

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
In my first poolroom I used to recover my own tables - SLOWLY! Until I found a guy who could do it just as good in half the time. Time is money! Especially when you own a poolroom.

My advice is before you hire anyone, check their references (who they have done tables for before) and if possible check their work (see the results of previous jobs for yourself). I can look at the finished product and tell pretty quickly if I want that person to recover my table.

If you have the time and the energy, do it yourself. I'd rather be doing other things (like posting on here) while someone is busy for a few hours working on my table. But that's just me. Some guys like to build their own ball cleaners (check out that thread!). But I'd just as soon buy one that will do the job. :smile:
 
ctyhntr

ctyhntr

RIP Kelly
Silver Member
Years ago, I tried my hands at re-clothing a pool table. If its just the bed cloth, its doable. Get your self a copy of the Simonis DVD. If its involves rails, fixing pockets, or shimming I would farm it out to a pro.
 
S

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just FYI, the Basalt cloth is made by Gorina...a solid competitor to Simonis...also made in Belgium. Muellers is just the US wholesaler/distributor. It is definitely faster and a little less expensive than Simonis. The two clothes wear reasonably similar, and both play well. The reason Simonis is so much more widespread is that they got in good first with the PBTA in the 80's, and became the sole supplier for pro tournaments. It could have easily been the other way around. :D

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

strmanglr scott said:
I bought Mueller basalt tourney cloth. It's as fast, if not faster than Simonis, only w better feel, imo. 7ft $150.00.
Click to expand...
 
JolietJames

JolietJames

Boot Party Coordinator
Silver Member
YMMV


I watched two different people install the cloth on my tables in the past.
Both were supposedly professionals. The next time I needed cloth, I did it myself. I invented a tool that allowed me to stretch the cloth at least as tightly as two people doing it.
I hired a local pool room owner to do the cloth on my last Gold Crown because he went to a seminar by RKC, and used his method.
The one I did was great. The one the room owner did was great.
I bought my current gold crown from a local room owner here in AZ. He recommended the guy he used to use here in town who still does it professionally. I didn't have time to do it myself because I needed it set up before my wife got back from a trip (Surprise, you can't park in the garage anymore dear.) The guy was really fast but did a shit job and I'm regretting the fact that I hired him.
If I ever hire anyone again I'm going to go visit the house of the last table he set up to look at his work first.
 
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