Steepleton pool table question

Steepleton

If it is that old it is actually more that likely a Brunswick. Steepleton bought other manufacturers tables and swapped nameplates for their own (common practice many moons ago). It probably is a 4 piece slate and without removing the felt the cushions are a gamble. Price is what you feel it is worth and the overall condition. The old t-rails play good, but they don't play like the new tables.

washedup said:

Thanks for your input,

Do you think that you buy the K66 or whatever the brunswicks haave and make it bank reallly good? Imwanting to learn one pocket and banks so I want the table to bank REAL good.

Thanks again for your input
Scott

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you need to find out what the subrail angle is and what model of table. The old brunswicks used a cushion profile that does not exist today. k-66 might work but you may have to set it low to get the correct rail height. Thats where rail recalibration comes in, which can get expensive. Some people say to put k-55 on and that gives the correct rail height ...but that makes the pockets weird and the playing field smaller.

artemis is the best brand of cushion. But if you can afford to have someone recalibrate the rails it is really the way to go.

Table

washedup said:

Thanks for your input,

I dd not know that Steepleton actually swapped name plates on other tables and used them as their own. Wow! That would make sense though, when I first saw it I thought it looked like a Brunswick. I couldnt find info about Steepleton's in general though.

Do you think that you buy the K66 or whatever the brunswicks haave and make it bank reallly good? Imwanting to learn one pocket and banks so I want the table to bank REAL good.

Thanks again for your input
Scott

Click to expand...

You can learn banks and one pocket on anything. I have seen both played on a barbox.

The pros:

1. You will have something unique.
2. The original T rails played great from the factory and if it has the original rubber, they are probably still good.

The cons:

1. They can be expensive to work on and restore. As an example, the T rail bolt that holds the rail to the slate is about $15 each. Hopefully it has all the parts and they are in good shape.
2. The pockets are big and unless you get into subrail extensions and recalibration you are stuck with them. Adding large shims gets you a tighter pocket but often they start to play funny and start to spit out balls.
3. If it was in a pool hall, how many times has it been recovered? The more recovers the more likely the wood on the bottom of the rails has seen its better days. This can get into new subrail needs.


If it is all there, a good mechanic will be able to set it up to play at its best and you can find some excellent ones here. You may also come out ahead to pay one to inspect it first especially since it is apart. A good mechanic will know what to look for and if all the parts are there and in working order. Replacing rubber, leather pockets and a few parts and before you know it you have doubled your buying price.

There might be better ways to go to suit your needs. But if you want something most people do not have these can be great tables. I have a late 30's T rail as my home table.

You can contact me for a price on new sub-rails and calibrating the cushions and pocket size before you buy....then you can have some idea as to how much you'll have in the table.
Mark Gregory
770-548-4292

washedup said:

Thanks again for the input

I already talked to a shadetree table mechanic my way and he said close to what you are saying if Im understanding.

The angle of the rail will effect how balls come off it. This particular table may or may not have the correct angle cut in it to "make for a good bank" .

You are saying that in order to get a good banking table you need to either have good rails or recaliber the wood to accept the good rails to get the desired result. SOund Right? or CLose?

l guess a lot of people like the old antique lokking table but want them to play a Diamond or Gold Crown:thumbup:

Thanks Scott

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I can make the table play like a GC or Diamond.....depends on the cushions you choose and the spec's of the sub-rail I use.....I can make the table play how ever you want....most just put a standard 66 sub-rail on the antique tables...and they play...well how ever they play......I calibrate the sub-rail to the rail....and calibrate the cushion to the sub-rail....a lot of work done the right way.
when I'm done with the table....it will play the way you want.