Broken T-Rail slate across bolt hole / barrel nut

That was worth looking up!

https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=182188&highlight=soup+cans

Glen said:

Actually not because you'd have to apply it before the broken slate is put in place, and that's when it needs to be flat leveled against the other side, which can take some time to accomplish. Once the pieces are fit together and flat/level...if you use the thin based super-glue, it'll seep right through the crack and come out the bottom, which is why I have a strip of duct tape across the bottom of the crack...to create a dam. If you watch the super-glue in the crack, it'll keep soaking in until it backs its way back out and forms a bead of glue on top of the break, that's when you know you've glued it as far down as you're going to get. Once the glue drys, I just scrape off any excess, then use bondo to fill any missing pieces of slate. With that done, I turn the slate over and repeat on the bottom if needed.

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This might relate to your project: Glen also noted:

I've put plenty of one piece slates back together the same way broke all the way down the middle lengthwise.

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As a materials fabricator but not a table mechanic; after the crack repair, i'd still be tempted to use a filled epoxy to replace any missing bits and pieces in or around the barrel-nut hole; then re-drill it clean if necessary.

My Starrett 199 has a scraped sole, and "many" scraped straight edges (used to make and sell them) for alignments, not sure what you have on hand for that task. People on the machine rebuild forums used to argue that a 4' flourescent tube was straighter than most things not specifically built for scraping. Obviously you can't clamp to one, but it might be a reasonable reference. Clamp to the angle irons with shims where necessary, check on top with the reference straight edge.

Before re-installing, i'd definitely check if the top of your cabinet was flat.

Thanks for noting Glen's method.

smt

That's what i'm thinking, but my familiarity is mostly with WEST so i'd probably mix it up very thick with the reinforcing cotton flocking, maybe add some graphite for color and because that is what they use for bedding compound to retain hardware in the boats they build.

Basically, epoxy bonds really well to whatever it was formulated to bond with. However as a material in thick sections it is stronger, less likely to crack, more stable and more shrink resistant with high strength or high density filler materials.

Maybe one of the techs on this site will chime in.

Like you, i have a T-rail table to fix that my wife bought so have been studying hard. But she had an ulterior agenda. I'm only past the point where i've dug and poured the footers in the basement; cutout, stabilized and poured a concrete lintle in one wall; welded up a lally column for the other end, and erected a steel I beam - all to hold up the floor in the front room where she envisions installing it. That would be after new hardwood floors and total room renovations, maybe steel and an opening in a wall there. I might get to the table itself and have a couple games on it before they cart me off to the old folks home.



smt