Advice from Pro's when shopping used tables?

[RRR]

Hey guys, I'm looking for some advise from the professionals when shopping for a used table. I am hoping to get some well educated answers to some of the following questions:

When checking slates on a table that is disassembled, how flat would you expect the slate to be when checked with a straight edge? Are slight crowns and valleys at different spots across the face of a slate normal, and if so, what would be considered an acceptable variance?

How much of an overall crown or valley, across an entire slate, can be taken out by shimming when securing the slate to the frame? Is it easier to correct one over the other?

Regarding Gold Crowns, for help with identification, does anyone have pictures you could post of a "Brunstone" slate as compared with standard slate?

Given a choice of a GCII with "Brunstone", or GCIII with standard slate, which would be your choice for a personal purchase, and could you share a couple of reasons for your choice?

Also regarding Gold Crowns, I know that ensuring indivudual slates from each table are matched; is it also critcal that legs and frames are matched together? What parts can be swapped between tables without issue?


Thanks in advance for your responses, as your time, experience, and guidance is greatly appreciated!

 

[n10spool]

Coin op tables the slate is not bolted or screwed down it lays flat across a couple of metal braces for shims you layer cloth or playing cards underneath to level. Rails are bolted in from the sidesbehind the chrome trim so the rails raelly dont put down pressure on the cloth unless overly shimed to become a factor. To remove an ugly roll it might need alot of tweaking, wetsanding with straight edge, or a new slate.

As for Gold Crowns do a search alot of post on the subject read them all then it will help to understand everyone's point of view on Gold crowns. From refinishing to installing we all have or change are answers on what we or I would do with the table. Ie 1 and 2 easy to restore pain to install solo, 3,4,5 harder to restore but easier to install solo.

You should strip off all cloth to see what condition The Gold Crown you want the rails and slate will show chunks of wood missing if it has multipole recovers from a pool hall. If it shows little to no holes from staples You are probably going to be the 2nd or 3rd owner of a table that has seen very little play. Look at the edge of the rail where the formica meets the cloth if its full of half moon chips in the formica it has seen its share of hack installers from pounding in the feather strip wrong.

read alittle then it will be easier to ask and answer question on tables this is where pictures really help if we cant see the table in person.

Craig

 

[RRR]

Craig,

Thanks for your response, your pointers and advice is greatly appreciated.

I have reviewed a lot of the posts in this forum, but I have not seen any pictures of the "Brunstone" slates I have read about. I still do not have a good feel for how these compare to regular slate. Isn't this a manufactured stone?

Thanks.

 

[RRR]

I am still hoping to get some additional comments regarding questions on "Brunstone".

Also still wondering about the legs/frame matching question?

I also read in "The Green Book" that when setting up a table, you should leave the slate screws slightly loose to allow for shimming if necessary after the table is covered? Somehow this doesn't seem like good advice. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards.

 

[Dartman]

...

I also read in "The Green Book" that when setting up a table, you should leave the slate screws slightly loose to allow for shimming if necessary after the table is covered? Somehow this doesn't seem like good advice. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards.

Slate screws loose until the slate is shimmed if necessary then snugged down once level.
Then the cloth is applied. Slate screws are not left loose.
They must have meant to say "before the table is covered".

 

[RRR]

Thanks Dartman,

Still trying to get a feel for slate preferences from some of you professional.

I purchased several tables, one of which I will be keeping, and reselling the others. The group includes GCIII's and one GCII with brunstone. Given the choice, which of these would a table mechanic keep?

The framing and overall construction on the GCII is definately heavier, but I'm still not sure about the quality of the brunstone. I have read almost all of the posts on this forum, but still up in the air on this one.

From what I've read, the frame seems to be the biggest question regarding the GCIII's. Is it possible to combine the best of both models into a modified table that would be better that either one alone? If so, what parts would you use from each? Can you use slate from a GCIII, with frame and rails from a GCII?