Antique BBC, lever rail system?

M

mechanic/player

Active member
Silver Member
I got a call to come look at a table to see if it was worth restoring, when I got there I saw a 5x10,6 leg Brunswick Balke Collander in great condition, with a matching cue and ball rack,two sets of old cracked up balls and 6 house cues that had BBC logos on them. The rails do not use the t-rail system that most antiques have ,instead there is a lever under the rails in the middle that simply pushes left or right to tighten or release them. However even in the tightened posistion there was a noticable rattle when the ball hit the rail with any speed. Have any of you seen or worked on these before? Thanks. m/p
 
lever lock

Those rails are designed that way because originally that table came with standard pool table rails AND a set of carom billiard rails that were interchangeable. The lever lock was so anybody could change them out.
 
my freind has a brunsick table that I restored for him called the wesminster. very neet system but I had trouble getting some of the rails to go on tightly, I had to switch some around to get a better fit.
 
I came accross a table with the same kinda set up but it was an 8' if I recall and he had the original box with the carom rails in it........neatest thing I ever saw
 
I took a few pics of the table yesterday, I'll have the afters in a few weeks.

PICT0049.JPG
 
I've never found a way to eliminate the buzz but it is notorious for convertible rails. Hence one of the reasons they lost their popularity and demand. I wish someone would perfect this method and make it convenient and available today.
 
gabriel combo table

Poolschool said:
I've never found a way to eliminate the buzz but it is notorious for convertible rails. Hence one of the reasons they lost their popularity and demand. I wish someone would perfect this method and make it convenient and available today.
Click to expand...

Gabriel supposedly makes a combination 9 foot table that comes with 3 sets of interchangable rails, (pool, snooker and 3-cushion)
They can be interchanged rather quickly without turning nuts and bolts.
I questioned the strength of this magnetic system and was told "you would not want a finger between the slate and rail when the magnet was engaged
as your finger would be crushed"
I don't know if this is true or not but if it is this would be my first choice for a table.
Play snooker, 3-c billiards or all the pocket games on the same playing surface.
With Gabriel's reputation I would think the system works well.
 
I went back today to finish this table, it looks great and still gets 4 lengths of the table with the original cushions. The owner did not want to put much money into the table since they will be selling this table with the house or if someone on here wants it once they decide to move it also has the original carom style rails and 2" thick slate and will be for sale at some time in the future.
At the owners request I replaced the pocket leathers with a plastic drop pocket and suprisingly it looks pretty good after some trimming/fitting diffculties.
I would have taken more pics but my dollar store batteries let me down.

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u165/rjh02/
 
Nice job on the table... I've never seen plastic pockets on an exposed pocket table before. That's pretty neat and economical!
 
Thanks, I wasnt sure what to say when the owner suggested it because alot of the older tables have a much smaller pocket and the frame is the same size as the slate, but this one had the room for the drop pocket to fit perfectly under the slate. They played on it like that for 50 yrs and only decided to recloth it so it wouldnt be an eyesore for when they sell it with the house.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top