Bondo or Beeswax?

It depends on the situation and the customer. I'll always ask a few questions... does the customer plan on moving within a year or two? Do they plan on replacing carpet or tile under the table anytime soon?

If it's likely the table will be moved or serviced in the next 6-18 months, I'll most likely suggest beeswax. If it's pretty certain that the table will be there for awhile...bondo may be the way to go...

Just keep this in mind... as a table mechanic, when you start pulling cloth up, what is it you hope to find?
 
IMO the problem with bondo is it can crack the slate when you try to disassemble. I think bondo is a mistake to use. I've seen tables where people, in an effort to clean off bondo, sand the slate leaving waves in it. That makes for some interesting rolls. Not to mention beeswax is neater, faster and easier to apply and has all the give qualities you need.

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as far as application, I like to stick a rod into a chunk and as I use the torch to melt the wax, I simply move along the seam about 6 inches above the table surface. After its in, you can further flow it out with the torch, put on plenty of extra and wide as you need. Let it harden and skim it off with a sharp putty knife. Remember to allow extra time for the center screw holes if your table has them since the wax is deeper there and takes longer to dry.

I've also learned not to use wedges to level the slates since by their very nature they work their way loose and create a problem. Thin flats of wood are the best way to go.
 
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Great input. Thanks everyone. Now how bout a table with bondo already in the seams and when you recover the bed can you use bees wax over top the bondo?
 
Both have uses......

I've done quite a few tables of various brands around town. Bondo works well on tables and it doesn't take alot either. I've never heard of slate breaking due to Bondo. One can slightly score the bondo with a razor knife before taking the slates apart. Never bend the slate up to seperate it from it's mate. Especially on older pinned slate. Secondly if you're filling any holes out in the playing surface with only wax you're crazy. One ball gets dropped, or bounced on it and you might wind up with a divit. Those should be filled with something harder for this reason alone if you want a good playing table. Wax works well if you need very little to finish a seam off where you can't feel it. Recently I serviced a table that someone else had used wax on. Twice. They installed the table, and came out again a few months later to do over. When I stepped into the room where the table was installed at the end of the home there was also a wood stove in there. Two things came to mind. When I took the table apart you could tell the wax was still soft. Well for the last couple of months the Wife told me that the room was aways at least 75 degress or hotter. Bingo. Forget the wax. Second, how good was the rail rubber after being cooked in this room. I was sweating just being in the room with the thing going. Every mechanic has there ways, and materials. Most will work under normal circumstances. My advice is to look at every job like a new one, and qualify the table, and it's environment. I'm sure Cobra will answer as well on this one. Just take care of the customers and we'll all be better off.
 
Always feel the joints and screwholes(in the playfield, not under the rails) before you do anything, if you can feel them they need to be redone, if so might as well re-level and glue the slates at this time and be done with it.
 
Bondo is the only way to go...


But 2" shipping tape is better then wax...lol

comments or inputs...................had to stir the pot....
 
n10spool said:
Bondo is the only way to go...


But 2" shipping tape is better then wax...lol

comments or inputs...................had to stir the pot....
Click to expand...

I know that is a joke right? I ran into shipping tape on the joint of a Gandy Big G I was moving for a customer. What a mess pulling it off. Old glue and pieces of tape everywhere. That to me is a lazy mechanic.

Pat O'Donnell
www.Pool-Table-Services.com
 
I was just kidding but have seen tape on tables before hack job ofcourse

beeswax doesnt last in california 3 month's tops then it recesses in the seam [hot in the valley
]out come the speed bumps or devits at the seam. I personaly have never used wax and @ the same point maybe never seen wax installed right??

If tape takes 2 minutes and wax takes 2 minutes wouldnt both be hack work... Bondo takes 10-20 minutes so does Durhams hard rock putty doesnt shrink wont sag sounds good to me no complants 3- 6 month's later no popped seams or devits either....

Just felt having some fun over wax...

Best wax job i have seen on a good pool table has been a bikini wax job...lol

sorry if i insulted anyone wax is just a 3 letter word i hate to here...

Craig
 
100% pure Bees Wax is all I use for joints.

Save the bondo for slate repairs.
 
wastateqman said:
I've done quite a few tables of various brands around town. Bondo works well on tables and it doesn't take alot either. I've never heard of slate breaking due to Bondo. One can slightly score the bondo with a razor knife before taking the slates apart. Never bend the slate up to seperate it from it's mate. Especially on older pinned slate. Secondly if you're filling any holes out in the playing surface with only wax you're crazy. One ball gets dropped, or bounced on it and you might wind up with a divit. Those should be filled with something harder for this reason alone if you want a good playing table. Wax works well if you need very little to finish a seam off where you can't feel it. Recently I serviced a table that someone else had used wax on. Twice. They installed the table, and came out again a few months later to do over. When I stepped into the room where the table was installed at the end of the home there was also a wood stove in there. Two things came to mind. When I took the table apart you could tell the wax was still soft. Well for the last couple of months the Wife told me that the room was aways at least 75 degress or hotter. Bingo. Forget the wax. Second, how good was the rail rubber after being cooked in this room. I was sweating just being in the room with the thing going. Every mechanic has there ways, and materials. Most will work under normal circumstances. My advice is to look at every job like a new one, and qualify the table, and it's environment. I'm sure Cobra will answer as well on this one. Just take care of the customers and we'll all be better off.
Click to expand...
Dito,
Glen
 
A good mechanic knows how to take a slate apart that has been put together with bondo. Only a hack would use a belt sander in the first place to remove bondo. I've used wax in the past, but...I've never had to redo a slate with bondo and super glue, why take a chance? I get paid the first time, NOT the second! As I've posted in some of my pictures, I do very little sanding when I use bondo. And plaster is out of the question for me, not a chance in hell.

Glen
 
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