Cloth tears at the pockets
- Thread starter okinawa77
- Start date
It's normal if the slate pocket lip isn't filed smoth and rounded over by the installer!okinawa77 said:
Glen
This is caused by the slate being sharp or the pockets are mounted close to the slate. Usually on home tables the side pockets are mounted pretty close when the ball hits the pocket it rebounds into the slate, after a while cutting through the cloth. Usually Olhausen's slates have a nice radius.
realkingcobra said:It's normal if the slate pocket lip isn't filed smoth and rounded over by the installer!
Glen
Hi Glen,
I watched to 2 table mechanics install/set up the table, and I didn't see them file/smooth the pocket lips. Are saying they should have?
Are the cuts, the fault of the table mechanics?
Thanks,
Mathew
Alot of the time you see it when players shoot too hard.
Doesn't matter what the cloth is although it's more common on a non-worsted cloth like Championship, Mali, or Forstmann's.
Basically, the ball bounces from the back of the pocket, hits around the edge and stresses the cloth. Without something there to dull the effects like taking the edge down, or adding a backing to it to help deaden the blows it's like hitting your finger with a small hammer......eventually something has to give. And it won't be the leather pockets, the slate or the balls...
Not every installer takes the extra time to add something into there, or file down sharper edges or tell you about the effects of not doing anything. Most poolhalls seem to have some filing done to reduce the problem among other things.
Personally, I don't feel a table is finished until there has been some extra work done around the pockets, but that's just me.
You don't generally see it as much with rubber or plastic pockets, because they give before the force of the shot, so they absorb some of the momentum before dropping the ball down. Leather pockets have an iron inside that doesn't give.
Poolhalls also generally have someone that knows what they are doing, so they doctor things up while they are already doing the job, so that they don't have to deal with it down the road. Alot of the guys working on home tables don't know the difference.
Doesn't matter what the cloth is although it's more common on a non-worsted cloth like Championship, Mali, or Forstmann's.
Basically, the ball bounces from the back of the pocket, hits around the edge and stresses the cloth. Without something there to dull the effects like taking the edge down, or adding a backing to it to help deaden the blows it's like hitting your finger with a small hammer......eventually something has to give. And it won't be the leather pockets, the slate or the balls...
Not every installer takes the extra time to add something into there, or file down sharper edges or tell you about the effects of not doing anything. Most poolhalls seem to have some filing done to reduce the problem among other things.
Personally, I don't feel a table is finished until there has been some extra work done around the pockets, but that's just me.
You don't generally see it as much with rubber or plastic pockets, because they give before the force of the shot, so they absorb some of the momentum before dropping the ball down. Leather pockets have an iron inside that doesn't give.
Poolhalls also generally have someone that knows what they are doing, so they doctor things up while they are already doing the job, so that they don't have to deal with it down the road. Alot of the guys working on home tables don't know the difference.
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Can you post some pic's? I have seen corner pockets that have 45 degree cuts inside the facings. If that's the case then the facings will need to be replaced with thicker, 3/16" vs. the standard 1/8" which you probably have. I learned this from Glen, AKA Real King Cobra. Here was here in Austin last month setting up my Diamond.
The problem is not on the rails with the facings but the new facings made of neopreme from Diamond are the best facings on the market.
The problem is with the edge of the slate when the cloth folds down as a finished pocket. the edge needs to be filed or given a better radious without making the edge bigger to allow the balls to fall easier. If you use spray glue to correct it you can build a speed bump on the playing are. You can build up the side with some extra cloth this helps but is not perfect.
Craig
The problem is with the edge of the slate when the cloth folds down as a finished pocket. the edge needs to be filed or given a better radious without making the edge bigger to allow the balls to fall easier. If you use spray glue to correct it you can build a speed bump on the playing are. You can build up the side with some extra cloth this helps but is not perfect.
Craig
It's a pretty common problem with Olhausen tables, unfortunately. I've installed for them for about 8 years now and we do run into that more than with other tables. ENough that I ALWAYS add an extra strip of cloth inside the pocket to help it.
If this is a known problem and has been a reoccurring issue for years...why hasn't the manufacturer (Olhausen & the slate company) eliminated the problem?
I'm going to contact our local dealer who sold me the table and see kind of runaround they will offer. I'm sure it will be entertaining.
I'm going to contact our local dealer who sold me the table and see kind of runaround they will offer. I'm sure it will be entertaining.
Rip said:
In my case, I install for a dealer who may or may not keep up communications with the right people at Olhausen to affect change.
In the broader picture, it's possibly that since most of their tables are furniture style, most of their customers are more recreational and haven't realized that it is the fault of the slate. I know before we realized it was a consitent problem the main places we heard complaints about the issue were in a couple commercial settings or households with kids. We assumed it was from people being rough on the table and FIRING balls in the pockets, causing them to bounce off the back of the pocket harder into the face of the slate.
I was lucky enough to meet some very cool people from Olhausen at the BCA show and talked to them at length about some issues we have with their tables. Another example is the way they started cutting the corners off the slate in the corner pockets. It makes it VERY easy to cover the pockets and makes it nice if you ever have to access the pocket bolts for any reason. However, it makes it much harder to carry the slate by the pocket. Also mentioned the pocket cutting the cloth in the face and talked about the slate screws in the middle of the playing surface and some other things. They seemed very receptive, but you know how that goes. Who knows if they will actually change anything because of it.
In your case, definitely call your dealer. Olhausen is one of the better companies out there for follow-up with their customers. If the dealer doesn't satisfy you (they should), call Olhausen directly. They don't like to leave people who spend good money on their tables unhappy.
Thanks for all the replies/info. I just sold the table, but the new owner will use the same guys that set it up originally. I'll let him know about what was discussed here.
And FYI...that pic that was posted is pretty similiar to the cuts I have, but my cuts very small. And some pockets have more than 1 cut.
And FYI...that pic that was posted is pretty similiar to the cuts I have, but my cuts very small. And some pockets have more than 1 cut.
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My new table got some cuts on the pocket edges after about a month of moderate use. The retailer had the cloth replaced 'under warrenty' at no charge. Two month later, same problem and the retailer replaced again at no charge. Then two more months and more cuts. This time I contacted the manufacturer because I didn't think this was the retailer's problem. Manufacturer advised installer to smooth the pocket edges this time. He did, and four month have gone by with no sign of a cut (knock on wood).
It was annoying, but overall I think it was pretty good of the retailer and manufacturer to make this right, especially considering that this is a modestly priced Chinese table (Legacy brand) from one of those swim pool/spa type stores. I'd guess any profit was eaten up by three cloth replacements and I hope all the installers now know what to do.
Table plays very well, BTW.
Steve
It was annoying, but overall I think it was pretty good of the retailer and manufacturer to make this right, especially considering that this is a modestly priced Chinese table (Legacy brand) from one of those swim pool/spa type stores. I'd guess any profit was eaten up by three cloth replacements and I hope all the installers now know what to do.
Table plays very well, BTW.
Steve