Diamond Professional Drilled Out Slate

T

Todesengel

New member
Hey All,

I had an opportunity to purchase a used 9ft Diamond Professional table (3 piece slate) from a very reputable dealer/mechanic. The table is about 15 years old, had the rails upgraded from red to blue label specifications and I was told that it was in excellent condition. I did not have an opportunity to inspect the table prior to purchase, however, I really wasn't concerned given the standing the dealer has in the community and the fact that Diamond recommended him.

When the table was being installed, I noticed two holes drilled in the center slate in the middle of the play area near one of the seams. I asked the mechanic about it and was told that it is pretty normal to see drill outs in slate to remove crowning. The mechanic reassured me it was nothing to worry about. He is coming back next week to install new cloth and level the table.
  1. Do you think the drill outs are acceptable? They are about 3/4" opening at the top and are slightly angled.
  2. When the mechanic levels the table, if he doesn't anchor the slate through drill outs should I be concerned?
  3. Should I consider replacing the slate?
  4. I still owe half the balance due for the table, do the holes devalue the table? Should I ask for a credit?
I am admittedly ignorant regarding pool tables and appreciate your insight,

Tony


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GoldCrown said:
Welcome aboard. Following.
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Thanks! I have been lurking here a few months and gained a lot of knowledge from the forum. I was debating whether to post this in the main forum where I'm sure I'd get more responses but figured here I would get more quality answers.
 
My previous table had drill outs in that area. Has he fully anchored/leveled the slates?
 
I am going to keep that private. He has been nothing but attentive/gracious to answer my questions/phone calls and I don't want him to feel disrespected that I reached out for a second opinion if word got back to him.
 
I think you'll really enjoy the round corners... The square corners seem to catch/snag clothes sometimes. Table looks great. Nice Professional. Thanks for posting... very good thread. Very good outcome.
 
Todesengel said:
No issues, plays great!
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I was the first person to start drilling out the centers of the Diamond slates in an effort to offer a crowned slate pull down leveling system. Normally a barrel nut and all thread rod are dropped through that drilled out hole, down through the plywood crossmembers and timberland framework. Then if needed, a nut and washer could be threaded onto the all-thread rods in order to not really pull the slate crown down, but to stop it from lifting up as the outside parameter of the slates are leveled up to cancel the crowned slates. But in the case of the 2 holes drilled in those slates, they were not drilled by Diamond at the factory, but rather a hack who have no idea what he was doing, and typically you see that done of the slates are crowned. But, I don't your installers used them, because they were able to level the slates correctly. Which more than likely means they filled those holes with bondo, because that's what you do. And they probably ran lag screws through the slate holes in an attempt to pull the slates down, but either stripped out, or broke off thenlag screw requiring them to drill a second hole. Then, when moving the table again, the bondo would require digging it out in order to remove the lag screw and the broken off screw to get the slates off the frame. When using the all-threas rods, all you need to do is unscrew the rod from under the frame, leaving the barrel nut in the slate bondo filled in.

But with the holes filled with bondo, I see no issue with the slates whatsoever.
 
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