Diamond Smart Table/Pro Am Question

Doodlesbilliard

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ok I have a been a table mechanic for years. I totally understand and comprehend the deference in staple down and glue bed felts. So in my room I now have 11 Diamond Smart tables. (Great Tables BTW) I am thinking of replacing 14 more tables with Diamond Pro Ams. So now its time to put on new cloth. I figure lets see how this goes before I commit to this style of table.

When I bought my first Diamonds the company forwarded me photos of my tables in production. Normally I would have just figured the ole 3M Super 77 glue and glued down the 860 like a bar box. However, I noticed a few details in the photos from the factory. First thing was the had paint rollers involved in the process and glue was almost bright yellow. Also the glue was in a bucket. I like the result they got on the initial install. Nice tight and seamless in the pockets.

Anyone out there want to fill in the blanks for me. I know someone like Mark G could probably answer this question in his sleep. Diamond says there might be an instructional video on the horizon. I want to cover my existing tables now so I can see if I want to move forward with purchasing more of them.

Fire away!!!
 

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Doodlesbilliard said:
Ok I have a been a table mechanic for years. I totally understand and comprehend the deference in staple down and glue bed felts. So in my room I now have 11 Diamond Smart tables. (Great Tables BTW) I am thinking of replacing 14 more tables with Diamond Pro Ams. So now its time to put on new cloth. I figure lets see how this goes before I commit to this style of table.

When I bought my first Diamonds the company forwarded me photos of my tables in production. Normally I would have just figured the ole 3M Super 77 glue and glued down the 860 like a bar box. However, I noticed a few details in the photos from the factory. First thing was the had paint rollers involved in the process and glue was almost bright yellow. Also the glue was in a bucket. I like the result they got on the initial install. Nice tight and seamless in the pockets.

Anyone out there want to fill in the blanks for me. I know someone like Mark G could probably answer this question in his sleep. Diamond says there might be an instructional video on the horizon. I want to cover my existing tables now so I can see if I want to move forward with purchasing more of them.

Fire away!!!

RealKingCobra will be able to help you. He is the one who is going to make the video.
 
ChrisShanklin said:
someone please enlighten me about the yellow glue and the air sprayer.
Hey Chris,
They use a roller and Scotch Grip Neutral 10. They only glue the side of the slate. I have never done it. I am going to learn from Glenn when he gets to Jersey. I have 4 Nationals with unbacked slate to do.
 
Let me know how it goes, there is a billion different ways to do tables. I just don't get the purpose really, it kind of feels un needed and a bit showy. Dog and pony show to me.
 
PoolTable911 said:
Hey Chris,
They use a roller and Scotch Grip Neutral 10. They only glue the side of the slate. I have never done it. I am going to learn from Glenn when he gets to Jersey. I have 4 Nationals with unbacked slate to do.


After Glen shows you how to do this, I am almost positive you will never go back to the staple gun. If you have 'unbacked slate', then this will be perfect...


ps. I watched Glen work on my table and this is no pony show;)

B.
 
By gluing the cloth on the side of the slate only your table will last
20+ yrs if you think long term and it actually is faster to do slow at first speed comes second after acuracy.

1. you dont have to replace worn out slate backer boards from 1 million staples.

2. cheap tables use that press board that splits when you hit it with staples and falls apart on the first install good luck on a recover repairs already mounting up.

3. you save 20+ minutes from removing staples by hand and losing them in the carpet or scratching a hardwood floor.

4. it goes on just tight as if you were using a stapler with pliers.

5. you dont get overspray all over the table like you do with a spray can.

6. you now use lets 75 staples in all the pockets 1 stick instead of 8 sticks of staples per table.

7. ever lets say 10 yrs you might have to replace a small piece of wood around the pockets which is a small repair compaired to rerplacing all the backer boards.

8. it makes for a cleaner install everytime

9. the glue Glen uses cant be bought @ a hardware store its industrial strength glue it makes m77 look like hair spray in quality..

10. no glue on the playing surface or under side of the slate like you get doing a coin op table. glue only on the edge...

11. the first time you see him do it you wil laugh as much as I did because it's looks so easy there's got to be a gimmick.

12. the air hose is for the air stapler for the pockets you cant imagine how many houses I go into and my electric stapler trips the breaker over and over. With an extention cord you lose power on long runs.

13. electric stapler shoots the staple in to deep cutting the cloth alot.

14. air stapler with a 1\2" crown like a normal stapler you can hold the trigger down and file the stricking hammer down a little so it leaves the staple flush on to the cloth without cutting the cloth. It also makes for easier removal of the staple.

15. I should stop and hope Glen doesn'tt make any dvd I will have to much local compitition if he does fullfill by making the vidieo's.

16. honestly you will feel like you your doing caveman style before you learned Glens way and you will give the drive to go do more tables from how quick and easy his method is.

I probably rambled on to much. I am trying to hook up with Glen to do a few more table s with him to help mainstream and become more proficient with this method so it becomes second nature from my old ways....

Craig Herman
 
But it is just a method, I personally would prefer not to lug around a bucket of industrial strength glue into customers homes. Yes it is one thing if you are doing shows, pool rooms, etc. But just one accident with that stuff falling on a carpet and it becomes not worth it. If my duo-fast falls over I can pick it up, if that buckets falls over I'm screwed.

Still with my skepticism, I am interested in the glue. I love my guns, as much of a pain as they may be, so the electric gun won't change. But I'm interested in the glue, mildly.
 
Hey you dont need alot of open glue the trick is your only using a roller less then 3" wide Glen buy's 9" and cuts them into 3" really all you need is 2" wide, rember glue only goes on the side of the table and you use the same glue for the rubber rails.

You buy a gallon wil last you almost a year put it in small canning jars like pickles..... now a teflon coated roller pan and it gets easier from there..

I still use my duo-fst from time to time also

Best of luck to you

Craig
 
ChrisShanklin said:
But it is just a method, I personally would prefer not to lug around a bucket of industrial strength glue into customers homes. Yes it is one thing if you are doing shows, pool rooms, etc. But just one accident with that stuff falling on a carpet and it becomes not worth it. If my duo-fast falls over I can pick it up, if that buckets falls over I'm screwed.

Still with my skepticism, I am interested in the glue. I love my guns, as much of a pain as they may be, so the electric gun won't change. But I'm interested in the glue, mildly.


3M-10 comes in quart cans.

.
 
Doodlesbilliard said:
Ok I have a been a table mechanic for years. I totally understand and comprehend the deference in staple down and glue bed felts. So in my room I now have 11 Diamond Smart tables. (Great Tables BTW) I am thinking of replacing 14 more tables with Diamond Pro Ams. So now its time to put on new cloth. I figure lets see how this goes before I commit to this style of table.

When I bought my first Diamonds the company forwarded me photos of my tables in production. Normally I would have just figured the ole 3M Super 77 glue and glued down the 860 like a bar box. However, I noticed a few details in the photos from the factory. First thing was the had paint rollers involved in the process and glue was almost bright yellow. Also the glue was in a bucket. I like the result they got on the initial install. Nice tight and seamless in the pockets.

Anyone out there want to fill in the blanks for me. I know someone like Mark G could probably answer this question in his sleep. Diamond says there might be an instructional video on the horizon. I want to cover my existing tables now so I can see if I want to move forward with purchasing more of them.

Fire away!!!
This is a picture of the factory floor from the top of the stairs leading to Brian's office, and I believe one of the guys working on the table is Mike. Anyway, depending on when you plan on recovering your tables, or getting new tables, after I get done with making the first DVDs at the end of May/June and I finish the deliveries I have scheduled, I have some tables heading to Florida, and some coming out of Florida, I'd be willing to stop in and assist you in recovering the tables you're going to be doing, let me know.

Glen
 
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