Did some rail work on the antique

[timm]

This is actually my buddies table, although it is set up at my house. We pulled it out of his dad's basement (in pieces) a few years back. My buddy bought new pockets/irons, and I replaced the cushions and re-clothed it. It didn't come out too bad for my first time doing any kind of work on a pool table.

The table as it was first set up:

As you can kind of see in the picture above, the corner pocket angles on the rails were cut at 135 degrees (45 degree cut) so that the sides of the corner pockets were parallel to each other. This, along with the 4 7/8" pocket openings, left the sharp corners of the pocket irons hanging out into the pockets. It is really hard to tell by looking at the rails if this was the way they were originally cut or if someone had modified them sometime over the last 100 years.

Finally the cushions started to come loose due to the sh^%ty glue that the guy who sold us the cushions sent. Since I was now armed and dangerous with good info found here at AZB, I decided it was time to tighten the old girl up a little and fix a few other problems at the same time.

The rails were a little beat up:

I added a little extra material to the ends of the rails. I also noticed that the head rail was cracked all the way across at the feather strip slot - apparantly someone really wanted an oversize feather strip to go down flush.

more.....

 

[timm]

I set up a router jig to re-cut the rails with the correct pocket angles. I used 141 degrees on the corners and 104 degrees on the sides with a 13 degree down angle.

Rails after re-cutting.

Finished rails with new cushions (Artemis Intercontinental 66), 3/16 neoprene facings and new feather strips.

I drew these templates up on AutoCad and printed them out to check the pockets. I had to mock up the rails and pockets and check them for size several times as there is no real reference that can be used on the rails to determine the correct rail length to get the pocket size you want.

more....

 

[timm]

Finished product

Finished

I think it is OK for my second time working on a table. Special thanks to all of the mechanics who post here at AZB for the many tips and tricks I used. Also to Dartman for the new 860 and to Diamond Billiards for the cushions and facings.

The story is that this table came out of a bar in Grand Rapids, MI. My buddies mother is from that area, and it was her table (she passed away many years ago). Apparantly, she traded her sister a bowling ball for the pool table.

 

[mechanic/player]

Looks good, Do you know the maker/model it is?

 

[Dartman]

Nice work.
How does the table play?

 

[timm]

Looks good, Do you know the maker/model it is?

I am not sure. I originally thought it was a Brunswick (BBC) but the tag was long gone, and there is no marking on the table anywhere to prove it. I have also never seen any Brunswick factory literature to show a table exactly like this. It does look like it was probably made as a model to go in a bar or pool room - no frills. It is a 46 X 92 oversize 8 foot.

 

[timm]

Nice work.
How does the table play?

Thanks. It plays really good now. Before, any shot that made it between the points of the corner pocket would drop no matter what - now an off-center shot will jaw out like it should. I also really like the cushions. The feeling that I get is that they bank really consistently. It gives you a lot more confidence with bank shots. Also, the cloth is now stretched properly and that makes more difference than anything. Overall the table plays great......


I only wish I could say the same about myself

 

[Donny Wessels]

Thanks. It plays really good now. Before, any shot that made it between the points of the corner pocket would drop no matter what - now an off-center shot will jaw out like it should. I also really like the cushions. The feeling that I get is that they bank really consistently. It gives you a lot more confidence with bank shots. Also, the cloth is now stretched properly and that makes more difference than anything. Overall the table plays great......


I only wish I could say the same about myself

good job. the pockets look pretty big, even after the extensions, they must have been huge before.

 

[timm]

good job. the pockets look pretty big, even after the extensions, they must have been huge before.

They were close to 5 / 5 1/2 before. Now they are 4 5/8 / 5 1/8. I didn't want to go to tight on this table since it belongs to my friend and he wasn't too wild about changing it too much. Plus this table is in my living room / kitchen, and a lot of different non-pool players play on it. I will save the tight pockets for the 9 footer that is going in my "pool room" when it is built.

 

[Bigkahuna]

Nice work, looks like you did that old girl some good. Looks like you opened the mouth of the pocket when you changed the angles. I looked at the before photo and the pockets seemed to be cut the other way, (more open to the back). Good Job!