Different ways of installing bed cloths.

realkingcobra

realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
I was talking with Shane Johnson today, he's a billiards tech in the Sacramento, CA area, and in our conversations today, he was surprised to hear that I have different technique's for installing the bed cloths on the slates, depending on how thick the slate is, or how deep cut the pockets are. I'm going to see him on my way down to California to move Kim Davenport's Diamond 9ft ProAm table to another location, then off to Vegas I go. My question is, do any of the technician's here on AZ use different technique's to install the bed cloth, or are you just installing it one way on all kinds of tables?

Glen
 
realkingcobra said:
I was talking with Shane Johnson today, he's a billiards tech in the Sacramento, CA area, and in our conversations today, he was surprised to hear that I have different technique's for installing the bed cloths on the slates, depending on how thick the slate is, or how deep cut the pockets are. I'm going to see him on my way down to California to move Kim Davenport's Diamond 9ft ProAm table to another location, then off to Vegas I go. My question is, do any of the technician's here on AZ use different technique's to install the bed cloth, or are you just installing it one way on all kinds of tables?

Glen
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Howdy Glen,

I install all of the worsted family of cloths differently than I do for example Titan which I use for the typical home recover. I have my own method for worsted cloth but it's very similar to the chart Simonis suggests.

Doubt he will remember me but, please tell Kim hello when you see him. Had numerous conversations with him back in the 80's while I was with Cue Doctor, Inc.

Robin in NC
 
TheTablePro said:
Howdy Glen,

I install all of the worsted family of cloths differently than I do for example Titan which I use for the typical home recover. I have my own method for worsted cloth but it's very similar to the chart Simonis suggests.

Doubt he will remember me but, please tell Kim hello when you see him. Had numerous conversations with him back in the 80's while I was with Cue Doctor, Inc.

Robin in NC
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But, do you have different ways of installing the worsted cloths, depending on what kind of slate you're installing it on?

Glen
 
cloth

For me, it all depends on how thick the slate is and what the bed is made of.
To answer the question. Yes i install the cloth different. It all depends on what kind of table it is on. I just got done doing and old snooker table that was converted and i was able to stretch the cloth down and glue to the bed and slate in all the corners and sides with out making any cuts. On other tables i have to make cuts. I guess it all depends on what type of system the manufacture has set up for the table.I try to make it look and the play best for the application.
Thanx, Ron
 
realkingcobra said:
But, do you have different ways of installing the worsted cloths, depending on what kind of slate you're installing it on?

Glen
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Glen - The only thing I change is the pocket cuts depending upon the slate thickness. If I can see the cuts, I will add a strip using thin cardboard for a straight edge, tacking the cloth and folding it over and under for a cleaner look. I don't change my method of stretching the cloth though. A recent example was a Beringer Ambrosia I installed and it not only had a slate pad on the frame, but also had slate backing so it gave the appearance it was 2.5" thick.

Robin
 
I have One technique for stapled bedcloth, one for glued bedcloth with woolen cloth and another for worsted cloths. I pay attention to how the pockets are cut to determine how I will pull the cloth. I also think that pulling the cloth evenly is more important then getting it as tight as possible. Since I specialize in home tables it important that the pocket area looks good and my staples are at the bottom of the slate liner.
 
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realkingcobra said:
I was talking with Shane Johnson today, he's a billiards tech in the Sacramento, CA area, and in our conversations today, he was surprised to hear that I have different technique's for installing the bed cloths on the slates, depending on how thick the slate is, or how deep cut the pockets are. I'm going to see him on my way down to California to move Kim Davenport's Diamond 9ft ProAm table to another location, then off to Vegas I go. My question is, do any of the technician's here on AZ use different technique's to install the bed cloth, or are you just installing it one way on all kinds of tables?

Glen
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Glen,

PM me if you have time to do my table right! I'm desperate...I've had 2 people come out and try to correct it....no luck. I now have simonis installed upside down, slate bolts popping up above the surface of the slate, and balls jump when crossing the slate intersections!!

-Phillip
 
Here's something you might want to try out in the future. Normally, I install cloth end to end then back to the side pocket, starting on one side first, then switch to the other side, do the same thing, then close off my ends. With thick slates and deep cut pockets, after I lay out my cloth, I place a mark on both sides of the side pockets, 7/8" of an inch out from both corners of the side pockets, this is to give me the right amount of slack to finish my side pockets with, without having to fight them. Then, I start with attaching the cloth on both sides of the first side pocket, then stretch the cloth from the side pocket in the direction of both corner pockets. Once I finish the first side, then I go over to the other side, stretch across the table 2 1/4" inches "Simonis 860 & 9ft slate" and attach the cloth first on both sides of the side pocket again, then once again, stretch from the side pocket to both corner pockets again. Once both sides are done, I then go and finish stretching my ends, then finish off all the pockets last.

In the pictures posted, this is a Diamond 9ft Professional 3 piece slate, 1 1/4" thick plus 3/4" backer board for a total of 2" thick. The first 2 pictures are of the side pocket, the next 2 are of the corner pocket. Notice, no staples holding the cloth to the backer boards as I installed this cloth using my gluing method, but there are staples in the pockets, you just don't see them.

Glen
 

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I have 4 or 5 different ways for short cloth or used that I have to make fit to the table. For Worsted cloth I generally do it one way similar to yours but with less glue and more staples about 80% of the time with the same finishing touch inside the pockets to cover up the staples and protect the balls from any nicks, It also looks like a quality job when the owner looks at thier table.

Craig
 
Any word on the DVD sreies yet Glenn. I cant wait to buy em, Ever think of doing a clinic on table recovery and such maybe at something BCA trade show or Valley Forge I would be there in a minute for that.
 
Strokerz said:
Any word on the DVD sreies yet Glenn. I cant wait to buy em, Ever think of doing a clinic on table recovery and such maybe at something BCA trade show or Valley Forge I would be there in a minute for that.
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Just as soon as I can finish my deliveries here on the west coast, I'm heading back to Diamond then up to Simonis to get started. As far as doing clinics at trade shows, that's in the plans as well.

Glen
 
realkingcobra said:
Just as soon as I can finish my deliveries here on the west coast, I'm heading back to Diamond then up to Simonis to get started. As far as doing clinics at trade shows, that's in the plans as well.

Glen
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Sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Well I'm off to see Glen on how he installs a Gabrial 3 cushion table and his way of glueing\stapling his cloth.

Glen said he would polish my balls for $10.00 opps, I mean sell me a ball polisher from Diamond. Soo I will tell you how I like it later on.

Craig
 
n10spool said:
Well I'm off to see Glen on how he installs a Gabrial 3 cushion table and his way of glueing\stapling his cloth.

Glen said he would polish my balls for $10.00 opps, I mean sell me a ball polisher from Diamond. Soo I will tell you how I like it later on.

Craig
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Now that you've seen how I install the cloth on a 3 piece slate using my gluing method, is there any doubt that I can install it tighter than someone can using a staple gun....LOL?

Glen

Do you think a DVD instructing my method would be worth the money?
 
cloth

Glen, I agree with your glue method. I have streched cloth so tight, that when i went to shoot a staple in it, the staple just ripped out of the cloth. So i could say that the glue would hold and not rip the staple out.
Thanx, Ron lccsbilliards.com
 
The one thing Craig commented on the most, which I fail to mention, is what when my gluing method is used, there are no stretch shadows on the playing surface of the cloth, which are always there with the use of staples. He was also witness to how I use a jack and strap to lower the high point of a section of slate at the seam to line it up flush with the other side so they can be super glued together flat and stay that way.

Glen
 
What Glen is saying when we stretch cloth as tight as we can and staple it by shooting staples side by side like a stitch sometimes the cloth looks like it has runs or a defect in the cloth. Glen doesn't get that maybe 5% of the bed will have it. When you stretch cloth it kinda changes light to dark in color from uneven pulling\stretch power you wont get that either with Glens system.

I could go on and on but it will just make you want the dvd more.

So to all the people that dont want the dvd I thank you.

For the people that do buy the dvd and learn from it please dont live close to me I dont like competition but I do love recovering tables that real installer worked on previously save so much time when it's done right.


If you want to move up in class from an assembler to a technician invest in the dvd.

The ball polisher from Glen far superior then my last 3 I owned by reputable manufactures.


My hats off to Glen for letting me spend time with him last week on a table install.:D
 
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