Feather strips coming out.

B

BillBob

New member
I recently purchased an eight foot Connelly table in excellent condition. I had a local billiards shop move and setup the table. While they were at it, I had them re-cover it for me. Here is my question, why are all the feather strips coming out of the rails? I keep pushing them down with my thumb, but within a day or so, they are up about 1/8". I contacted the shop who did the work, and they initially gave me a hassle about something being wrong with my used table. They finally agreed to come out and look at it.
Is there anything that can be wrong with the table which can cause this to happen? Why wouldn't the mechanic mention something about it when he was re-covering the rails? Finally, what can I do to correct this problem?

Thanks,
BillBob
 
Feather striping

I think the feather striping is too small
They make different size striping
 
BillBob said:
I recently purchased an eight foot Connelly table in excellent condition. I had a local billiards shop move and setup the table. While they were at it, I had them re-cover it for me. Here is my question, why are all the feather strips coming out of the rails? I keep pushing them down with my thumb, but within a day or so, they are up about 1/8". I contacted the shop who did the work, and they initially gave me a hassle about something being wrong with my used table. They finally agreed to come out and look at it.
Is there anything that can be wrong with the table which can cause this to happen? Why wouldn't the mechanic mention something about it when he was re-covering the rails? Finally, what can I do to correct this problem?

Thanks,
BillBob
Click to expand...
When they recovered the table, and they took the old cloth off the rails, did you notice if the cloth was pulled out of the featherstrip dato already?

Did they use the featherstrips that were with the table, or did they change them?

Did you have Simonis cloth installed on the table, replacing a thick cloth from before?

Glen
 
realkingcobra said:
When they recovered the table, and they took the old cloth off the rails, did you notice if the cloth was pulled out of the featherstrip dato already?

Did they use the featherstrips that were with the table, or did they change them?

Did you have Simonis cloth installed on the table, replacing a thick cloth from before?

Glen
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I was not present when they did the rails so I don't know if they reused the old featherstrips. The cloth I replaced looked just like the Championship cloth I had installed.

BillBob
 
BillBob said:
I contacted the shop who did the work, and they initially gave me a hassle about something being wrong with my used table. They finally agreed to come out and look at it. Is there anything that can be wrong with the table which can cause this to happen? BillBob
Click to expand...

What was said when they came to look at it?

I'd guess they reused the featherstrips. I doubt anything is wrong with the rails other then whoever recovered them didn't do a proper job. Wood featherstrips are 1/4" X 5/16" and when installed correctly give a snug fit in the channel with the rail cloth and shouldn't pop up as you mentioned. The mechanic shouldn't have continued the job if there was a problem with the featherstrips - rather - he or the shop should have advised you if there was a problem so it could be corrected.
 
BillBob said:
I recently purchased an eight foot Connelly table in excellent condition. I had a local billiards shop move and setup the table. While they were at it, I had them re-cover it for me. Here is my question, why are all the feather strips coming out of the rails? I keep pushing them down with my thumb, but within a day or so, they are up about 1/8". I contacted the shop who did the work, and they initially gave me a hassle about something being wrong with my used table. They finally agreed to come out and look at it.
Is there anything that can be wrong with the table which can cause this to happen? Why wouldn't the mechanic mention something about it when he was re-covering the rails? Finally, what can I do to correct this problem?

Thanks,
BillBob
Click to expand...

My bet is that who ever recovered the rails, didn't tuck the cloth in right before setting the feather-strip. Do you live in the Sacramento, CA. area? Just about every pool room there has the cloth pulling out of the feather-strips because the mechanics only lay the cloth in the feather-strip dato then pound in the feather strip so they don't have to trim the cloth with a razor blade. If you don't have cloth contacting 3 sides, "front, bottom, and back of the featherstrip...it's going to pull out, even if it fit before. Connelly is not a bad table, in fact they're one of the better built tables today. IMO this is not a table problem, this is a mechanic problem.

Glen
 
If they come back out replace the featherstrips they should also bring new rail cloth. Watch to see if they nail down the old featherstrip or build up its diameter with tape both are quick fixes but a pain on the next recover job.
I have seen and dealt with the featherstrips glued in with elmers or superglue.

You paid to have it done right so make them come out and make it right also when thier done sight down the long rails to make sure there not hour glassed but line up straight. Also play a couple of racks with them to see how it plays or rolls off.

The big test is run your fingers down the edge were the ball makes contact to the rail and feel for the fubber going in & out or up and down cloth could be streched to tight and it will bank funny. Should be smooth like a crease of paper then you know its done right.

Best of luck.
Craig
 
n10spool said:
If they come back out replace the featherstrips they should also bring new rail cloth. Watch to see if they nail down the old featherstrip or build up its diameter with tape both are quick fixes but a pain on the next recover job.
I have seen and dealt with the featherstrips glued in with elmers or superglue.

You paid to have it done right so make them come out and make it right also when thier done sight down the long rails to make sure there not hour glassed but line up straight. Also play a couple of racks with them to see how it plays or rolls off.

The big test is run your fingers down the edge were the ball makes contact to the rail and feel for the fubber going in & out or up and down cloth could be streched to tight and it will bank funny. Should be smooth like a crease of paper then you know its done right.

Best of luck.
Craig
Click to expand...
Hey Craig, my theory is more like this...if they didn't know what in the hell they were doing the first time they brought out and set up the table, what would make me believe that they would know any more the second time around? I'd find out it they work for a boss or an owner of the business...then insist that "that" person come out to fix my table, and not the inexperienced personal that they sent in the first place.

Glen
 
realkingcobra said:
Hey Craig, my theory is more like this...if they didn't know what in the hell they were doing the first time they brought out and set up the table, what would make me believe that they would know any more the second time around? I'd find out it they work for a boss or an owner of the business...then insist that "that" person come out to fix my table, and not the inexperienced personal that they sent in the first place.

Glen
Click to expand...
In all likelyhood, the people they sent out are the experienced people for that company. I have seen a lot of billiard companies that won't hire a "master billiard technition or anything close for that matter due to the amount of money a person with those qualifications demand. So they get some dude in the their, train him on the basics and send him out. They see this as saving the company money when in reality, they are costing themselves money on having to go back and fix a lot of jobs or losing future business by bad word of mouth. That is how I ended up back in sales and not installing for this company anymore. They didn't want to pay me what I was worth and brought a new guy in. Sad, but happenning in more places than you would think.
 
I agree with you. The way to fix that little problem...is for the retail stores to start realizing that "Delivery & Setup" costs are added on to the sale of the product, and therefor "all" of the delivery and set up charges should go to the person(s) setting up the equipment, instead of thinking that these additional charges should provide a profit to the company as well. I'll tell you what...if I was delivering a pool table that had a $100 dollar extra charge on the bill for stairs...and I was only going to get half of that charge as pay...I'd still be waiting at the bottom of the stairs waiting on the "Owner of the retail store" to pick up his end of the slate so that he/she could "earn" their half of the money they're taking from the additional charges, otherwise I'd expect "all" the charges for "Delivery & setup" to be getting paid to me! This is exactly why retail stores can't retain knowledgeable technicians!

Glen
 
Real king cobra i do agree with you just didnt want him get hack work again.

When i was learning how to do tables 10 years ago i would through a table together as fast as i could but if the customer asked the right question then i would take me time and do his table as if it were to be used in a tournament and dial it in dead nuts.
After a couple of years i relized to do it the same dead nuts everytime and now i have alot of repeat customers, most of my jobs come word of mouth .

I even learned of few new things from you and had a few ideas that i do that i see you do also.

Thanks for all of your valuable information you have been sharing with everyone..
 
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