GC 1V problems

T

tim913

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
GC IV problems

Had my GC IV put together yesterday. Pocket castings do not fit flush, points of castings sticking up on corner pockets. There is a gap all the way around between the rails and top of apron. Had another mechanic come out today. Aprons will not pull up tight into rails, he suggested shaviving off some of the top of the apron blocks, because he said bolts are tight, and apron blocks are flush to bottom of rail, but there is still quite a gap. Castings are pulled all the way down against wood, but still stick up. He suggested shaving the wood under castings to pull the castings down to fit flush. Is there a better way? It seems to me that if you buy a GC this should not be an issue.

Help would be appreciated
Thanks
 
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tim913 said:
Had my GC IV put together yesterday. Pocket castings do not fit flush, points of castings sticking up on corner pockets. There is a gap all the way around between the rails and top of apron. Had another mechanic come out today. Aprons will not pull up tight into rails, he suggested shaviving off some of the top of the apron blocks, because he said bolts are tight, and apron blocks are flush to bottom of rail, but there is still quite a gap. Castings are pulled all the way down against wood, but still stick up. He suggested shaving the wood under castings to pull the castings down to fit flush. Is there a better way? It seems to me that if you buy a GC this should not be an issue.

Help would be appreciated
Thanks
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Somethings wrong, because that don't happen with Brunswick GC's of any model, unless the parts are missmatched, and I don't mean from other tables, I'm talking about from different models. Post some pictures of what you're talking about so I can take a look at the problem. Where, and from whom did you buy the table? Was it set up at the time you bought it? Cutting down the mounting blocks on the side skirts is a sure sign that something is NOT right with the setup, same with the pocket castings.

Glen
 
The table came from one of Steve Mizerak's senior tournaments in Mississippi. A local billiard room, I'm in IL, would buy tables from Brunswick after the tournaments were over, and then re-sell them. I told them if they bought any with gullies, let me know, and about 5 years ago they did, and threw in a new simonis cloth. It's been in boxes for 5 years waiting for us to buy or build a new house. The end rail does not have the 'roll' counters on it either, but I didn't know if this was because it was in a tournament, the local pool hall swapped out parts for their own tables, or it wasn't standard on the GC IV. The table plays real nice, and the apron blocks line up correctly, and they have the curves on the bottom.

Thanks
tim913
 
tim913 said:
The table came from one of Steve Mizerak's senior tournaments in Mississippi. A local billiard room, I'm in IL, would buy tables from Brunswick after the tournaments were over, and then re-sell them. I told them if they bought any with gullies, let me know, and about 5 years ago they did, and threw in a new simonis cloth. It's been in boxes for 5 years waiting for us to buy or build a new house. The end rail does not have the 'roll' counters on it either, but I didn't know if this was because it was in a tournament, the local pool hall swapped out parts for their own tables, or it wasn't standard on the GC IV. The table plays real nice, and the apron blocks line up correctly, and they have the curves on the bottom.

Thanks
tim913
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Hi Tim,
I wish I had an answer to your problem. I just had this same problem with 3 GC IV @ an adult community. The castings are sitting flush on the rail but the points are high and they are sharp. I checked several castings that had this problem and the castings were all sitting tight on the rail.
The guys at the center complained a couple of people had been cut by the points. I took a file and knocked down the sharpest parts. I also put nails close to the top of the gulley boots to bring the rubber tighter to the point making it harder to catch a finger on. I am sure Glen will have a good solution. Best of luck to you.
 
I haven't yet worked on a GC4 but if the corners go together anything like the older models, loosen the corner castings enough to slide a penny in the backside. Tighten it down and you can "shim" that casting to sit a little lower in the front.

:)

I've seen some that needed a 2-3 cent shim! I do agree with RKC that they shouldn't be like this, but I've seen a few that ended up that way, unfortunately.
 
Club Billiards said:
I haven't yet worked on a GC4 but if the corners go together anything like the older models, loosen the corner castings enough to slide a penny in the backside. Tighten it down and you can "shim" that casting to sit a little lower in the front.

:)

I've seen some that needed a 2-3 cent shim! I do agree with RKC that they shouldn't be like this, but I've seen a few that ended up that way, unfortunately.
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I know its more expensive but my favorite is a penny and a dime in there.
 
On the GC4's, the pocket castings are held to the rail ends with 2 bolts on each ear of the casting. Them bolts are held in place to the ends of the rails with dog bone nuts. Take a look at the dog bone nuts and you'll see the threads for the bolts are not centered on the dog bone, which means they have to insert into the hole a certain way. The way they have to insert into the hole to receive the bolts is with the slotted head facing outward from the rail. Some of them don't have a slot, so make sure the offset threads are facing close to the bottom side of the rails or what will happen is it'll cause the casting to sit high on the top of the rail.

Glen
 
I had this problem aswell.If you set the casting on the rail you can't lower it because it sits flush with the wood.Causing the casting to sit to high.So I contacted Brunswick,Brunswick's tells me I need to remove wood at the end of the rail to get the casting to sit lower using a chisel .I asked why don't you just make the adjustment at the factory so that its not a problem.The reply installers job to take care of it on the job site,its part of being a mechanic.So we set up a router and removed a 16th to an 8th of wood off the ends of every rail.Problem solved.....I also spoke with a guy that does the training for Brunsick installers or tech school.He stated that he had the same problem setting up a turni in China.
 
NoBull9 said:
I had this problem aswell.If you set the casting on the rail you can't lower it because it sits flush with the wood.Causing the casting to sit to high.So I contacted Brunswick,Brunswick's tells me I need to remove wood at the end of the rail to get the casting to sit lower using a chisel .I asked why don't you just make the adjustment at the factory so that its not a problem.The reply installers job to take care of it on the job site,its part of being a mechanic.So we set up a router and removed a 16th to an 8th of wood off the ends of every rail.Problem solved.....I also spoke with a guy that does the training for Brunsick installers or tech school.He stated that he had the same problem setting up a turni in China.
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It appears to me that QC at Brunswick has fallen off some from what it used to be. Run into several problems the last couple of years. Once received a mis-matched set of rails for a new GC IV. Had to order a replacement rail before table could be assembled.

Another thing, I recently had a client who ordered a new GCIV and had to pay extra to "upgrade" to the best slate the company has to offer. Maybe this was just the local retailer trying to squeeze an extra buck out of the customer, but it just didn't seem right. Gold Crowns have long been the "Standard" of the industry (until Diamonds came along) and are still considered one of the best tables made. Given the reputation of the table and the price it commands, IMO there shouldn't be room for any upgrades. The table should come with the best of everything the company has to offer.
 
M HOUSE said:
It appears to me that QC at Brunswick has fallen off some from what it used to be. Run into several problems the last couple of years. Once received a mis-matched set of rails for a new GC IV. Had to order a replacement rail before table could be assembled.

Another thing, I recently had a client who ordered a new GCIV and had to pay extra to "upgrade" to the best slate the company has to offer. Maybe this was just the local retailer trying to squeeze an extra buck out of the customer, but it just didn't seem right. Gold Crowns have long been the "Standard" of the industry (until Diamonds came along) and are still considered one of the best tables made. Given the reputation of the table and the price it commands, IMO there shouldn't be room for any upgrades. The table should come with the best of everything the company has to offer.
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Aren't the tables being made in Brazil now? And I think some of the lower line models are being made in either China or Taiwan, I can't remember. Definitely explains why the QC is falling off. My opinion, not the same table they were 20-25 years ago, but then who is, really?

Diamond is really the only company innovating and doing new things. I think Brunswick is just riding on the name and the rep they built themselves years ago. Without that they don't have much.
 
realkingcobra said:
On the GC4's, the pocket castings are held to the rail ends with 2 bolts on each ear of the casting. Them bolts are held in place to the ends of the rails with dog bone nuts. Take a look at the dog bone nuts and you'll see the threads for the bolts are not centered on the dog bone, which means they have to insert into the hole a certain way. The way they have to insert into the hole to receive the bolts is with the slotted head facing outward from the rail. Some of them don't have a slot, so make sure the offset threads are facing close to the bottom side of the rails or what will happen is it'll cause the casting to sit high on the top of the rail.

Glen
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I'll look at nut that the bolts go through, but the casting are down onto the wood, there is no gap. I'll try shimming with a penny, but I can't see how the front end could go any lower since its down on the wood now.

Thanks and I'll try anything I can
 
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If shimming or the nut that the casting bolt goes through doesn't solve the problem, what is the best tool to use to remove the excess wood under the castings. Also, has anyone had problems with the aprons/skirts not pulling up tight to the rails??

Thanks for all your responses, and I've heard a lot of praise for the Diamond. Is it really a better table, and why? Remember, I'm looking at this from a playability standpoint, and not just aesthetics.

Tim
 
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brunswick doesn't make tables, they are a wholesaler only. they mix make 2 tables in the U.S. i think. anyways, all they do is slap a nameplate on it. I sell and set up brunswicks and olhausen. i am a olhausen man all the way now...lol. go online to brunswick.com , not the billiard site. the pool table part ofbrunswick is only like 3 or 4%, they hold on to it cause it started the company. they own the top 10 selling boats. i believe 1 is bayliner. it's interesting to see all they have their hand in.
 
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tim913 said:
I'll look at nut that the bolts go through, but the casting are down onto the wood, there is no gap. I'll try shimming with a penny, but I can't see how the front end could go any lower since its down on the wood now.

Thanks and I'll try anything I can
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The penny trick wont work on this style of casting. The fours are different
then the earlier tables. You have already figured out it will not go any lower because it is already sitting on the lip. I think you already have your solution from nobull9. chisel or router. good luck!
 
wakuljr said:
brunswick doesn't make tables, they are a wholesaler only. they mix make 2 tables in the U.S. i think. anyways, all they do is slap a nameplate on it. I sell and set up brunswicks and olhausen. i am a olhausen man all the way now...lol. go online to brunswick.com , not the billiard site. the pool table part ofbrunswick is only like 3 or 4%, they hold on to it cause it started the company. they own the top 10 selling boats. i believe 1 is bayliner. it's interesting to see all they have their hand in.
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Do you like it more due to play or construction? i find a lot of dealers like it
due to its ease of construction. we are not huge fans of brunswick but i
would never compare a champion pro to a gold crown!
Olhausen makes a very nice home table. You are right about brunswick, very diversified. but nothing more then offices and warehouse.A real shame with all their history
 
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Its that what they told you at the Olhausen training wakuljr.If so don't beleive everything you here.
 
Here In Sacramento we had the same problem on all 10 tables just take a file to the points to get rid of the edge and point. Brunswick raised the castings so they can cut a relief for the flush fitting rubber pockets. No one ever looked at the finished product for were it meets the rail and that stupid point that scares your cue and scracthes if not cuts your hand everytime you shoot over it. this is why so many people hate the GC4 and love the cheaper GC3.

They changed the casting design in the GC5 but still to expensive.

Sell it and buy a Diamond No sharp edges to hurt you or your cue..


Craig
 
n10spool if it happens again which i'm sure it will.Set up a router and remove 1/8 wood off the end off each rail and the problems solved.No sharp points and you can flush the casting and rails up perfect.
 
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