Jerry Forsyth
Well-known member
Several weeks ago I decided to get my 1954 Brunswick Anniversary fixed up a bit. The cloth was old and stained, the rails were 25 years old and becoming inconsistent and it just wasn't as much fun to play on as it had been years ago. So I ordered some Simonis 860 Tournament blue, some featherstrips and some Superspeed cushions and then needed to find a good local mechanic to do the work.
I had spoken to Ernesto Dominquez and to Real King Cobra over the years and had wanted to use one of them but their geographic location made the project extend beyond the boundaries of my wallet. Still, I wanted someone with references that I trusted so I called up Johnny Archer. He has a table at home and a whole bunch of them at the Marrietta Billiard Club so I hoped I could get a good steer from him.
He told me he was very happy with the work he had received from Mark Gregory of Atlanta. I knew Mark from twenty years ago when he was a player and I knew he had become a mechanic many years earlier but I was not aware he was living so close by. I got his number, gave him a buzz and he was standing by my table two days later.
"You want to keep these pockets or should we just hang some fruit baskets off the edge? They're about the same size." Mark grinned at me. The pockets were huge. I don't know if the table came with 5 1/2 " pockets but I that is what they measured out so I knew I wanted them smaller. But not tight like a pro would want them. Most of the folks who play on this table are not even good amateurs, so tight pockets would only make for a lousy experience for them. And my eyes are not sharpening, so I did not want any triple-shimmed ball tossers.
"How about 4 3/4" I said. Can you give me that? I think it is a good compromise. Mark nodded. "I will need to re-work the rails, so they need to come back to my shop, but I can give you whatever you want."
Soon the table was stripped and the rails were wrapped up in furniture blankets and on their way to the shop. He and Niki (his dog and assistant) were back out with the rails rebuilt and covered in the new Simonis. Mark re-leveled the slates to the frame and put the new bedcloth on. When he put the rails on I checked out the pockets. Not only were they the exact size I wanted but they were also cut perfectly. And there were no shadows or stretch lines anywhere on the cloth. Once the table was together we began to bang some balls around. Wow, What a difference. The rails reacted just as I remembered the rails on a new Brunswick reacting. The balls came off of the rails in a whisper. No hops, no drag, just pure rebound.
I had been leery of the price for all this labor. The rails had to be lengthened to accommodate the smaller pockets and they had to be re-worked to make the Superspeed rubber have the same nose height as the Monarch rubber that came on the table originally. But after playing a few racks, I knew that I would be happy with the decision to use a pro for a long time. Plus, I enjoyed the experience of dealing with someone in whose work I could have a lot of confidence. And it is more than just the work. It is the attitude with which that work is approached and managed. I wanted a Brunswick table that plays like a Brunswick. So when I told Mark I wanted to use Superspeed rubber he did not argue with me, he just did what he needed to do to placate my wishes.
I am back playing a lot more now. And having a lot of fun with the new table. So what I want to convey here is that when you need work done on your table I advise you to use the services of a pro. Their game has improved a lot over the years. They no longer just stretch cloth and fire away with a staple gun. These guys can do very advanced carpentry work to make your table play just how you want it to play. Find a pro in your area, pay him a fair price, and enjoy the results. If you are in the Southeast anywhere near Atlanta I can recommend Mark Gregory and he is reached at: Markgregory711@gmail.com
I had spoken to Ernesto Dominquez and to Real King Cobra over the years and had wanted to use one of them but their geographic location made the project extend beyond the boundaries of my wallet. Still, I wanted someone with references that I trusted so I called up Johnny Archer. He has a table at home and a whole bunch of them at the Marrietta Billiard Club so I hoped I could get a good steer from him.
He told me he was very happy with the work he had received from Mark Gregory of Atlanta. I knew Mark from twenty years ago when he was a player and I knew he had become a mechanic many years earlier but I was not aware he was living so close by. I got his number, gave him a buzz and he was standing by my table two days later.
"You want to keep these pockets or should we just hang some fruit baskets off the edge? They're about the same size." Mark grinned at me. The pockets were huge. I don't know if the table came with 5 1/2 " pockets but I that is what they measured out so I knew I wanted them smaller. But not tight like a pro would want them. Most of the folks who play on this table are not even good amateurs, so tight pockets would only make for a lousy experience for them. And my eyes are not sharpening, so I did not want any triple-shimmed ball tossers.
"How about 4 3/4" I said. Can you give me that? I think it is a good compromise. Mark nodded. "I will need to re-work the rails, so they need to come back to my shop, but I can give you whatever you want."
Soon the table was stripped and the rails were wrapped up in furniture blankets and on their way to the shop. He and Niki (his dog and assistant) were back out with the rails rebuilt and covered in the new Simonis. Mark re-leveled the slates to the frame and put the new bedcloth on. When he put the rails on I checked out the pockets. Not only were they the exact size I wanted but they were also cut perfectly. And there were no shadows or stretch lines anywhere on the cloth. Once the table was together we began to bang some balls around. Wow, What a difference. The rails reacted just as I remembered the rails on a new Brunswick reacting. The balls came off of the rails in a whisper. No hops, no drag, just pure rebound.
I had been leery of the price for all this labor. The rails had to be lengthened to accommodate the smaller pockets and they had to be re-worked to make the Superspeed rubber have the same nose height as the Monarch rubber that came on the table originally. But after playing a few racks, I knew that I would be happy with the decision to use a pro for a long time. Plus, I enjoyed the experience of dealing with someone in whose work I could have a lot of confidence. And it is more than just the work. It is the attitude with which that work is approached and managed. I wanted a Brunswick table that plays like a Brunswick. So when I told Mark I wanted to use Superspeed rubber he did not argue with me, he just did what he needed to do to placate my wishes.
I am back playing a lot more now. And having a lot of fun with the new table. So what I want to convey here is that when you need work done on your table I advise you to use the services of a pro. Their game has improved a lot over the years. They no longer just stretch cloth and fire away with a staple gun. These guys can do very advanced carpentry work to make your table play just how you want it to play. Find a pro in your area, pay him a fair price, and enjoy the results. If you are in the Southeast anywhere near Atlanta I can recommend Mark Gregory and he is reached at: Markgregory711@gmail.com
