You need to check the rail height to work out if the rails and cushion rubbers have been set up properly.
The correct rail height for the 2 1/4" balls is 36mm from the playing surface to the nose of the cushion with the rails bolted and torqued down.
Hope it helps.
Either way it's a great looking table and I'm quite jealous. lol.
I know this thread is dead, but I think I forgot to say thank you for the warm welcome you all gave me. I’m at a road block with my Gold Crown 1 at this time.
Apparently my K-66 cushions where precisely installed at 38 millimeters high, all the way across every rail (i.e. from “apex” where the bumper contacts the ball to playing surface). Although this is not 36 millimeters as you said is the correct hight, I believe the work was done by a “professional”. In fact, the person I bought the table from just said the man who did the work was doing this for decades. I assume all cushions require some compromise or balance between reducing the ball “hop” and having an acceptable amount of “stall” during rebound, but my knowledge is zero. I understand modern K-55 cushions on an unmodified bevel reduces the playing field, and a K-66 can be installed at the wrong levels. I just wonder if a K-66 cushion installed with experience at the “optimal” level is still a significant reduction in performance compared to an original Monarch High Speed cushion? Is it the geometry that is limiting or is it simply less “beefy”. Different brands of cushion can make a big difference from what I read. As many have said, I just want my Gold Crown to play like an original Gold Crown. Unfortunately, I am a perfectionist.
I have not been able to locate the discussion on the pros and cons of altering the bevel. No matter what key words I try in the search engine I can’t find it. I just seam to go down a rabbit hole every time.
I have located and I am about to buy a set of rails for a Gold Crown 3 locally for $250. My intention is to ship, modify, and install those rails rather then permanently modify my original Gold Crown 1 rails. I just don’t know if the mounting holes will line up on my slate. I assume corner castings are a problem. This too is information I can not find no matter how hard I try.
I asked an old table-guy why on earth would they stop making the Monarch High Speed cushion (K-55 with correct bevel) when there are thousands of Gold Crown tables out there, and why no company filled the void for cushions with the correct bevel? He look at me like I was crazy and replied, “ they did, it’s the K-66.”
At this point, the only consolation to this delay is that I’ve decided to carefully sand the legs and stretcher back to bare wood, and restore them closer to stock white, but using a translucent white nitrocellulose lacquer.
Thank you again for your help.
There is no antiroll edge on this table. It is "Brunstone" flat.
Starrett micrometer reads precisely 38 millimeters across each rail.
Exactly two inches to apex, although it doesn't look like it in this picture
Margin of space on the bevel surface just under the cushion - two millimeters. I can feel this margin through the cloth on every rail. Rails have not been modified, and these cushions replaced the originals according to the owner. They are Master Speed K-66 cushions.
I don't know if the feet have an anodized finish or not, but I must address these marks. I found a pipe fitting that reduces the thread shaft so that I can chuck the foot in a drill press and lightly sand this with maybe 600 grit. I don't know what anodizing involves.
You can buy a brand new engine for a 1963 Jaguar XKE, but you can’t buy a stinking piece of rubber for a Gold Crown - The “Gold Standard” that embodied the rebirth of billiards world wide.
Thanks!
Interesting back story on your table.
The skirts yellow over time. If they are perfect and just yellowed there is a process toy restorers use with hydrogen peroxide and UV light that removes the discoloration from plastic. Mine had some cracks here and there so I decided to use a high bond primer and paint (spray) them with the same paint I used on the pedestals after I did some repair work. Any pics of the cues? Are they Titlists?
At any rate, I'd hire a qualified mechanic adept at rail work to do the work on your table and strongly suggest using this site to not only ask your questions but to also find a mechanic in your area. I would not trust an installer to touch the rails let alone setup the table.
Best of luck. I look forward to your progress along the way.
Update: As far as I can tell there is no one in my area here in Payson, Arizona accept a semiretired table-guy that doesn't know what I'm "going on" about. I assume I'll need to build a crate and mail my rails to someone who is willing to help. I'm estimating at least $200 shipping. As far as labor, cushions and cloth not clear - that is if I can find someone I can trust. I may need to stick my neck out and let one of the old guys here do the setup. The old guy that moved my table, and almost dropped the slate, said he's maintained, and setup countless Gold Crowns, and he'd give me a deal on the cloth. He flies his own plane regularly to one of his businesses in California, and seams to know what he's talking about when it comes to leveling. Although, I don't know anything about leveling and may never know, because I can not open KingCobra's installation instructions. I don't trust anyone in the valley of Phoenix, Arizona - the nearest big city. Thank you again.
As long as you remember to slide the slates apart instead of lifting them they should not be a problem unless there are other issues with them.
Do you have a better picture of your table? I believe your table has the closest finish that I've seen to my table, and I'm about to refinish the base a semi white color. Additionally, I'm thinking that your cloth is a blue green color?, which I think looks great.
