I recently purchased a Centennial with the original gully, but it's not in the best condition. I have seen where people have crafted their own system for other styles of tables. I'm wondering if anyone ever did one for a Centennial.
Has anyone ever made thier own ball return system for a Brunswick Centennial?
- Thread starter 60inchcueguy
- Start date
No.
But since i've thought about it and no one else has chimed in:
Here is a side view of the factory system for Anniversay, Centennial, and other high end BBC tables from their 1946 catalog:
It looks like it is not really much different from the earlier T-rail table systems:
These early ones were just round cardboard/pasteboard tubes. (Looks like Centennials were cardboard, too; but with more shaped sections & fittings?)
My wife's 1927 Royal was converted to drop pockets, but a couple of the straight cardboard tubes complete with number stencils on them were still inside the cabinet. Unfortunately most were missing, though.
I've considered, "how hard could it be to replicate with either heavy cardboard packing tubes, (or my preference), plastic plumbing pipe/fittings?"
Especially if you have access to a heat box or similar, and can shape the plastic pipes (bend them or stretch the openings and cut-outs to shape at the pockets without kinks) as necessary/convenient. Using stock plumbing fittings where they make more sense.
If you use cardboard tubes, dust off your 3rd grade papier-mache skills and form up the bends & transitions with some cheese cloth reinforcement.... .
Can't find the catalog page at the moment, but IIRC they also had a system where the cardboard tubes simply dumped into a square wooden trough down the center, instead of complete individual runs.
Please report, if you try anything.
smt
But since i've thought about it and no one else has chimed in:
Here is a side view of the factory system for Anniversay, Centennial, and other high end BBC tables from their 1946 catalog:
It looks like it is not really much different from the earlier T-rail table systems:
These early ones were just round cardboard/pasteboard tubes. (Looks like Centennials were cardboard, too; but with more shaped sections & fittings?)
My wife's 1927 Royal was converted to drop pockets, but a couple of the straight cardboard tubes complete with number stencils on them were still inside the cabinet. Unfortunately most were missing, though.
I've considered, "how hard could it be to replicate with either heavy cardboard packing tubes, (or my preference), plastic plumbing pipe/fittings?"
Especially if you have access to a heat box or similar, and can shape the plastic pipes (bend them or stretch the openings and cut-outs to shape at the pockets without kinks) as necessary/convenient. Using stock plumbing fittings where they make more sense.
If you use cardboard tubes, dust off your 3rd grade papier-mache skills and form up the bends & transitions with some cheese cloth reinforcement.... .
Can't find the catalog page at the moment, but IIRC they also had a system where the cardboard tubes simply dumped into a square wooden trough down the center, instead of complete individual runs.
Please report, if you try anything.
smt
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I have the original cardboard shutes. They could be used as a crude template.
I heard that a guy once made a complete ball return system out of PVC for a 9’ Victor Cleveland table. I was hoping someone had done that for a Centennial or Anniversary and could share their knowledge with us.
I heard that a guy once made a complete ball return system out of PVC for a 9’ Victor Cleveland table. I was hoping someone had done that for a Centennial or Anniversary and could share their knowledge with us.