How did you learn?

Adam Tetzlaff

Adam Tetzlaff

Registered
I have a question for all of the table mechanics out there...How did you learn what you know and what got you started?

I am asking because I am interested in learning and there is no one available in my immediate area that is willing to teach me. First there are very few people that I would even consider qualified and they don't want to teach anyone else. I currently own a small retail business selling billiards supplies and equipment and would like to expand and start selling and servicing tables as well. I clearly cannot do this, without a better knowledge of the table mechanics.

If there is anyone within a couple hundred miles of the Rochester, NY area I may be willing to travel to accompany someone on a few jobs as an apprentice of sorts.

Thank you in advance for your time!
 
While I am not a pro mechanic, I do work on tables for friends and family. I started to learn years ago when I helped a friend of my ex sister in law who was a mechanic for about 20 years at the time move and install her new olhausen table. I guess I did a good enough job helping him with minor stuff that he asked if I wanted to be an assistant which not knowing exactly what I was getting into at the time said yes.

I did all of the grunt work and just payed attention to everything he did. Because I was still pretty young he did not see me as competition so he did not mind answering the technical questions when I had them.

I did that for about a year before I joined the military. After leaving the military I became a motorcycle/power sports mechanic When I got my first table I decided to do the work myself and not call the work completed till I felt proud of the work I did and knew that the table played well. After that I started doing table work as a hobby for friends and family. I looked on ebay for a few sets of used rails so I could practice on and not damage mine or my friends tables, I also make roughly a quarter scale copy of a slate bed and used scrap pieces of felt to practice with. Most importantly I found a set of the simonis DVD's on ebay before they were available through seyberts and watched them probably 30 times, Heck I still watch them to keep it fresh in my memory.

What I learned though from all of this is that most of your seasoned mechanics don't want to teach the newer generation as that is teaching and breeding their competition which could lead to them loosing money and clients.

So now a day's everything I know is pretty much self taught, when I have questions I ask here where I am more likely to get the answer, I still practice and one of the things I have found most helpful in practicing is looking on craigslist for tables you can pick up cheaply and practice on so you learn the different skills involved with out risking damaging a table you care about or one that belongs to someone else. It gives experience with different types of table, different manufacturers and different processes needed to do a good job on various table and not just be another hack. I also try to take pictures of the work I do when I am working on a table for myself or friends and them send those pictures to the guy I assisted as a teen and ask him to critique my work, make suggestions on ways I can improve and continue to learn. I plan on doing that same thing here on this forum with the next table I do.

Never be afraid to ask a question and always be willing to take criticism as it will absolutely help build and improve the skills you need to do a good job.
 
Adam,

I am from south of Syracuse. I would be happy to work with you, if we can coordinate it.

In the meantime, scour this forum. Use the search function, and go back several years. Spend hours and hours in research time. I started looking at this forum, back in 2008. I've read every single post since the first day I began lurking. You can never learn too much.

On Facebook, add guys like Glen Hancock, Mark Gregory, Jack Zimmerman, John Palmer, Josh Ebert, and Donny Wessels (and many others).

Have an open mind, and be humble. Understand that there are multiple ways to do something, and you have to do what works for you. The best way to improve is through practice.

Most importantly, buy the Simonis DVDs.

If you have questions, ask.

Good luck.
 
cnyncrvr said:
While I am not a pro mechanic, I do work on tables for friends and family. I started to learn years ago when I helped a friend of my ex sister in law who was a mechanic for about 20 years at the time move and install her new olhausen table. I guess I did a good enough job helping him with minor stuff that he asked if I wanted to be an assistant which not knowing exactly what I was getting into at the time said yes.

I did all of the grunt work and just payed attention to everything he did. Because I was still pretty young he did not see me as competition so he did not mind answering the technical questions when I had them.

I did that for about a year before I joined the military. After leaving the military I became a motorcycle/power sports mechanic When I got my first table I decided to do the work myself and not call the work completed till I felt proud of the work I did and knew that the table played well. After that I started doing table work as a hobby for friends and family. I looked on ebay for a few sets of used rails so I could practice on and not damage mine or my friends tables, I also make roughly a quarter scale copy of a slate bed and used scrap pieces of felt to practice with. Most importantly I found a set of the simonis DVD's on ebay before they were available through seyberts and watched them probably 30 times, Heck I still watch them to keep it fresh in my memory.

What I learned though from all of this is that most of your seasoned mechanics don't want to teach the newer generation as that is teaching and breeding their competition which could lead to them loosing money and clients.

So now a day's everything I know is pretty much self taught, when I have questions I ask here where I am more likely to get the answer, I still practice and one of the things I have found most helpful in practicing is looking on craigslist for tables you can pick up cheaply and practice on so you learn the different skills involved with out risking damaging a table you care about or one that belongs to someone else. It gives experience with different types of table, different manufacturers and different processes needed to do a good job on various table and not just be another hack. I also try to take pictures of the work I do when I am working on a table for myself or friends and them send those pictures to the guy I assisted as a teen and ask him to critique my work, make suggestions on ways I can improve and continue to learn. I plan on doing that same thing here on this forum with the next table I do.

Never be afraid to ask a question and always be willing to take criticism as it will absolutely help build and improve the skills you need to do a good job.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for you thoughtful response. The route I have taken so far is similar to your suggestions. I do have the Simonis DVD's and have watched them thoroughly. However, I do not have any real time logged working on a table yet. That is the next steps I will be taking. Right now I am just trying to read as many of these post and watch whatever videos are out there to grow my knowledge of tables and techniques.
 
bradsh98 said:
Adam,

I am from south of Syracuse. I would be happy to work with you, if we can coordinate it.

In the meantime, scour this forum. Use the search function, and go back several years. Spend hours and hours in research time. I started looking at this forum, back in 2008. I've read every single post since the first day I began lurking. You can never learn too much.

On Facebook, add guys like Glen Hancock, Mark Gregory, Jack Zimmerman, John Palmer, Josh Ebert, and Donny Wessels (and many others).

Have an open mind, and be humble. Understand that there are multiple ways to do something, and you have to do what works for you. The best way to improve is through practice.

Most importantly, buy the Simonis DVDs.

If you have questions, ask.

Good luck.
Click to expand...
Hi Geoff, I actually was thinking of reaching out to you so I am happy to see your reply. I wasn't sure if you made it this far east, and didn't want it to come across as me trying to infringe on your business market.

I was actually at a tournament all day yesterday and played and talked to Matt Fitzwater for some time. Your name came up and he spoke highly of you.

I already try to check into the forums and read as many of the threads as possible. If there is anything you have coming up on your calendar that I could assist with I would absolutely love to coordinate.

Thank you again for your reply!
 
Most of the videos that you'll find on youtube are from people hacking their own table...not much real good tricks of the trade to learn from them.
 
If you guys want to learn about working on pool tables, what you need to learn is principal ideas, that means basics. Search my screen name for threads I've started, that's a good beginning place, along with picking up the Simonis installation DVDS Jay and I made explaining the principles of installing any type of cloth on a pool table.

Glen
 
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