Wait a minute here.....YOU are working as a pool table mechanic replacing the cushions....and YOU don't know the difference between cushions?
I haven't seen them, and up until now I've only replaced valley ones (and they all took the exact same rails) and one drop pocket table. Mind you I have done 23 sets of them but short of the one set I did on a drop pocket table where the owner had ordered everything to do it himself and just had me come in and assemble them, the only time i had to know which ones went on the table, where on the valleys and I called valley and just asked.
I am sure there isn't much difference between all the different tables out there, but even if there is I can adapt. The concept is still the same. I mean how much different could they really be? Take old off, clean them, glue new on, cut profile, apply end pads, trim pads, refelt.
As far as identifying it. He called and said he needed new k-66 rails but when he described them to me and said they were red. I was told to differentiate one from the other. k-55 = red k-66 is tan u-23 has a greenish tint, and centuries are a really funny shape. Im guessing that is wrong hence me coming here.
I want to be sure I order the correct rails before I, order them, wait for them too ship, get them in, set up the appointment, go to his house thats an hour away and then look like an idiot. I figured if there was a foolproof way where I can just look at them and tell I would just have him cut the felt off and send me a pic, however if not then I will go out and look myself in person but I would rather not make an hour trip just for measurements unless i absolutely have to.
So for the record I have plenty of experience doing them and I know how to do them, I just don't have experience identifying them. So instead of acting like I knew what I was doing I came here for help because I knew someone else far wiser than myself would know the answer and help me.
I would much rather ask a question in here (even though I may look foolish in front of my pears) and learn the correct way to identify them, then use that knowledge in the future, than learn from a huge mistake I made, that made me look like a fool in front of a customer in the field.
I am a huge proponent of the idea that 99% of knowledge out there is learned from someone else. Even if you teach yourself you base it off of research you did before hand. How many people that know how to do rails can honestly say that 100% of what they do are their own ideas based solely on how they think it should be done. From the glue you use to the knife to the way you cut your angle to how you wrap the felt. 99% of the time something you do you learned form someone else.
That is all I am doing. Im learning just like everyone else did. Main difference I have you guys to look to for answers where you may not have had the same opportunity .