how to level a table for regular people

[driven]

This is what I did. Opinions of table mechanics much appreciated...
The table is a 9' Brunswick Medalist.
First: use your carpenters level on the frame. Get it as perfect as you can.
Next: use shims to even up the slate joints. Get them absolutely perfect.
Third: Fun time. roll a ball across the slate. as the ball slows it will tell you exactly what is going on. Try to hit it with speed to just barely make it to the other side of the table. Hit it in all directions.
Shim slate accordingly.
The slate offers very little resistance to the rolling ball. If you can get the ball rolling and coming to a stop without rolling off you will have a level table.
I imagine this is how it might have been done years ago.\

the table is finished now and rolls perfect.


steven.

 

[PoolTable911]

This is what I did. Opinions of table mechanics much appreciated...
The table is a 9' Brunswick Medalist.
First: use your carpenters level on the frame. Get it as perfect as you can.
Next: use shims to even up the slate joints. Get them absolutely perfect.
Third: Fun time. roll a ball across the slate. as the ball slows it will tell you exactly what is going on. Try to hit it with speed to just barely make it to the other side of the table. Hit it in all directions.
Shim slate accordingly.
The slate offers very little resistance to the rolling ball. If you can get the ball rolling and coming to a stop without rolling off you will have a level table.
I imagine this is how it might have been done years ago.\

the table is finished now and rolls perfect.


steven.

Hi Steven,
You can level the table the way you listed, but there is a much easier way. Go to e-bay and buy a Starrett machinist level. Either the 98-8 or the 98-12. These are accurate to a dollar bills thickness. When you are leveling the frame use your 6ft level with the machinist level on top. Then set the center slate. Check the distance to both the foot and the head of the table. Then adjust the slate so they are at an equal distance from end to center slate and try to make the sides as even as possible.. Now place 4 business cards along each side of the slate. These will be used as a wick for glueing. Now bring in both the foot and head slates. Feel free to catch your breath now LOL. That 9ft slate is a bear. Take flat shims about 3/16 to a 1/4 thick and place them on all 4 corners about a 18" from the ends. You will then check the level from side to side of the table on both ends. The shims keep the 6ft level off the slate so any high point will not touch the slate. Remember to use the machinist level on top of the 6ft level. At this point both ends are level side to side. Now you will level the length of the table. For this just pick a side and put the levels on the shims. Whatever shims you use on this side to make the table level you will put the same amount on the other side. In theory the table is level. But now you will need to shim the slates to make sure they are flat and level to each other. There is a really good example on leveling the slate from Glen (Realkingcobra) in the sticky thread on the top of the page. I always screw both ends down. Then I level straight down the center of all three slates. Now I will go to a end slate and level it perfect. Then I do the opposite end. Now I bring the center slate up to the ends and see if the center is level. If it is not level we need to adjust the shims under the legs. Whatever the level reads you need to shim it half of the distance you would need to make the center slate level. Now relevel the slates doing the method you did the first time around. After all the slates are level and flat cut the business cards with scissors so they are 1/8 inch off the slate. Take super glue and drip it on each card. Let it sit for a minute then use a razor blade and trim the cards flush with the slate. From this point you can choose what you want to use to do the seams. Bees wax, Durham's Rock Hard, Bondo, etc... I hope this helped. Please feel free to call with any questions. uttahere:

 

[fsarfino]

This is what I did. Opinions of table mechanics much appreciated...
The table is a 9' Brunswick Medalist.
First: use your carpenters level on the frame. Get it as perfect as you can.
Next: use shims to even up the slate joints. Get them absolutely perfect.
Third: Fun time. roll a ball across the slate. as the ball slows it will tell you exactly what is going on. Try to hit it with speed to just barely make it to the other side of the table. Hit it in all directions.
Shim slate accordingly.
The slate offers very little resistance to the rolling ball. If you can get the ball rolling and coming to a stop without rolling off you will have a level table.
I imagine this is how it might have been done years ago.\

the table is finished now and rolls perfect.


steven.

Thats how I setup my $25.00 table that I got off of craigslist. However the day I get my goldcrown I'm going to have a pro set that up for me.

 

[Dartman]

Thats how I setup my $25.00 table that I got off of craigslist. However the day I get my goldcrown I'm going to have a pro set that up for me.

Call Great Escape on Riverside
They're a Brunswick dealer and should be able to do a proper setup.

 

[driven]

Thats how I setup my $25.00 table that I got off of craigslist. However the day I get my goldcrown I'm going to have a pro set that up for me.

I'll take that as an insult.
did I mention the table plays perfectly?
steven

 

[fsarfino]

I'll take that as an insult.
did I mention the table plays perfectly?
steven

Nah no insult, Just stating that for my cheap table having me install it is good enough and not worth paying a pro to set it up "perfect".

 

[Mr Penguin]

Somebody told me that a Pro is someone with an opinion from out of town.

Dont get excited, just having fun

 

[driven]

Nah no insult, Just stating that for my cheap table having me install it is good enough and not worth paying a pro to set it up "perfect".

Ok. I am not mad anymore. were you able to get it level using this method?
I was also wondering if any table mechanics had ever rolled a ball on the slate as a final check before installing the cloth.

Hope you get that gc someday.
steven

 

[fsarfino]

yeah I was able to get it level using this method. However I'm sure if I put a Machinists level on it it would be out of level slightly. But again its a cheap table and I only use it for practice si for now it works.

 

[Cuephoric]

Ok. I am not mad anymore. were you able to get it level using this method?
I was also wondering if any table mechanics had ever rolled a ball on the slate as a final check before installing the cloth.

Hope you get that gc someday.
steven

Do it on everytable......
But it's also double checking the Starrett levels that go from the frame up while leveling.
It just more or less checks for valleys, or crowns watching the speed, after you're pretty much level. If it's good , start sealing seams. If it's not, fix it.