I'll go first, my credentials as a self-proclaimed "Master Billiards Technician"
- Thread starter realkingcobra
- Start date
Call me then, 702-927-5689, or PM mecuesmith said:
Ok, I started working for Phillips lifestyles in 1997 as a salesman. They used to bring tables over to the show room and not be able to get to putting them up. At the time, we had some pretty bad installers. Easily what u guys would call hacks. I started buy putting the tables in the showroom. I am naturally mechanically gifted so it wasn't something that I found impossible to figure out. The hardest part for me was the rails. The first set I tried without anybody ever showing me how to do it was a nightmare. I wanted to throw the rails across the showroom many times...lol We started having problems with our installers getting call backs on just about every table so the owner asked me to go out with them and see if I could help. With just a few questions about techniques and such I soon became much better than they were and was asked to become the lead tech. Now I was thrown into it full time without a lot of experience. I was sent for some training in 2000. At that point from my trial and error and research on proper techniques I was pretty good.
I know now that my first bunch of tables were a joke. They played good but could have been much better knowing what I know now.
So now I am able to work on all 3pc slate tables. Old, new it doesn't matter. Recloth, rerubber, all that stuff. My weak points are Bar table rails and Sub rail extension. I just don't get enough call for them in this area. That is why I am looking forward to these dvd's so I can learn more techniques and further enhance my abilities.
I see to many techs out their that lack the common sense and desire to do what ever it takes to make every job perfect. That is one area that I am anal about. If I work on a table, I''m not leaving until I think everything is done right. Now I do my thing on my own and work again selling tables more than installing. I still love installing but people seem to want to go with the guy with the right price, not the right training these days....
sorry so long
Rob
I know now that my first bunch of tables were a joke. They played good but could have been much better knowing what I know now.
So now I am able to work on all 3pc slate tables. Old, new it doesn't matter. Recloth, rerubber, all that stuff. My weak points are Bar table rails and Sub rail extension. I just don't get enough call for them in this area. That is why I am looking forward to these dvd's so I can learn more techniques and further enhance my abilities.
I see to many techs out their that lack the common sense and desire to do what ever it takes to make every job perfect. That is one area that I am anal about. If I work on a table, I''m not leaving until I think everything is done right. Now I do my thing on my own and work again selling tables more than installing. I still love installing but people seem to want to go with the guy with the right price, not the right training these days....
sorry so long
Rob
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Come on guys, there has to be more than 3 technicians willing to post about how they got started in this business, and what they've learned to do over the years. I'm not trying to compare myself to anyone, I'm no better than anyone else on here as I'm sure that if anyone of you had the same amount of exposures to pool tables that I have, I'm sure you'd be no different that I am, so...who am I but just another billiards technician, that fortunately just happened to have a much bigger block to work on than most of you.
I feel that in order to know which direction we should go in, it's very important to know where we came from...don't you?
Glen
I feel that in order to know which direction we should go in, it's very important to know where we came from...don't you?
Glen
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I'm not for sure if I could be classified as an 'master' Billiards Technician, but I have a boat load of common sense. 
I would classify myself as a Master Carpenter though, with a pretty nice sized shop to tinker. I'm currently rebuilding a Gandy 10x5 snooker table and have found boat loads of advice from Glen 'RKC' with his easy to understand instructions. Right off the bat he went into what NOT to do, which is exactly the way, in my opionion, a person should be taught to repair/service billiard equipment.
It is very evidently clear how much experience you gain by experimenting with new ways, if you have avenues to do such. I would say most anyone with carpentry and/or fabrication skills could handle any billiard table repair with the proper research and someone to answer questions.
AZbilliards should be the 1st stop for anyone attempting to do thier own repairs to a pool table.
Thanks again Glen, and everyone else at AZ.
Zach
I would classify myself as a Master Carpenter though, with a pretty nice sized shop to tinker. I'm currently rebuilding a Gandy 10x5 snooker table and have found boat loads of advice from Glen 'RKC' with his easy to understand instructions. Right off the bat he went into what NOT to do, which is exactly the way, in my opionion, a person should be taught to repair/service billiard equipment. It is very evidently clear how much experience you gain by experimenting with new ways, if you have avenues to do such. I would say most anyone with carpentry and/or fabrication skills could handle any billiard table repair with the proper research and someone to answer questions.
AZbilliards should be the 1st stop for anyone attempting to do thier own repairs to a pool table.
Thanks again Glen, and everyone else at AZ.
Zach
LMAO...that's me for sure. How about helping me schedule this trip. Leave Washington State, deliver a 7ft Smart Table up 16 stairs in a customers house in Oregon City, OR then drive to Vegas, pick up a 9ft Diamond ProAm, deliver it to Tucson, AZ...but, on the way stop and exchange pockets on a 9ft Diamond Pro around Phoenix, after that, go back to Vegas, recover 2 7ft ProAms with Simonis 860 green, deliver them 200 miles away in California, return to Vegas, pick up 5 7ft smart tables and 1 7ft ProAm, deliver the 7ft ProAm to Albuquerque, NM...after that, pick up a 9ft Diamond Professional and take it with you cuz now you're off to Oklahoma, OK to deliver all of them there including setting up the Professional. Still with me?...now go to Kansas city, MO pick up a Brunswick 8ft home table, take it with you to Indiana to the Diamond factory, drop it off there because it has to get to Madison, OH so you'll have to finish that on your next trip, now load up 1 9ft ProAm heading to Bellingham, WA load 1 9ft Smart table and 1 8ft ProAm, heading to Great Falls, MT, don't forget the 7ft 3 piece slate that has to go to New Mexico, oh yeah, load up the 8ft Smart Table that is going to Ocean Park, Wa and don't forget to make room for the 8ft home table that will probably be added to the Great Falls, MT delivery that Brian just told me about today...okay, I think I'm ready to head back to Vegas. On the way back I have a table to recover at a customers house in Kansas City, MO...are you tired yet?..okay, well when you get back to Vegas you have to load up a 9 Diamond Professional going to California and a 8ft home table going to Everett, WA...and while you're in Vegas....don't forget to recover and replace the rails on tables 7 & 8 the GC3's.........now that you've gotten all that....when will I be back home to deliver the 8ft to Everett, WA???????????2l82bgr8 said:
Glen
PS. Did I forget to mention setting the slates and recovering them and finishing setting up cuebacca's table while I'm passing through CA?
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One more thing...you have to do it all with a 2000 Ranger 4x4 pulling an 18foot trailer!!!!!!!
Glen...LOL
I've said it before, I'll say it again..."The hardest jobs in the world, are made easy by all those who don't have to do them!"
Glen...LOL
I've said it before, I'll say it again..."The hardest jobs in the world, are made easy by all those who don't have to do them!"
I've spent a little time building cabinets to, besides pool tables.n0risc said:I'm not for sure if I could be classified as an 'master' Billiards Technician, but I have a boat load of common sense.
It is very evidently clear how much experience you gain by experimenting with new ways, if you have avenues to do such. I would say most anyone with carpentry and/or fabrication skills could handle any billiard table repair with the proper research and someone to answer questions.
AZbilliards should be the 1st stop for anyone attempting to do thier own repairs to a pool table.
Thanks again Glen, and everyone else at AZ.
Zach
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yeah, yeah, yeah...be there shortly...LOL...I'm gonna get a 60 foooooter next...LMAO...then you can drive that one too...LOL2l82bgr8 said:
Glen