Moving to Jacksonville, FL - need a table mechanic to install my Diamond and new cloth. Also looking for decent places to play, APA and otherwise.

[GoldCrown]

I'm a bit confused at this point.

Some say absolutely NO to Wes and YES to Tony only, some say the opposite, some say Tony isn't certified, some say he is. I'm not all that concerned about "certified", I'm more focused on talent and results. I just want the best install I can get for an $11K+ table, since I don't know either of these guys, I have no way to judge.

Tony was great through the ordering process and since I am many months out before I'll see the table, I guess we'll see how it goes. RKC recommended Tony's company for this buy so I just went with that.

Stay with your decision. You'll most likely get a good job either way. Going with Tony is the right thing to do if you bought the table from him. Sales w/installation and service is what you are looking for. Buying and having it set up by the same person gives you better recourse. If I recover my Professional (for the 3rd time) I'm using Tony's guys also.
"Certified"equals "O". It's 2 cent word. I said repeatedly I bought from an Authorized Diamond dealer in S. Florida and got as bad as a job as can be. The principle was not involved...the installers had no idea how to put a Diamond together...and the cloth was an absolute disgrace. I regret not buying from Crosby. There are 2 kinds of installers. Professional and hackers. No in-between. Tony is a pro player.. he knows how a table should be set up...the guys that work for him know whats expected. You will be fine. Other wise 99% of installers in Florida prefer to set up for recreational bangers that have no idea what a proper set up is. And their work is substandard.

 

[ShortBusRuss]

I'm a bit confused at this point.

Some say absolutely NO to Wes and YES to Tony only, some say the opposite, some say Tony isn't certified, some say he is. I'm not all that concerned about "certified", I'm more focused on talent and results. I just want the best install I can get for an $11K+ table, since I don't know either of these guys, I have no way to judge.

Tony was great through the ordering process and since I am many months out before I'll see the table, I guess we'll see how it goes. RKC recommended Tony's company for this buy so I just went with that.

Not sure about setup, but I can say that Wes did a good job packing my Diamond Pro/Am Red Label for transport from Florida to Colorado. Diamond rented me a Diamond cart, and Wes loaded it up on the truck for my wife, as I was not there for the move.

 

[ShortBusRuss]

Not sure about setup, but I can say that Wes did a good job packing my Diamond Pro/Am Red Label for transport from Florida to Colorado. Diamond rented me a Diamond cart, and Wes loaded it up on the truck for my wife, as I was not there for the move.

Note on the set up... I personally got RealKingCobra to install mine when I originally bought it from Diamond... Really wish he would have mentioned that it banked extremely short, though, and offered the option to pay to have it converted to Blue Label spec.. I am not sure that was really even a "thing" back then, however. Not sure that the core problem of the Red Labels was identified at that point. Either way, that was my fault for not checking the rebound angles. I am sure RKC would have given me some options to fix it, if I had asked. That may have just been the way that all Diamonds played at that point, unless the rail angle had been worked on.

RKC did come through and convert the table to Blue Label specs years later in Colorado, and the buyer of the table when I sold it before moving to Germany had no issues with it. If RKC is still doing installs, I would not hesitate to go with him, even if it took some months to get him there..

 

[oscargrouch]

another for wes burden

just to leave this here...

 

[Black-Balled]

I regret posting this thread.. for obvious reasons..

Toughen up, kitten!

You don't control or bear responsibility for any of us idiots!

 

[jax_joe]

I'm a bit confused at this point.

Some say absolutely NO to Wes and YES to Tony only, some say the opposite, some say Tony isn't certified, some say he is. I'm not all that concerned about "certified", I'm more focused on talent and results. I just want the best install I can get for an $11K+ table, since I don't know either of these guys, I have no way to judge.

Tony was great through the ordering process and since I am many months out before I'll see the table, I guess we'll see how it goes. RKC recommended Tony's company for this buy so I just went with that.

So how did it go with Tony's crew coming up here to JAX to do the install? Find another mechanic?

 

[GoldCrown]

Toughen up, kitten!

You don't control or bear responsibility for any of us idiots!

Us? We’s?

 

[tg_vegas]

So how did it go with Tony's crew coming up here to JAX to do the install? Find another mechanic?

The install went fine, although they did drop one slate while climbing the 24 stairs to my second floor, damaging one of my hardwood stairs. I didn't make an issue of this because they worked their asses off carrying three pieces of slate for my 9' table up 24 stairs, by hand. Once everything was upstairs, they assembled the table quite quickly; their experience was obvious.

Service AFTER the installation has been a problem, though. I've called no less than six times to get them to come back and work on leveling the slates. The required adjustments will need to be done at the wedges, as the four corner legs can't get the table flat. I am high at the side pockets and slope down to the legs in both directions. When I've contacted the for service, I either get no response at all, or a "I'll have to call you back", which never happens.

I've been looking for someone local who is qualified to do the work. My biggest concern is that moving the slates up/down may open up one of the seams between slate peices, requiring removal of the cloth to re-patch the seams.

If I had to do it again, I'd still order from Tony. He treated me very well during the sale and delivered on time. I probably would not order the "espresso" color again though. It has a somewhat distressed look to it such that the table looked a bit used when it was brand new.

 

[jax_joe]

The install went fine, although they did drop one slate while climbing the 24 stairs to my second floor, damaging one of my hardwood stairs. I didn't make an issue of this because they worked their asses off carrying three pieces of slate for my 9' table up 24 stairs, by hand. Once everything was upstairs, they assembled the table quite quickly; their experience was obvious.

Service AFTER the installation has been a problem, though. I've called no less than six times to get them to come back and work on leveling the slates. The required adjustments will need to be done at the wedges, as the four corner legs can't get the table flat. I am high at the side pockets and slope down to the legs in both directions. When I've contacted the for service, I either get no response at all, or a "I'll have to call you back", which never happens.

I've been looking for someone local who is qualified to do the work. My biggest concern is that moving the slates up/down may open up one of the seams between slate peices, requiring removal of the cloth to re-patch the seams.

If I had to do it again, I'd still order from Tony. He treated me very well during the sale and delivered on time. I probably would not order the "espresso" color again though. It has a somewhat distressed look to it such that the table looked a bit used when it was brand new.

Wow, that don't sound too good.

Probably not much help, but if desperate, maybe there will be crews in town for the International in November that can work on it.