Need parts for pool table, but live in the UK.

M

MixedHerbs

Registered
Hello,

I am having difficulty obtaining parts for an 8ft pool table I am building. The trouble is, I live in the UK and all the web sites found so far only sell goods within the USA.

I would like to buy:

High quality leather pockets.
Artemis K66 rubber.
Sub-rails.

Can anyone recommend a web-site that ships such items to the UK?

Regards, Peter.
 
Mixedherbs send a pm to one of our posters here on AZ by name of Realkingcobra..this guy is highly reputable and is the best there is when it comes to installing tables..he is always helping fellow members..good luck...:)
 
If this is a home made table, then if you're looking for parts to build the rails out of, why don't you just consider purchasing a complete set of rails and pockets from a manufacture of pool tables.

Glen
 
We can help you with the pockets and cushions. Drop me a PM with your specific requirements.
 
realkingcobra said:
If this is a home made table, then if you're looking for parts to build the rails out of, why don't you just consider purchasing a complete set of rails and pockets from a manufacture of pool tables.

Glen
Click to expand...

Thank-you. I had not considered buying ready-made rails because I wanted the pocket openings to be the narrowest legal size and also wanted the to make the outer-rails from quarter-sawn oak. I also assumed the position of the bolt holes in the slates I own would be incompatible with any rails I was likely to find. If you have any ideas on how I can make this project easier, I would appreciate it.

I tried looking at the web-site for Imperial Billiards and had to give up because my anger-management training kicked in. Someone has spent a lot of money on that web-site, it only succeeds in annoying me.

Regards, Peter.
 
MixedHerbs said:
Hello,

I am having difficulty obtaining parts for an 8ft pool table I am building. The trouble is, I live in the UK and all the web sites found so far only sell goods within the USA.

I would like to buy:

High quality leather pockets.
Artemis K66 rubber.
Sub-rails.

Can anyone recommend a web-site that ships such items to the UK?

Regards, Peter.
Click to expand...
Peter, I have to ask you a few questions...LOL First of all, what experience do you have in woodworking? What have you built already on this table? Do you have some pictures of what you've built already, as I'd like to see what you're doing, and how you're doing it.

Look, I don't mean to sound negative, but building a pool table from scratch isn't like building a dog house.

Have you ever built a pool table before?

What size table are you intending to build...44x88, or 46x92?

Is the slate you're planing on using already pre-drilled for rail bolts, or do you have to drill the slate to match what rails you're planing on putting on the table?

What you're talking about doing, is going to go way beyond most all billiards technicians capabilities, so the knowledge market for your project is going to be very limited, this is why I'm asking all the questions, because I don't want to mislead you, nor waste my time...as I do have experience in building pool tables from ground up...a little more than 500 tables.

Glen
 
I built my own table, and I think it is a great experience. However, I am used to building weight bearing things out of wood that don't fall down.

I did mill my own sub-rails, and it is certainly the most challenging aspect of the project. However, if you know how to handle a table saw, a compund miter saw and a router, and a drill press the project is probably within your grasp. If you are not comfortable and experienced with these tools, it could be a tough learning project.

Making your own is probably not going to save you much money, if any. But I expect I'll be building another one myself when I get a room big enough for a bigger table.

The smartest thing I did when building mine was using a steel frame. 2x2 square cold rolled steel tubing 1/8" thick. Very strong, very true, very easy to level.

If you want to buy subrails, you may be able to get them here:
http://www.bestbilliard.com/catalog/
as well as some advice regarding how to fit them.
 
Building a table is a nice project if you have good woodworking skills. I'd suggest getting your slate first and build your frame and rails around it.
 
I have the set of pool-table slates in my shed. The size will be 44 X 88 (the slate dimensions are 95 inches by 51 inches by 1 inch thick). The rail bolt holes are already drilled. I bought the slates from a kitchen company who had been sent them as a sample by someone in China - with the hope they could make pool-tables as well. I paid $300 including delivery - an opportunity not to be missed.

My woodworking skills are adequate, it is just that I am lazy.

BestBilliards refused to deal with me because I do not live in the USA.

The methods I have seen so far for building pool tables - including the one mentioned on the BestBilliards web site - involve an incredible amount of wasted space underneath the table. A veritable fluff mine. I was only able to convince SWMBO that a pool table in the seldom-used dining room was an incredibly good idea because I could include a vast amount of storage for her fast-breeding quilt fabric collection.

The idea so far is to build 6 very substantial cupboards - 2 per slate. The wood used will be double-thickness ply wood that will end-up 1.5 inches thick. The cupboards will have an outer skin of oak, the rails will be quarter-sawn oak.

Regards, Peter.
 
Well, I finished it, but...

Please see attached photograph.

The legs are made from solid 15 inch by 15 inch pitch pine salvaged from a harbour. Making them all the same length was tricky. One feature that I thought may be of interest was the method of levelling. I used about a dozen of these Leg levellers

I placed them upside down on the top of the pitch pine legs, in contact with the slate. Adjustments were made with an alan key.

The Simonis 860 was glued, but I don't think it's tight enough because I can only get a cue ball to travel 3.25 lengths of the table. I found the fabric difficult to use. I will re-fit using stainless-steel staples, though I will need to glue pieces of wood under the edges of the slate before I do so.

For a first-timer, the pockets are okay, though again, I would like to re-do them.

Regards, Peter.
 

Attachments

  • 8822_1055177678008_1782833888_118425_883774_n.jpg
    8822_1055177678008_1782833888_118425_883774_n.jpg
    63.1 KB · Views: 114
MixedHerbs said:
Please see attached photograph.

The legs are made from solid 15 inch by 15 inch pitch pine salvaged from a harbour. Making them all the same length was tricky. One feature that I thought may be of interest was the method of levelling. I used about a dozen of these Leg levellers

I placed them upside down on the top of the pitch pine legs, in contact with the slate. Adjustments were made with an alan key.

The Simonis 860 was glued, but I don't think it's tight enough because I can only get a cue ball to travel 3.25 lengths of the table. I found the fabric difficult to use. I will re-fit using stainless-steel staples, though I will need to glue pieces of wood under the edges of the slate before I do so.

For a first-timer, the pockets are okay, though again, I would like to re-do them.

Regards, Peter.
Click to expand...

The 3.25 times the length of the table with the cue ball really has nothing to do with how tight the cloth is on the slate, but it does have a lot to do with the cushions and the design of the sub-rails that they are mounted to;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top