Need some advice (table leveling)

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Spikeithard

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So I bought a Brunswick 8 foot Bristol (snooker) table just over a week ago in the classifieds for just 100 Canadian. Pretty decent shape actually. Pretty solid score for a 8 foot 3/4 inch slate table.

I hired a local installer to come over and set it up and install a new Champ. teflon cloth for $375 total, no tax (CDN)

Took him about 4 hours total. He applied bees wax and shaved between the 3 pieces of slate etc. Used his machinist level on the slate before applying cloth. Said everything looked good before adding cloth. Most of the flaws from the old table were cosmetic it seemed (outside skirt board etc)

We rolled a few balls around before he left and all seemed OK.

I then the next day rolled some more and noticed something odd going on....
When shooting medium soft across the table (width ways) starting at the head string line alll is good and the ball pretty much returns to the cue's tip. I work my way down the table past side pockets - all is good still.
I then get to where the last slate piece is and I watch the ball I shot (dead center) start falling towards the foot rail by about 4-5 inch away from my cue tip.
So that leads me to think that the last slate piece is on tilt.

So my question is: He is supposed to come back this tuesday to bring me a light fixture and I also mentioned while here, bring his level to check things out again.

Im not looking for perfection here. Just pretty good. I know its a used older entry level table but still. I should at least not have a 4-6 inch sway width ways across the table!

Should I insist he does all necessary to fix this issue that was not fixed on day 1 having paid for the service of install and leveling? Would this be a partial tear down, level (1 piece) and rebuild issue? Just shim on leg issue? He is a pro installer with apparently over 15 years of experience I believe.

Your thoughts on how I should handle this situation..

Thanks!
Chris
 
you should. i think it is best that the levelling starts before putting the cloth by testing the roll of the ball few times. if you put the cloth then level then it is dependent on the cloth. that's how the installer did on mine. or ask him if he can do a laser levelling.
 
Spikeithard said:
So I bought a Brunswick 8 foot Bristol (snooker) table just over a week ago in the classifieds for just 100 Canadian. Pretty decent shape actually. Pretty solid score for a 8 foot 3/4 inch slate table.

I hired a local installer to come over and set it up and install a new Champ. teflon cloth for $375 total, no tax (CDN)

Took him about 4 hours total. He applied bees wax and shaved between the 3 pieces of slate etc. Used his machinist level on the slate before applying cloth. Said everything looked good before adding cloth. Most of the flaws from the old table were cosmetic it seemed (outside skirt board etc)

We rolled a few balls around before he left and all seemed OK.

I then the next day rolled some more and noticed something odd going on....
When shooting medium soft across the table (width ways) starting at the head string line alll is good and the ball pretty much returns to the cue's tip. I work my way down the table past side pockets - all is good still.
I then get to where the last slate piece is and I watch the ball I shot (dead center) start falling towards the foot rail by about 4-5 inch away from my cue tip.
So that leads me to think that the last slate piece is on tilt.

So my question is: He is supposed to come back this tuesday to bring me a light fixture and I also mentioned while here, bring his level to check things out again.

Im not looking for perfection here. Just pretty good. I know its a used older entry level table but still. I should at least not have a 4-6 inch sway width ways across the table!

Should I insist he does all necessary to fix this issue that was not fixed on day 1 having paid for the service of install and leveling? Would this be a partial tear down, level (1 piece) and rebuild issue? Just shim on leg issue? He is a pro installer with apparently over 15 years of experience I believe.

Your thoughts on how I should handle this situation..

Thanks!
Chris
Click to expand...
If he was a Pro installer....you wouldn't have this problem in the first place.
 
5" on the width roll ? Wow that's real bad. My guess is he shimed the end slate on the short frame. Taking the cloth off is the only way to go then



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Spikeithard said:
He is a pro installer with apparently over 15 years of experience I believe.
Thanks,Chris
Click to expand...


Who said he's a pro. 15 years of doing the best he can and leaving. Whatever he does the second time will be same thing as the first time.
Is the table on a rug? Maybe the piece of slate is not so level.

My GoldCrown was assembled by local (professional) Brunswick authorized factory techs. Their work was as mediocre as it gets. Table was playable but disappointing. 12 years later the cushions had to be replaced. I looked for and found a table tech here on Azb. Worked out very well. Sorry I did not know about him from the beginning. But we learn from experience. Most installers are good for a home table or community room where the players do not know the difference.
 
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Best way to check how a ball rolls is to drop it about 2 inches off the edge lip of a rail onto the table. This eliminates any spin.

If the table was installed on carpet it may have settled. Check with a level on the rails to see if the frame is level. If the frame is level than it could be the slates aren't lined up and level with each other or they could be warped.

Also try different balls instead of the CB, the ball you are using may be off balanced or out of round.

🎱
 
TheBook said:
Best way to check how a ball rolls is to drop it about 2 inches off the edge lip of a rail onto the table. This eliminates any spin.



If the table was installed on carpet it may have settled. Check with a level on the rails to see if the frame is level. If the frame is level than it could be the slates aren't lined up and level with each other or they could be warped.



Also try different balls instead of the CB, the ball you are using may be off balanced or out of round.



Click to expand...



Level on the rails is useless to see if the frame is leveled... check between the slates and frame to see how it was shimed


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Thanks for all the advice so far. It is on hardwood laminate by the way

Well 'All Pro' is in the title of the business lol


Ill take a video perhaps of the roll to show you guys
Check back in a bit to see
 
here is a quick go pro of both sides of table. As you can see the first one is pretty decent but not perfect. If I shot it a little harder it would for sure sit right back on the tip again

but bringing it down near the foot of the table demonstrates some serious leakage to the side. tried a new ball also for this test.

obviously I tried to hit with zero spin each time. :)

hopefully link works

https://youtu.be/yUKVW-wfIF8
 
Spikeithard said:
here is a quick go pro of both sides of table. As you can see the first one is pretty decent but not perfect. If I shot it a little harder it would for sure sit right back on the tip again

but bringing it down near the foot of the table demonstrates some serious leakage to the side. tried a new ball also for this test.

obviously I tried to hit with zero spin each time. :)

hopefully link works

https://youtu.be/yUKVW-wfIF8
Click to expand...

Doesn't look very good at all...looks pretty bad.
 
jimmyg said:
Doesn't look very good at all...looks pretty bad.
Click to expand...

ya. Ill post an update Tuesday night after he leaves and hopefully corrects this issue,

Right now it looks like it is pretty much a wood playing surface. not slate. Its weird because he checked all the slate pieces before felting table and apparently all was good then.
No carpet being used so its not a settling issue
 
There is a company local to me in Pa. has been around for years....the installers are subcontracted. Regardless of how long they have been in business they're only as good as the tech on the job.....and yes they guarantee their work...they will come back again and again....
To new buyers out there do a bit of research before employing a table tech. A lot of good/reputable installers can be found on Azb... try to find them the first time.
 
You have not mentioned a carpet or rug(s).
Any?

And what you need is a competent person to look after your table.
A professional is simply one who is gets paid for a service.
You might have had an incompetent professional.
Dave
 
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If all seemed good before he put the cloth on my guess is that he leveled the slates with shims or wedges. Check the end frame and see if it's still flush to the side one


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Just one more thing.
What did he do to the table before the slate was on it?
Think carefully.
Dave
 
So he came back today and rolled some balls with him.. he also measured.

Put a small shim under somewhere.. didnt see where he put it.

But as of now everything seems pretty fair all around the playing area.

The 4-6 inches is now within acceptable range of a $100 used table. Fairly straight on.

So all in all I am pretty happy tonight.
 
realkingcobra said:
If he was a Pro installer....you wouldn't have this problem in the first place.
Click to expand...

I had started a war with a few on here saying that the pro installers were not worth the money being paid (in a nut shell vs doing it your self) Guys like RKC may be the top of the field or the best of the best but that's not the service we get from most professional installers. I'm afraid the work that the OP experienced is the common place for the quality most of us receive. I personally would not have a problem paying a master installer more money but how the hell do we know what the installers qualifications are? In my experience most people really don't care as long as it looks ok and rolls ok. But then there's "pool players" that want and need perfection!

My question to RKC is there a list of guys you would vouch for around the country?
 
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