New here, quick question

[moosestang]

How critical is the seam between the pieces of slate? Should you be able to roll a ball over it slowly, no cloth, and not hear an audible sound change? I'm recovering my table with Champ tour edition and I have a feeling the seem might show up with this cloth. The old cloth was thick and nappy, so it hid a lot of stuff.

The pieces of slate look level, but there is a definite noise change when the ball rolls over the seem at a very slow speed. It doesn't change direction of anything crazy.

Another stupid question. Why use particle board to back the slate? Won't this get warn out quickly after a half dozen cloth changes?

Some pics.
The old cloth, like shooting through mud.

6 hours to do 6 rails! so not worth the trouble! It had 3/8 inch light duty staples and they would break trying to remove them.

 

[3kushn]

I'm not a mechanic but if you're worried about the seam maybe try this. Lay the cloth across the seam, take a ball and lightly rub it across that area. If something is wrong you should feel the bump. IMO rolling the ball across the seam will naturally sound different since it is different in that area. Not bare slate. If you roll the ball fast over the naked slate and there's no hop I'd say you're good to go.

I'd also say you're right the particle board will wear out quicker than solid wood but if you take care of your cloth and balls (keep both clean) the cloth will last a really long time. So will the balls. Particle board is not only cheap, its much easier to mfg flat and straight and with consistent thickness. No secondary milling operation required. It's also more flexible so it will give under the weight of the slate, to lay flat on your frame. Rather have real wood milled flat, than what you have although. Next time is this bothers you then change it out or start over now.

BTW some of the best tables made in Europe us a strip of high density particle board on the edge of the slate for stapling. Yes it chips out.

 

[Poolhalljunkie]

recover

for best results, for the DIY, use the search function to find what you are looking for.

Also if you are doing a recover and are not planning ensuring the table is level you are asking for problems later. The best finish for the slates after the seams have been superglued to prevent them from popping is bondo. if your table had problems with ball rolling off before the new cloth, a faster cloth will only make things worse.

Not re-leveling the slates is like not changing the oil filter on your car ever, you are just asking for problems.

with your backer board being particle board I suggest looking into the glue down method.

Also i highly suggest you invest in the Simonis DVD's for cloth install.

 

[moosestang]

The table was just recently setup and leveled by a professional, but they did do it very quickly. I went ahead and laid the cloth and there is no noticeable seam. I did pretty good for a first timer, I think, but I do have a staple showing on one or two of the side rails at the pocket. Thought the pockets covered more of the rail.

Using glue seems like it would be a pain. I've used 3m 77 before for upholstery. The stuff doesn't dry super fast and I wouldn't think it could hold the stretch, but I guess it does. I'll save the glue for when the staples won't hold anymore.

 

[moosestang]

I supposed using hardwood to back the slate would make it really easy to crack the slate if you over tighten a rail bolt.

 

[Poolhalljunkie]

[/Quote]Using glue seems like it would be a pain. I've used 3m 77 before for upholstery. The stuff doesn't dry super fast and I wouldn't think it could hold the stretch, but I guess it does. I'll save the glue for when the staples won't hold anymore.[/QUOTE]

Spray 77 is good for bar tables and rail cloth. 3m10 is pretty much the standard for bed cloth on all tables. That is how Diamond attaches their cloth. Pretty sure that it can hold, more than any staple job and dosen't damage the table.