Can't use tack strips on that one
See now Glen you bring up a great point here, thank you. I won't play games and ask you what it is, I will just explain. This table is well over 100 years old. It has been covered an est 12-14 times and has at least that many more times before you would even have to think about using glue as a solution to putting the cloth on because the slate liners were destroyed. Granted they are popular framed but my point is this: unless a table is in a commercial setting its very hard for the backer boards to be destroyed unless someone has a mission to pepper them with more staples than needed. There are guys who use more than what I think is required in the pockets but we won't talk about them and thats the first place the liners fail.
Scruffy can verify my estimate here that I would say well over 90 percent of tables that are 100 years old are still VERY usable in respect to the slate backer boards. If fact if some dope doesn't detach the boards from the back of the slate when moving them I would think the number would be well over 95%.
An average home table is the same way, maybe it might get recovered once every 10 years( I doubt it) so even it it has MDF it is probably good for 70 years min. By that time they would have banned the use of glue in homes and every where else and gone with tac strips completely. In fact, in your 26 years have you ever shown one of your customers a MSDS sheet for your glue? In fact using a product like that in the home could be a legitimate cause for a lawsuit if you don't disclose the MSDS sheet as part of your safety training. In fact training people to use glue and not informing them is also an issue.. Remember Asbestos? If you start handing out an MSDS sheet before you start your project you will start to have problems. I know it won't matter to the pool players and since you do mostly Diamond tables and GC's I know those guys don't mind either. BUT? you are not going to homes with the average mom(perhaps pregnant) or with small child, or with extended family.etc. Now if your going to tell me that you don't care if the woman is pregnant or that your not concerned if Grandma might passout from the smell etc I just wouldn't know what to think of you.
In conclusion: Glue has a place for guys who want to use it. Since its mostly on Diamonds, GC's and bar boxes its ok. But my tac strips can go on Diamond pros, and GC's which are the majority of commercial tables. You don't have to spend money on glue every time you do the table over, tac strips one time and your done, takes 5 minutes. Ask Donny if he uses glue it on all his installs????? for various reasons I will bet he doesn't and I won't get into them.
AND I don't care if anyone else ever uses tac strips, I am happy to say I am the only guy in the country who does! or can apparently.
45 guys went to the seminar, I would like to see pics of their glue jobs. BY now they should have been doing them all over the place. Where are all the pics???? If the method is so good, and works on any table there should be a thread for them. I will start one.
tac strip rails, tac strip backer boards that are attached to bare slate like on a snooker table etc. This solves the mfg problem of adding costs and labor with backet boards. YES I can forsee them or something just like them eliminating staples, glue and tacs.
PS:
If I wanted to use tac strips on antique tables I could, its easy and anyone can figure that out. What would be easier? to replace all the backer boards or make a relief on the inside of a rail. Thank you for another project on my todo list Glen. In fact working on that table I created 3 new mech tools.
Either I have the largest collection of specialized mech tools in the world or no one wants to share anything in this forum. IMO, any true mech finds ways to do things better like Glen has with glue etc. So far there are guys in this forum who say what they feel. They are mostly my very good friends and in no special order: Magnetardo, LCCS, Dartman, RKC, Scruffy and perhaps a few more.
If I was running a mfg plant again and had the top mechs in my conference room it would go like this:
10 guys in the room, 5-6 speak and contribute. The rest--Fired!
I applaud Glen in particular for his efforts, he shares becasue he knows what works. I share what works and doesn't. I am not afraid of criticism.
All I have to say to you guys is thanks for speaking your mind. Remember, we don't have to get along(although its nice sometimes), its ok to argue, if you get mad when you argue that usually means your loosing. But my real point is I respect you guys for saying what you feel. Perhaps not for what your saying but you get my point (I hope).
sorry for any typos
and while I am at it: those are the same guys(my good friends) who I have offended. I am sorry for that and to you.
Sincerely, OTLB
ps; I must be doing something right my points are climbing and are at almost 600,000