Pool table cloth replacement ?

feldz23

feldz23

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I just bought Simonis 860 for my table. The table is not even 2 years old yet. The cloth is in good shape now.

When I decide to put the 860 cloth on should I do it myself ? Has anyone replaced their felt themselves and was it hard to do and how long did it take.

Should I have it done professionally? How much should it cost to have it done?

I had my table set up professionally when I bought it for $200. Do I have to do the rails also if they are in good shape now. ( The felt I have now is not Simonis )

The Simonis website has instructions on how to replace the cloth but I do not want to screw it up, any suggestions ?
 
feldz23 said:
I just bought Simonis 860 for my table. The table is not even 2 years old yet. The cloth is in good shape now.

When I decide to put the 860 cloth on should I do it myself ? Has anyone replaced their felt themselves and was it hard to do and how long did it take.

Should I have it done professionally? How much should it cost to have it done?

I had my table set up professionally when I bought it for $200. Do I have to do the rails also if they are in good shape now. ( The felt I have now is not Simonis )

The Simonis website has instructions on how to replace the cloth but I do not want to screw it up, any suggestions ?
Click to expand...

Call up the pool rooms in town and ask them who the best guy is in town to do a recover. Whatever he quotes you (anywhere from $200 to $400) pay it. Tell him up front that you want the best job and that you'll tip him $50 if the job is up to snuff! IMHO its almost impossible for a layman to set up a table right - you'll never know how good that Simonis can play if you do it yourself.
 
Putting it on yourself isn't hard unless you want a tournament quality job. There's a real good chance that nobody is that qualified.

You should purchase a fabric streacher which is similar to a pair of pliers but with a wide jaw. This will help you get the cloth real tight. Muellers Rec for sure sells them.

The hardest part is the rails and pockets. Simply study how they were cut before. With the rails it helps to have a second person to hold the cloth taught when putting in the feather strip. For the feather strip take a 8" file like the old wood rasps or a strip of steel that don't have the edge cut and use the edge with a hammer to tap in the strip. Cutting and folding the pocket opening is the hardest and again just study how it was done before. Keep one rail intact so you can refer back to it. You may have some trouble getting the wrinkles out but simply keep working at it by pulling staples out and restreaching/stapeling.

As far as having someone else do the work your only saving is the cost of the cloth. It's still probably around $100 - $150. I suppose you can save a little by stripping the table for them and bringing the rails to their shop to recover prior to going to your home.

As far as requiring that the rails be recovered, Apearance wise you'll see the difference, play wise depends on how much they've been used. I'd do the rails. But I like as much slide as I can get. New rails help some.
 
feldz23 said:
I just bought Simonis 860 for my table. The table is not even 2 years old yet. The cloth is in good shape now.

When I decide to put the 860 cloth on should I do it myself ? Has anyone replaced their felt themselves and was it hard to do and how long did it take.

Should I have it done professionally? How much should it cost to have it done?

I had my table set up professionally when I bought it for $200. Do I have to do the rails also if they are in good shape now. ( The felt I have now is not Simonis )

The Simonis website has instructions on how to replace the cloth but I do not want to screw it up, any suggestions ?
Click to expand...


If you are a handy person, you should be able to do it yourself. www.mccauleyweb.com/secrets.htm is a booklet written by a credible guy.
 
When I bought my table about 10 years ago, I hired a professional. Actually it was a friend that did this for a living, at the time. I just watched how he did it. I have recovered my own table twice since then. My table (Gold Crown III) has been broken down for the last 8 years due to lack of space. I recently decided to turn the garage into a living/entertainment room. I purchased new cushions and new cloth all the way around. I was going to install the cushions and rail cloth myself, but decided to leave this up to a professional...and glad I did. It only cost $150. I will re-cloth my table when it comes time. I purchased and electric staple gun years ago and that has helped a lot. I usually used a pair of linesman pliers to pull the cloth, but seen those special pliers in the Muellers catalog awhile back and will probably order them....only $20. IF you have never done this, it might be better left to somebody with expierence.

Matt
 
It is possible to do it yourself but if you've never done rails before or pockets then it is something that can easily be messed up. Also you have to make sure that you stretch that simmonis evenly all the way around or you will have ball roll off issues. If you want to save some money on the install rate. have the rails stripped and the old bed cloth removed for when the installer gets there. This wil save him the time of having to pull all those staples.

If you must do it yourself, then invest in a good book or dvd that covers it thoroughly.

Just like any job, there is a reason that there are professionals. I have had many people laugh at me and tell me they can do it only to have to call me later to come and do it correctly. some have even ruined the felt.

JMO....
 
Felt

There are a couple different ways you can learn to do it if you want to learn to do it yourself.

One way is to watch them do it when they set up your table.

Another is to go to a pool hall when they recover their tables and offer to help so you get some experience at doing it. (One pool hall owner here does all his tables himself once a year.)

Another would be watching a DVD, or reading a book.

The hardest part with Simmonis is to get it streched out enough. The guys that did mine had to come back a week after the install to stretch mine again. They didn't get it tight enough. As far as the rails, when you pull them apart it is easy to see how they felted it, and you can do the same thing.

I am about ready to refelt mine, and I am not scared at all, I am very particular so I know I will do a better job than the installers did.

I mean the first time they put it on they got the simmonis on upside down to begin with. (You want the smooth side of simmonis facing up!!)

So as far as doing it yourself I say go for it. If you own an 8' table order the 9' table so that you don't have to worry too much about messing up!

YOU CAN DO IT!!! :D
 
Tournament Quality Recover

I have no doubt that most of us could do an outstanding job recovering a table. BUT - if you want to simulate pool room or tournament conditions, get the best guy in your area to do it. Why not practice in the same or tougher conditons than you will be in while in competition? It can only help.
 
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