really rough slate

F

femur

New member
gday all.finally got a table its pretty old but seemed to play ok, got keen tonight and stripped it for re clothing.removed the old cloth and found the slate has arc shaped groves maybe half a milimeter deep they look like they where from whatever milling machine was used.
i tried to post a youtube link to a video of it,i am not sure how to get it to work.anyway i sanded a bit that will be under the rail and it smoothed out fairly well using 80 grit the 180 grit.could i sand the whole table with a board file or a block or a lenth of steel wraped in sand paper?.has anyone ever done this before?and any ideas on the best method to get it flat.
cheers James.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z745POwj5Lg
 
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Thanks for the reply Timm,i think i should try to smoth it a bit,because you could slightly hear the balls rolling on the grooves before i took the old cloth off,does anyone else have any experience with sanding a whole table.any advice would be good.
cheers.james
 
Excuse me if this is something you've already considered. I am not a table mechanic and can't advise you on your original question. However, I watched my table being installed, and I seem to remember that the slates' two sides were not finished equally smoothly. One side was very smooth, the other side had visible machining marks similar to what you describe. I just wondered on reading your post if someone installed the slates upside down in the first place. I realize that would be impossible if the slates are framed, but some aren't so I though I'd mention it.
 
brechbt said:
Excuse me if this is something you've already considered. I am not a table mechanic and can't advise you on your original question. However, I watched my table being installed, and I seem to remember that the slates' two sides were not finished equally smoothly. One side was very smooth, the other side had visible machining marks similar to what you describe. I just wondered on reading your post if someone installed the slates upside down in the first place. I realize that would be impossible if the slates are framed, but some aren't so I though I'd mention it.
Click to expand...

The machining (honing) lines are the top side.
 
Couldn't you...

Couldn't you take the slates to a stone working company? I've seen them in my area and they have pretty big flat grinding tables for everything from granite on down. Could easily handle an 8 x 8 foot piece at the minimum. I'm sure it wouldn't be prohibitively expensive because they do volume. Just don't know what their level or precision would be but that's easily attained.
 
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