Gregory was a strong road player at one time. is he a good table mechanic?
Take this Mark Gregory...you little MONGOOSE!...LOL
- Thread starter realkingcobra
- Start date
If there was a food chain for table mechanic's...lets put it this way...Mark would be at the TOP of that food chain
I live in Colorado and I have had three separate pool mechanics (hackers) work on my home table. It sucks not being able to find someone reliable locally. They all say they do a good job and stand behind their work, but I have yet to meet one locally who is top-notch.
Cobra, you'll love this one. I won a Connelly 9 footer years ago with a pool mechanic already assigned to the delivery and setup. He delivers my table 50 miles on a cold night (10 degrees down to zero). First thing he does is mess up on the directions to my house, even with his Google Maps. While I'm talking to him on the phone to tell him to turn around, he hits an icy spot on the highway and almost takes my new table off the side of the road in an open air trailer. He's literally shouting out, "OMG!", while I'm on the phone and then starts laughing about how my table almost took a digger.
When he gets to my house, 2-3 hours late, he proceeds to move in the table and start setting it up. I was a little naive then and wasn't thinking about the complications of slate that has been out in zero degree temps, not including the wind chill. He tries warming up three pieces of 1" thick slate with a small heat gun and then asks if I have some extra hair dryers. At this point, there should have been big red warning flags and flashing lights about this joker, but I wanted my new table up so badly that it clouded my best judgment. We ended up lighting the fireplace in the room to get things nice and toasty (but still not effective enough to warm up the slate quickly).
I'm alright with being friendly and joking around, but he brings up two of his cronies with him that basically sit around the whole time telling jokes and distracting the guy from his job. I forget how long it took him but it wasn't a short amount of time and the time spent actually working was minimal.
End result is the bees wax popped up from the seams within days, probably from the slate finally resting at room temperature, and the table being out-of-level. He did come back out, but the result was only slightly better and he only guaranteed one re-level within one year's time. In hindsight, I should have told him to leave the table in pieces and come back in a few days. I know the guy is still a pool mechanic and hopefully he has learned over the years. However, I have yet to hear anyone recommend him. Since that time, I have had two other hackers work on the table with less than stellar results.
Side note, I'm really not that impressed with the Connelly brand. I don't think it plays all that great and I had a manufacturing defect on one of the rails (mis-located diamond) and the factory was an absolute bear to deal with, not to mention the local distributor.
Cobra, you'll love this one. I won a Connelly 9 footer years ago with a pool mechanic already assigned to the delivery and setup. He delivers my table 50 miles on a cold night (10 degrees down to zero). First thing he does is mess up on the directions to my house, even with his Google Maps. While I'm talking to him on the phone to tell him to turn around, he hits an icy spot on the highway and almost takes my new table off the side of the road in an open air trailer. He's literally shouting out, "OMG!", while I'm on the phone and then starts laughing about how my table almost took a digger.
When he gets to my house, 2-3 hours late, he proceeds to move in the table and start setting it up. I was a little naive then and wasn't thinking about the complications of slate that has been out in zero degree temps, not including the wind chill. He tries warming up three pieces of 1" thick slate with a small heat gun and then asks if I have some extra hair dryers. At this point, there should have been big red warning flags and flashing lights about this joker, but I wanted my new table up so badly that it clouded my best judgment. We ended up lighting the fireplace in the room to get things nice and toasty (but still not effective enough to warm up the slate quickly).
I'm alright with being friendly and joking around, but he brings up two of his cronies with him that basically sit around the whole time telling jokes and distracting the guy from his job. I forget how long it took him but it wasn't a short amount of time and the time spent actually working was minimal.
End result is the bees wax popped up from the seams within days, probably from the slate finally resting at room temperature, and the table being out-of-level. He did come back out, but the result was only slightly better and he only guaranteed one re-level within one year's time. In hindsight, I should have told him to leave the table in pieces and come back in a few days. I know the guy is still a pool mechanic and hopefully he has learned over the years. However, I have yet to hear anyone recommend him. Since that time, I have had two other hackers work on the table with less than stellar results.
Side note, I'm really not that impressed with the Connelly brand. I don't think it plays all that great and I had a manufacturing defect on one of the rails (mis-located diamond) and the factory was an absolute bear to deal with, not to mention the local distributor.
Mark is a darn stong player. He's even better working on tables than playing on them. He just completed a rail job on my 1947 Centennial. This is the best table I've ever played on.
Good work Glen. I'm glad people like you and Mark are saving these old well made tables.
Well, it's more like offering a Professional service to those willing to care enough to pay for it...the FIRST time around, and get it done right
If there's one thing Mark and I are alike in....it's doing that kind of work...the first time around...you can bet on that...that's for sureGlen
Consider yourself lucky if you can get RKC's hands on your table. If you ever play on a table that Glen put together you're in for a big suprise! I have yet to play on a table that plays as perfect as mine and I've been all over the place.
YES, I'm a lucky one! Glen put together a Professional that has been sitting in my garage for 2 years and as much as I wanted it put together I refuse to even have anyone do it other than the Master Himself. It paid off! He finally made it out and he rebuilt my rails better than factory, straighten out my "BOWED" rails to perfection yes the rails were Bowed!, slapped on Brand New Artemis Cushions and he asked me if I wanted the pockets Pro Cut and laid on Tournament Blue 860HR. Inspite of all that hard work in my garage at 100 degree heat we had laughs, laughs and more laughs...
Couple of months and a few thousand balls later I then realized "This is what a perfect table plays like" Thank God I paid him Double of what he asked for as I would have been embarrased owning a Mastertable. I wanted to ask him so bad to re-build my kitchen and family room I swear. If only his cell phone would stop ringing! I did'nt want to hold someone else from experiencing and benefiting from his MasterCraft. He is that GOOD! I rarely see anyone nowadays put so much passion & heart on what they do let alone his preciseness. He is even better than the best cuemaker out there I'm sure of it. On one of the rails he had just re-built, he did'nt like the way the sub-rail looked, I said "Fu*K it! It will work and who would even tell a milli difference" Glen said "I Can" so he stripped the new subrail and started over. As you know there are 10 of them, 2 pieces on the each of the long rails. He is so inspiring as a person that I even took my job to a higher level considering I was already up there. He's funny as hell too! Just stellar to have around... My whole family loved the dude!
If I were you and sounds like you love to play - Sell that Connely and get yourself a Diamond from Glen. He has access to used ones and it will play better than New or any table out there. I guarantee it! Mine was made in 1983 and the new Pro-Am's in all of Las Vegas could not even come near it as far as playability.
Glen: I know I've told you and called you many times and thanked you in and out of conversations but one more time - Thanks MAN! You make life worth living brother! BTW: I still play a copy of your CD all the time bro, love that sound! I've just been busy but I will post pics and write my story here in the Main Forum soon. Sequel of the Reeeeeeallll King Cobra! Look out Greg! (Just kidding) lol!
Awesome work RKC! I always appreciate someone that fixes the root cause rather than slap a bandaid on something because they don't know how to fix the root cause.
I don't know if you come through Virginia, but if you make it through Richmond I'd love to have you look at my Anniversary.
Brian in VA
I don't know if you come through Virginia, but if you make it through Richmond I'd love to have you look at my Anniversary.
Brian in VA
Thanks for the advice. I'll keep that in mind. I thought I overheard the other night that Connelly had some financial issues, maybe to the point of not building tables any longer. However, their website still seems to be up and running.
The bank sold them to...I believe American Shuffel board in TX, same company that bought the VALLEY/DYNAMO corp.
Here you go Island Drive, I brought this thread forward so you can see there was a little more work that needed to be done while was more important than just changing the cloth and being on my way. This IS the Colorado Elks club!!!
All I can say is wow sir! Ever in the Rhode Island area??
Sometimes, but not during the winter months:thumbup:
I've got a gc3 I'd like to get done, if you give me a 2-3 months notice, I can send you pics and info and hopefully we can make something happen! Not just a recloth! Cushions and some rail work(I think), I'll leave the technical stuff to you!
Again, your work is incredible!!
[QUOTE =liakos;,5149355]I 've g ot a g c3 I' d like. to get done, if you give me a 2-3 months notice, I can send you pics and info and hopefully we can make something happen! Not just a recloth! Cushions and some rail work(I think), I'll leave the technical stuff to you!
Again, your work is incredible!![/QUOTE]
You can keep track of where I'm heading to and when on my Facebook page, Glen Hancock, and see more of my work there.
Again, your work is incredible!![/QUOTE]
You can keep track of where I'm heading to and when on my Facebook page, Glen Hancock, and see more of my work there.