Three times now I've started a thread in the main forum...

realkingcobra

realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
So that you guys could showcase your work there and have the thread last a while. With the exception of a few of you who have posted, and did post in this last thread....the rest of you seem content on talking the talk, but when it comes to walking the walk....you guys seem to walk away in a different direction, I don't understand it. Advertising is a good thing....free advertising is even better. but it seems like you guys don't need to think about that....because everyone in your area of work must know who you are...but if that were the case...I shouldn't be able to announce that I'll be in your area...and pick up work from people that have NO idea as to who you are....right? I don't know....maybe I'm wasting my time here trying to pump you guys up...what do you think?

Glen
 
realkingcobra said:
So that you guys could showcase your work there and have the thread last a while. With the exception of a few of you who have posted, and did post in this last thread....the rest of you seem content on talking the talk, but when it comes to walking the walk....you guys seem to walk away in a different direction, I don't understand it. Advertising is a good thing....free advertising is even better. but it seems like you guys don't need to think about that....because everyone in your area of work must know who you are...but if that were the case...I shouldn't be able to announce that I'll be in your area...and pick up work from people that have NO idea as to who you are....right? I don't know....maybe I'm wasting my time here trying to pump you guys up...what do you think?

Glen
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I think a lot of folks probably forget or don't take the time to snap pics.
 
I used to post alot of pics but then I realized I didn't need anyones approval on my work from this site, only my paying customers opinion matters to me. There's people on here that don't like you or your work so what chance do I have?

I don't really think it helps get anyone jobs except for the traveling mechanics on here and for those it is a great place to showcase what they can do.
 
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mechanic/player said:
I used to post alot of pics but then I realized I didn't need anyones approval on my work from this site, only my paying customers opinion matters to me. There's people on here that don't like you or your work so what chance do I have?
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You're right...you have NO chance...unless you promote yourself. I think you're still a little upset that I asked you to show some pictures of the actual work you do to set up a pool table correctly....you know, the work done BETWEEN taking parts out of a box...and NOW...the table is ready to play on...so that OTHERS might get a chance to see that you do things correctly...like super gluing the slates together, filling the seams, leveling the slates.....I mean...you DO do that kind of work...don't you?...I don't know...maybe you don't...who knows, unless you post pictures of WHAT you do....but, maybe it's not all that important is it....people should just take your WORD for what you can do...I mean, WHY should you separate yourself from the OTHERS in your area who also work on pool tables...just....like....you....do!

I don't really think it helps get anyone jobs except for the traveling mechanics on here and for those it is a great place to showcase what they can do.
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OH really???...then please...if you can, explain this PM I just recieved...since you think promoting what kind of work you do...would bring you any additional work...in YOUR own area.

Glen

Pardon me for not knowing your last name. I've been impressed with your pool table knowledge, particularly your recent statement regarding Gabriels tables (see below). I have a used Gabriels Signature Pro and it plays exactly as you described. It is very slow and has dead pocket facings where the cloth shows signs of wearing through. It has well-used Simonis 860 but was this slow even when newly covered.

I'm not sure if you're ever in the Baltimore, Maryland area but would like to know if it is possible to get on your list for a recovering and likely new rails. If not, I would greatly appreciate any recommendation you might have for a good table mechanic in the general Maryland, DC, Delaware, or Northern Virginia area.

Thank you,
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I am a little sore about what you said but so what you don't really know me and this is just an internet forum to me so it's ok. As far as being able to travel to work and re-calibrate rails I would love to know how that goes but it doesn't compare with doing 150+ a year table installs/moves and re-cloths locally for me.

Today I worked on a different kind of pool in the Richmond , Va area and I will post pics tomorrow when I finish there. Saturday and Monday I am doing re-cloths and I will post some pics then, maybe.
 
mechanic/player said:
I am a little sore about what you said but so what you don't really know me and this is just an internet forum to me so it's ok. As far as being able to travel to work and re-calibrate rails I would love to know how that goes but it doesn't compare with doing 150+ a year table installs/moves and re-cloths locally for me.

Today I worked on a different kind of pool in the Richmond , Va area and I will post pics tomorrow when I finish there. Saturday and Monday I am doing re-cloths and I will post some pics then, maybe.
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Bob, Trust me from experience. Unless you WANT to travel the country in a truck, stick with what you are doing. For every one person in YOUR or MY area that wants calibrated or extended rails, there are a thousand customers that have NO CLUE what AZ billiards or extended rails are.
That is a fact! I could sign off of here tomorrow and my business would not change one little bit.

If you are looking for work in you area,one would do A WHOLE lot better advertising locally to the recreational player then on here posting pics.
 
mechanic/player said:
I am a little sore about what you said but so what you don't really know me and this is just an internet forum to me so it's ok. As far as being able to travel to work and re-calibrate rails I would love to know how that goes but it doesn't compare with doing 150+ a year table installs/moves and re-cloths locally for me.

Today I worked on a different kind of pool in the Richmond , Va area and I will post pics tomorrow when I finish there. Saturday and Monday I am doing re-cloths and I will post some pics then, maybe.
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No...you're right, I don't really know you...or the kind of work you do....but, I'd like to...and in order to do so....I need your help. I give a way a lot of work...and believe me, it's more work than you do in a year. But I have this problem of needing to know what kind of work someone does...before I send work that way, it's just a thing with me. You may not think to much about the internet...but,...beleive me...it IS the future of WHO you are as a table mechanic....as more and more customers become more educated as to what really goes into working on a pool table....the requirements to know what you're doing...and having to show that BEFORE you get new work....is going to become the standard, which is what will separate you from a hack...looking to undercut you in pay just to get that job you're working on landing. Month by month, year by year...this business is becoming more show and tell...because customers want more for their money...as they learn...there is more to this kind of work than what they've been getting for the money in the past;)

Glen
 
scruffy1 said:
Bob, Trust me from experience. Unless you WANT to travel the country in a truck, stick with what you are doing. For every one person in YOUR or MY area that wants calibrated or extended rails, there are a thousand customers that have NO CLUE what AZ billiards or extended rails are.
That is a fact! I could sign off of here tomorrow and my business would not change one little bit.

If you are looking for work in you area,one would do A WHOLE lot better advertising locally to the recreational player then on here posting pics.
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John, how nice would it be if you didn't have to advertise at all?
 
scruffy1 said:
Bob, Trust me from experience. Unless you WANT to travel the country in a truck, stick with what you are doing. For every one person in YOUR or MY area that wants calibrated or extended rails, there are a thousand customers that have NO CLUE what AZ billiards or extended rails are.
That is a fact! I could sign off of here tomorrow and my business would not change one little bit.

If you are looking for work in you area,one would do A WHOLE lot better advertising locally to the recreational player then on here posting pics.
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So, John are you saying that posting pictures of the work you do...is a bad thing...if done here on AZ? I'm not saying someone has to know how to extend rails or calibrate the sub-rails...but, I know for a fact that the members of AZ go a lot deeper than the amount of members that post...you never know who's reading...or looking...so, why pass up a chance to have you're work seen?
 
You guys know what? I was just sitting here thinking...that if WE can't come together here on AZ...and show the members of AZ...and all those that peek in and read the forums here...what being qualified table mechanic's is all about...what on earth makes any of us think that we can pull this industry together to "certify table mechanics" around this country? How do we get anyone interested in having better work being done on their pool tables in poolrooms or homes...if we don't start somewhere? If we don't get the public behind some kind of a movement to demand more qualified table mechanics when they're looking to have some work done...then how are they to separate the "US" from all the "Them's" who work on pool tables? Does ANYONE honestly believe that we HAVEN'T had ANY kind of an effect on the AZ public...with all that we've done so far? Do any of you honestly think that a member of AZ...would willingly hire a hack to perform what WE have proven to do correctly after all that they've seen here in our forum...and as much as we've all talked about what's wrong with the hacks in this industry?
 
My last 30 table jobs either came as a lead from one of the mechanics an here or from a customer surfing azbilliards or a friend told them to go on az to see our yours and mine's work to see who they wanted or who might be able to do the work for them. Seeing pictures from me on my laptop or on az has helped me out at least 10 fold.

I have saved most pictures of all work posted to study and see what i can do better then what you did or figure out how you did it so i can do it as nice.

I just stopped by the local brunswick dealer and they had a couple of phone calls for sub rail extinsions but they didnt know how to do them exept to order thicker rubber from brunswick or swap for a new set of rails from the factory. Instead i should them my work and they gave the jobs. Not bad to just stop in say high and i spent $100 on misc parts at retail out of respect and they gave me a couple thousand in work.

In the begining az didnt do much for me but now it has it's moments but i see where educating the subs on here is starting to pay off with more work from here. So lets bombard the forums with class work from all of us this way we get more rep and it get us on the first page and second page.


I have seen some work on here that I'm jealous of that is just way to nice.

Craig
 
mechanic/player said:
I used to post alot of pics but then I realized I didn't need anyones approval on my work from this site, only my paying customers opinion matters to me. There's people on here that don't like you or your work so what chance do I have?

I don't really think it helps get anyone jobs except for the traveling mechanics on here and for those it is a great place to showcase what they can do.
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Don't look at it as getting an approval. Look at it as being involved in the network (aka no-cost advertising). Seeing some of your work shows others (mechanics, forum members, prospective customers) that you know what you're doing and when someone in the Central VA area inquires for a mechanic then odds are that someone will recommend contacting you - as opposed to someone none of us knows anything about.
 
As a table owner and not a mechanic, being able to see photo's of someones work, even if it's just covering a table is important to me. I do my research as much as possible whenever I hire anyone to do something for me. You'd be surprised at how often AZB posts will show up on a google search.

Brian
 
btoneill said:
As a table owner and not a mechanic, being able to see photo's of someones work, even if it's just covering a table is important to me. I do my research as much as possible whenever I hire anyone to do something for me. You'd be surprised at how often AZB posts will show up on a google search.

Brian
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This is a ditto for me. This is why I am getting Zach out of Phoenix to redo my table. I live 3 hours away and have to pay for those extra miles but its worth the piece of mind and the quality of work I am going to get from him. If it wasnt for RKC posting pics about Skip & Jans I would have never known about him.
 
John, Rick and Glen you all bring up good points and all advice will be considered.


Here is my pool pic for today, it was nice to be there just to help instead of doing this work everyday.
PICT0020.jpg
 
center pocket said:
This is a ditto for me. This is why I am getting Zach out of Phoenix to redo my table. I live 3 hours away and have to pay for those extra miles but its worth the piece of mind and the quality of work I am going to get from him. If it wasnt for RKC posting pics about Skip & Jans I would have never known about him.
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same for me ....as an owner I did decide to do it on my own ...but without this site I probably never would have known how bad the original job was done and how to properly fix it ....

This site educates the uneducated pool table owner and lets you ask the right questions to someone doing the work ...
i.e. do you use a machinist level (how many do you use), do you use a belt sander to finish the facings and the rubber, what glue do you use to set the rubber, what do you use to finish the seams, how do you finish the pockets.....If I would ask those questions I know what answers to look for ....and if not for this site and RKC's posts I would never have this knowledge ....and the pictures just add to the posts ....

and hopefully one day all pool table owners will know how a table should be done and this will push the hacks out of business ....
 
mech work

Thanks to this great site i know now there is no way in hell i am working on my or anyone else's table.I only wish i could have access to someone of your talents RKC in the MLPS ST.PAUL area.
 
obe1 said:
Thanks to this great site i know now there is no way in hell i am working on my or anyone else's table.I only wish i could have access to someone of your talents RKC in the MLPS ST.PAUL area.
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I'm in the MSP area and had my table done by Jamie Pluta. He did an excellent job. If you've played on the tables at CR's, Two Stooges, or Shooters you've played on his work.

Brian
 
obe1 said:
Thanks to this great site i know now there is no way in hell i am working on my or anyone else's table.I only wish i could have access to someone of your talents RKC in the MLPS ST.PAUL area.
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I have a meeting coming up with 3M in St. Paul, MN in the next couple of months, more than likely mid March or so...to discuss a new water based glue to replace the 3M10 already on the market;)
 
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