tips for 3 piece slate
- Thread starter trob
- Start date
Use a thin putty knife, work over the seam from all directions. Take your time, you don't want to be taking cloth off to re-do it. It also works better if you start right after the wax clouds up. If you let it completely harden that makes a lot harder. You want it to be firm yet still soft enough that it rolls off easily. Hope that helps.
you need a good level first. What kind of level are you using? Wax only fills in voids it wont level a table. If you have the slate truely level I like to heat my putty knife a little as I scrape off the extra wax dont let it cool completely also a 4" knife scraper works better then a putty knife it has an actual razor blade on it. do a search for realkingcobra he has some post's with picture's of some tools.
You will find Bondo works much better then wax.....
Craig
You will find Bondo works much better then wax.....
Craig
There is a powder putty that comes in a can...the name escapes me. It has a little cartoon man on the can. Maybe someone else will know the name. Anyway....it works wonderful. I have a friend who sets them up...done several pro events...thats all he uses.
Edited to add: Durham's Water Putty is the name.
Edited to add: Durham's Water Putty is the name.
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When I bought my table 13 years ago, I was renting the place I lived. For the next 4 years I moved once a year and always did my own table work. I started off using Durhams Rock Hard and then later moved onto bees wax. After finally moving the table into a somewhat permanent dwelling I was happy to know that I finally was going to set up the table for the last time (or at least a long time since I was buying the house). I couldn't get the table level well and did just as crappy job on filling in the seams.
I hired a professional that had been doing it for more than 40 years and was the best decision that I made. Trust me on this one...hire a professional.
Good luck,
Matt
I hired a professional that had been doing it for more than 40 years and was the best decision that I made. Trust me on this one...hire a professional.
Good luck,
Matt
trob said:
If what you're getting at is the actual leveling and matching of the three pieces then here's what you do (in a nut shell)
1: make sure table frame is fairly level
2: Put center slate piece in and level it very precisly with a machinist level (you can rent them)
3: the match the edges (inner edge) of both outside pieces to the outer edges of our center piece. It would be wise to use a perfectly machined piece of metal to gauge the step between them.
4: level the outer pieces with the machinist level. Intheroy the outside edges of these pieces should only move up or down; and the inside edges (butted to the center slate) shouldn't move (cause they are level)
5: then fill your seems with whatever you choose.
More advice can be found in the Talk to a mechanic section.
Hope this helps.
TJ
trob said:
If bees wax is a problem, you are doing something very wrong.
You should be able to scrape a seam flat and smooth as glass
in 2 minuets.
Are you melting wax into the seam with a tourch?
You want MUCH more wax than is needed to just fill
the seam.
I would use a wide stuiff bladed putty knife. Melt wax into the seam.
Heat the blade with the tourch as you drag it across the table, that
would be along the seam. You should have a ribbon about 1 1/2 in wide,
Wait till the blade is cool to the touch, then scrape with a forward pushing
motion, holding the blade at about a 15 - 20 degree angle.
The wax should peel up like a ribbon, leaving a perfect seam.
If it doesn't, the slates are probably not flat/level.
Dale Pierce
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I use Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty.
I just use a razor blade and scrape it smooth. Its REAL easy. If you screw up, no big deal. It disolves in water...
Only problem would be spilling a water based liquid on the table. I suspect it would disolve it... I've never spilled anything on my table so no regrets here
I'd use Bondo on everything but the seams...
I just use a razor blade and scrape it smooth. Its REAL easy. If you screw up, no big deal. It disolves in water...
Only problem would be spilling a water based liquid on the table. I suspect it would disolve it... I've never spilled anything on my table so no regrets here
I'd use Bondo on everything but the seams...
Thanks for all the advice by everyone. water spilling wouldn't be a problem. I don't get anything liquid near my table. I'm pretty anal about it and all I have is a cheap namco table. When I finaly get a diamond I'll probobly wrap it in shrink wrap every night when I'm done. lol