This is an interesting thread to me. I understand the original posters feelings when it comes to paying a lot of labor to get a table recovered. The bottom line seems to be with enough research on the web or learning through dvd and published materials with a small investment in tools there is no reason you cannot do it yourself. To take it a step further there is no educational or certifications required to become a table mechanic. A very wise man once told me that I could take my car to a mechanic to get the brakes replaced and pay 60-65 dollars an hour labor not to get my hands dirty or I could go buy about 60 dollars in tools and the materials and do it myself. That way you have learned how to do it yourself and do not have to pay others to do it or work on their schedule.
Money can be a real motivator. Granted, if you have never even seen something done and cant find info on how to do it properly you should not attempt it. If the info is out there then why not learn to do it yourself. It is bad enough that many companies will not even work on single piece slate tables. There is a shortage in this area anyhow of companies that will even consider doing the work. THe one large company in this area I called for an estimate on a GC2 I was goig to buy. They would not even tell me their hourly rate. They worked up a quote but said that the table had to be disassembled and moved to their shop then returned and reset to recover it or replace the cushions. They are preying on anyone who is willing to pay. I ended up not buying the GC2 and bought a small Diamond instead. When the diamond was being installed though I asked about recovering and the installers basically said I was lucky as I live near a major annual event so I could count on Diamond being in the area at least once a year for that. They suggested giving three months notice on when I wanted it done.
Another interesting point on this thread is above we have a poster that has had no previous experience doing a recover in five hours after watching a dvd. Even he pointed out that next time it will be faster because he will be more familiar with it. Just imagine how good he will be after doing it a dozen or more times.
Makes a person wonder what it really takes to call yourself a pool table mechanic and start doing it for profit? At least with auto mechanics there is a certification process. I could never understand how an auto mechanic can charge 65 an hour without even a high school diploma and you see managers at McDonalds making 30-40k a year with masters degrees in restaurant management.
Money can be a real motivator. Granted, if you have never even seen something done and cant find info on how to do it properly you should not attempt it. If the info is out there then why not learn to do it yourself. It is bad enough that many companies will not even work on single piece slate tables. There is a shortage in this area anyhow of companies that will even consider doing the work. THe one large company in this area I called for an estimate on a GC2 I was goig to buy. They would not even tell me their hourly rate. They worked up a quote but said that the table had to be disassembled and moved to their shop then returned and reset to recover it or replace the cushions. They are preying on anyone who is willing to pay. I ended up not buying the GC2 and bought a small Diamond instead. When the diamond was being installed though I asked about recovering and the installers basically said I was lucky as I live near a major annual event so I could count on Diamond being in the area at least once a year for that. They suggested giving three months notice on when I wanted it done.
Another interesting point on this thread is above we have a poster that has had no previous experience doing a recover in five hours after watching a dvd. Even he pointed out that next time it will be faster because he will be more familiar with it. Just imagine how good he will be after doing it a dozen or more times.
Makes a person wonder what it really takes to call yourself a pool table mechanic and start doing it for profit? At least with auto mechanics there is a certification process. I could never understand how an auto mechanic can charge 65 an hour without even a high school diploma and you see managers at McDonalds making 30-40k a year with masters degrees in restaurant management.
