Why use slate?

[jridpath]

This is the second comment regarding weight being necessary to prevent the table from being bumped. To me, if there is a lighter material that could provide the consistent flat surface necessary, I would think that it would be a simpler matter to come up with material to put in the table for weight/movement purposes. Ballast, if you will. Such material could no doubt be simpler to move than one large piece of slate, and installed under the new playing surface.

As Nate said previously, I don't know nuthin', I'm just thinking out loud "in theory"...

*** Funny enough, Nate posted much the same thing as I was typing this! ***

Agreed, you could still provide the neccessary weight to keep the table steady in other places than the bed. It then becomes a matter of practicality. With slate the table bed provides the weight and stability, with something lighter for a table bed you have add something to provide that. Is it practical and cost effective to do so, from a manufacturer's point of view? That I don't have an answer for.

 

[mm4pool]

steel bed

just a few thoughts, i work in a steel fabrication shop.

1" steel for a 4x8 table = 1306 LBS. 4.5x9 table = 1661 LBS give or take a few. the issue with corrosion is easily handles with either paint coatings or galvanization. next, finding a machine shop that can surface the piece to true flat. next i would not want to be the installer for this table. BTW, we are paying about .42 cents a pound for steel, aluminum is about twice that and stainless is going for around 5.5 times the price of steel.

Mike

 

[Dave Nelson]

It's always nice to hear from people who know what they are talking about. My compliments to ric 23 and mm4pool.

Dave Nelson

 

[nathandumoulin]

just a few thoughts, i work in a steel fabrication shop.

1" steel for a 4x8 table = 1306 LBS. 4.5x9 table = 1661 LBS give or take a few. the issue with corrosion is easily handles with either paint coatings or galvanization. next, finding a machine shop that can surface the piece to true flat. next i would not want to be the installer for this table. BTW, we are paying about .42 cents a pound for steel, aluminum is about twice that and stainless is going for around 5.5 times the price of steel.

Mike

Yeah, even with 1/4" one-sided corrugated steel, that's still over 300lbs.

That pretty much ends that debate. Thanks for the reality check.

Still fun to discuss though.

 

[vasilios]

there is no material to replace slate at this time.maybe in the future they might come up with something.but it is very doubtful.the properties of slate are very hard to duplicate.slate is easy to find, it works and it has seasond for a billion years.pretty stable stuff for the money.

bill