Re-clothed table - got more rolls than a Hovis factory

[thomo2710]

Hi all,

Can i ask your advice...

I have acquired a 7x4ft slate bed pool table – unfortunately have no idea on make/model, only markings on the whole table is the 20p price tag (2x old 10p pieces) so I imagine were talking 80’s early 90’s.

I have had it re-clothed and was told it was re-clothed in Strachan 777 cloth.

After it was clothed I spent nearly a whole day trying to level the old dog – and either my 6 spirit levels are all wrong or I have lost my marbles…….

My levels say plumb on all lengths/widths/diagonals I check it on.

However when I slow roll a ball from baulk it starts to roll off to the centre of the table when it gets about ¾ way down the table, eventually it will come to a stop virtually a balls width roll off.

However issue is it appears on both sides – so if I slow roll from the left hand side of the table it will roll a balls width off to the right, and slow rolled from the right it will roll off balls width to the left.

The drift only seems to kick in though once about 6 inch past the centre pockets.

However the slate says level with whatever level I put on it.
I have removed it from the table to try an eliminate the table base/floor of the room its in and put it onto a floor of a different room, packed it all level and still the same issues.

Slate cant bend though surely?

Any ideas on what I could be missing/doing wrong or any thoughs on where you believe the problem may lie?

I have a feeling its the cloth. Its as though the nap is the wrong way around as balls behave when rolling up to baulk against the nap, but refuse to roll straight when rolled with the nap.

I appreciate it’s impossible to diagnose over the google waves so im not expecting a e-fix, just pointers on where to look next?

Many thanks in advance

[DeanH]

1. 777 is the lowest in the range of Strachan pool cloth and is heavy napped.
2. slate can sag in the middle but not heard often on pool table, more often on snooker tables with the possible large gaps with no support.

We have a feeling that our pool table is now with 777 and it is like carpet
even with constant brushing and ironing it comes back

[thomo2710]

I told the guy who clothed it that mine was like playing on a shagpile. Its horrendous. Sometimes you slow roll a shot up to baulk and it doesnt even make the cushion!
He told me it was because the table is in a garden room and the cold will be affecting the speed of it (which to a certain extent i believe) but my god its slow.

I see no daylight under the level when accross the centre of the table - turned all the lights off and used a maglite to test and i see nothing from the other side so i dont believe the slate is sagged/bent/warped.

Damn thing just wont roll straight.

Could the 777 be the cause of the wierd rolls in your opinion?
I have no issue with ripping it off and replacing it if its a piece of crap!

Thankyou

[DeanH]

got to say 777 is very slow (the cue ball can just stop on a dime!) and finger marks are horrendous for roll off

the cloth could be the cause for all your problems you see but also could be your problem completely especially if the table has been outside, the structure could be out but you say you checked all that... maybe double check again

[Chappy5]

I bet the Slate is stuffed.

If it is very thin like i am guessing it is you only need tiny little warps and the balls will find them. A spirit level will show nothing as it is measuring the level over a much wider area and the thickness of the 777 is hiding that .5mm gap under the level not enabling you to see it. Cheap Slate often is not machined right to a perfect level when a large 1pc of Slate is concerned and you get this on the cheaper tables sometimes that come out of China.

I would be ripping the Cloth off and going over that Slate with a fine toothed comb while rolling a ball all over it with nothing more than a tight bed sheet over it to find the imperfections/defects the slate has and the rolling balls will tell you.

I have seen this problem on brand spanking new smaller pub size tables that are Chinese made and full Slate as well but put a level on them they are spot on.

[philip in china]

Slate can, and will, bend. With you saying it happens at a certain distance down the table is that just past one of the joints? If so then it looks even more like a slate problem in one individual piece. If it is, short of refloating them I can't see what can be done. Geoff Large is the guy with whom to speak.

As said above a spirit level won't show this. What you need is an engineer's straightedge. Put that on the slate (not the cloth) and see if you can slide a new bank note underneath it at any point.

Also what type of spirit level are you using? A general builder's level is just not accurate enough. You need either an engineer's level or one of the digital ones. Somewhere there are some pictures of one on my table showing dead level. I will see if I can find them and post a link.

[philip in china]

Look on this thread:

http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...lgaria+holiday

posting about 97 or 98 I think.

You will see the digital level and the degree (pun intended) of accuracy. A table can be set up accurate to 1/100 of a degree as you see.

[Chappy5]

Slate can, and will, bend. With you saying it happens at a certain distance down the table is that just past one of the joints? If so then it looks even more like a slate problem in one individual piece. If it is, short of refloating them I can't see what can be done. Geoff Large is the guy with whom to speak.

As said above a spirit level won't show this. What you need is an engineer's straightedge. Put that on the slate (not the cloth) and see if you can slide a new bank note underneath it at any point.

Also what type of spirit level are you using? A general builder's level is just not accurate enough. You need either an engineer's level or one of the digital ones. Somewhere there are some pictures of one on my table showing dead level. I will see if I can find them and post a link.

There are very few tables under 8ft in size that come in individual pieces of slate divided into sections to make the length when they are joined together. I would be VERY surprised if this table in question is NOT a 1 piece Slate bed.

They are all usually a big 1 piece sections of Slate which leads to the problem being discussed! If they are not machined right and flat enough from the factory that produces them this problem ensues. In Australia it is impossible to get tables over 8ft with a 1 piece Slate bed and they are all sectioned for various reasons when the table is over 8ft including transportation!

[Antz Morrison]

You will NEVER level a pool table with a spirit level!!!!

[Tony Morgan]

Get a good table fitter to look at it. I've been playing snooker for over 35 years & for me the best table fitter is Barry Briggs. He's based in Sheffield & he's worth his weight in gold. His website is www.briggssnookerandpool.co.uk. Be careful though, there are some very very dodgy fitters out there that will take your money off you, do a rubbish job & you'll never see them again

[chessking]

I had a similar problem discussed here:

http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...oes-slate-flex

Geoff straightened me out.

[philip in china]

He always does.