Riley Aristocrat wanted

[trains]

Interesting info there mikee.

Hw long have Star tables been the preferred choice in tournaments and what was the preferred choice before that ?

i think they also started trial using the star around the 2006 china open in a similar way they're using the rasson now , so maybe the rasson will be the main pro table in a few years time i don't know .

[Starsky]

i think they also started trial using the star around the 2006 china open in a similar way they're using the rasson now , so maybe the rasson will be the main pro table in a few years time i don't know .

Interesting , thanks Trains for the info .

[philip in china]

Main trouble with putting one in your loft is that you might find it in a bedroom a few weeks later! I know someone who did it, I should think 40 years ago, but he really knew what he was doing and did the job properly. I am happy to say that mine is at ground floor level on 4" of concrete. It hasn't moved yet

[mikee]

Aristocrat legs are also made up of several pieces that are glued then turned, just from Mahogany though and with better craftsmanship. I did feel slightly guilty when I sprayed mine silver....

the Aristocrat towards the end of the riley contract was made up of more pieces on the legs ,and thats why they were painted sliver ,the frames and legs were knocked up in China and the cushions finished in the UK ,these tables can be identified by the badge that says Riley England ,the full UK ones say Riley made in England .Plenty of tables have the legs made of two to four slabs of Mahogany and then turned ,the star is made up of tiny pieces of wood like thousands of them ,this is why they get cracks appearing .As far as I know the BCE Westbury was always made in the UK out of hard Sapele African Mahogany ,the legs are just two pieces of wood pressed and turned ,I think they are a great table ,some might not agree .Stars contract is up this year so who knows what will happen table wise next season. Star have done 10 years now as the table supplier .

[Starsky]

the Aristocrat towards the end of the riley contract was made up of more pieces on the legs ,and thats why they were painted sliver ,the frames and legs were knocked up in China and the cushions finished in the UK ,these tables can be identified by the badge that says Riley England ,the full UK ones say Riley made in England .Plenty of tables have the legs made of two to four slabs of Mahogany and then turned ,the star is made up of tiny pieces of wood like thousands of them ,this is why they get cracks appearing .As far as I know the BCE Westbury was always made in the UK out of hard Sapele African Mahogany ,the legs are just two pieces of wood pressed and turned ,I think they are a great table ,some might not agree .Stars contract is up this year so who knows what will happen table wise next season. Star have done 10 years now as the table supplier .

That’s a very informative post on this subject , I’m going to have a more detailed look now at the tables in my club.

[itsnoteasy]

the Aristocrat towards the end of the riley contract was made up of more pieces on the legs ,and thats why they were painted sliver ,the frames and legs were knocked up in China and the cushions finished in the UK ,these tables can be identified by the badge that says Riley England ,the full UK ones say Riley made in England .Plenty of tables have the legs made of two to four slabs of Mahogany and then turned ,the star is made up of tiny pieces of wood like thousands of them ,this is why they get cracks appearing .As far as I know the BCE Westbury was always made in the UK out of hard Sapele African Mahogany ,the legs are just two pieces of wood pressed and turned ,I think they are a great table ,some might not agree .Stars contract is up this year so who knows what will happen table wise next season. Star have done 10 years now as the table supplier .

Yep been having discussions with table fitters we know and they have been good enough to "vet" tables we have been interested in and a couple we have shown them they have said straight away, they are imported tables. They also said they were still decent tables but they weren't original Riley, that last quote about original Rileys was made up by me as I can't remember their exact words but it's along those lines.

[Danger Steve]

I think the visual difference is that the imports have two bolts on the corner legs and one on the middles (which mine has). The UK made versions I believe have 4 bolts? On the corner legs and 2 on the middles, could be wrong. My table was made in 1983, which it has stamped onto every part.

[Danger Steve]

I don’t think you can go wrong with Westbury or Aristocrat really, both nice tables. Another thing to consider is the condition of the slate, have your fitters take a good look to check none are warped... and you’ll probably want to install some adjustable brackets to the muntins, before slates go back on.

[itsnoteasy]

Don't think the fitters will physically see the table until we buy it, unless they come across one for us but we aren't looking at dismantled tables as we want to roll a few balls around them to see what they play like. Another point I remember Geoff Large making about dismantled tables is, you don't know if there are any bits missing.

[mikee]

I think the visual difference is that the imports have two bolts on the corner legs and one on the middles (which mine has). The UK made versions I believe have 4 bolts? On the corner legs and 2 on the middles, could be wrong. My table was made in 1983, which it has stamped onto every part.

Yours is a UK one Steve ,the China ones were mid 2000's when Riley were ,lets say not in a great financial position ,basically the last couple of years on their contract with the W P B S A .On B C E /Rileys web page all the new tables are made abroad apart from the Aristocrat .I did enquire last year when I was looking for my table about them building me a new Westbury (which they still do ) but the lad I spoke to on phone was not helpful at all , and no one got back to me , so I got a reconditioned one that d was totally re finished to more or less as new for a fraction of the price .

[mikee]

I don’t think you can go wrong with Westbury or Aristocrat really, both nice tables. Another thing to consider is the condition of the slate, have your fitters take a good look to check none are warped... and you’ll probably want to install some adjustable brackets to the muntins, before slates go back on.

Good points there Steve ,always better to see a table if you're buying it ,to see it before its taken down ,a stored table could have lots of problems with dished slates and warped frames and bits missing .most of my info comes Geoff Large as he looks after my table ,there is not much Geoff dosent know on tables .Geoffs up at my place this Tuesday ,tables having the cloth stretched ,so let me know if there is anything you need asking .Hows your table running now Steve ?

[mikee]

I think the visual difference is that the imports have two bolts on the corner legs and one on the middles (which mine has). The UK made versions I believe have 4 bolts? On the corner legs and 2 on the middles, could be wrong. My table was made in 1983, which it has stamped onto every part.

Even most new UK tables only have 2 bolts on the corners and one in middle legs now ,your table being 1983 probably means they were made to a slightly higher standard Steve .

[Danger Steve]

Good points there Steve ,always better to see a table if you're buying it ,to see it before its taken down ,a stored table could have lots of problems with dished slates and warped frames and bits missing .most of my info comes Geoff Large as he looks after my table ,there is not much Geoff dosent know on tables .Geoffs up at my place this Tuesday ,tables having the cloth stretched ,so let me know if there is anything you need asking .Hows your table running now Steve ?

I have Geoff’s mobile so I’ve just sent a text in the past with any questions. Always very helpful.

Table is good thanks, I have a few missing slate captive nuts and two that seem to be cross threaded, which I knew from when I collected the table. Also the new cloth is yet to go on, so the next plan is to fix the bolts and then fit the new cloth and finally add a Hotwire style system and it’s about done.

[Danger Steve]

Yours is a UK one Steve ,the China ones were mid 2000's when Riley were ,lets say not in a great financial position ,basically the last couple of years on their contract with the W P B S A .On B C E /Rileys web page all the new tables are made abroad apart from the Aristocrat .I did enquire last year when I was looking for my table about them building me a new Westbury (which they still do ) but the lad I spoke to on phone was not helpful at all , and no one got back to me , so I got a reconditioned one that d was totally re finished to more or less as new for a fraction of the price .

Good to know it’s a UK made table Mikee... I contacted Riley last year regards some replacement leg bolt hole covers, never heard a thing from them after several attempts. Great tables but rubbish customer service.

[Cue crafty]

the Aristocrat towards the end of the riley contract was made up of more pieces on the legs ,and thats why they were painted sliver ,the frames and legs were knocked up in China and the cushions finished in the UK ,these tables can be identified by the badge that says Riley England ,the full UK ones say Riley made in England .Plenty of tables have the legs made of two to four slabs of Mahogany and then turned ,the star is made up of tiny pieces of wood like thousands of them ,this is why they get cracks appearing .As far as I know the BCE Westbury was always made in the UK out of hard Sapele African Mahogany ,the legs are just two pieces of wood pressed and turned ,I think they are a great table ,some might not agree .Stars contract is up this year so who knows what will happen table wise next season. Star have done 10 years now as the table supplier .

Great info Mikee, enjoyed reading this,thanks. Although I wouldnt want a Rasson Magnum over a second hand Aristocrat, I do quite like them and they seemed to play very well at Champion of Champions. I like the fact that the Rasson isnt trying to be something that its not in the way the Star does, covering up its legs and pretending to be a Riley. The Rasson has boldly embraced new materials like phenolic resin (same stuff Aramith use to make balls) in the rails of the table as an example to provide a financially viable product. Even Ronnie admitted the table played well without endorsing it as such, but they all seemed to play very well on them. (Few comments were made about bucket pockets but maybe that was done to give a good first showing of the table in terms of breaks etc.who could blame Rasson for that on a debut!?)

I'd be surprised if its not the next table used on the pro circuit.

Some info on the table here for those interested:- https://www.rasson.cn/magnum2