Riley Club/Aristocrat new cusion rails ?

[strobbekoen]

Hi All,

i will have my table fitter over later this year for a recloth.
My table is a Riley Club/Aristocrat (see my other thread here Riley Club table year of production ? - The Snooker Forum)

The cushion rails have tear/wear, and some deep scratches/pits.I think sanding and refinishing is therefor not an option.
I am considering to have them replaced, it would make my table look a lot better.

I do not know a lot about the technicalities of this. Which type of cushion rails would be compatible with my table ? And, would it be very expensive to have them replaced ?

Thank you for your help
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[Cue crafty]

I'd be keen to see what a professional french polisher thinks he could do to restore them before I decided replacing and see how that cost compares against having new. The old stuff was just better made/quality than the newer stuff. You'd be amazed what a french polisher can achieve and make disappear.

Possibly a lot less hassle too.

[akofb]

Hi All,

i will have my table fitter over later this year for a recloth.
My table is a Riley Club/Aristocrat (see my other thread here Riley Club table year of production ? - The Snooker Forum)

The cushion rails have tear/wear, and some deep scratches/pits.I think sanding and refinishing is therefor not an option.
I am considering to have them replaced, it would make my table look a lot better.

I do not know a lot about the technicalities of this. Which type of cushion rails would be compatible with my table ? And, would it be very expensive to have them replaced ?

Thank you for your help
image_16914.jpg

image_16916.jpg

Cue crafty is right, you would be surprised at what can be achieved. If you can let me know where you are I can get a price for you for us to strip and repolish the cushions back to the original colour and sheen.
Graham
Hamilton Billiards (https://www.hamiltonbilliards.com)

[strobbekoen]

I am in Wenduine, Belgium. I'll ask the fitter if restoring them is possible, I suppose you guys are saying that the deeper scratches/pits could be restored with some type of filler ?

[maryfield]

Those cushions could be salvaged. A good sand, bit of filler and good quality a/c lacquer finish, be good as new. Are rubbers ok?

[strobbekoen]

I will have the rubbers replaced. Fitter said he's going to cut them here so I can see the pocket template. He will pick up the cushion rails and refurbish them. The price he gave was 395 euro for refurbishing and 490 euro for new cushions.

[DeanH]

I would suggest that after the rails have been refurbished you ban players from having metal buckles on their belts as I believe these are what chips the rails
And of course please let us see many photos of the transformation

[strobbekoen]

Good advice from all, thank you! Yes, I will post a report of the process with photos when it's done.

[Delphi]

Out of curiosity, who is your fitter Koen?

[robbo mcs]

Years ago I bought a restored table. A snooker table fitter bought 6 tables out of an old snooker room closing down in Sydney Australia. They were all 70yo tables, originally excellent quality, but had taken years of neglect and were pretty beaten up. He had all of them repaired and refinished by a french polisher, new cushions, cloths, nets etc. The table I bought looked brand new, and played great. The guy showed me pictures of the tables when they came out of the club, and they were in much worse condition than the one in the photo. So you can definitely restore it.

Sadly I ended up having to sell that table, after a marriage bust up. However, I did make a profit on it

[strobbekoen]

Yes thank you - I wanted other people's opinion
@Delphi: Erik Claes, very experienced fitter. Also worked on PTC tournaments for snooker tables.

[Delphi]

Yeah i know Eric, Espa Roeselare, cool.

[strobbekoen]

Cushion rails have been picked up.
Restoration of those + new leathers, rubbers, nets and cloth.
Asked Erik to make pictures of restoration - will update when it's done in a couple of weeks.

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[strobbekoen]

Gives me time to clean out the room, boxes, and bicycles

[strobbekoen]

Cloth will be Hainsworth match.