Installing rubbers video

[Terry Davidson]

slasher:

It might be the pockets have been undercut a bit (meaning the flat of the cushion - not sure of the coorect term - has been rounded or has even had some sanding at an angle to reduce the bottom edge). This would make the pockets much more forgiving.

If you have a set of templates the pockets should measure 83mm at the fall of the slate with the IBSF templates and with the B&SCC and WPBSA templates it's slightly larger at 3.5" or about 84mm.

The trick is to have that straight edge of the cushion go all the way back into the pocket but also ensure the pocket opening does not narrow after the fall or else you'll have all sorts of problems potting along the cushions.

The middle bags are another story though so I hope you do have actual templates and not just drawings.

Terry

[Geoff Large]

When snooker was more popular there were quite a few table fitters around who were trained by Brunswick. In those days there weren't many British-type tables hanging around except in the Legions for the most part or in private homes. MOst of the clubs had Brunswick Anniversay or Gold Crown tables.

There were also table fitters around who had been trained by Riley's and BCE. BCE used to have representation here in Canada (Southern Ontario) but no longer.

I also noted Geoff's comment regarding stapling the cloth on and that is what my own fitter (apprenticed from Riley's) uses and as my fitter (Juri) has disappeared somewhere I'm going to have to do the table myself and I intended to use staples instead of tacks.

Geoff...is there any advantage in using tacks over staples? Would you explain please?

Terry

Bed cloths on american 9ft Pool tables are stapled on .

Bed cloths on Billiard tables are Tacked because of the intention of stretching the cloth ( to tighten the tension at a later date ) this will allow the track marks in the corners to be strecthed down the slate fall and the spots moved slightly , by tacking and to leave the tack slightly proud , allow for the fitter to quickly untack the cloth without damage to the cloth trying to dig the Tacks out , although the tacks around the 6 pockets are fully tacked home .
To see a bed cloth stapled on a Billiards table here in the UK is frowned upon and we refer to this type of fitting as a cowboy job .
Often they use a compressed air stapler and rapid fire away upto 5 or 6 staples per inch on rapid fire , try digging all them out .
I do use a hand powered staple gun for recovering cushions but prefer to use 6 mm at the ends of the cushions and 4 mm to fill in along the lenth , this makes for easy stripping down on the next recover .

You see I always prepare the table as if I will be doing the job next time around , and not just a hit and run job , one that we refer as bodge it and scarper person .
I have put right many jobs that where done this way , only to find down the years that they went on price again and I have to put correct again . and beleive me the price differance could be as little as £20 saved for the staple gun kid .
once he has stapled the cloth on to the side of the slate wood lining , he removes all waste cloth under the slate wood lining normaly where the tack would be , making it very near impossible to restretch a bed cloth because there is no extra cloth to grip as it has been removed .
and normaly uses long 12mm staples too .

I am not saying you are bodging the job as a DIY person , just that you have seen it done this way and therfore think it is the correct way to do it , when in fact it is the tacking way that is best for the bed cloth , Fitting has moved on since the early years and I did get frowned upon in my youth for useing staples in the cushions , but it is now regarded as the best way to recover the cushions , but no staples in the bed cloth please on a Billiards table .

[Terry Davidson]

Geoff:

Thanks for the response on the tacks vs staples. I'm not sure I can even find the correct sized tacks over here as nowadays there aren't many old fashioned hardware stores left and it's all big-box stores like Home Depot, Home Hardware, Canadian Tire and the like, but I'll have a look.

When I stretched my bed cloth the last time I used 5/8" staples and my gun was not powerful enough to sink them all the way in so they stand a little proud and are easy to remove with a screwdriver (I didn't touch the cushions as I was afraid to and they seemed OK except for my top cushion jumping).

I'm going to have to try to do this #10 bedcloth I have myself and I might switch to 3/8" staples and use them on the cushions (6811 cloth for those). This cloth was used in a pro tournament and was installed using tacks and there appears to be lots of cloth on the edges available for me to stretch it well, so I'll see how it goes.

Terry

[poolqjunkie]

I once saw a guy sprayed some glue on the bed of the table then glued the cloth on.
Another time I saw two guys trying to pull a very small piece of cloth(the edges of the cloth didn't come close to the edges of the slate) all the way down the slates then stapled the cloth on.
I guess both of the above are wrong, right?
I know there must be an obvious answer to this but since I am totally ignorant on tables I will ask it anyway--why aren't the cushion rubbers pre cut?
By the way, thanks for all the valuable info in this thread. Really enjoy reading it.

[tcollick]

I think it depends on what kind of glue he used
Just kidding Geoff...what a shocker!

[Geoff Large]

I once saw a guy sprayed some glue on the bed of the table then glued the cloth on.
Another time I saw two guys trying to pull a very small piece of cloth(the edges of the cloth didn't come close to the edges of the slate) all the way down the slates then stapled the cloth on.
I guess both of the above are wrong, right?
I know there must be an obvious answer to this but since I am totally ignorant on tables I will ask it anyway--why aren't the cushion rubbers pre cut?
By the way, thanks for all the valuable info in this thread. Really enjoy reading it.

There are no standard tables , too many differant makes and the block angles that the rubber sits on would all have to be identical on every table to pre cutt them . plus they need to be fixed to the block to cutt and file'rasp to shape , they are not like pool table angles which have no real shape to them , just an angle that is cutt almost straight down a line .
spray on glue is not very good even for small pool tables , I have seen the speed merchants use spray on glue on bed cloths only for it to come unstuck , I always use Evo stick 528 contact adesive for glueing rubber and pool table bed cloths on . you will not find it on the shelf in B&Q though as it is in a green tin and sold at Trade oulets only like Screwfix in 2.5 litre tins .
Allthough I have used Screwfix's own budget contact adeisive for the pool tables and it is ok .
the problem with Canada is there are too many american pool companys coming into Canada maybe some fitters settleing there , and they are say Brunswick trained for stapleing cloths on Pool tables .
The original billiard companys or importers of tables such as B&Watts Fitters , have died out and the pool industry has taken over the work .

I do not mind pointing people in the right direction , like what materials to use , but I am afraid I must protect my and other fitters intrests by not divulging how to do the work in detail , please respect that .

I know many of you are dertermined to have a go youreselves and in some cases you have no option for a fitter to call , So a little pointer here and there in the right direction is all I can offer .
as stated in previous replys , I had to train for over 4 years and a further 4 years to perfect it all on low wages , I will give a few more pointers and one is .
By picking no10 cloth , you are going to struggle to get it on , no 6811 T west of england or hainsworth smart is far easier to fit , even for a fitter who has been at it for over 36 years .

right I am off down to Essex for the week , I have two full size rerubber /recover /nets and leathers to do and a pool table recover . so will not be able to answer anymore questions until late friday .

Geoff

[Terry Davidson]

geoff:

This #10 has already been fitted and removed hopefully, on a BCE Westbury and not a Star, so I'm hoping it will be a little easier to fit as I have a Westbury.

Terry

[Slasher]

We struggled with putting this No.10 on, it was much harder to keep the wrinkles out. I think I would go with 6811 or Hainsworth match next time. This stuff is high maintenance and I have a wife for that lol. The nap sits up easily and it doesn't play much faster than 6811 anyway, not worth double the cost.

[Mike P]

Terry,

I am not certain if you are interested, but this gentleman did some work for me. He was the most professional that I have seen and happens to live down your way. I believe that he might have also been trained by Juri.

http://www.tschirharts.com/billiards...ortfolio.shtml

Mike

[orindrake]

Looked into a apprenticeship when I left school as a billiard fitter. And no one would take me on. So I brought some cushions of ebay and started from there. You learn from your mistakes. And now I fit quite a few cloths to clubs