Warped 6 footer

[pontyender]

Due to space and financial constraints, I've just bought a 6 foot foldaway snooker table (BCE FS-6)). Am I expecting too much to be able to get one of these that isn't already bowed/warped?

I've already sent one back as the table dropped away alarmingly at both ends, the spirit level losing contact with the cloth just before the pink spot. I thought I'd struck lucky with the replacement, but soon discovered that although it was fine at the baulk end, the spirit level now lost contact with the cloth just before the black spot.

I was made to feel the first time I complained that my expectations were too high for what they described over the phone as 'a kids toy'. Well...the table wasn't advertised as a 'kids toy', costs £250 at some outlets, wasn't bought from Tesco or Argos (their motto is Real Sports for Real Players) and is made by what I considered to be a serious table manufacturer.

There are no leg levellers on this table so I'm resorting to using beer mats, but no amount of levelling can remedy the arcing of the ball towards both corners from the black spot.

Is this something I should put up with for the price and has anyone got any suggestions for trying to make the best of a bad job (as regards compensating for the warp)?

[Geoff Large]

All foldaway tables are going to have a resin Fibreboard bed or even chipnpaord or plywwod bed . They are never true .
BCE are well known for low end chinese imported tables and cues .
they where prob the first company to mass import such goods , and quickly made enough money to expand imnto the serious side of snooker and full size tables , this all happend in the 1970/80s .
As they evolved they replaced Riley as the selected table of choice ? for all World tournements , I guess it was who paid the most would get their tables on TV .
Once on TV the public must have got the idea that all BCE goods where of simular quality , but these home tables are not .
I guess you should have gone for a foldaway slate bed table , they do exist , or even a slate bed table with bolt off legs .
Even these 6 foot slate beds due to thin slate can not be 100% true . but much better than fibreboard .
I would suggest you look for a Riley Dining convertable if you have cue room in a dining area , you can sometimes pick them up in need of renovation for around £400 on ebay , but fully renovated they sell upwards of £1500 .depending on model and leg design .
I would say it would cost you around £400 for a rerubber /recover new nets and leathers for a 6ft or 7 ft slate bed table .
the only other alternative is a 7x4 Winner supreme pool table available from £450 fully renovated and delivered on ebay , locate this in a Garage with a pool table trolly to move it around if you also use the Garage for other things .
If the firm advertise the table as a reasonable sports equipment then they are responsable to delivering you a reasonable sports item .
but in reality you was not going to get a good wood bed table that is 100% true and in my experience get even worse when stored in a garage or shed .
as the fibre board soaks up damp from the air and warps big time , that is why you see so many being given away or sold for around £25 .
many of these foldaway tables have not been made to recover , having been nailed together with very large compressed air nails .

Geoff