Odd sized slates / 8 bolts on 1 & 4 cushions

[ryanah147]

Came across something during the week which I have not seen before. One was the usual run of the mill full size Orme & Son table, but when the cloth was removed the slates were different sizes. No.1 and 4 slates measured 27" each, No`s 2 and 4 were 26" each, and the middle slate a whopping 38". The slabs were 1 3/4" thick and I was wondering how those measurements came about.
The second table was an old Padmore table with the usual 5 bolts on the side cushions, but on the baulk and spot ends the cushions had eight bolts.
Maybe Geoff may be able to shine some light on those for me?
G.

[Geoff Large]

Hi Gerard , yes I have come across both types of oddities , forget where the table with off set slates was , but the table with 8 bolts at each end was at a sports club in burton on trent , not too far away from birmingham and padmore's .

I would think the odd sized slates where just oddments that was used to form a full size , lets just say the foreman or owner of the slate quarry may have seen some wastefull oddments knocking around and put them all together to form a full sized set , less wastefullness at the quarry and lets face it once the cloth is on who is to know apart from the fitter?, but you don't want to be carrying that centre slate upstairs do you ?
I do not think it was common to make these slates like this , and have prob only seen 2 tables like it .

I often come across 1 inch thick 4 piece slate full sized with off set middle joint to avoid the join being on the middle fall and then prone to chipping from bounce back of ball from centre pocket plate , again rare to find as the Billiard Table designers soon changed to 5 piece sets as the thickness of the slates increased to 1.3/4 and 2 inch .

Geoff

[ryanah147]

Hi Geoff,
Yes, I could see the reasoning with the slate quarry having an oddment and then making up the difference with different sizes, yes, it makes sense. What then would be the reason for the 8 cushion bolts ? Would the extra bolts decrease the `thud factor`, but if it did, why is it that they only put 5 on the sides, why not throw an extra one in like the modern cushions which have six. Was it only Padmores that used that method ?
G.

[Geoff Large]

Gerard , I have only come across Padmore's that used the 8 bolts on the end cushions , on the burton on trent table and one in a RAF base , I think it was a design quirk to try and emulate a stiffer cushion , and only on the end cushions as the ball has further rebound options of the 12 foot lenth rather than the 6foot of the width .
They should have just used cuban mahogany to gain the extra bounce as it is as good as any steel block table . the only wood I know which is heavier is lignum vitae or iron wood as it is commonly called . but that stuff would have blunted their plane's and saw blades ...lol
So just a design quirk or experiment that was soon dropped as not many about , maybe Peter clare has more info as they did buy thurston and padmore's out ?

Geoff