Now and Again I get emails for advice on badly fitted tables

[Geoff Large]

Now and again I get emails about badly fitted tables or tables with level problems and slate joints showing
I have just recently had a photo sent to me through an email asking me for advice and how or how much it would cost to put right .
Please study the photo's in this link , I would like to hear what you think the e mailer should have done .
I am not going to name him or even the firm that supplied and fitted the table, but it may be they used a sub contract fitter to fit it ?
I was surprised when he told me who he had bought the table through as I have seen work done by this firm in the past and there is nothing to suggest that this work was done direct by them as my experience of that firm is that they turn out high quality work , unless they have employed a rogue Sub contract fitter.
here is the link to the photo's

http://gclbilliards.com/badly-fitted...e-way-forward/

[lmf1471]

Hope they had a full refund from the firm in question, because that table was definitly not installed by a qualified fitter.

[DeanH]

when I first looked at the photo, I thought they were blocks of Lego (not window shims)

If it was me, I would have expected either a full refund or the firm to come back and restart the whole fitting again, for free - if I I trusted them to do it right the second time that is.

Maybe with a threat of exposure on TSF

[Terry Davidson]

Geoff:

Thanks for the photos. My BCE Westbury has playing cards under the slates and although the table is fairly level and has been for about 8 years I think I will see if I can find those adjustable brackets over here. I had better send an email to Les Edwards as he's going to have his Westbury installed pretty soon too by the same people I use.

Terry

[lesedwards]

Geoff:

Thanks for the photos. My BCE Westbury has playing cards under the slates and although the table is fairly level and has been for about 8 years I think I will see if I can find those adjustable brackets over here. I had better send an email to Les Edwards as he's going to have his Westbury installed pretty soon too by the same people I use.

Terry

You will notice in my photos that mine is already setup with adjustable brackets for the slate. You will see them on the end skirts and the two cross peices over by the wall.

[Geoff Large]

A playing card around the slate joint on the side rails of the frame is normal , most fitters will slightly shim to get the joints correct and playing cards are about the right thickness for this , anything over this thickness and you either have a set of slates that have been rubbed down over the slate joint and now show low on one edge due to getting frame much better level .

Les Edwards has the adjustable brackets on , you can see these in these back ground on that stripped down and stained leg photo he has just put on

the reason i put this photo on was not to gain brownie points or brag that I could do a better job , but to get feedback for the client who sent me the photo's ,
He has asked for a price to put the table right , and i think his first point of call is back with the table supplier .
as he has paid not only for the table but for the work of having the table erected correctly

in fact I got an email off him this morning and it looked like he was not impressed that I posted the photo on here , but I did it to get feedback for him
Without naming him or the firm involved , I think by posting this it will help convince the supplier to put the table right , if not then I would be happy to carry out the necessary work to do this at a cost .

it will also bring to the attention of the supplier that who ever he used to set the table up , is not upto a good standard , and they should not use him again unless he is retrained to do the work properly .
It is very common these days for some of the larger firms to use sub contractors , in fact the firm i left use them now , I was the last in house fitter .
But as with any sub contractor , you may get a good one or a bad one . some may think this is ok to do to level a table as the person who trained them did the same ?
I am sure the firm in question will put the work correct . the owner also has a pocket opening issue as some pockets are ok and others spit balls out , it looks like they are not all the same measurements .

[philip in china]

How does the table play?

With that amount of packing will the slates eventually bow?

[loopy2]

There are laws in place to protect people from defective goods or shoddy work. The company responsible should prioratise these repairs or pay the cost of repairs from third party.

[sharkster63]

Thanks Geoff, it took me 2 days to level my table alone, over under tap tap, but my cross braces were all not touching with about 1/8 ingch gap, just enough for wedges, If i ever have to do this again there will be no wedges. Lol Thanks very informative.