One thing that will help eliminate call backs is to use playing cards (cut into 1”x3/4” pieces) rather than wood shims to level the slate. Shims will compress and will allow the slate to move. Good idea on the liquid dowels. (Thumbs up) I use the rock putty as suggested. It is easy to repair (if necessary, in the very unlikely event that it becomes damaged) As long as you clean the table before you cover it, it will work fine.
I'm glade that this video was made. It keeps me in business for releveling tables the correct way. 1st leveling the cabinet to the room that it is in, then leveling the slate from the highest point on the table by using flat wood shims (1\16'',1\32'',1\64'', and 1\128'' thicknesses) from 11 out of 12 slate screws or 15 out of 16 if it has center slate screws like an Olhausen. running your level from screw to screw, seam to seam, high side to low side. leveling is not rocket science.
You can use flat stock or wedges. I use both. Nothing wrong with either. Some old school guys dont like wedges but they're are nothing wrong with them usually its pretty common.
@@jayne257 depending on how level the frame is you can use playing cards or flat plate shims pretty much anything to get the slates to match up evenly!
Nice video! Thank you for posting this, I just bought a nice pool table and disassembled and reassembled it myself. The Durham's water putty was perfect. My slate is perfectly flat! Unfortunately I had to use a razor blade to run across the seems, Home Depot did not have or does not carry straight edges. They actually didn't know what I was talking about.
Stringline works better then using a straight edge. 3 strings across the length tied tight. 7 pieces of shimstock of equal thickness.. Place one shim stock under end of each stingline so you have 6 shim stock under string line..use 7th shim stock as a guage..
Great video. I was hoping to do a DIY on my own table but it appears it will cost me more to buy the tools than to hire someone who does this for a living.
If it happens to get a chip, the chip can be easily crushed with a pool ball and vacuumed through the felt. If wax under the felt gets damaged you are screwed. Coming from the former plant manager of the Peter Vitalie billiard company.
Water putty often breaks up and falls through the crack then you have pool balls hopping when they roll over the flawed seam until the next time the table is recovered. Beeswax is the material to use.
James Strong I have what is probably going to seem stupid question to you. If you've read my other comments I'm a widow and I plan to reassemble a table now that I've moved. I think I will use beeswax, the wax is supposed to go into the screw holes also correct? I've also got to figure out what kind of screws to get as the movers never gave me anything. Thank you in advance for your help.
what do you suggest instead of playing cards and plaster? wax and shims or is there another alternative? also if you are moving a table and need to put the old felt back on is it the same process as putting new felt on, just with less slack to work with or is there another way.
You could save yourself a lot of back ache and time if you 1st leveled the base frame, set your slate, leveling each piece, and used bees wax instead! Bees ax does not damage the slate. Its good that you used the super glue to help with the seems popping because you used wedges instead of flat shims, which everyone know, wedges vibrate out over time which would then cause your slate to move. Correct items to use - bees wax, flat shims NO SUPER GLUE NO BONDO both damage the slate.
Emily Famiglietti thank you for that hun, I had to move 5 years ago when my husband died, the table was disassembled. The movers did not give me any screws. What kind of screws do I get for the Slate? I wish I could find a manual for the table it is an AMF playmaster 7 foot slate. I would appreciate any help I can get.
Emily Famiglietti I don't mean to inundate you with a bunch of comments and questions, but here I go again. You suggest beeswax instead of that Bondo. And superglue if it's used on playing cards between each piece of slate. Now flat shims those are just simply put not the wedge shims right? My movers never even gave me the screws when they disassemble the table. So I'm basically putting together a list for Lowe's. Am I missing something? If you have an idea as to how I can locate manual on assembly for a AMF playmaster slate pool table that would be wonderful I have had no luck.
A lot of great ideas here that some people do not think of or use, I will say the paper idea is absolute bs, if a 200# rock is going to move, its going to move, super glue will not help it, it does not hurt but it does not help either, I am a professional installer who puts a lifetime warranty on all labor, I never go back for slate seams. A little surprised this guy uses putty, he seems on top of it but putty is a hack method. There is absolutely 100% no possible way to make putty flat and a true play surface. It also can chip and break over time and cause small pieces of debris under your cloth, as well as get into the pores of the slate and cause it to crack when you try to take it apart, I have seen slate breakage due to putty dozens of times. Using it on screw holes is a great way to strip screws at disassembly. Bees wax, when applied properly will never fail you. Overall I would say if you are going to follow anyone on youtubes instruction this would be the guy.
you can use immediately after installation. Every Table settles a little after the first couple of days of use and may or may not need to be re-leveled.
@@GT705 thank you, I purchased it and I still have yet to put up the pool table. I just wanted to make sure I was squared away with everything I might need. Thank you again. Have a great night.
@@ritawashere5787 you mentioned being in the south. Are you by chance near Pinehurst, NC? I am also in the re-assembly process and feel very confident after watching so many RU-vid videos! Maybe I can help you.
@@GT705 you are so kind, I'm actually in Kenly North Carolina just outside of Smithfield. I decided since I couldn't get enough help to deal with the pool table I would give it to my son-in-law and so I've given him everything I ordered so that he can assemble it at his house. I must say, to my daughter's Chagrin, as they are divorced and she said I should have sold it and quit trying to help him LOL Pinehurst sounds familiar. I'm not from North Carolina, I've only lived in North Carolina since 2005 and in this area since 2016.
@@jujinho7161 Must be dismantled. But don't worry = It's not as hard to do as it sounds. and depending on the size you bought = for an 8' table minimum 2 people needed
Nice video, and lot's of good "standard" procedures, but missed a lot of key points...as for the durhams rock putty! DO NOT USE...rock putty flakes, and chips...and leaves residue under the cloth, and those of us who have pulled cloth, know...the slightest little dust particle is amplified. It's like a mountain under the cloth (felt). Say someone jumps a ball, and it hit's the seam, 'BAM' cracks the seam. 20 years experience here....
You guys are the reason it's sucks to get the screws out when they need to move it for relocation. You use this ridiculous putty. Bees wax is the best way to go always!!!! Always. You guys don't care cuz you think they will never move! But when I have to disassemble these tables. I got to pound away just to get at the screws. Fuck!! I knew it. Bees wax guys!!! Bees wax!!!!!!!!!! Cheap and easy!!! And dries faster than that shit.
Bees wax is good in certain climates. If you live in the south (as I do), bees wax stays soft and can migrate through the cloth at the slate screws. Bondo works well here. Plaster of Paris REALLY sucks!
He didn’t even level each slate individually. I’d say most of what he did was ok, at the end of the day I bet the balls don’t roll strait on this table. Watch some of my videos! I agree with liquid dowel/business card but not necessarily needed. Durhams or beeswax, different stroke different folks. Down here in Texas wax melts so durhams all day.
@@danieltapia6278 if you are trying to attach the liner to the slate itself you would use a screw that is about 1/4 longer than the slate itself. If the slate has liner attached to it and you are trying to screw the slate to the cabinet use a screw that is about 1/2 - 1” longer. Hope this helps. 210-232-7211
Its obvious you know what youre doing and didn't get into crowned slate or with a valley but think you are showing a good thing with that straight edge Check out how easy it is to move slate with OTLVISE the Worlds Greatest tool
Am I the only person who watched this and thought "why the hell is some guy that sounds a bit like Ron White narrating a video about something he isn't very good at?"
Buy an olhausen and you don't have to worry about slate seams popping. They have center slate screws. And I have seen that super glue trick break slate... Stop telling people to do that.
Oh Lord... Lol.. First things first, guys.. Get rid of the carpenters level and get a machinist level.. You need to be using a machinist level to assemble a pool table..
I have been installing tables for over 10 years full time every day. First off wrong seam filler, didn't level each piece of slate so you know it half pipeing to the middle like every table will. And worst of all he used pound in shims and put them on the cheater blocks. Why put this online for people to see?
Troy Gates I've decided to reassemble a pool table that was moved when my husband died. I'm trying to figure out what I need to get the job done. You say no to the potty but I live in the south people have said Beeswax is bad. My table will be inside a double-wide mobile home That central air and heat. It's a 7-foot 3-piece slate table. It's not for professional use LOL but would like to enjoy it for some years. When the movers moved it they never gave me any screws so this is something I also need to get. It would be wonderful if you or somebody else can let me know what I need to do the job.
Rita Massey Krielaart Hey has any one replied to you yet? Ive seen you on another comment with no reply im no professional but i feel somewhat sorry for you in the fact none of these so called experts can help a nice lady like your self, im going to hopefully grab a not so bad table tomorrow and will be restoring it myself with no experience, im a cabinet maker so i hope that comes in handy, im happy to come to a conclusion together. 😁
There's clearly a dozen ways to kill a cat here. It's my personal experience to never use Rock hard putty again. It's ok, just not great. It inevitably chips out and leaves speed bumps in the playing surface. Beeswax is best as long as there's not deep chips or holes. Old tables have worn edges at the seams. I'll use rock hard sparingly in deep chips and top off with beeswax. Never used the super glue trick. Not sure if it helps but doubt it hurts anything. Leveling is a bitch, just be patient, go slow and you'll be fine. I do like playing cards as shims.
People, do yourself a favor.... DON'T TRY TO INSTALL A TABLE YOURSELF! There's a reason why we get paid to do this. If you screw it up (and you probably will) you'll end up paying a LOT more to have a tech fix what you screwed up. When you decide that having an actual installer do the job, use the "how to choose an installer" article written at: www.billiardsofneworleans.com.
I have done a LOT of things myself that you supposedly need a pro to do. The fact is that in most cases it comes out better than what a pro would do! As a non-pro do be ready to pay when you mess up. It is part of learning. The key is to be smart, do your research and to know when a pro is REALLY needed. Somethings just take time to learn and a teacher. The reason the "pros" fail is because they are high school drop outs that just happen to start doing the work. Sorry to all you pros out there that really do have skills. I know you exist!
Ive been in the billiard Business full time since 1963 and why do people comment and insult each other. Here it is simply put. You have a pool table that needs to be installed, either try to do it yourself or hire a pro, but please stop insulting others there is nothing gained. Ive watched tons of Pool table videos some good some bad but who cares, life is to short, just chill and enjoy
@@ricksbilliardtablessalesan1938 I think the newbies need to know what's a well done video to learn from and what is bad. It can always be do politely!
