Moving A Pool Table...?

[TreeGuy]

Once again turning to the sage gurus of AO for advice.

We've been looking at buying a pool table for our unfinished basement. They aren't hard to find used and extremely affordable.

We are looking at two at the moment. One I'd have to move and setup. The other includes delivery/installation for a few hundred bucks more.

I'm cheap and have have a 16 year old and truck. Leaning in that direction.

Taking crap apart and lifting heavy things isn't a big problem (perhaps...). The reassembly may be a different story as this will be an entirely new adventure for this clan.

Any advice would be appreciated before I get myself in too deep here.

Tree

[CaberTosser]

I'd just jump in having never done it before. What could possibly go wrong, they're barely even flammable!

Moved heavy stuff? Practically daily
Assembled stuff? Literally daily
Have a level? Yer durned tootin, at least 14!

[bat119]

What size of table? I helped move a 6X12 the slate was in 3 pieces that fit together than the cracks needed to be filled and sanded flat, my buddy hired somebody to do that and replace the cloth then level it. If the slate is in one piece it would be easier.

[TreeGuy]

Table is 4’x8’. Not sure about the slate. Figured I’d ask here first before endeavouring in a potential gong show.

You busy tomorrow Caber?

[bat119]

set it up then break a rack if all the balls go in one hole level again

video
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...9&&FORM=VRDGAR

[Trochu]

I've only ever moved one. It was a three piece slate surface. Disassembly and reassembly was pretty straight forward. Leveling it isn't difficult either. Assuming a three piece slate setup, you should be able to handle it with ease with basic hand tools and a bit of common sense.

[Ken07AOVette]

Do the main set up but get someone to redo the rag. That is the only tricky part. The shop here that sells hot tubs does it, likely a dozen places there.

[hal53]

Originally Posted by Trochu

I've only ever moved one. It was a three piece slate surface. Disassembly and reassembly was pretty straight forward. Leveling it isn't difficult either. Assuming a three piece slate setup, you should be able to handle it with ease with basic hand tools and a bit of common sense.

common sense??...oh oh......

[badger]

Putting together the furniture and slate top will be straight forward. Getting the felt tight and flat is more difficult. I've done my 6 X 12 snooker table twice but it helped to see it done once before doing it myself. Watch the Youtube videos and decide if it something you want to attempt. You might as well buy new felt while you are going to the trouble of re-felting.

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by TreeGuy

Table is 4’x8’. Not sure about the slate. Figured I’d ask here first before endeavouring in a potential gong show.

You busy tomorrow Caber?

This weekend is spoken for, not entirely sure of next.......

[Big Grey Wolf]

Most guys have covered important points. It is not hard to re-assemble table with 3 piece slate. Most important point is lots of under pad in truck to set slate pieces on, drive careful, you do not want to have to replace broken piece of slate, much $$.

[omega50]

Bought one from a ranch near Longview that was already disassembled. Their ranch hand delivered and then I had a company come out from Calgary to Turner Valley to put it together. Was a few hundred bucks, but it was a large table and fraught with mystery.
Money well spent, but I bought the table for cheap so it evened out

[vinny]

Honestly, I'd have it installed. If its out even the most minuscule amount, it'll never be playable. Now, having said that, if you're not concerned about the balls all falling one direction, give it a try. I guess you could always have them redo it after.

[JR1992]

Been there done this. 4 of us moved and set up a pool table and all 4 of us agreed we wouldn’t do it for the money companies charge to do it.

Take my advice, pony up the dough and have it done professionally. It’s worth it.

Edit: Guess I’m in the minority. It just isn’t worth the hassle to me.

[vcmm]

Originally Posted by JR1992

Been there done this. 4 of us moved and set up a pool table and all 4 of us agreed we wouldn’t do it for the money companies charge to do it.

Take my advice, pony up the dough and have it done professionally. It’s worth it.

Edit: Guess I’m in the minority. It just isn’t worth the hassle to me.

This ^^^ for a few hundred $$$ get someone else to do it. What's your back worth?

[Spidey]

Originally Posted by JR1992

Been there done this. 4 of us moved and set up a pool table and all 4 of us agreed we wouldn’t do it for the money companies charge to do it.

Take my advice, pony up the dough and have it done professionally. It’s worth it.

Edit: Guess I’m in the minority. It just isn’t worth the hassle to me.

I totally agree. I've moved 2 tables and, similar to perfect drywall finishing, this is one of those things that takes the experts not much time at all and the DIY'er a lot of potential time and grief. I guess it could be an interesting project if you have a lot of time on your hands, but if you want a perfectly set up table for good game play I'd pay the few hundred bucks and go with the pros.

[MOAhunter]

Firstly I would steer clear of Chinese tables because the fit and finish is often lousy, resulting in a poor playing table. You can still find Connelly, Olhausen, AMF, Canada Billiards and some Alberta made tables like Heritage Billiards and Pathmark for a $1000 or well under. Anything with Italian slate will be decent.

Before the table is dismantled check the rail bounce. Rubber needs to be replaced every 10 to 20 years. To test rail life, try shooting a ball seven rails, if this is impossible the rubber is beginning to harden.

1.Remove rail bolts from underneath, with socket and extension. 5/8" usually.
2. Flip pockets with skirts and rails attached onto table.
3. Unbolt pockets from rails
4. Remove staples from bedcloth and fold it up.
5. Unscrew slate from table and remove the three pieces.
6. Remove table legs from frame.
7. Depending on the access, you may be able to keep the frame in one piece otherwise it should break down depending on the type of table.

Setting up the table can be done in reverse order but requires specific experience or a person that can really listen and apply what he learned on YouTube.

I worked as a pool table installer 20 years ago, but I still used an old contact to re-cushion, pull new bed cloth, level the slate and table for me, because this ability was in my distant past.
I did the dismantle and moving - I saved a bunch of $$$ I only paid for the more technical work.
My commercial 4X8 Brunswick plays perfect, like a pro table should! Couldn't be happier and certainly don't mind paying a little for that.

[Trochu]

So, how did the move go?

[TreeGuy]

Thanks for all the replies guys!

(Except Hal53. Dick! lol)

Tomorrow is moving day. Just the Shrub and I. What could possibly go wrong?

Character building is important.





Tree

[elkhunter11]

I have moved 4x8, and 5x10 tables.These were older tables, and the slates were thicker and heavier than some of the newer tables. The smaller tables only had two piece slates, and were actually harder to carry. The disassembly was easy, as was the basic assembly, it took a lot of patience to level the tables and install the cloth. Having a quality level really helps, trying to use a cheap torpedo level can increase the frustration level.

[Jays toyz]

Originally Posted by MOAhunter

Firstly I would steer clear of Chinese tables because the fit and finish is often lousy, resulting in a poor playing table. You can still find Connelly, Olhausen, AMF, Canada Billiards and some Alberta made tables like Heritage Billiards and Pathmark for a $1000 or well under. Anything with Italian slate will be decent.

Before the table is dismantled check the rail bounce. Rubber needs to be replaced every 10 to 20 years. To test rail life, try shooting a ball seven rails, if this is impossible the rubber is beginning to harden.

1.Remove rail bolts from underneath, with socket and extension. 5/8" usually.
2. Flip pockets with skirts and rails attached onto table.
3. Unbolt pockets from rails
4. Remove staples from bedcloth and fold it up.
5. Unscrew slate from table and remove the three pieces.
6. Remove table legs from frame.
7. Depending on the access, you may be able to keep the frame in one piece otherwise it should break down depending on the type of table.

Setting up the table can be done in reverse order but requires specific experience or a person that can really listen and apply what he learned on YouTube.

I worked as a pool table installer 20 years ago, but I still used an old contact to re-cushion, pull new bed cloth, level the slate and table for me, because this ability was in my distant past.
I did the dismantle and moving - I saved a bunch of $$$ I only paid for the more technical work.
My commercial 4X8 Brunswick plays perfect, like a pro table should! Couldn't be happier and certainly don't mind paying a little for that.

I was a billiard mechanic for years in the 80's moved and installed, recovered and redid rails on many many tables and moa is correct. Slates Should be transported on edge like glass, barring that, stacked flat with no deflection possible.

[Ken07AOVette]

The only one I ever did was an old Brunswick snooker table. I tore it down and set it up myself, had a friend help me haul the slates up the stairs (12, ow) at the old house, then down 7 at mine (not as much ow).
When it came time to rerag I got someone in to do it. Not cheap, but a great job.
I still have the slates, 1 1/2" thick and I guess around 350 lbs each. They are nothing but ugly to move. The table is long gone, I just didn't have it in me to haul them to the dump. I am hoping someone will repurpose them.

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by TreeGuy

Tomorrow is moving day. Just the Shrub and I. What could possibly go wrong?

Tree

I hope the Shrubster was wearing a GoPro, I'm a big fan of Wile E Coyote!!

[TreeGuy]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

I hope the Shrubster was wearing a GoPro, I'm a big fan of Wile E Coyote!!

Haha. Nope.

Reasonably proud of us though. A somewhat hungover fool and his 16 year old kid managed the dismantling process then moving the damn thing from one basement to another without issue.

Got called back north for work hours later, so the next step remains.

Hey...for $200, why not take a crack at it? Lol

Tree

[fordtruckin]

Bought a table last year from a friend. 4x8 Brunswick with 3 1” thick slate pieces. Taking apart was a breeze and putting back together straight forward. If you remember where each skate piece went it is fairly easy to get back level Provided it was leveled right the first time. It took me about an hour or so to out back together. Worst part was the felt and if I ever move it again I’d probably have someone come in and replace it. On second thought we are trying to sell it so why bother lol.

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by TreeGuy

Haha. Nope.

Reasonably proud of us though. A somewhat hungover fool and his 16 year old kid managed the dismantling process then moving the damn thing from one basement to another without issue.

Got called back north for work hours later, so the next step remains.

Hey...for $200, why not take a crack at it? Lol

Tree

Dang, I wanted to see footage of you walking around while looking and sounding like a wheezing accordion

My 10 year old son loooves anvils.

[mudbug]

Originally Posted by TreeGuy

Haha. Nope.

Reasonably proud of us though. A somewhat hungover fool and his 16 year old kid managed the dismantling process then moving the damn thing from one basement to another without issue.

Got called back north for work hours later, so the next step remains.

Hey...for $200, why not take a crack at it? Lol

Tree

So once your all done can you post a short video of how cool all the balls look rolling into the left corner pocket all on their own 😜

[TreeGuy]

Mission accomplished!

Setup wasn’t as onerous as expected. Took about 2-3 hours with an entire family effort. It’s not 100% perfect, but plays far better than 99.9% of the bar tables I’ve been on. It came with a set of snooker balls too. I learned billiards as a kid playing on a full 12’ X 6’. We should have a ton of fun with the Shrubs. Shooting a bit of stick is an important life skill IMHO.

Thanks for all the tips guys. It helped!

[Ken07AOVette]

attaboy

[JD848]

Number one rule with slated tables is humidity,i had a 6x12 burrough's and watt's snooker table for years in my basement and ever once in a while when home I would add a touch of extra heat under the table.
Not a lot maybe 5 degree's ,moisture gets into slate ,cloth and rail's and takes away the true flow of the table due to the fibers in the nap of the felt and can slow it down.

Keep the slate dry and cloth dry and things will go good,if you have a perfect dry room with even heat in the room your oka.When you clean you nap if there,s miosture and the chalk drys up slowly over time into it ,it's stay's in the felt.
Get a good horse hair brush and always clean in the right direction going with the flow of the nap.Also there's different grades of pool or snooker balls,somtimes real good sets come up cheap on kijji..The sharper the crack the better the ball and the better it rolls.Some of the best balls are made in beliguim ,but there's still different grades from there.I know your just doing this for enjoyement ,but ever bit helps.CHEERS

Hope you enjoy your table,have fun.

JD