Operation: Pool Table
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,509
Likes: 1
From: Brisbane
Operation: Pool Table
I'm currently restoring a rare, well aged Italian slate pool table for something to do in my spare time. From some sticker and manufacturer stamps, I've found it actually was built with top-of-the-range everything it just needed some TLC. It certainly explains why it came from the top storey of my capital city's National Bank few years ago. I was lucky enough to have bought it off ebay locally for only $200, when they normally retail on ebay for about $500-800. Reason it was so cheap was because the seller neglected to mention in the advert it was infact a slate top! We found out the hard way when we came to move it... So during this process, expecting a plywood table top and getting slate, the table was damaged in transit. 95% Severe damage in transit & 5% old age. It was fine to play on for 12 months until I had some time off work at Christmas to re-build it. What was supposed to take 2wks has turned to 2 months.. On the up side it has given me something to do, and I get to learn more about playing wood / stains / gloss etc; as well as having the benefits of what is essentially a brand new refurbished pool table that I made.
Anyway. I've been sanding back the rosewood, bare and smooth, staining, and coating it with estapol clear gloss multiple times.
The new felt arrived a few weeks ago but I got distracted with the big Brisbane floods and didn't get around to continuing on with this project again until a few weeks after when I started taking out all the staples holding the felt in place.. The table alone had 450 staples in it and the only way they could be removed was by hand.. So taking one flathead screwdriver, a hammer and a pair of pliers I began tapping the staples out and then removing them with the pliers. Around this time humidity here was killer, something like 85-89% for a period of a week or so - absolutely killer conditions, so I once again lost the motivation for a few weeks, until yesterday when I began taking the staples out of the side bolsters, cutting the felt I required and re-wrapping the side bolsters.
Unfortunately I jumped the gun, and wrapped an entire piece before realising I had to bolt it back onto the side bolster first. So I had a rage moment and stormed off to watch TV for a while (it was a rainy miserable, typically UK type day). Had nothing else to do so I came back a few hours later and picked out all my own f@#king staples, bolted it on and re-wrapped it.
If anyone ever tells you its easy wrapping the corner pockets without getting crinkles, please punch them in the dick and or balls for me.
As I have taken photos along the way of this "build" I thought I'd create an S2Ki thread, to keep me motivated.
So without further ado, I thought I'd bring you all some pictures!
Before:
The Operation: Begins
Wish I had photos of the damage to the table prior to first sanding.... it wasn't nice.
Stage 1: Sanding
Epic task.. Here is the damage that was doneAFTER sanding.....
Stage 1a: Sanding Complete
Yeayyy. Too bad the dust particles didn't land where I wanted them to, and ended up all over my new 55" Sony HD LED LCD TV....
Stage 2: Putty
Tried a few different ways, the dodgy way sucked.
Stage 3: Sanding
Electric Sander FTW!
Stage 4: Felt turned up, along with new rubbers & pockets
At this point I was thinking, fk yeah, this is gonna look shit hot!
Stage 5: Stainer, 1 coat
It took me ages to find the right wood stain colour. Ended up with Wattyl: Tradtional Stain: Rosewood colour
Stage 6: Sanding, first coat of clear gloss estapol
Made the mistake of not putting enough clear gloss on...
Stage 7: Sanding, second coat, sanding, third coat of clear gloss estapol
Learnt my lesson..
Stage 8: Sanding, Fourth and final coat of clear gloss estapol
One more coat just to make it extra shiney!
Stage 9: Refurbishing the pockets
I hit a bit of a rock here and remembered an old wives tale. I dropped a corner into a can of coke - my last as it happened. The results are below from less than 8hrs of being in the coke can. Left side is old, right side is coke can.
Stage 9a: Metal Polish
The Coke idea worked, but I felt it was risky, so I opted to go the metal polish way - Brasso.
This picture is after an evening with some Brasso, JD & Coke, and some elbow grease. Picture doesn't do it justice, but they are actually very goldy and shiney. Just need a buff up now.
Stage 10: Pool Cues & Rack
Whats a sweet looking table without a wall rack?! $57 off ebay and the guy delivered to my door.
Stage 11: Removing the sides & felt
Stage 11a: New Felt laid on top to remove crinkles
Stage 12: Re-felting the side bolsters
This is where I made the error or re-felting it without first bolting it back to the side bolster. FML for having to take out 50 of my own staples...
Thats where I'm up to now atleast. Next step is to re-felt the remaining 4 side bolsters, then most important part, re-felt the table.. The side bolsters will then have a light sand,the metal corners will get buffed shiney and re-installed. Then the new pockets and nets will go on and it will be ready to play on!
Anyway. I've been sanding back the rosewood, bare and smooth, staining, and coating it with estapol clear gloss multiple times.
The new felt arrived a few weeks ago but I got distracted with the big Brisbane floods and didn't get around to continuing on with this project again until a few weeks after when I started taking out all the staples holding the felt in place.. The table alone had 450 staples in it and the only way they could be removed was by hand.. So taking one flathead screwdriver, a hammer and a pair of pliers I began tapping the staples out and then removing them with the pliers. Around this time humidity here was killer, something like 85-89% for a period of a week or so - absolutely killer conditions, so I once again lost the motivation for a few weeks, until yesterday when I began taking the staples out of the side bolsters, cutting the felt I required and re-wrapping the side bolsters.
Unfortunately I jumped the gun, and wrapped an entire piece before realising I had to bolt it back onto the side bolster first. So I had a rage moment and stormed off to watch TV for a while (it was a rainy miserable, typically UK type day). Had nothing else to do so I came back a few hours later and picked out all my own f@#king staples, bolted it on and re-wrapped it.
If anyone ever tells you its easy wrapping the corner pockets without getting crinkles, please punch them in the dick and or balls for me.
As I have taken photos along the way of this "build" I thought I'd create an S2Ki thread, to keep me motivated.
So without further ado, I thought I'd bring you all some pictures!
Before:
The Operation: Begins
Wish I had photos of the damage to the table prior to first sanding.... it wasn't nice.
Stage 1: Sanding
Epic task.. Here is the damage that was doneAFTER sanding.....
Stage 1a: Sanding Complete
Yeayyy. Too bad the dust particles didn't land where I wanted them to, and ended up all over my new 55" Sony HD LED LCD TV....
Stage 2: Putty
Tried a few different ways, the dodgy way sucked.
Stage 3: Sanding
Electric Sander FTW!
Stage 4: Felt turned up, along with new rubbers & pockets
At this point I was thinking, fk yeah, this is gonna look shit hot!
Stage 5: Stainer, 1 coat
It took me ages to find the right wood stain colour. Ended up with Wattyl: Tradtional Stain: Rosewood colour
Stage 6: Sanding, first coat of clear gloss estapol
Made the mistake of not putting enough clear gloss on...
Stage 7: Sanding, second coat, sanding, third coat of clear gloss estapol
Learnt my lesson..
Stage 8: Sanding, Fourth and final coat of clear gloss estapol
One more coat just to make it extra shiney!
Stage 9: Refurbishing the pockets
I hit a bit of a rock here and remembered an old wives tale. I dropped a corner into a can of coke - my last as it happened. The results are below from less than 8hrs of being in the coke can. Left side is old, right side is coke can.
Stage 9a: Metal Polish
The Coke idea worked, but I felt it was risky, so I opted to go the metal polish way - Brasso.
This picture is after an evening with some Brasso, JD & Coke, and some elbow grease. Picture doesn't do it justice, but they are actually very goldy and shiney. Just need a buff up now.
Stage 10: Pool Cues & Rack
Whats a sweet looking table without a wall rack?! $57 off ebay and the guy delivered to my door.
Stage 11: Removing the sides & felt
Stage 11a: New Felt laid on top to remove crinkles
Stage 12: Re-felting the side bolsters
This is where I made the error or re-felting it without first bolting it back to the side bolster. FML for having to take out 50 of my own staples...
Thats where I'm up to now atleast. Next step is to re-felt the remaining 4 side bolsters, then most important part, re-felt the table.. The side bolsters will then have a light sand,the metal corners will get buffed shiney and re-installed. Then the new pockets and nets will go on and it will be ready to play on!
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,509
Likes: 1
From: Brisbane
Got more staples but found one of the side bolsters had the rubber falling off the wood, so I glued it back on and had to wait for it to dry.... so I started on the table.....
Infact, I'm nearly done, just needs an easy 60 staples or so to finish it off! I only stopped because my hands are sore....
Infact, I'm nearly done, just needs an easy 60 staples or so to finish it off! I only stopped because my hands are sore....
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,509
Likes: 1
From: Brisbane
I'm moving the foosball table out and giving it away to a colleague's friend who wants it.
In "build news" I trimmed the table today, and tidied up the side bolsters by adding a 1/2" strip of left over felt to the side bolsters to hide the staples. Looks much cleaner now.
I've re-bolted 5 of the 6 sides back on. I was doing the 6th one but was distracted by FB notifications
Today I ordered replacement leather pockets so they should arrive tomorrow or Wednesday hopefully.
I aim to have it all done by Wednesday as I leave for work up the coast for 3wks on the Wednesday afternoon!
As it sat late this afternoon before FB distractions..
And as it sits now... just awaiting those new leather pockets
In "build news" I trimmed the table today, and tidied up the side bolsters by adding a 1/2" strip of left over felt to the side bolsters to hide the staples. Looks much cleaner now.
I've re-bolted 5 of the 6 sides back on. I was doing the 6th one but was distracted by FB notifications
Today I ordered replacement leather pockets so they should arrive tomorrow or Wednesday hopefully.
I aim to have it all done by Wednesday as I leave for work up the coast for 3wks on the Wednesday afternoon!
As it sat late this afternoon before FB distractions..
And as it sits now... just awaiting those new leather pockets