Category Archives: News

I have been over to Derby to adjust the pocket openings on a riley Aristocrat
The old openings where 3.3/8ths at the fall which is too tight
My clients friends where reluctant to come round and play on his table .

This was the problem , these templates would not fit into the openings at 3.3/8ths at the fall

after carefully unstapling the cloth on the corner pockets I put the cushions back onto the table in the correct place , using a centre template to centre the side cushions up .

by carefully taking the staples out I peeled the cloth back to reveal the rubber openings
I then placed the corner template over this and traced around it , then cut the slivers of excess rubber away  , around 1/16th each side .

the middle pockets where ok and fitted my centre templates perfectly

After trimming and rasping and sanding the angles , I carefully turned over and re stapled the cloth back on
this photo is of the under cut template showing a perfect fit to align perfectly with the slate fall

The corner template is now a perfect fit in all 4 corner pockets and a shade over 3.5 inch , the balls are much more inclined to fall now and the jaw  rattle is reduced ,
a ball is a little forgiving when resting in the jaw and is inclined to fall in but only just , before they where almost impossible to fall in if slightly rattled on entry to fall , I have not made these openings massive like some club tables you play on , they are what I call just above pro size pockets by about 1/32nd of an inch .
the worst thing you can do is expect normal players to play on very tight pocket openings they will just walk away from that type of table as the game is no fun for them , by slightly opening the pockets up they will start to build more confidence and make higher breaks .
I have been adjusting a few tables recently to have slightly larger pocket openings . some require pockets openings at 3.3/4 wide but most go for 3.5/8ths , this one is between 3.5 and 3.5/8th .

The table finished and ready for play , the room that this table is locate at is above some industrial units in Derby , my client rents the room out to include all electricity , he has a toilet and fridge and tea making facilities.
It is one way of having a few mates round for snooker without having to wait or booking of a table as in a snooker club location .
so if you do not have room for a full size snooker table at home then consider renting a room like this unused office space above a normal running garage business which would only store rubbish in it .
It is a win win situation for both Garage owner and Snooker fanatic .
the work is fiddly and very time consuming as you have to take it steady and carefully cut and check before rasping and sanding , this is not a DIY job and you should refer to a qualified Billiard Fitter for this very experienced hands on work

We have been over to Coopers Snooker and Pool club in Wellingborough
The work we have just completed
“full size snooker tables recovered in Strachan 6811 tournament 30 oz cloth

and three 7×4 Supreme winner pool tables also recovered in Strachan 6811 tournament 30 oz cloth

the UK pool area now has 10 supreme Winner pool tables and is now used as the main Northampton county pool team venue
an impressive room , an  ex cinema with very high ceiling which made hanging new electric match lighting a risky job , so best left to Electricians who can work at Heights off scaffolding .

In august we help recover and relocate some of the Supreme winner tables for coopers from their sister club in Northampton
they had nine tables back then so had room for one more which they sourced from another firm .
They then had the electricians move all the lighting and the tables had to be relocated , a job they did themselves , then they asked the fitter from the other firm who installed that 10th table to look at the other tables and level them .
the above photo shows what he did , packed under the slate with beer mats , this is taboo , and can cause cracked slates or even warped corrugated slate where the slate sags on the gap between the packing .
on the three tables I recovered I put right what this fitter had done , and made much better way of rectifying dropped slates or sagging slate as some call this , normally caused by people sitting on the next table they are playing on .

one of the other tables he leveled by placing beer matts under the slate in different places , you may notice where he is placing these beer matts on the two centre ball return  tunnel supports , which run the entire length of the slate from end to end

and my way of packing is to support the slate gradually by stapling thin strips of cloth then a shorter piece of thin cloth over that , if a third is required then attach that , the slate is then gradually supported it’s entire length
There is no air gaps under the slate between the support and the slate so no risk of a cracked slate and no risk of corrugation of slate
I have given much thought into getting the slate bow out of the carcase on these tables and , I believe my way to be the best solution
I put this down to my Time served Billiards fitter experience of 40 years , the other fitter I think is just  a pool table engineer and not a proper Time served Billiard sfitter trained in the art of working on all cue sports tables
If you can understand how the slates on a full size snooker table must be supported it is no difference in pool tables there must be support on it’s entire length and no gaps between slate and frame , and not wedged with beer mats like the above pool table engineer did , a common thing I find when on my rounds .
The solution to keep tables level is to stop people sitting on the tables , the average male is 12 to 14  stone put this in the centre of the table and it will sag down and deform the carcass of the pool table which in turn the slate will also follow the shape of the now sagging carcass  , so if you see people sitting on pool tables tell them off and point them to this report .
Also , if a pool table engineer places too many beer mats under the slate the top surround cushion clamps will be sprained and cause rattling clips and hinges .

We have an 8 section hard cover for a full size snooker table
this table top would have been very expensive to make , it has rubber under neath to protect the polished cappings on the cushions
it is made semi hollow but thick sections so are light to handle yet do not bow when placed on the table
they are tongue and grooved fitment when attaching to each other
I do not have a photo of the full top fitted , but I do have one section placed on one end , this is one section of eight !
Photo below is one on the table and three more on the floor leaning up , you can just see the rubber edge strip which protects the cushions when placed on the table .

They do have the odd scuff and scratch , they are second hand
This set of Eight fit together covers cost over £1000 to have custom made , we are asking just £200 as a private sale  , we can deliver free to very local club close to nottingham or Derby city centres or surrounding area.
but if you are far away then please arrange a courier to pick them up or hire  a transit van or Vauxhall Vivaro sized van to pick up from near Junction 25 of the M1
if you have a table that you also use for other things then why risk damage to the cloth by fitting loose uneven boards , buy these custom made boards and double your table up as say a buffet table , or craft table . or display table, or even  train set or Scalextric set up

Phone Geoff on 07753 – 466 – 064

or email Carol or Geoff at………….     c.large@btinternet.com

I have been over to Nottingham University campus this week to re-cover a full size snooker table that has been in the staff club for many years

the table stripped down , cushions have been re-covered and now for the bed cloth

The finished table re-covered in Strachan 6811 tournament 30 oz cloth , balls set up and ready for play .
I have worked on this table many times over the past 40 years
Thursday  and Friday of this week ,  I have to dismantle a full size table in Clowne in Derbyshire and set it back up at a local Golf club in Erewash Derbyshire, with a re-cover and dismantle and dispose of old table from the premises .

I have been to a local Probation Hostel today to re-cover their 7×4 pool table

The cloth  I recommended was the Strachan super pro speed cloth , this is more durable than napped wool cloth and has good reputation for standing up to rough treatment
Strachan super pro is a top end speed cloth with 70% wool and 30% man made fibres for durability
the cloth is called speed cloth due to it having no nap to slow the ball down .
Finer short napped wool cloth would not stand up to rough treatment so this is the best all round cloth for this particular site and use it will receive.
I also supplied a set of new balls and 6 new cues and some chalk .

The finished table

We have just completed the re-stretching of the bed cloths on two full size snooker tables in Derby
these two tables where re-covered 12 months ago and we recommend that the cloths are tightened to keep their speed up and play faster and true .

we have a long relationship with this club which has excellent facilities and a very nice modern room with bench seating and modern lighting
an ideal environment for playing serious snooker , a room away from the noise of the bar area of the club .
if your table has lost some of it’s speed and there is plenty of nap left in the cloth , then why not get GCL billiards in to do a stretch service on your table , we also check the level and adjust at the same time if it requires adjusting .

We have been busy local again today in Repton Derbyshire.
The task today was to uncrate a three section slate bed table that had been shipped over from the USA where our clients had moved from to their Home in Repton

We assembled the frame and positioned this central to the room with enough cue room at one end .
the room by the way was a very nice stand alone Garden building , having thick oak framed pinned timber frame
Tiled underfloor heating and large glazed area and upper window area in roof  , note the Red indian paintings on the far wall , our client was telling me she used to live in Colorado

this American 8ft pool table used to be in our clients home in Colorado , they had a firm in america dismantle and pack everything in crates and placed in a container with other goods to bring over
as you can see the wool based cloth has shrunk a little .

Stretching this old cloth back on was going to be a bit of a challenge for me

although I am not a big fan of american pool table design , I must say this one surprised me in that the quality was very good , the slates especially where good on the slate joints
On the underside of the slate I found this sticker , the maker of the Table is Connelly  Billiards of Arizona.

Well I must say I got that bed cloth to fit back on perfect , the cushions back on and ready to play

the very nice Connelly billiards of Tuscon Arizona Badge , inserted on one end cushion .

Four ball and claw carved legs on each corner , with thick leather bag nets , a very nice table
those spots on the cushions are position markers to get angles for hitting the balls , I always refer to these as learning aids much like you fit outrigger wheels on children’s bikes !
in the UK we do not have these we have  to rely on natural skill , only in the USA !

We have just completed two older type second hand table re-covers for two separate clients who live close by in Nottinghamshire
the first one was a small 6ft older 1970s type Superleague manufactured by HGM superleague of Hazel Grove.

the 6ft superleague before the re-cover

Cushions re-covered and slate stripped ready

Bed cloth glued  on the slate and ready to be bonded together using contact adhesive , no spray on glue is used ,  we spread our glue on by hand using a glue comb .
that way the slate does not get overspray and balls run off lumps of overspray , always insist on contact adhesive applied by comb . it is the professional way of glueing cloth to slate .
I have had so many problems with people who have had other firms use spray on glue on slate beds , it is the most complained about problem .

The new cloth has now been bonded to the edge of the slate bed , the table is almost finished.

We always use Branded cloth , this table was re-covered in Burgundy red Strachan 777 pool cloth which has a mix of wool and man made fibre and a napped finish ,
and will require regular brushing and ironing to keep it’s speed and trueness of slate .

the Super league 6ft pool table has now been refurbished , our client has  avery nice Log type cabin with very large Bar area and separate pool room to die for
The Red has something to do with the client being a Forest fan , and has been involved with local football at none league management and coaching level .

I like to do two tables per day local if possible , and this gives plenty of time to make sure the table has been re-covered and extra care
and attention to detail by allowing time to put right any problems . we never rush our re-covers on snooker or pool tables .
The next table we did this day was just up the road at Keyworth , a Riley Superleague 7×4 foot , to be recovered in Strachan 6811 pool cloth .

the table almost finished , in one of the best cloths available to the pool table re-covering trade .

Strachan 6811 tournament , has this trade mark logo on the underside on one edge .

Our retired client was very happy with the work carried out on his pool table .