Category Archives: News

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Snooker table for Sale? Snooker table wanted? Free selling and buying service!

As a Billiards/Snooker firm we get a few phone calls from people wishing to sell a full sized snooker table.  We also get clients requiring a snooker table.  Over the years the market has changed in table sales, due to many clubs closing and large snooker club companies shedding clubs that do not pay.  The market is now flooded with full size tables and this reflects on the price that one can expect for a table.

At GCL BILLIARDS we do not buy full sized tables for resale, but we do run a service whereby if a person requires to sell on a table and a client is looking for a table we will put the two together to work out a sale between them.  This generates business for GCL BILLIARDS in the transport and any work required such as rerubber and recover etc.

Only this last week I had a phone call from a customer in MANSFIELD who wanted to sell on his table after many years of ownership.  I explained that we do not buy tables of that size but would look for a person to buy it from him.  I had just the person for him, a client in LINCOLN who had contacted me about 4 weeks previously.  I had been looking at tables on ebay for him, to try and find a good one amongst the many bad ones that you can buy.  I put the two people together and they have worked out a deal whereby the seller gets his room back for other uses and the buyer gets a good table for the right price.

We got the work of transporting and a re-rubber plus recover nets and leathers plus supply a few spares etc.  Everyone is happy at this result and nobody paid a commision for selling or buying.

We do charge an inspection fee though if that is required for peace of mind.  Such things as slate trueness and build quality, pocket openings, condition of rubber and polish, cloth condition and any problems I may see with the table.  The inspection fee covers travelling expenses and time and is calculated on the distance that I have to travel.  This is money well spent as a qualified billiards fitter’s eye over a purchase such as this will save money if you can avoid the bad buys from the good ones.

We do not charge a commission for putting clients together, it is a free service.  All that we ask is that the seller or buyer puts work our way in return for the free service.

******Please note********
I only pass on information about the seller whith his or her permission and normally only pass on emails or a telephone number for the first introduction, not the address.  Any table condition cannot be guaranteed unless inspected at first hand by a GCL BIILIARDS qualified billiards fitter.

An introduction is not a recommendation of the table but to find out if that table is suitable for the buyer’s needs.  I do of course study the table photos and if I think the table is not suitable to pass onto a future buyer, I will inform the seller of this.

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Another Satisfied Customer and a 64 Break + Baulk line marking info

Today I have recovered a very nice light oak Riley Aristocrat.  This table is used by many of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire’s top players.  The table can only be described as mint condition and is a joy to work on.

Steve Butler’s mint Riley Aristocrat in American oak.  A very nice table to work on.

After I recovered the table in 6811 TOURNAMENT cloth by STRACHAN, I received the following text on my phone from the happy owner:

WELL HAPPY. HAD A 64 BREAK IN MY 2ND FRAME!
4TH HIGHEST BREAK EVER

This table will only get better the more it is played on.  It was re-rubbered last year with Northern rubber and the new cloth will after a while speed up.  When a new cloth is fitted to a table it is at it’s slowest as the nap is at full length and the cushions are restricted by tight cloth being just applied to the cushions.  When the cushion cloth slackens off, the rubber will be free to rebound the ball at a faster pace.  This will take around 2 to 3 weeks of play.

The old cloth had a baulk line marked out in white tippex.  Although this looks good as the TV tables have this, it is only for the cameras to pick up on TV.  By using a soft lead black pencil, the baulk line will fade.  In 6 months to a year the cloth can be re-stretched and the old black lead pencil line can be removed with acetone, without the fear of having two white lines, as the tippex is very hard to get off a cloth once it has been put on.

I always recommend the black pencil baulk line over the white tippex pen, but it is down to the customer what they require and I will put on whatever they want.

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Recommendation of my work

I was very pleased to get the following recommendation from Alan Newbold at the Ivanhoe club.  You can be sure that my workmanship on all cuesports tables will be carried out with the same level of craftsmanship and attention to detail as applied to the Ivanhoe club whether that be just one pool table or five full size snooker tables as in this case.

As I have mentioned in a previous Blog post, a large percentage of work coming into GCL BILLIARDS  are the result of recommendations and building up a good reputation with a client base.

I have read other firm’s blogs and referrals and I always wonder why they show recommendations and not put who they are from, opting to say secretery from a working mens club or the owner of a snooker hall rather than mention who and where it is from.
I prefer to show who is recommending me then you will know it is not made up, but is a genuine recommendation or refferal of my work.

IVANHOE SOCIAL CLUB
WILFRED PLACE
ASHBY – DE – LA – ZOUCH
LEICESTERSHIRE
LE65 2GW

Secretary: A.NEWBOLD.

 To whom it may concern

 GEOFF LARGE.

During July 2012, Geoff Large re-covered the five snooker tables at the Ivanhoe Social Club.  Our tables have new cloths every two years and Geoff has done the work on the last three occasions.
I have watched Geoff at work on the tables and I have always been impressed by his skill and attention to detail.  Geoff has a wide knowledge of snooker table technicalities and offers a fund of advice.
Our teams play in local snooker leagues and our tables are considered the best in the area. I would unreservedly recommend Geoff for any work involving snooker/pool tables and the like.
His work is always of the highest standard.  He is thorough, painstaking and always proves genuinely professional in everything he does.

First of 5 tables recovered at the Ivanoe club, two members try it out.

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Northampton on Monday , local work for the rest of week and then to Grantham on Friday.

Although I am based close to junction 25 of the M1, I  am always willing to travel to a much wider area , I understand that there is not enough work to maintain a fitters wages when he limits himself to just going to work in a local area . you have to widen youre work area to make it pay .This is nothing new to me as I am used to working nationwide if staying away from home for large jobs, I have also worked abroad From the Canaries / Portugal / Spain / France / Switzerland / and also the channel islands, many times over the 37 years I have served as a Billiards fitter.

Idealy my wider area is Northampton to Leeds . East coast to Stoke , being based on the junction 25 of the M1 , I am idealy situated to go North, South, East, or West, very quickly , the A50 runs from junction 24 to the West towards stoke , the A52 runs from junction 25 to the East towards the East coast , the M1 runs North and South .

So do not be afraid to ask if I cover youre area , I will always strive to keep costs low and make youre estimate  as cost effective as any local cue sports table Fitter, even if you have a small job , I could look for future work in youre area that I have coming up and could arrange to fit it in on the same day.

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Shocking pool table recover, but it has now been sorted

 


Yesterday I was called out to re-level a Pool table that is based very local to me here in Long Eaton about 1 mile away, the table was a Supreme Prince with the round legs , when I got there I could not believe the state of the last recover , the bed cloth was almost off the slate , they had used inferior spray on glue and it had not stuck , I explained to the owner that in my opinion , the charge for leveling would be better put towards a full recover as the cloth was also inferior low grade.

They gave me the go ahead to recover the table , when I removed the cushions and cloth I was even more shocked to find that they had rerubbered the old cushions in old snooker rubber that had been removed from a full size table , not realy shocked at that because it can be done for a lower cost option than brand new cushions,but more so that the rubber was not in one piece , they had used two bits of rubber and the joint could be seen through the cloth, also the rubber was falling off the wood, and they had recovered over three sets of staple, this fitter was not hanging around he was in and out within a hour maybe less?, I always take every staple out of the cushions and tape the rubber just as I would a full size snooker table . this makes for better easier recover on the next visit. and I always do a job with the intention that I will be the one coming back to do it again, it is never a bodge it and scarper job like the last fitter.

I had with me another set of Supreme cushions with the modern blue Rubber on although they where a used set but not very old, they where 100% better than the set that I took off , I then proceeded to take the cloth off the slate , I moved the slate over to one side and the state of the inside of the table was a mess, they had spray glued the slate in situ , and the overspray had gone all over the ball pocket runs and inside the table , also the inside was full of muck and old bits of recover cloth from previous recovers.

I vacumed the table out , washed all the ball rails down , washed the alloy ball tray and inspected the coin mech, I then recovered the slate making sure that it was done with good contact adiesive which was not the sprayed on type, the cloth will now stay on,I then noticed that the legs where also loose, so retightened the nuts back up to stop the table wobble,I then turned my attention to the slate dip.

Pool tables are not made in the same way as a Snooker table , they have a 7 foot lenth span and the body of the table tends to dip in the middle this will also make the slate dip in the middle, some people pack the slate with beer mats, this is not a good idea because you are then leaving parts of the slate unsupported and the risk of slate breakage is always there, I use thin strips of cloth staple placed on the main long middle supports I build them up gradual to form a pyramid , this way the slate is supported along its total lenth and the dip is rectified making level of the table much better.

It is a bit of trial and error getting the dish out of the slate , the slate may have to come out two or three times before you can get it level, but once done it is much better to play on, the customer’s asked me to recover the table in the same cloth and in the same way as the local snooker clubs pool tables which are also in this pubs league,of which I also maintain with regular recovers for summer and winter league, this snooker club is regarded as having the best pool table in the league by most players, I would also now put this table as one of the best to play on in the league provided that they brush and iron it every day like the snooker club , that realy is the secret of a good table , the  brushing and ironing. if you leave a cloth without maintenance it will form balls of fluff and ridges in the cloth , the brushing will remove dirt and the iron will keep the cloth flat and fast to play on,

Now thats not the end of the story when I had finnished, the landlady told me who had done the last recover, I was shocked to find out I knew the Guy , I know they can produce better workmanship than this ! she aslo informed me that they had paid for brand new cushions on the reciept, not bodged two piece old snooker rubber, needless to say she is pursuing the matter.

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Repeat Bookings for Recovers

Today I had a repeat booking from a client.  They were delighted with the standard of work and quality of materials used and also the way I went about doing the recovers,  taking my time and refilling the slate joints, checking and adjusting table level, replacing the odd net here and there etc.

The client has a multi tabled club in the midlands and in July I recovered two snooker tables and he has just rebooked me to recover another 2 snooker tables in September, with the possibility of doing 2 recovers of snooker tables every 2 months . I got this repeat work not only for the standard of workmanship but also for the price structure I have put in place for multi tabled clubs.

Another repeat booking also coming in for August for a customer in a private house.  Add to this two pool table rental agreements of 2 years for two separate clubs.  These pool table rentals will of course be backed up by a good service schedule of having the slate out, vacum inside cabinet, wash down internal ball rails and wood work including ball tray, clean outside cabinet and ball window, remark or recover (which ever is in the contract), check coin mech + springs and lubricate mech, last of all recheck level of table.  This makes for a trouble free table. A yearly or 6 monthly recover option is also available.

Geoff

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It has been a busy week + Pool table rental information

Just about a full week, with fitting adjustable muntins on Monday in Beeston.

Tuesday stretch two bed cloths and relevel at Beeston, plus sold my old small van on Ebay. Buyer collected in the evening.

Wednesday picked new larger van up at Dealers in Long Eaton.  Meeting with Bank in Arnold then deliver leaflets to clubs around Arnold and Nottingham and start workshop clear out.

Thursday, finish off workshop and get ready for pool table rental stock coming in.

Friday, recover full size snooker table at Moira near Ashby De La Zouch.  Relevel fit one net. I was really pleased to get this job as it came from a recommendation by a club that I did work for the previous week.  Around 40% to 50% of work is through recommendations in the Billiard cue sport trade.  Do a good job and you will always get repeat work, that is what Mick Robb used to preach to me when I was learning the trade 37 years ago, and it is what I preach to any person that works with me .

Saturday, I have to go over to look at a local club’s pool tables to see what work they require.  The tables are old with rock hard cushions, and they may want to rent or buy new tables, or they may try and get another years use out of them …we will see.  Whatever the choice, I will not push them into a sale but give them the choice and price structure of each option.  I may get Saturday afternoon off? , but the phone is ringing and enquiries are coming in and in this recession I am not moaning.

I carry a stock of table cloth packs for recovering snooker and pool tables and also rubber for full size and small sized tables, nets and leathers plus pool pockets so I am always ready to go, even at short notice .

I do have spare days in August still so if anyone requires any maintenance like recovering  re rubber or table moves etc then please get in touch. If anyone requires a pool table rental within my area of Nottingham Derby Leicester Newark and Lincoln then also call for details.  I only use the Winner Supreme pool tables as used by the Top pro players here in the UK.  It is the ideal table for inter pub league pool. I always maintain the tables to a high standard and fit the top cloth strachan 6811 every year or six monthly depending on contract . I also call and service the tables within the contract so your rental table is always maintained to the highest degree.  The level of the table is something I realy strive to get correct, as there is nothing worse than having a pool table out of level during a league season.

By only using the winner supreme I only have to carry one stock of spares such as cushions pockets and runners , plus trims etc. Some rental firms have a mixture of tables this can cause problems when maintaining.  The winner supreme is in my opinion the best table on the market for the player and the Rental sales operator .

Remember if you cannot get me on the Business phone 01159725355 then try my mobile 07753466064 if no answer please leave a message I will get back to you. Or email me at mail@gclbilliards.com

Many thanks

Geoff Large ( time Served Billiards fitter ) NBSA approved .

reading this through a link to my blog page ?  please visit our web address http://www.gclbilliards.com

 

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GCL BILLIARDS SNOOKER AND POOL RECOVERING DERBY NOTTINGHAM LEICESTER AND LINCOLN

GCL BILLIARDS are primarily a Nottinghamshire  / Derbyshire / Lincolnshire / Leicestershire ,area firm.  Other areas that we cover are Northamptonshire / South Yorkshire / Staffordshire and Humberside.  If you have a Snooker table or Pool table or any cuesports table that requires work within these areas please get in touch.  We are sure our quotes are very competitive and our standard of work second to none.

We also work nationwide on much larger jobs.  On jobs like this we may team up with other Billiard fitters to complete work on time.  The charge for these jobs may be split 50/50 between the two firms.  We are in touch with a network of other Billiard fitters around the UK who work Direct.  If a job is not proved feasible for GCL Billiards to take on, we will recommend a Fitter covering your area if possible.

reading this through a google link to my blog page ?,

then please visit our website http://www.gclbilliards.com