It is very important that any feedback we get that we publish so that any one looking to have work done by GCL Billiards can see we are an experienced and professional outfit
when it comes to the care and maintenance of our clients cue sports tables .
This year I will have been a billiard tables fitter for over 45 years , I started in 1976 as an apprentice fitter .
Today I got a message from Henri in France about the table we dismantled for him from Barry Stark’s ( well known Snooker Coach ) Brother based near Collingham Newark Nottinghamshire and transport to our Lincoln shipping agents , Watson European .
who would then take it to Paris in France for Henri .
I had recommended a fitter from Bournemouth Martin Rabbets for the set up of the table as I now do not travel abroad to work as I have more than enough to keep me going back here in the UK .
I have been there and done it in the past , and enjoyed working in places like France Spain & Portugal and Switzerland .
But as you get older the excitement of working abroad with all that travelling and driving wanes a bit .
The table was a very nice Riley Aristocrat and at a very attractive price for Henri , due to a house move for Barry’s Brother .
Henri today sent me an email thanking me for my approach to dismantling and palatizing the table for him , unfortunately he could not use Martin because of the delays caused by Covid and traveling .
the table fully dismantled , all parts bubble wrapped apart from slates , and then ratchet strapped and cling filmed to a pallet
the long sides wrapped separate so in this photo is the full size table in parts palatized in two packages nice and neat and fully secured so it arrives as packed .
there was also a lighting shade which had to be wrapped too as an extra .
Photo shows us at the shipping agents yard in Lincoln , the table is now ready for them to load onto a container or removals lorry .
and this is not our first rodeo when packing tables in this manner , here we have another table wrapped and dropped off at Watson European our shipping agent based in Lincoln .
for France and Spain .
once we have dropped the table off at Lincoln , Watson European will deliver to France and unload .
ready for a fitter to come and set the table up .
Best to arrange a Tele handler fork lift at the unloading stage to make things run smooth .
and this is what our clients in France normally do , especially if they have to go upstairs .
but also if just to unload with ease to ground floor storage to await a fitter to come along .
one I did years ago near Cognac France , The local farmer just down the road was arranged to lift slates to this opening .
but handy just to lift off and put to one side when Watsons arrive even if going on ground floor .
here is our important feedback from Henri for our service that I would like to share with you .
Hi Geoff,
I wanted to update you regarding the table which I have managed to get set up.
I did not go with Martin since international travel restrictions made the trip impossible for him, and it seemed it was not going to happen for at least another 3-4months+. I have found someone locally to do it, although this took a while since most of them do not do snooker table fittings.
You did a fantastic job on the packaging and shipping, as nothing was damaged nor was a single screw missing. The slates were intact. The fitter was very impressed by your work and said that he wished that UK table manufacturers would have the same standards as you when shipping.
The fitter managed to reuse the old cloth, and as expected, some of the markings are a bit off according to the official standard measurements, but it is still perfectly fine for me. There are some slight folds in the cloth due to prolonged wrapped condition, the fitter suggested trying ironing them out or to wait and see if they even out with time. I wanted to have your advice on this if you had a specific technique in mind.
I will be sure to let anyone around me and at the snooker club in Paris know about you and your services if they are interested in following the same route as I did.
Let me know if you need any other info. Thanks again for making this possible, attached is a picture of the table, the light fixtures still need to get set up.
Best regards,
Henri
