Tag Archives: pool

Posted in News

LET GCL BILLIARDS RERUBBER OR REPLACE YOURE SUPREME POOL TABLE CUSHIONS BY A QUALIFIED BILLIARDS FITTER

 

A set of the new black rubber cushions .

This week fitting in between work , I am rerubbering 4 sets of 7ft Supreme Pool cushions 2 sets for a client and one for myself to use on a rental table the other a spare set for stock  , I will be useing the new Black rubber which lasts far longer than the original red rubber used in the manufactureing of Supreme winner and prince tables for many years, 
Supreme recently have changed to use black rubber now because of the problem with the hard dead red rubber which happens to tables around 4 to 5 years old or where a table is kept in a cold room , if you are suddenley experiencing a dead cushion or two , then the others are not far behind , the only solution is to rerubber the whole set of  cushions or buy brand new set of cushions from the Factory which will cost you around £120 /£140 per set , which we can also supply.
If the woodwork of the cushions are good then a rerubber is the most cost efective way of solving the problem of dead cushions , I carry a stock of old cushions with good woodwork that I will be rerubbering for exchange with youre old cushions at just £80 per set with the guarentee of the better black rubber being used
. the old red rubber is not good so avoid firms useing this.

I have recently experienced tables where just one cushion was replaced by the last fitter or firm , this is not going to stop the other 5 going rock hard soon after , and is false economy . youre takings wil also go down as players refuse to play on a table with no bounce in the cushions.
Being a time served billiards fitter , I have been trained in the art of Rerubbering in not just pool tables but such games as Bar Billiards , Bagatelle , bumper pool , American pool with triangle shaped rubber, and Full sized snooker tables to match template pocket openings . 
Youre pool table will suddenly play like new once a rerubber and recover has been completed by GCL BILLIARDS.

***GCL BILLIARDS also rerubber other makes of pool tables , but we do not have spare sets in stock to get ready so have to do all work on site rather than exchange ( unless they are brand new from manufacturer ) , please call for a quote . also some tables use smaller rubber such as super league which is 5/8th rubber and not full size like supreme tables ***.

Posted in News

2 more pool tables at Newark receive the GCL BILLIARDS treatment of professional Recover and full internal clean out of rail system


Two out of these 6 Winner supreme pool tables received a recover and full internal degrease and clean of internal ball rails and ramps by GCL billiards Yesterday , some of the best pool players around the counties of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire play at this venue in Newark town centre , just like more snooker clubs these days , Newark cue club has gone from a fully 8 snooker table only club to just 4 full size snooker tables and 6 winner supreme 7×4 pool tables all with the new pro lighting  , along with an excellent Professional 3 board darts Room that has just had it’s wall dismantled to open plan it up into the main club .
The pool players are off to play in a tournament at Great yarmouth this weekend , good luck to all the players taking part .

as can be seen here when you place a £20 note under the Electronic level it is showing 0.1 out of true , when the note is removed the reading is 0.0 , I use a combination of an engineers level and this digital level to get the best results when re-leveling a Pool table

we have had a massive influx of orders for re-covering pool tables , and I guess that is down to the winter leagues just starting , we are that busy that I am having to work weekends and evenings to catch up . the hire of pool tables is also busy with another pool table ordered for two weeks time in a local pub , the current hire people just cannot maintain the table to the high standards of the pool teams and pub managers / owners , the Landlord expressed his disapointment in failed call outs to put the table right , this has resulted in GCL,s gain and their loss .
We are true Cue sports people and we only maintain Pool and Snooker tables and that is why we are so thorough in what we do as we are not side tracked by having to put Juke boxes or gameing machines right , we do not deal in coin slot gaming machines only cue sports tables . and we also include two recovers a year in our rental agreement . Backed up by a time served Billiards fitter who knows how to get the table performing level and trouble free .

Posted in News

POOL TABLE RE-COVER free set of Balls in October for every pool table recover (or discount on the recover if not required.)


A free set of reds and yellows Balls with every re-cover carried out on 6×3 or 7×4 UK pooltables during the month of October 2012 , you have a choice of cloths in the strachan make  777 / 6811 / or speed cloth in a choice of colours Green / Blue / or ( Red burgundy ).
Prices will vary depending on cloth choice , but all cloths are STRACHAN make, a sign of QUALITY  as used by Professionals ….phone Geoff on 07753466064 or leave a message on 01159725355  , or by email to c.large@btinternet.com if you require a written quote , I will need to know the make and size of the table if possible. if you can send a photo of the table it makes things much easier if parts are required like new cushions etc .
I fully clean out the table on a re-cover , plus check coin mech springs tighten screws and lubricate with wd40 , degrease all ball rails and ball flip side , and fit a carpet tile to quieten the sound of the balls crashing into the return box if requested . I then relevel and leave ready for play. this is a full professional refurb , not a hit and run like some do. leaving muck inside the table and grease on the rails for balls to stick on .

If youre table is passed it’s best , then why not join the influx of people Hireing a Winner supreme pool table supplied by www.88pooltables.com on a yearly contract , we offer varous types of hire arrangments from one recover a year to two recovers a year to make sure youre table is looking it’s best for Winter and the Summer league’s. We know our hire charges linked with the Excellent service options is second to none and can make sense to Hire rather than buy , ask for a quote and we will show you why we think this is now the best option for Landlords and clubs and for us the Cue sports table operator .

 

Posted in Archived Posts

WANTED BUMPER POOL TABLE

I have had an enquiry about finding a bumper pool table , these are to be found in normal oblong shape as well as octagonal shape , look at the attached photo of one that sold on ebay recently . if you know of one for sale please get in touch and let me know so that I can pass the details over.

Posted in News

Your choice of cabinet colour and cloth colour for Supreme Winner and Prince Pool tables

The range of laminate finishes of the Supreme Winner and Prince model pool table

The Professional Delivery Package
We do not just turn up and drop the table off at the doorstep or the end of your driveway or even on the pavement as some do!
We offer a full delivery and set up by a Professional Billiards / Snooker and Pool table fitter with over 37 years experience.
The table will be positioned to your requirements, levelled and left ready for play, plus full instructions on how to brush and iron to keep your table in top condition.

Prices for the winner start at just £759 to £1202 delivered and installed including balls, triangle, cues and chalk plus a set of rules. Depending on type of cabinet finish, 6ft or 7ft and if coin operated (Electric or Mechanical ) or free play.

We also like to stay in touch from time to time to help in pricing for re-covering, new balls and cues etc.

We like to think we will still be of service to you for many years to come.  We have over 37 years personal experience in the maintaining of cue sports tables of many designs and we will still be around for many years after your table is installed.

If you’re thinking of buying or renting a pool table we like to think we offer the best choice for a table delivered and fitted level ready for play.

Lighting – please ask.  We have our own recommendations for lighting for cue sports tables at a very good price.

Price for the Prince range POA
Price for 8ft Winner or Prince POA
Delivery estimated at 16 to 17 days (some special finishes can take a little longer).
Please note: extra help may be required to lift a table upstairs or downstairs, but we are experts in awkward access.

Posted in News

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.

Posted in News

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.

Posted in News

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