"SteveB" wrote in message
...
I need to disassemble a pool table and move it 175 miles. It is a 3 piece
4 x 8 table, 7/8" thick slate, IIRC. It is about three years old.
I figure it will evolve as I disassemble it, as I can see underneath that
bolts hold the rails on as well as the legs. It is all hardwoods
underneath for a frame, with no particleboard.
Can anyone who has moved one of these give me any pointers?
In particular:
Is the felt glued to the bed, and will I have to destroy it to get it off?
Or is it merely glued at the pockets and along the edge?
When I get the felt off the bed, how do I break the joints? By lifting
slightly, or should I score the seam with a razor knife first? The joints
are supported from underneath with 6" wide strips of hardboard so I cannot
score it from underneath. The leather ball pockets have some staples that
will have to be removed and restapled, but no biggie there.
For transport, is it better to get two by studs and lay them so that each
sheet is supported well, and none ride on top of the other? I would use
packing blankets between the boards and slate. Or would standing on edge
and making some sort of frame be better?
The road I need to transport it on is city streets for about five miles,
Interstate for 175 miles, then city streets and a mile of dirt road. It
is not really bad, but it is not totally smooth. I will take it easy on
the rough areas.
There are no stairs or other obstructions, and it will be easy to put two
four wheel dollies under each piece to roll them from location to trailer,
then trailer to location. All the rails and legs and undercarriage will
be wrapped in blankets and packing blankets as it has a nice wood finish
on it, and I'd like to keep it that way.
I don't foresee this as a complicated thing, but wanted to hear from
anyone who's done it, and can give me some basic cautions so I don't make
basic mistakes. I am not sure of setup, and may have a professional
service set it up, and maybe recover it in green. It is now burgundy, and
I believe green is the color for a pool table.
Thanks in advance for the help.
Steve
Did this once and I will never ever do it again. Post back to this thread
with your thoughts afterwards.
The side rails are attached to the slate bed with bolts that can be removed
from under the table. The pockets you have figured correctly.
On the one I moved the felt was only perimeter glued an came off fairly
easily. They say it can not be reused. We did and have played on the table
for over 10 years. I used Elmer's spay adhesive around the perimeter when I
restreched the felt. New felt runs about (or did) $200. Covering the rails
is a job for a pro and 10 years ago I think the price was $45 per section
(there are 6 on a table).
The slate is attached to the rails with large screws and counter sunk.
Those holes and the joints of the sections are skim coated with drywall mud
before the cloth goes on. We just used a utility knife to break the skim
coat at the joints and a screwdriver to dig it out of the countersinks.
The slate is killer heavy. Now that I am almost 60, I doubt that I could
lift my half of one piece. By the time we carried the 3 pieces down the
stairs to the basement we were worn out. The pocket cuts outs do provide a
decent hand hold. We hauled it laying flat in the bed of a pickup with
carpet under and a mover's blanket between each layer.
Slate can be fragile when bumped. I would be a little concerned about using
a dolly.
--
Colbyt
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