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