Leveling a pool table...

KeeponDragon

KeeponDragon

Super User
So I got myself into yet another project...a free to me pool table...nothing too crazy, just a 20 year old Dufferin, 4x8, 1 inch, 3 piece slate.
The PO purchased his home and the table was left behind by the seller...due to flood damage...one of the laminated feet came apart, and most of the hardware is rusted or oxidized...
Eventually, once I get it put back together, I'll need to level it out.
Any suggestions on type of level?
 
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Dan Dubeau

Ultra Member
8" Starrett machinist level would be best (actually a 12" would be "best"). But I've played on plenty of tables simply leveled with a 3'-4' builders level. Levels being self checking by reversing, even a basic cheapy combined with a good eye will get you a lot closer than one would think.

Spending a lot of time in the pool hall back in college I got to watch a few tables get setup and they used machinist levels. It was way more entertaining than sitting through communications classes lol.
 
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Bandit

Super User
Might be interesting, I've watched/ helped set up a 3 piece slate. Set my 4X8 up with a bit of help, not real hard. A good builders level that will fit between the bumpers/rails cross ways is a good start, I shortened one a bit to fit, and length ways as long as you have/will fit. Finish up with longest machinist level if you have one.
Level the frame, and make sure the levelling screws work on the legs before putting the slate on. Check for high spots on the frame/slate surface supports also before putting slate on.
Level slates and shim on frame. Put some thin paper between slate edges and melt some bees wax into the crack between slates. Gentley scrap bees wax level.
My one piece slate 4X8 turned out to be a 2 piece, one corner was broke about 12 inches in from a corner pocket across the end up to the middle pocket. Some amount of crying, ranting and raving. Glued back together with epoxy, and clamps/steel bars to keep straight, filled holes with auto bondo, scraped and sanded bondo. Put some fibre glass cloth and matt on the back/ bottom to reinforce the slate. Put a new rag on it. Plays as good as most of the 6 tables at the legion now.
This table is an older coin table, came from a near to here bar, I have been told there are some story's about it. LOL!!
So don't give up to easy, I am sure others will add more.
 
Susquatch

Susquatch

Ultra Member
Administrator
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KeeponDragon said:
Any suggestions on type of level?
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Don't forget that you are a metal worker. It's the perfect application for a pair of 123 or 246 blocks to get the level up above the bumpers and let you level from anywhere to anywhere. Use a machinists level on a carpenters level if you want to! Always put the machinists level in the middle. No matter what else, always have fun!
 
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Tincup

Active Member
Well, when I was still at home, we just rolled the cue ball to show the low spots and adjusted accordingly
 
KeeponDragon

KeeponDragon

Super User
A guy is asking 100 for this Moore n Wright level...this would be sufficient no?

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trevj

Ultra Member
For what (little) its worth, you do know how to set up a level, yeah?

We were taught to plant it on a surface plate, the plate being only nearly level was fine. For imaginary purposes, picture a planar surface at 45 degrees inclination. If you put a level on that plane, it would be very obvious where the more or less correct orientation of the level would have to be, to get the bubble centered. This is the working principle of this method.

Rotate the level until you get the bubble centered. Place a straight edge, against the level (gently). We used parallels. Slide the level away from the straightedge without disturbing it, swap the level end for end.

Slide it back to the straightedge, and compare the readings. If they are not the same, interpret whether to raise or lower the adjustable end. Rinse, repeat. Which is to say, remove the straightedge, rotate the level about the bubble, until it is centered, replace the straightedge, and check again, both orientations. The level is in adjustment when it reads level in both orientations.

The levels we were using reacted quite a lot to the temperature of our hands in contact with them. No doubt as planned by the instructors. But be aware. Takes very little adjustment to make a huge effect.

Have seen a fair few Pool and Snooker tables set up. Beyond a long(ish) carpenter's level, the set-up guys generally just rolled a ball and watched how it rolled.

And a nicely set up table with new felt is a joy to play on! :) I won't say ALL my youth was wasted, just the bits that didn't include women, beer, arcades, pool halls, motorcycles, etc... LOL!
 
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Dan Dubeau

Ultra Member
trevj said:
And a nicely set up table with new felt is a joy to play on! :) I won't say ALL my youth was wasted, just the bits that didn't include women, beer, arcades, pool halls, motorcycles, etc... LOL!
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Sounds like we had similar upbringings lol. I grew up with a 9ft snooker table in the basement. When I got to college, and started hanging around the pool halls playing 9 ball on barbox tables, and snooker on 12'ers I had a lot of fun. Miss those days, probably couldn't even run 3-4 balls anymore :( I haven't "played" in so long.
 
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trevj

Ultra Member
Dan Dubeau said:
Sounds like we had similar upbringings lol. I grew up with a 9ft snooker table in the basement. When I got to college, and started hanging around the pool halls playing 9 ball on barbox tables, and snooker on 12'ers I had a lot of fun. Miss those days, probably couldn't even run 3-4 balls anymore :( I haven't "played" in so long.
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Played at a friend's house, they had a Snooker table downstairs, when I was a kid, Made playing on the wee arcade and bar tables seem almost like cheating.

I spent close to two years of my life in the CF Training system, in Borden Ontario, a place I would happily not stop to pee in the hole left if it burnt to the ground, and one of the few redeeming features at the time was a pool hall equipped with some pretty nice gear and low hourly rates.

I spent a tour in Central America, and the clubhouse we had rented, had a couple tables there as well. Played some of the best pool I ever played, against one of the senior guys there... Never did actually beat him, but playing against him drew my game right up past where I ever thought it would get!

Kinda got away from it after. Life. Other hobbies. More life. Stuff. Yeah, I understand... Good times though. Not that I want to be living that way still!
 
KeeponDragon

KeeponDragon

Super User
I'm definitely not in that caliber of skill....I've played in a handful of pub or niteclub 9-ball tourneys a buddy of mine would organize...
I think he kept inviting me just so whoever I played would get so rattled by my style, they'd have a rough time playing the guy after me :p...and by "style" I mean a complete disregard for how the table was running...
I remember one guy who was a semi-pro mma fighter, he'd beat 2 or 3 players. Then I got drawn to face him. I was very very lucky with my shots and basically ran the table on him. He was out, I was in. He calmly unscrewed his cue, turned around and snapped the two halves over his thigh...
I still went over an said "hey, uhh, good game". He shook my hand, grabbed his kindling and left.
 
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