Hi all, for those who don’t keep up with the main telegram chat the space has just gotten a Pool Table 
I’d like to thank @Fnhalluk and @Luke for organising and everyone else who helped collect and install it in the space. This will be a great addition to the space’s social side of things and be a nice way to relax between projects. This post is simply to address a few jobs that the table requires as it needs a bit of TLC as well as highlight some extra features we could implement to get the most out of it.
What do we have
- 7ft table which is considered full size (Pubs typically have 6ft tables)
- Table frame and legs appear to be made out of hardwood. The construction is fairly rigid, but isn’t indestructible
- The table is slate and very heavy, recommended to have no less than 6 people to help lift.
- The slate top is not attached to the legs, rather the sheer weight keeps it on top. Six adjustable feet are used to level the slate.
- The table cloth and cushions all appear intact with no tears or rips
- We have two sets of balls, both are 2” diameter.
- One set of spots and stripes numbered pool balls
- One set of 17-ball snooker.
- Four cues
- Two 48in one piece cues
- One 42in one piece cue
- One very warped cue that likely can’t be fixed
- One cross head cue rest
- Head is held on with tape
- Two chalk cubes
- Both very old, probably fine though
- Two triangles
- One plastic
- One wooden (slightly smaller)
Some pictures:
What is broken / needs replacing / some TLC
Pockets:
Each of the 6 pockets need some TLC and at least two have broken leather straps that hold up the rail guides (shown below). These can be quite expensive to replace so we’d appreciate it if a member could have a look at fixing them.
If not then to just buy a ready made full set of 6 would cost £85: Snooker Table Rail/Nets Bundle | SnookerStuff.com
Cues:
All the cues would benefit from having new tips. Our cues have screw on tips which are easy to source replacements for.
The cue rest may need looking at as it appears the head is just taped on. Not sure if it’s a case of being too big, or if there is some damage on the end of the cue.
Pool ball boxes:
The boxes for both sets are very old and falling apart. This would likely be a great woodwork project for a member to take on.
Table lines & dots:
Due to the age of the table the lines and dots have faded and simply need reapplying with a sharpie. There are several guides online on how to do this correctly.
Ways for us to get the most out of it.
Table cover:
Currently the pool table is just being protected by a duvet cover that the previous owners gave us. It’s been proposed that we make a wooden top that can then double up as the games table. With the blue stackable chairs it’s possible to sit at the table with your legs under. It was also suggested to line the top of the cover with felt to discourage members from storing projects on top which began to happen with the old game tables.
With the hack the space day coming up, this would be a great job for a few members to work on.
Alternatively a fabric cover would be another option to replace the current duvet that was given to us by the previous owners, and may be beneficial to use along with a hard top anyway. As always commercial options are available but if a member would like to make one it would be greatly appreciated.
Cue racks:
Currently we don’t have any good storage for the cues & balls. A wall mount rack similar to one linked would be an easy project for someone to make and would give the cues a home.
American 9-ball pool diamond:
As we have a full spot and stripes pool set, the bonus of the numbers on the balls means we can also play American 9-ball pool which has slightly different rules. This requires a different starting rack as a diamond, again we can either buy one or make one:
Rules poster:
With the ability for a few different games to be played on the table, a poster with the rules would be great for members not familiar with them all. The main ones I would recommend are included would be:
- English Pool
- American Pool
- Snooker
If a member would like to put together a poster to display these we have A3 snap frames that could be put on a wall nearby.
Additional things for us to consider
Moving the table:
With the current ongoing discussion about changes to members storage it’s likely the table will have to move. The slate would need to be lifted off first as moving them together should not be attempted. As mentioned above this should be done with a team of 6 people.
While Frank painstakingly levelled the table in its current position he discovered one of the adjustable feet wasn’t working (spinning in the hole). It would be a good opportunity to fix this at the same time.
Cue balls hitting concrete:
As we have a concrete floor there is the risk that if a ball fell out of the pocket rails it could fall on to the concrete and break. While it’s possible to get individual replacement balls, it may make sense to swap the rails for cups. Obviously this isn’t as nice as the rails and wouldn’t match the lovely hardwood legs as well, but maybe something we have to consider.
This obviously wouldn’t solve the issue of balls flying off the table!
In the event of a ball being broken I’d hope the member would message in telegram or email the board so the next member doesn’t find it in a damaged state unaware.
Its free to use:
Using the table is free and unlike bar tables doesn’t have any function for taking money anyway. However should the table sustain frequent damage such as cues or balls breaking, rips in the cloth etc, the cost to fix may become too expensive to maintain. As such please take care when playing so we all get to enjoy it.
Lighting:
The table came with a triple cone lamp light that hangs above the table. I’ve spoken with @Ben_Dooks about getting it wired in. As mentioned above, with the changes to members storage, we’ll wait till they are confirmed until we install it.
Current storage/table cover:
A duvet cover was given to us with the pool table that the previous owners used to protect the cloth. Until a better cover is made/bought this needs to be put on after use to prevent dust/general space grime getting on it.
As it’s only a duvet it doesn’t do a great job of protecting the cloth underneath should sharp objects be put on top of it so please be aware and if you see people using it as a table let them know not to. We have plenty of tables in the main area to use instead.
For now I’ve put all the cues, balls and rack triangles on the table under the cover as pictured below. The blue tub also came with the table, so during games please use it to store the duvet so it’s not resting on a dusty surface (note both handles on it have broken).
If you’re interested in taking on any of the suggested projects above, or have other ideas we could implement, please message below 