Once you have installed a quality billiards or pool table in your home or Club, costs of repairs and maintenance are normally quite low.

The usual forms of repairs and maintenance work are either:

• general service of the table
• fitting new cloth
• fitting new pockets
• fitting new cushions
• moving the table
or some combination of these.

1. General Service

When you order a general service on a table our fitter performs the following tasks on site –

• brush the cloth on the bed of the table
• iron the cloth on the bed of the table
• re-spot and re-mark the lines on the bed cloth as required
• check and tighten the frame bolts and pocket brass bolts as required
• check and adjust the level of the table as required from the base of the legs
• check cues and rests, retip the cues as required, fit new tips to rest heads, refit rest heads to handles etc.

We recommend that your table receive a general service once per year.

2. Fitting New Cloth

When you order the fitting of new cloth to a table, our fitter typically performs the following tasks on site.

• remove the existing cloth from the bed and cushions of the table
• clean the slate bed and check for minor damage
• inspect the wooden cushion slips if present and replace as required
• cover the cushions in new cloth
• repair any minor damage to the slate bed of the table
• check the table pockets and advise
• fit new cloth to the bed of the table; brush; iron and spot and mark the cloth
• re-assemble the table ready for play and check the level and adjust as required

In some circumstances you may wish to have new cloth fitted to only the cushions or the bed of the table or to have the existing cloth on the bed of the table re-stretched. In these cases the procedures vary as appropriate.

3. Fitting New Pockets

The fitter may fit new pockets on site as a job in itself or in conjunction with other work such as the covering work already described. In this case, as you direct him the fitter will replace some or all of the pocket nets and leathers, re-sew some of the existing leathers or replace traditional bag nets with snooker rail pockets.

4. Fitting New Cushions

Replacing the cushions on the table is a major task. Typically you may need to have this work carried out approximately twelve to fifteen years after the original purchase of your table. However, in many cases cushions keep performing for much longer (some times for over 20 years)

With this task the fitter carries out work both on site and in the Alcock factory.

• usually the fitter removes the cushion rails from the table to our factory
• at the factory replacement of the cushions occurs in a sequence
- remove existing cushion rubbers and wooden blocks, fillets and slips
- prepare the surface of the cushion rails
- glue and screw new wooden cushion blocks to the cushion rails
- fit new cushion rubber to the cushion blocks
- cut and shape the ends of the cushion rubber as required
- fit wooden fillets
- fit new tape underlay
- cover the completed cushions in new cloth
• the fitter then typically returns to site and fits the cushion rails to the table

Note that cushions replaced using this procedure provide much better performance than those where a less costly but, in our opinion, inappropriate procedure is followed.

5. Moving Tables

We regularly move tables of various sizes and design structures from their existing sites to new sites; or move tables for storage purposes.

Movements are carried out more simply where both collection site and re-erection site are at ground floor level. However, many movements are carried out at sites where stairs, heavy inclines or other obstructions are involved.

In this case the work is more difficult and requires more manpower.

Where you wish to store a table it may be convenient to do so on your own site; otherwise you may find it more suitable to have the table transported to our Company store where it will receive appropriate care from our staff.

We can arrange interstate removals, including liaising with interstate transport companies; and in appropriate cases, recommend a reliable fitter or company to re-erect the table.

We are also able to arrange dismantling of tables for crating and sending to overseas destinations.

Note, when you choose to use our company to move your billiard table and equipment, within Australia, all items are covered by insurance.

6. Restoration of tables - See antiques page.