Sams Bar Billiard Table Restoration

[paul222]

Hello,
I am new to the forum and have just recently purchased a Sams table in need of full restoration (barn find) and have a few questions:

How easy is it to re-cloth the table and replace the cushions?

What size were the original Sams cushions and could please recommend any good suppliers for cloth, leatherette, cushions and parts?

The clock and coin mechanism are present. How do I set the coin mechanism to free play and what old coins were accepted in the tables?

I will attach some pictures soon.

Any help will be much appreciated.

Thank you

 

[iang]

Hi Paul.

Welcome to the Forum, there are several posts in this section from people on this subject some with pictures. Setting the clock to free play is easy you should see a small plate on the top that lifts when you pull the handle with a coin inserted you can remove or reverse this plate to make it free.

The best person who can guide you on the rest of it and where to find the supply of cloth & parts is one of our Forum Directors Sav he would be able to help you.

Good luck with the project.

Ian.

[barbelman]

Hi Paul

As Ian has said there is a huge amount of information on here already which you ought to look through.  As far as spares go the following will give you an idea of what's available.  Recovering a table is quite easy and any fairly practical person should be able to do it.

Look at www.mastersofgames.com/cat/pub/bar-billiards.htm but please ask before you order!

cheers and welcome
Tony

[paul222]

Hello thank you for your replys I have found a wealth of information on the forum so far.

Regards Paul

[paul222]

Hello,

I have stripped part of the table and have hit a few snags:
The size of the old cushion rubbers are 10mm x 9mm approx, are 3/8” x 1/4” cushions suitable or should I upgrade the cushions and rails to 5/8” as Sav as mentioned in a previous post?
The timer pull handle goes all the way back but the cogs and the centre bar (highlighted in orange) does not move, how hard is it to fix this problem or is it a specialist job?
The cogs and the springs seem very old but I cant see any damage to the components.

Regards Paul

[Chris_Sav]

The clock bar (on the left) is fully cocked ready to go, what happens if you wiggle the ticker arm? Don't whatever you do undo the ticker unit screws with the spring at its full tension.


Sav


PS Could you please edit your phots down to a smaller size for attachments? our storage is limited and close on full.

[Chris_Sav]

Looking at the close-ups there may be something jammed against a tooth on the driving rack on the first and biggest cog, could be a broken non return (ratchet) spring from that main driving cog. I cannot stop now but will edit the picture in the morning

[paul222]

Hello Sav and thank you for your help and quick response,

I have had to get help to edit the pictures below 1mb, I will try and get them down to a smaller size, if not i can delete them and send them out by email.

I have wiggled the ticker arm and it moves 2 too 3 times then stops.

The non return ratchet seems to be in good condition and locked against the cog.

I will take a look to see if there is any dirt stopping the main cog

Cheers Paul

[alanturner]

paul222
Forum Beginner

' The size of the old cushion rubbers are 10mm x 9mm approx, are 3/8” x 1/4” cushions suitable or should I upgrade the cushions and rails to 5/8” as Sav as mentioned in a previous post '

Lots of tables have different types of cushion rails and lots of different types of rubber.

I have tried various types of rubber (on the same table ) things can change the way the balls reacts on striking the cushion , If the cushion rail is not solidly fixed to the table top side rail being one and the rubber not properly bonded to the cushion rail being another.( use an impact glue , do not use superglue or gorilla glue ) Spray on carpet tile glue is good but can be messy !!!!

The table sides are also another area of ball reaction , no table sides are perfectly straight so angle of bounce differ from table to table and even table side to table side !

I cannot vouch for the length of time the rubber will last but the '' bounce '' reaction is virtually the same on any that that i have fixed on my test rails . whether it is 3/8 x 1/4 rectangle , 1/2 x 1/2 L shaped , 5/8 x 5/8 L shaped , hainsworh northern rubber is quite expensive but i can see no great advantage in using it as the reaction is the same , the only rubber i have tried that gives a sharper , quicker bonce is white silicon 1/2 x 1/2 L shaped but at £32.00 a metre it is not worth the gain or the outlay.

Some tables do not even have a rebate , the rubber is bonded straight to the rail , Just make sure the rubber thickness is consistant as this can also vary (in my opinion the rubber available now is not as good as it used to be)

Contary to popular belief the L shaped rubber can be jointed , this is the only place to use superglue , many years ago when i was involved with presure vessels and rubber seals the norm was to cot the joint with a diagonal lap and glue the joint with impact glue ( evostick or bostik) when super glue appeared on the scene the advice was to cut a straight butt joint (cut with a clean ' stanley ' knife ) and bond with super glue.

Strategically position any joint and you or any one else will not know it is there , pick a point on a straight line from the baulk spot through the centre of the 50 hole .

Yes , the super glue will harden the rubber eventually but not before a recver is due again.

Please be aware that that this is just my take on these things and others views may also vary

Every table is different , no two react the same. .

Have fun and enjoy doing your table

Best Regards Alan

[Chris_Sav]

Unless it's distortion on the picture, that does not look right. Can you email me  some more pictures.

[paul222]

Hello and thank you for your response.

I have found some similar cushions 10 mm x 11mm x 4.5 meters long so no joins. (old stock) I am told.

The main driving spring is fully stretched and the cogs look pretty clean compared to the rest of the unit.


I will email over some more pictures.

Cheers Paul

[paul222]

Hello Sav the center bar seems very stiff, I have loosened the 4 screws and the centre stud very slightly which hold down the centre bar and the cogs started spinning and the bar moved down a bit and then stopped.

Could you please send me your Emaill address and I will send over some pictures.

Regards Paul

[Chris_Sav]

Have emailed you

[paul222]

Hello I think Sav is right and the problem lies with the main driving cog and the non return (ratchet) spring/non return key. The non return (ratchet) spring and non return key seems to be in one piece and every thing else on the timer works.

[paul222]

Hello

The timer mechanism is now working after a good clean and some oil around the pinions. Thank you for your help and I will look into investing in a ultrasonic bath.

Regards Paul

[Chris_Sav]

Good, I'm glad we got there! saves you sending it down here.


Did you use the spray brake cleaner?


Sav.

[paul222]

Hello,

I used the wynns spray on brake and clutch cleaner and a old tooth brush.

I am still testing the clock mechanism and the drop bar all looks good so far.

Regards,

 Paul