New table and advice on lighting please

[Ros]

I became the proud owner of a Sams table yesterday, it will need a re-cloth but everything else looks to be in reasonable order.

This will hopefully become the new home top for the team formerly known as the Victory (Wheatsheaf/Eight Bells/Queens Head/Bolney Stage/Eight Bells B) when we manage to find ourselves a new venue, otherwise it will have to be played in my spare stable or Tony D's barn! ;D

The table has come with a scoreboard, balls, pegs, table cues etc. but no light.

I can see various lights at ebay, mostly the type with three shades on a hanging bar, nothing with the single large rectangular shade though.

What ideas/recommendations/advice can anyone offer about lighting this table? (Budget is now fairly limited after the purchase of the table and the need to re-cloth)

Because of the (unintentionally) nomadic nature of our team it is probably prudent to have a light fitting that plugs into a 13amp socket - is this legal in a public place?

[Kevin Pringle (R.I.P.)]

I have seen it at many pubs so I would guess it must be legal, regarding lamps the three round shade types are more IMO for pool tables. They dont give the same eveness of light out as the conventional large oblong style with 2 or 3 bulbs.
SAV can probably give you a design that could be fairly portable, I dont know if BBLtd might have any for sale or any other maker/sellers.

Hi Ros,

Great news that you landed your table which I knew you were after. It sounds the business. 8-) 8-)

Sav is indeed your man for any advice about tables, Steve Mariner is also a whizz concerning rigging up of lighting, etc.

[Chris_Sav]

Its quite easy provided you know someone with a set of conduit pipe benders, all the fittings are ready made and quite cheap - pipe, circular box and brass (not plastic) light holder that fits the holes on the box. Bend the pipe, drill it and screw it straight on the back of the table, taking the cable out of the pipe just above the screws.

I made my shades from thin sheet ally and pop rivets, but you can use an ordinary shade.

PM me if you want more info

Sav.

[iang]

Great news charlady hope you have luck in your quest for a more permanent home although playing in your spare stable might be ab it of fun I wouldn't fancy the food very much ( a bit dry & hard to swallow) ;D after being spoilt at the Victory !!!!

[Sir Jock o The Strap]

Ian I'm sure you'd love 'playing' in charlady's 'stable'. Not even going to go into the 'a bit dry & hard to swallow' bit.

[Ros]

Thanks to everyone for your advice and encouragement.

In particular, thanks to Tommo whose pre-sales advice on what to check out was invaluable (especially as the table was in "kit form" in a garage) and thanks also to Sav for the telephone advice, I hope to be able to thank you in person at the Sussex tomorrow.

The table is now all assembled, Mario has re-clothed it, I've given the frame and innards some serious tlc.

I took it down to Durrington yesterday where it was reunited with its slate and cushions and it will be used for the Sussex competitions this weekend. Slightly scary, as this was the first time the whole thing has been completely assembled since I bought it, but all seems well so far :)

Mario has also sold me a traditional green double light canopy for a very reasonable price :) (If anyone reading this is looking for permanent table lighting for their home at a budget price, I found that Ikea were selling double hanging lights on adjustable width metal bars from just £16.99)

The other piece of good news is that we have a new venue, the Wheatsheaf at Cuckfield (are we the first team to play in two different pubs with the same name?) the table will go straight into the pub on Monday.

According to Ralph Tarratt's book, the Wheatsheaf was the first pub in Sussex to have a Bar Billiards table installed.

Watch out for the invites to friendly matches this summer :) Ian, Tommo and Jock - I hope your teams will be down to sample the food soon (and don't even get me started on the subject of the horse whips Jock! :o )

[Kevin Pringle (R.I.P.)]

Nice to see it has all gone well.

Well, nice to see something new get off the ground and a plan come together.

I can report that Charlady's table is now installed in the Wheatsheaf, having served its apprenticeship at the recent Sussex Masters and Sussex Open.
It has been subject to plenty of TLC inside and out, the wooden framework looks immaculate and Mario has certainly done a good job on reclothing it and has installed some excellent bouncy cushions.
Sir KT had a 19k break on it on the Saturday which confirms its pedigree as a championship-class table. My two frames on it in the Open yielded me 14k-plus so obviously I felt comfortable on it too.

So now it is in its new home the Wheatsheaf, and it had its first-ever match played on it last night - a friendly against visitors Handcross SC, who brought eight people along !

A good evening was enjoyed by all, the Wheatsheaf is a nice, large pub, and we were looked after very well by the staff and the food was excellent.

It's going to be one of the foremost venues in Mid Sussex, so well done in finding it, and good luck to the former Victory team for next season and beyond. 8-)

[iang]

Charlady.
Thank you for the privilege of being the first team to be invited for a friendly match we had a great evening.
I am really pleased that you have managed to find a brilliant new venue & hope you can shrug of the nomad tendencies for a long time, well at least more than one season !!!!! :D
Good luck next season looking forward to playing again will defiantly be wanting a second trip before the start of the season & we must organize a return match at handcross.
food was very nice as well.
Ian.

iang said:

will defiantly be wanting a second trip before the start of the season & we must organize a return match at handcross.
Ian.

A double set of matches if you like, Ros.
The topic of your new table and venue came up last night at the 'Z' team's annual dinner (at the Mill House, Ifield) and my lads are definitely (and defiantly !) up for a set of friendlies in September as a curtain-raiser to the new season.