Okay, here’s my blog post about taking apart a slate pool table, written in a casual, first-person style:
Alright, so the other day I decided to tackle a project I’d been putting off forever: moving a slate pool table. This wasn’t just a “slide it across the room” kind of move. This was a full-on, “we’re getting it out of the basement and into a new house” situation. And let me tell you, those things are HEAVY. Like, ridiculously heavy. So, disassembly was the only way to go.
Getting Started
First things first, I grabbed my tools. You’ll need a few essentials:
- Socket wrench set: This is your best friend for this job.
- Flathead screwdriver: For prying and removing staples.
- Staple remover: Makes life way easier.
- Maybe a drill with a socket attachment: If the bolts are super stubborn.
- Some work gloves: Protect those hands!
- A buddy (or two): Seriously, don’t try to lift the slate alone.
- Moving blankets, maybe some cardboard: To protect the parts as you pull them off.
I started by taking off the rails. These are usually attached with bolts underneath. I used the socket set, went around, and unbolted each of them. Don’t lose the bolts! I have a habit of misplacing these, and it is really annoying. Put them in a Ziploc bag or something. Some rails come off in one piece, others in sections. Mine were in sections, thankfully, which made them a bit easier to handle.
Felt Removal…Carefully!
Next up: the felt. Now, this part can be tricky. If you want to reuse the felt (which I didn’t, we were getting new felt), you gotta be super careful. Most of the time, it’s held on with staples – tons of them. I used the staple remover and carefully pulled them out. It’s tedious, but it’s better than ripping the felt.
If the felt is glued down, you’re in for a bit more work. You might be able to carefully peel it back, but honestly, if it’s glued, it’s probably old and you might just want to replace it anyway.
The Slate: The Heavy Part
With the rails and felt off, I exposed the beast itself: the slate. This is where my buddy came in. Pool table slates usually come in one, two, or three pieces. Mine was a three-piece slate, which is a little easier to deal with than a single, massive slab.
The slate pieces are usually screwed down to the frame. I looked for the screws, which were sometimes hidden under little bits of filler or wax. Once I found them, I unscrewed them carefully.
Then get the screw driver to dig out all the beeswax off the screw.
Now, the lifting. We carefully lifted each slate piece. Even the smaller pieces are surprisingly heavy. We slid them onto moving blankets to protect them and carried them out. We made sure to keep them level. Don’t want to crack those things!
The Frame
Finally, unscrew the wood frame and take it apart.
We took them out of the room one by one and then finished the whole thing.
The whole process took a few hours, but we did it! The pool table was successfully disassembled, moved, and ready for its new home. It’s not a super complicated job, but it definitely requires patience, the right tools, and some muscle. Just take your time, be careful, and don’t be afraid to ask for help!
