“So you are thinking about buying a pool table”
Obviously you can purchase a new one, but depending on your budget, you may consider purchasing a pre-owned table, which can be a good alternative to a new one, offering you more “bang for your buck.”
One of the first things you want to consider is the style. Do you want a furniture style or a commercial style. Today many people are putting their pool table in the living room or a very nice family room and want a table that looks nice as opposed to the commercial look.
When looking at used tables here are some of the things you should look for:
Check the size of your room to make sure you have plenty of space. This website has some great info https://www.billiards.com/pool-table-room-size
The over all condition and appearance of the wood and is there any damage.
Check the condition of the cloth. Usually if it looks good it is. However if you are going to play in pool/billiard rooms that have Worsted Cloth such as Simonis or Championship cloth then you will probably want to replace it with this type of cloth so that you will be use to the speed.
Next test the rubber cushions for liveliness and any dead spots. I suggest that you shoot a ball into the cushions every 6” apart all the way around the table. The ball should come off fast and fairly quiet. If you get some spots that make a thump noise and the ball doesn’t come back as fast that is usually a sign that you have a bad spot or spots. Then you would need to have a professional to replace them.
Check under the table with a flash light for any visible damage to the supports or any cracks in the slate. Make sure that the table is slate and that it is a full one inch. If you measure inside the pockets you will have to allow for the thickness of the wood framing attached to the slate (if it has the framing)
Many serious players think that they should get a table with an automatic ball return because that is what most pool rooms have. However keep in mind that the automatic ball return is much louder than you realize when in a home setting. Also many ball returns have problems with hanging up balls or dropping balls in the floor.
Next how tight do you want the pockets. You can always have the pockets shimmed to your specifications.
Unless you have set up dozens of tables yourself I strongly suggest you don’t try it, even after watching you tube. There is an art to getting it right! Finally before you purchase the table find a reputable professional mechanic that you can work with. Then get the cost for relocating the table and setting it back up with any of the repairs and alterations you want. I would get several quotes but don’t always pick the cheapest and get references.
Now that you have your table practice, have fun and watch you game improve.
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