Solid Hard Wood Construction

Construction of all models of 123DiscountSports factory direct tables are essentially the same, so no matter which model you choose you are assured of outstanding "Made in America" value.

123Discount Sports factory direct tables feature "super frame" construction; cabinets built of 6/4 (1 1/2" ) hardwood and buttressed by both lateral cross members and a center beam, locked in place with dado joints. In place of the thin sheets of plywood that form the slate bearing platforms of most pool tables, our tables feature a 2 inch thick solid hardwood platform that ensures a quiet, stable playing surface as well as structural integrity. The super frame eliminates the danger of sagging or spreading that can render a less sturdy table impossible to level and unplayable in a few short years.

Add a 2" hardwood platform that extends all the way around the table and is dadoed flush with the cross members and center beam. The solid hardwood slate framing extends over the platform, cross members and center beam. This provides exceptionally solid support for the slate, eliminating any possibility of the slate bending out of shape. Some manufacturers have begun offering center beam options as a marketing ploy without putting framing down the center of the slate. This obviates much of the advantage of having a center beam.

Most manufacturers use a thin sheet of plywood as a platform for the slate. With a frame that may be only 3/4" or 1" thick, often made of laminated wood and veneered, it is impossible for them to drop the cross members into a dado cut as you see on the left. There isn't enough thickness in the cabinet to do that. Instead, they glue or staple two blocks of wood to the inside of the cabinet wall and run a bolt through the wooden blocks and cross member to keep the crossmember in place. Making a virtue of necessity, they then trumpet the fact that their crossmembers are bolted to prevent the frame from spreading!

Our frames are assembled at the factory, where they are checked for level and squareness, and then shipped intact (rather than as knocked down components). Most frames are glued together at the joints; but dealers who anticipate having to partially disassemble the frame to get up or down tight stairwells can order the frames "Knock Down" in which case we leave the glue out of some of the joints.

A key feature is how the corners of the frame are joined together and how the legs are mounted. Our tables use massive 2" thick solid hardwood corner blocks and gussets that are screwed and glued in place. Many manufacturers use metal brackets (often too thin) that can bend out of shape, and the holding power of these metal corner assemblies is no greater than than holding power of the screws fastening them to the cabinet. If those are 1/2" screws driven into a thin laminated cabinet, or even a solid wood cabinet, you will not have a very rigid frame.

Solid carved legs are mounted by dropping a 3/8x8" machine bolt deep into the center of the leg where it threads into a sunken anchor; hollow legs are mounted with a shorter bolt that fastens to a threaded metal bracket. Both types of legs are adjusted into position through a slotted opening, then secured by tightening against a domed washer with serrated edges.

The cross section is made of nothing but hardwoods -- good, heavy, sturdy hardwoods. The rail caps, blinds (or aprons) and cabinet walls are solid oak, maple or mahogany -- whichever you choose. The internal structural components are poplar (sometimes called tulipwood).

The blinds (or aprons) fit into a notch in the rail cap and are then mounted from underneath and behind with screws driven up into the hardwood slate framing. Tthe blind fits against the slate and slate framing. The blinds on many tables tend to be wobbly. As an added benefi, there are no unsightly exposed screws on the exterior of the blinds. An additional small notch on the back of the blind is there to provide stress relief and inhibit warping.

Use of poplar on the rail base is important because of its superior ability to hold screws and self-healing properties. When made of poplar, both the rail base and slate framing will withstand many recoverings and re-stapling without deterioration.

The rail rubber (or cushion) is attached to the rail at angle that determines the height of the rubber's nose above the playing surface. It is absolutely essential that this angle be precise and uniform along the entire length of the rail. If too low the ball can bounce off the table; too high and the rebound is deadened. The entire profile of the rail including the critical angle of inclination for the rubber, is machined with an accuracy of 1/1000" on a state of the art moulder. Equally critical is how the rubber is attached to the rail base.

The canvas control fabric embedded into the top of the cushion is required by the Billiard Congress of America for tournament play. It is important because it controls the rebound of the ball, insuring consistent rebounds at all points along the rail. Another manufacturer has recently begun advertising the superiority of its "pure gum rubber" cushions. These new cushions do indeed offer fast rebounds, but by omitting the critical control fabric they have sacrificed accuracy for speed -- and after all, pool is a game of positioning, not speed. All of our factory direct tables use premium quality K-66 profile cushions.

Another important point is that our cushions also have a canvas backing underneath for better bonding to the rail. We "set" our rubber overnight with a powerful wood glue whereas many manufacturers use contact cement. The latter makes it easier to peel the rubber off the rails when they need replacing, but watch out! Rubber attached in this fashion can come loose when someone sits on the rail. (Not recommended, but a pool table is such a convenient height for sitting, it's awfully hard to keep people from doing so.)

How the rails are attached to the slate is also very important for playability. The object here is to anchor the rails so securely to the slate that they function as a unified system. The picture on the right views from below one of the three rail bolts attaching each rail to the slate. Notice the oversized circular cut out in the slate framing. This permits the rail bolt to be tightened directly against the slate. The black domed washer has serrated edges that bite into the slate for a very firm hold. Most manufacturers use a plain flat washer. When the washer is tightened against the soft particleboard slate framing it leaves an indentation. In time, the bolt can work loose resulting in vibration or even a wobbly misaligned rail.

For more information about slate, click the slate button in the main FAQ for Billiards and Pool Tables

Back to Main Pool Tables FAQ Click Here