Pool Table Cushion Repair
Unlike nearly every other pool table manufacturer, we do not use contact adhesive on our rails. Our cushion work is guaranteed for 10 years not to drop or break loose.
You may ask yourself, why should I send my rails off to A.E. Schmidt or another professional? Simple, the local pool table repairman will tell you he can put them on at your house; and they can — but not properly. It’s like rebuilding your engine on the side of the road, don’t do it. Have someone who will take these rails back to the shop where they work on them properly — cushions must be straight. If this is done at your home, the tech must use a fast dry contact cement which will break down over time. Also, contact is exactly what it does, bonds immediately. So if the cushion is not put on perfectly straight, the waves in the cushions are permanent and will affect play quality.
One of the first steps in getting your cushions repaired or replaced is to determine whether your cushions are actually bad. There could be something else wrong, or you just may have an inferior cushion. When cushions do go bad, you know it; they either turn hard as a rock or soft and mushy.
We recommend you check the following before you swap out cushions:
Loose rail bolts will slow play down considerably. Typically this is an easy check that anyone with a socket wrench can do.
If it is loose, it will play slower.
If you are comparing the table to one that has a worsted wool cloth such as Simonis and you have a conventional cloth, yes, your table will play slower.
Believe it or not, this has an effect. When the pool balls lose their polish, they also lose some speed. Try using replacement Aramith Pool Balls. If you have checked all these things, try the rebound test. To test cushions, roll a ball as hard as possible between two side rails, if less than five contacts are made, you will probably need new cushions. Be sure that when you roll the ball as hard as possible there are no breakables across the table from you such as vases, lights, windows or children. Overzealous testers have been known to loft balls off the table, creating a whole new problem with their spouse.
A common question is “What should the height of my cushion be?” There is as many answers to this as there are cushions. If the original manufacturer of your table is still in business, we follow their recommended height.
One of the most misunderstood problems with rails is degree of angle. This is the amount of angle put on the liner. Improper angle vs. cushion profile will not only make a rail look strange, it may also affect speed and accuracy during play. If you have a table over 20 years old, it is likely the profile of the cushion has changed. This is why you need a professional to do the work. Cushions that are replaced by an installer on site cannot provide this. At A.E. Schmidt we have specialized machines, fixtures and skilled personnel to handle nearly any kind of rail. When your cushions are replaced you should also install new rubber facings as well as feather strips between the rail top and the liner to hold the cloth securely in place.
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Table Brands We Service
Tables brands we currently service: A.E. Schmidt, CL Bailey, Olhausen, Imperial, Connelly, American Heritage and Legacy.
All serviced tables over 50 years old are subject to an additional $100 antique fee.
Tables We Do Not Service
A.E. Schmidt will not service 1-piece slate tables, tables 10 feet or over in size or slate thicker than 1-1/16 inch.
We will not service the following brands: Brunswick Gold Crowns, Century Billiards, Cannon Pool Tables, Sears, Global, All-Tech, Fischers, Ebonite, Jordan, U.S. Billiards, Muellers, AMF (pre-1970’s), Frederick Willy, Harvard & Minnesota Fats.
We also do not service ball return or particle board bed tables.