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Billiard Fabric Installation Guide

REPLACING CUSHION CLOTH (Pocket Tables)

A. Preparing Old Rails
1. After removing the rails from the table, remove the staples from the ends of the rails at the rear edge of the pocket facing

figure 1-A    figure 1-B
2. Cut the old cushion cloth along the full length of featherstrip on the cushion side (approximately 1/2" from the cloth line) as shown in figure 1A.
3. Peel the cloth down and insert a featherstrip puller or flat blade screwdriver (not over 1/8" wide) beneath the featherstrip (as shown in Figure 1B), and carefully pry the featherstrip out of the groove. If the featherstrip is undamaged save it for reuse. Turn rail face side down and remove the staples from the old cloth.

figure b
B. Installing Featherstrips
1. If installing new featherstrips, place the featherstrip in the groove as shown in Figure B and trim one end flush with the angle of the pocket opening with a hacksaw. Be careful to keep the blade tilted at a sufficient angle so you don't cut into the rail pocket area behind the featherstrip.
2. With one end trimmed, place that end down in to the featherstrip groove and "butt" it flush against the pocket facing - then trim the other end in the same manner.
3. Place the new cloth over the featherstrip groove and check to see if the featherstrip will tap down into the groove. If the cloth is of heavier grade the featherstrip may require planing as shown in Figure C.

The groove in the top rail and the featherstrip are cut for lighter grade cloth. To allow for a full range of cloth grades, removing material from the featherstrip may be required.
C. Attaching Cloth - Pocket Tables
  Corner Pockets

figure 1
1. Place the new cloth on the rail with the nap side down. With the nap of the cloth from the left to the right on the end rails, or from designated head to foot of the table on side rails. The cloth should have an equal amount of overhang at both ends of the rail and extend 1/2" over the featherstrip groove on the cushion side as shown in Figure 1.

figure 2
2. Except for approximately 3" at the end of the rail, tap the featherstrip down with the tapping block and hammer as shown in Figure 2.
3. At each end of the rails pull the cloth toward the rubber cushion an additional 3/4" then tap the remainder of the featherstrip down (Figure 2).

figure 3
4. Trim the cloth on the cushion side of the featherstrip along the total length of the featherstrip as shown in Figure 3.

figure 4
5. Fold the cloth down over the front of the rail then use your thumb and forefinger as a guide along the front edge of the cushion to keep the tapping block at the rear edge of the featherstrip - tap the featherstrip down flush with the rail surface as shown in Figure 4.

Never try to tap a featherstrip flush with just a hammer as it will certainly dent the rail surface behind the feather strip.

figure 5
6. Turn the rail over and at the corner pockets fold the cloth over the mitered edge as shown in Figure 5. Stretch the cloth tightly, work out any wrinkles as you staple three places in the area shown in Figure 5.

figure 6
7. Staple three places along the rear edge of the pocket facing ("X" in Figure 6), then trim off the superfluous cloth at the pocket area.
8. If the rail is an end rail repeat Step 7 at the other corner pocket then, starting at the center of the rail, stretch the cloth tightly over the cushion and staple at the bottom of the rail working toward each end (Figure 6).

figure 7
9. Trim the excess cloth from the bottom of the rail as shown in Figure 7 flush with the edge of the cloth relief groove.
  Side Pockets
10. At the side pocket stretch the cloth tightly over the nose of the cushion and staple in three places as shown in Figure A.
11. Slit the cloth up the edge of the cushion nose as shown in Figure B, then firmly pull the small strip (Figure B) to the rear of the cushion and staple at the rear of the facing.
12. Hold the small fold in place with your thumb and forefinger and firmly fold it down over the facing at the bottom of the rail as shown in Figure C.
13. Trim any excess cloth as required.
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