My woodworking project - finally finished!

[Peter Gillson]

finally i have finished a project I wanted to do for a few years.

building a bar billiards table - here it is:




the legs were sources from a re-use/ recycle cente just outside Oxford and were light stands removed from the Sheldonian building on Oxford,

Peter

 

[Ian M]

That is really very nice. A bit of a story with it to.

 

[adt70hk]

Excellent Peter, really excellent. I do love bar billiards.

When I was old enough to legally start frequenting drink establishments in the late 80s, you would find them occasionally and it wasn't unknow for us to deliberately choose one that had a bar billiards table. But now I can't remember the last time I saw one.

How long did it taken take you to do?

Very well done.

Andrew

 

[Mark1]

Very nice.

 

[Peter Gillson]

Hi Andy

I started playing br billiard while studying for A levels - we used to bunk off school down to a local pub. As long as the pub was empty the landlord didn't mind us making a pint last all afternoon, and I am sure he knew we used a comb to jam the bar from falling!

its difficult to say how long it took to build, the most frustrating part was not being able to find any plans so I had to draw my own (I did take a few measurements in a pub!) I do not think I could have done it without the WWW - I would never have worked out how to make the cushion blocks without the internet. Here is the drawing I found:




The actual build took about 6 months on and off probably in the region of 200 hours.


Peter

 

[Jim R]

That is excellent Peter. You're a man of many talents.

 

[Waspie]

Very nice. (But what scale is it????)
Closing the door behind me as I type!!

 

[Tim Marlow]

Great stuff. Not seen a table for years. There used to be half a dozen in pubs around Salisbury. Landlords liked them because they took up less real estate than a pool table……
Have you got the time mechanism in yours? As I remember, the game had a clockwork timer that dropped the bar to end the game.
Bar football table next then?
Much more fun in pubs in those days, loads of games you could play……these days all they have, if anything, is slot machines.

 

[scottie3158]

Peter,
Superb mate, is there no limit to your talents.

 

[Peter Gillson]

Great stuff. Not seen a table for years. There used to be half a dozen in pubs around Salisbury. Landlords liked them because they took up less real estate than a pool table……
Have you got the time mechanism in yours? As I remember, the game had a clockwork timer that dropped the bar to end the game.
Bar football table next then?
Much more fun in pubs in those days, loads of games you could play……these days all they have, if anything, is slot machines.

Unfortunately I could not get hold of a mechanical timing mechanism so I had to design a manual version, - the knob in the middle of the front end is it - and using a phone for the timer. A compromise but it works.

Quite a few pubs in Guernsey still have these tables - we still have a bar billiard pub league - way above my standard - and the bar billiard world championship is usually held in Jersey.

 

[Peter Gillson]

Peter,
Superb mate, is there no limit to your talents.

if you look too closely you will see the limitation!

 

[Tim Marlow]

Unfortunately I could not get hold of a mechanical timing mechanism so I had to design a manual version, - the knob in the middle of the front end is it - and using a phone for the timer. A compromise but it works.

Quite a few pubs in Guernsey still have these tables - we still have a bar billiard pub league - way above my standard - and the bar billiard world championship is usually held in Jersey.

We used to have pub leagues for almost everything when I was a nipper……..football, cricket, darts (with several teams per pub), cribbage, pool, bar billiards, domino’s, you name it there it was….and the leagues were reported in the local paper……..all long gone now though…

 

[tr1ckey66]

That looks incredible Peter. I've always liked working with wood and in another life I think I would have liked to be a cabinet maker. Your work there looks like a fine example of the craft and even if you yourself can find fault in it, we looking on are suitably impressed.

Top work.
Now, is there any chance you could make me a glass-topped coffee table to house my 1/32 Lancaster?
All the best
Paul

 

[langy71]

Total awesomeness Peter, that's a great project you've done there...

Right guys, grab matrons bike and it's all round to Peters pad for a much needed games night !...

 

[Dave Ward]

My local, when I lived in Dursley ( S. Glos. ), 'The Old Spot' had a bar billiards table, and it was well-used It's been a long time since I visited it & judging by their food offerings, I'd think that the table has been retired.
A real old fashioned pub, we also used to play table skittles & shove ha'penny!
Originally it was a 'Real Ale' only pub. No padded seats, no music, no game machines. If anybody asked for a lager - the landlord, Ric, used to don a pair of yellow rubber gloves and shout 'lager drinker in the house' before serving them! You didn't get many youngsters in! It was spoiled occasionally by mass visits by some of the more fanatical CAMRA members................
Dave

 

[JR]

Checking the rules with Matron we find there is nothing mentioned against item such as this.
Therefore The Committee are more than thrilled to give the award, you've got

Congratulations Peter., beautifully made.

 

[Mickc1440]

That looks superb, a pub I used to frequent had one of these and loved to play the odd game or two

 

[Mini Me]

That is excellent Peter. You're a man of many talents.

Nah Jim, he's lefthanded....

 

[stillp]

I haven't played bar billiards for several decades. Shove ha'penny much more recently though.
What did you use for the bed Peter? Surely not slate?
Pete

 

[stillp]

Forgot to say, nicely built and finished !
Pete