John Bennett Billiards

[DavidStewart]

You're right and I will sort things out. As much as anything I'm just warning anyone thinking of buying a table from John Bennett Billiards!

[philip in china]

I agree 100%. there also comes a time to cut your losses!

[DavidStewart]

Thanks PiC,

You're right to look on the bright side. Unfortunately I paid John Bennett Billiards good money to make a piece of furniture and the 'real work' most certainly wasn't done properly. I will, in the course of time rectify the faults but I shouldn't have to spend my time, money and energy to put things right when I could be playing snooker.
But yes I do enjoy having my own table.....I'm a lucky guy!

[philip in china]

You can always whizz round with a bit of stain yourself. Loose bits that need fixing back are simple with modern adhesives. Main thing is the real work has been done properly. The rest is purely cosmetic.

Are you happy having your own table? I suspect I know the answer to that one.

[DavidStewart]

An update a year on.
I've just had the table reclothed (Tournament quality rather than the Club quality it came with). The fitter did the cushions while he was at it and templated the pockets so they're all 3 1/2 inches across the drop rather than the 3 1/4 or so (they varied by a few millimetres) when new. The rubbers were loose in places and even stapled into position in one place! It plays much, much better now but other issues with the build quality are coming to light. The tops of the legs are veneered rather than solid oak and the trims on the side panels are coming away from the frame. Where the glue was not not wiped away properly it is now starting to show as the wood has darkened with age. Next time the fitter will fix the gaps between the cushions and the rails (!).
Anyway, the room is back to its usual dimly lit self (apart from the playing surface!) so most of the horrors are once again hidden from view!

[thommo335]

John Bennett Billiards

sounds like you need geoff large
...highly recommended.

[DavidStewart]

Well, finally frustrated by the balls hanging in the nets or falling out of the rails I have spent an hour or so sorting the pocket nets and rails. Happy to say that they all work perfectly now but of course crawling under the table revealed yet more nasties. The pocket rails are definitely not new judging by the scuff marks on the brass, several of the undersides of the friezes are split where the wire for the pocket nets have been screwed in......you'd think that after one split you'd start drilling pilot holes for the screws! I'm also missing four of the brass countersunk grub screws that hold the rails to the nets. (Anyone know where I can get any?). Finally the underside of the cushion rails looks as though they've been attacked by large woodworm....the man can't even use a router properly! "Expert craftsman" what a joke!

[DavidStewart]

Thanks for your post Geoff,

You've made me look at some of the other aspects of the table and one of the centre pockets is off centre. Not as bad as your photo but it does explain why I've been having difficulty from certain angles with that pocket.

[DavidStewart]

I've just been looking at reviews for John Bennett Billiards on Yell. People who've had a refurbished table seem to be satisfied but someone who had a pool table made was clearly not happy.....and reading between the lines the after sales service left a lot to be desired!
Thanks for posting the photos Bolton Cueman.

[throtts]

Jeeps,,,

Does not look clever at all. Looks to need some serious fixing and adjustments.

Geoff needs to have a look, if he would.

[bolton-cueman]

after a short delay...

David sent me a mail with some photos. I've added them to a Photobucket album

hope that works ok

[tetricky]

I've not met Geoff either, but he is the fitter for my current preferred snooker venue (Stapleford Snooker Club). The tables in there are fitted and maintained very nicely.

[ADR147]

More than this, I would like to make it plain I have never met Geoff in the flesh and receive no kick backs of any sort, I just know a lot of people in the snooker world and hear a lot of things, I live a bit outside of Geoffs range but if I didn't he would be doing my table based on the reports I hear.

[ADR147]

geoff I get asked all the time, and hear about poor service all the time, I have yet to hear a single bad word about your work hence I will recommend it.

[Geoff Large]

Sorry above 2nd table I worked on was full size not 10ft

Geoff