Guarddog
Last year a lady came to me and asked if I could build her a custom pool table. She wanted it as a graduation gift for her daughter who was about to graduate college. This was no easy task because it’s not your ordinary run of the mill pool table. This had to fit over top a air hockey table and be easily removed for when they wanted to play air hockey. Also it was going in a small room so the size was definitely custom.
She had bought the baskets to go on the table for the balls to drop in but I had to explain in order to keep writhing tolerances I couldn’t use the baskets. So instead I designed rails with automatic ball returns built in.
Also since it had to be able to be moved I could not use slate which you will find in all the other pool tabled under the felt. Instead I used a sheet of 1/4″ acrylic. This provided a smooth surface for the balls to roll on and won’t deny like plywood would when the balls are dropped on it.
I really enjoyed this project because not only could I get creative but I had to do some engineering as well to make everything work properly.
She contacted me after her daughter and her daughter’s friends tried it out. They said it was better than the tables at the local pool hall.
This is my first and so far only pool table that I have built. Hope you enjoy the pictures.
