This review is from: Mizerak Donovan II 8′ Billiard Table (Sports)
This is my first real review and it’s fairly long. I wanted to help others that could have the same issues I had….
First let me say, I love this table. It is amazing, however, I need to mention a couple of things regarding the assembly…
The slate is very heavy, which actually is a good thing, however, make sure you have a couple of people nearby to lift it safely. You also are going to need a strong screwdriver or crowbar and hammer to get the slate out of it’s packing crate. Careful when sliding the slate out so you don’t damage it. I had a few guys around and 2 people were able to carry the slate pieces. I would say each piece weighs between 150-200 pounds and there are 3 of them.
Basic frame assembly went well. All the bolts matched perfectly and it was very steady. There are some guide holes on the wood that did not line up with the end plates though. If you use the guide holes it sticks up over the top of the frame and since the slate goes on top of this, you can’t do it. Just make your own holes. Not difficult at all, but I just wanted to mention it.
Once assembled, the frame was very easy to level with a 36″ level.
The slate comes next. It actually lined up very well. I highly recommend drilling guide holes. This will make screwing down the slate much easier. The plates went together so evenly that I did not have to use any of the shims 🙂
After the slate is attached, you then have to cover the seams and the 4 middle countersunk holes. The compound they give you is very difficult to work with. Mainly when it comes to sanding. It is more like a resin or epoxy then a joint compound. Be careful when applying it, because it dries very hard and is very difficult to sand. I even used an electric sander and it took a very long time to smooth it out. Other people have recommended using Water Putty. I didn’t do this, but you may find that much easier to work with.
I had an issue using water to clean the slate. it got very gritty, so I waited until it was dry and used a dry cloth instead. This seemed to work much better.
Once the slate was dry I used a pool ball to level the table. This worked extremely well. Not only did it make the table very level, it also helped me locate any high spots that still needed sanding. Just roll the ball slowly on the slate and make adjustments wherever needed.
The next thing you do is attach the felt. Since I have done this before, I knew it wasn’t as scary as it looked. I did have one huge issue though, the spray glue tip clogged on me several times. Be cautious of this. I was able to get it going again, but when you are trying to glue something down quickly, this gets very scary. All in all the felt attached very well.
After the slate is down you have to build the frame. This is done upside down. Be careful about scratching the top of the frame. I recommend putting a towel under all the chrome pieces as they are assembled to avoid scratching them.
Once the frame is built, you have to turn it over, fully assembled, and place it over the pool table. I recommend 4 guys to do this. The assembled frame is the size of the pool table itself and is a bit heavy.
The last thing I want to mention is attaching the frame. Since the felt is on the table it is covering the mounting holes. The instructions NEVER mention this and show the assembly as if no felt was attached. I called the support line and asked if I should make guide holes. They said they weren’t needed. I was going to just put it on without them, but when I got back to the cellar, my brother had already made them. I told him they said it wasn’t needed and hoped that it would work anyway. Truth is, I recommend making them. When you place the frame over the table, it doesn’t exactly line up. Without the holes, I never could have seen where the bolts go and I did have to adjust it. Since the holes were there I was able to stick a Phillips screwdriver in the hole and push it to the side. Once I did this, the holes lined up fine. I made sure all sides had screws started before I tightened it down.
In the end, this table is incredible!!!!! I love it! It is perfectly level and plays like any professional table! Everyone who has tried it has said the same thing. Once the assembly issues are dealt with, you end up with a very sharp looking, awesome table at an amazing price.
Sorry this review is so long, but I wanted to help others with the issues I had. Once again, I highly recommend this table, just keep in mind these assembly issues. If you have any issues or questions, feel free to respond to this review and I will get back to you if I can be of any help. Have a great day and enjoy this wonderful pool table!!!!!
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We purchased this billiards table for our office so employees can use it on their down-time/breaks as a stress-reliever.
The billiards table itself is getting a lot of use and the reason why I picked it was because of the good reviews (beit only a few) and it was within our budget. Shipping was free with my Amazon Prime and it was also shipped and sold by Amazon so I could trust that I could contact them directly if I encountered any issues with the product.
DELIVERY:
The delivery process was good. It arrived earlier than expected. The delivery company CEVA called me ahead of time to confirm the delivery date and actual location for the delivery. However, when the delivery personnel arrived, they had stacked boxes on top of the longest-part of the billiards table which is clearly marked in large letters on both ends of the box: “Do not stack freight on top of this carton during shipping” which they overlooked. This lead to one of the top-rails broken in half (see photos).
PRE-ASSEMBLY:
It took three of us (2 females, one male) to assemble this item over a month. This was partly due to the fact that we could assemble it only a few hours at a time during work hours, AND (the biggie) because we had to wait for the replacement part that was damaged in shipping.
I called Amazon upon immediately discovering the damaged part but they were no help at all since you would need to box everything back up in its original packaging and try to ship it back to them. (Really??) But to their credit, they did offer to discount the price which I accepted since the part that was broken might be salvagable. I called the manufacturer as well and they were AWESOME! Escalade Sports is the manufacturing company and they were so easy to work with! I told them what happened. They asked for the part number and my info, and said a replacement part was on the way! Happy ending, right? Not yet. It took ES three tries shipping the same part to me before I finally received one that wasn’t damaged. The damaged rail is over 8-feet long and the skinniest part was the area that kept breaking in two. ES tried to ship the replacement part: first as-is with standard packaging; second, via FedEx with more beefed-up packaging, and finally, via freight truck so that it would lay flat on a truck bed. Before this, each time we received the damaged part, I would call them and they were happy to ship out a new one, no questions asked! So if you find that you’ve received any part of your table damaged, be sure to notify Amazon and then contact the manufacturer. There is a 90-day warranty on the product.
ASSEMBLY:
Directions were understandable and everything was in its own plastic bag and labeled clearly. You’ll definitely need a power-drill and a smaller power-drill to get things assembled quickly.
The slatron was quite heavy but we managed to get it on. We also didn’t need to use the shims that came with the table as our floor and the table were all level.
Be sure to be in a ventilated area when you start to put the felt on using the spray adhesive. We are in a work environment so the smell of the fumes went everywhere and we got a little loopy.
USE:
Once we got everything set up we tested it out and it worked great! We purchased red chalk for the cue sticks since the felt on the table was red. The table also came with a brush which doesn’t work as well as a lint brush since the felt tends to ball up everywhere on the table within the first few weeks of use.
It’s a hefty piece and so far has held up with lots of daily use–we’ve had it for three months now. If you plan to use this as a “showcase” piece you might be better off spending more money but for your average everyday run-of-the-mill billiards table this is a great buy!
I gave it 4 stars for quality, speedy initial delivery, and great customer service from Escalade Sports. -1 Star for what a pain it was to assemble and wait for a replacement part.
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This review is from: Mizerak Donovan II 8′ Billiard Table (Sports)
Just a note; when searching for a pool table to buy, I wanted a vegas/arcade style table with slate top and adjustable legs. One reason I purchased this table in regard to the fact that it was exactly what I was looking for. Re
PROS: Slate Top (Nothing replaces slate; including SL8 or SLATRON) Adjustable Legs (French style legs are nice, but very hard to level the table) Fast playing surface (Incredibly smooth surface play)
CONS:(There really aren’t any cons, but maybe a few concerns.) Don’t expect to get 5 guys together to move this table. The sides are fairly thin and would certainly break under pressure. If you want to move this table, you’re going to have to disassemble it
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Awesome table, but some issues.,
First let me say, I love this table. It is amazing, however, I need to mention a couple of things regarding the assembly…
The slate is very heavy, which actually is a good thing, however, make sure you have a couple of people nearby to lift it safely. You also are going to need a strong screwdriver or crowbar and hammer to get the slate out of it’s packing crate. Careful when sliding the slate out so you don’t damage it. I had a few guys around and 2 people were able to carry the slate pieces. I would say each piece weighs between 150-200 pounds and there are 3 of them.
Basic frame assembly went well. All the bolts matched perfectly and it was very steady. There are some guide holes on the wood that did not line up with the end plates though. If you use the guide holes it sticks up over the top of the frame and since the slate goes on top of this, you can’t do it. Just make your own holes. Not difficult at all, but I just wanted to mention it.
Once assembled, the frame was very easy to level with a 36″ level.
The slate comes next. It actually lined up very well. I highly recommend drilling guide holes. This will make screwing down the slate much easier. The plates went together so evenly that I did not have to use any of the shims 🙂
After the slate is attached, you then have to cover the seams and the 4 middle countersunk holes. The compound they give you is very difficult to work with. Mainly when it comes to sanding. It is more like a resin or epoxy then a joint compound. Be careful when applying it, because it dries very hard and is very difficult to sand. I even used an electric sander and it took a very long time to smooth it out. Other people have recommended using Water Putty. I didn’t do this, but you may find that much easier to work with.
I had an issue using water to clean the slate. it got very gritty, so I waited until it was dry and used a dry cloth instead. This seemed to work much better.
Once the slate was dry I used a pool ball to level the table. This worked extremely well. Not only did it make the table very level, it also helped me locate any high spots that still needed sanding. Just roll the ball slowly on the slate and make adjustments wherever needed.
The next thing you do is attach the felt. Since I have done this before, I knew it wasn’t as scary as it looked. I did have one huge issue though, the spray glue tip clogged on me several times. Be cautious of this. I was able to get it going again, but when you are trying to glue something down quickly, this gets very scary. All in all the felt attached very well.
After the slate is down you have to build the frame. This is done upside down. Be careful about scratching the top of the frame. I recommend putting a towel under all the chrome pieces as they are assembled to avoid scratching them.
Once the frame is built, you have to turn it over, fully assembled, and place it over the pool table. I recommend 4 guys to do this. The assembled frame is the size of the pool table itself and is a bit heavy.
The last thing I want to mention is attaching the frame. Since the felt is on the table it is covering the mounting holes. The instructions NEVER mention this and show the assembly as if no felt was attached. I called the support line and asked if I should make guide holes. They said they weren’t needed. I was going to just put it on without them, but when I got back to the cellar, my brother had already made them. I told him they said it wasn’t needed and hoped that it would work anyway. Truth is, I recommend making them. When you place the frame over the table, it doesn’t exactly line up. Without the holes, I never could have seen where the bolts go and I did have to adjust it. Since the holes were there I was able to stick a Phillips screwdriver in the hole and push it to the side. Once I did this, the holes lined up fine. I made sure all sides had screws started before I tightened it down.
In the end, this table is incredible!!!!! I love it! It is perfectly level and plays like any professional table! Everyone who has tried it has said the same thing. Once the assembly issues are dealt with, you end up with a very sharp looking, awesome table at an amazing price.
Sorry this review is so long, but I wanted to help others with the issues I had. Once again, I highly recommend this table, just keep in mind these assembly issues. If you have any issues or questions, feel free to respond to this review and I will get back to you if I can be of any help. Have a great day and enjoy this wonderful pool table!!!!!
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|Pain in the Yahoo to put together but turned out nice!,
The billiards table itself is getting a lot of use and the reason why I picked it was because of the good reviews (beit only a few) and it was within our budget. Shipping was free with my Amazon Prime and it was also shipped and sold by Amazon so I could trust that I could contact them directly if I encountered any issues with the product.
DELIVERY:
The delivery process was good. It arrived earlier than expected. The delivery company CEVA called me ahead of time to confirm the delivery date and actual location for the delivery. However, when the delivery personnel arrived, they had stacked boxes on top of the longest-part of the billiards table which is clearly marked in large letters on both ends of the box: “Do not stack freight on top of this carton during shipping” which they overlooked. This lead to one of the top-rails broken in half (see photos).
PRE-ASSEMBLY:
It took three of us (2 females, one male) to assemble this item over a month. This was partly due to the fact that we could assemble it only a few hours at a time during work hours, AND (the biggie) because we had to wait for the replacement part that was damaged in shipping.
I called Amazon upon immediately discovering the damaged part but they were no help at all since you would need to box everything back up in its original packaging and try to ship it back to them. (Really??) But to their credit, they did offer to discount the price which I accepted since the part that was broken might be salvagable. I called the manufacturer as well and they were AWESOME! Escalade Sports is the manufacturing company and they were so easy to work with! I told them what happened. They asked for the part number and my info, and said a replacement part was on the way! Happy ending, right? Not yet. It took ES three tries shipping the same part to me before I finally received one that wasn’t damaged. The damaged rail is over 8-feet long and the skinniest part was the area that kept breaking in two. ES tried to ship the replacement part: first as-is with standard packaging; second, via FedEx with more beefed-up packaging, and finally, via freight truck so that it would lay flat on a truck bed. Before this, each time we received the damaged part, I would call them and they were happy to ship out a new one, no questions asked! So if you find that you’ve received any part of your table damaged, be sure to notify Amazon and then contact the manufacturer. There is a 90-day warranty on the product.
ASSEMBLY:
Directions were understandable and everything was in its own plastic bag and labeled clearly. You’ll definitely need a power-drill and a smaller power-drill to get things assembled quickly.
The slatron was quite heavy but we managed to get it on. We also didn’t need to use the shims that came with the table as our floor and the table were all level.
Be sure to be in a ventilated area when you start to put the felt on using the spray adhesive. We are in a work environment so the smell of the fumes went everywhere and we got a little loopy.
USE:
Once we got everything set up we tested it out and it worked great! We purchased red chalk for the cue sticks since the felt on the table was red. The table also came with a brush which doesn’t work as well as a lint brush since the felt tends to ball up everywhere on the table within the first few weeks of use.
It’s a hefty piece and so far has held up with lots of daily use–we’ve had it for three months now. If you plan to use this as a “showcase” piece you might be better off spending more money but for your average everyday run-of-the-mill billiards table this is a great buy!
I gave it 4 stars for quality, speedy initial delivery, and great customer service from Escalade Sports. -1 Star for what a pain it was to assemble and wait for a replacement part.
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|This was the one.,
PROS:
Slate Top (Nothing replaces slate; including SL8 or SLATRON)
Adjustable Legs (French style legs are nice, but very hard to level the table)
Fast playing surface (Incredibly smooth surface play)
CONS:(There really aren’t any cons, but maybe a few concerns.)
Don’t expect to get 5 guys together to move this table. The sides are fairly thin and would certainly break under pressure. If you want to move this table, you’re going to have to disassemble it
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|