Fixing a rail. (2 Viewers)

[stocky]

So I purchased a used table off a friend for cheap with plans to re felt it and fix the rail.

I didn't really inspect it before buying it. I'd played on it before and it is sturdy enough and cheap enough for my needs. Having recently looked into new vinyl for the rail I checked on how hard it will be to replace.

Now my problem. The rail isn't separate from the playing surface. The foam and vinyl is attached directly to the playing surface sheet. (Vinyl has been stapled on the inside first then stretched over the outside of the table and stapled down)

What is the best way to replace the rail? Keeping in mind I'm not set up to do any wood work.

 

[xdan]

I think you're out of luck if you can't do any wood work.
I had a guy ask me to replace the rail on 6 old APL tables. But by the time I stuff around on it, I said it would be easier to build new tables from scratch.

 

[stocky]

I think you're out of luck if you can't do any wood work.
I had a guy ask me to replace the rail on 6 old APL tables. But by the time I stuff around on it, I said it would be easier to build new tables from scratch.

Yeah I think there may be no easy fix unless I can get a rail cut for me somewhere. Then I could just rip the old one off and replace with the new rail frame with foam and vinyl.

Btw the table is better than the APL and NPL tables those guys used. Just in need of some tlc.

 

[atomiktoaster]

Pics would help a bunch.

 

[stocky]

I'll see if I can take some tomorrow.

 

[BGinGA]

Yeah I think there may be no easy fix unless I can get a rail cut for me somewhere. Then I could just rip the old one off and replace with the new rail frame with foam and vinyl.

^^ This. I've worked with two similar tables, and there just is no easy way to replace/repair/improve the existing rail, short of building a complete brand new one. I've attempted several other options, but none have turned out even close to satisfactory. A low-rider rail (1/4" or 1/2" MDF with 1/4" hard closed-cell foam) is probably your least-expensive replacement route, but that still involves cutting down a sheet of MDF to fit the table dimensions.