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| Aristocrat Billiards: |
the tradition continues..
Based in Melbourne, Aristocrat Billiards Pty Ltd have been manufacturing billiard tables for over 30 years. Aristocrat billiard tables are designed and manufactured by precision machinery and skilled billiard table makers with many years experience.
Aristocrat billiard tables are now sold in many parts of the world, because of the quality and high standards that we set for ourselves, we are proud of our products that bear our name and we hope that you will as well.
| What to look for, Room Dimensions & Table Care: |
What to look for when buying a billiard table:
A billiard table is not only the centre of activity for a room, it is also a hand-crafted quality piece of furniture which may become a family heirloom. Such a major purchase requires careful consideration in a number of areas.
Here are some of the factors to consider when buying a billiard table.
Brand:
It is recommended that you buy a recognized quality brand which comes with comprehensive advisory, supplementary and after-sales services.
Cushions:
There can be a big difference in the quality of cushions between brands, and replacing the cushions after you get the table home and find they are substandard is a costly exercise. So ensure before you buy that the cushion response is lively and the ball deflects at a proper angle without jumping.
The Slates:
The bed of the table should be made of slate. Get right under the table to inspect it and make sure that the slate is sitting firmly on the entire frame; this will ensure that the table remains level over the long term. There should be nothing between the slate and the table being used for levelling, such as chocks, which will only compensate for a non-level table over the short term.
Timbers:
Treated solid hardwood is required for long term quality games enjoyment as sub-standard wood such as composites will move over the years. The wood should also be stain-sealed to protect the table from humidity fluctuations, which can cause levelling problems. Quality tables do not use laminate, MDF or veneer finishes anywhere on the frame, sub-frame, legs or rails.
The Cloth:
A fine quality cloth is essential for smooth movement of the ball.
Pockets:
The brackets should be made of metal, not plastic, and be covered with genuine leather to prevent damage to the balls. Check that the nets are not held in place with staples, which are not long-lasting.
Room Dimensions:
When measuring the room the table will be placed in, take into account the other furniture in the room such as couches, tables, bars and audio visual equipment etc.
Also allow enough room for walking around the table comfortably, as well as plenty of room for taking your shots!
Room Shape:
Non-standard room sizes may create difficulties in putting a table in comfortably. If this is the case, please contact us so we can advise you on the best size table for your requirements.
Here are the recommended minimum room dimensions for various sized tables:
| Table Size |
Room Dimensions |
| 7' x 3'6" |
16' x 12'6" (4.9 x 3.8m) |
| 8' x 4' |
17' x 13' (5.2 x 4.0m) |
| 9' x 4'6" |
18' x 13'6" (5.5 x 4.1m) |
| 10' x 5' |
20' x 15' (5.9 x 4.4m) |
| 12' x 6' |
21' x 17' (6.5 x 5.1m) |
Use of the table:
When considering the size of the table for purchase, take into account the people who are going to be using the table. For example, children will not require the larger sized tables, and adults may find the smaller tables to be restrictive.
Table Care:
Cloth:
Do not use the table as a spare surface for storage. Keep all food, drinks and other liquids away from the cloth. When play is finished for the day, brush the cloth (the cloth is always brushed in the direction of the nap).
Table:
Do not use wood polishes or any cleaning sprays on the wooden parts of the table, just use a soft cotton cloth.
Levelling your table:
Your table will remain level for a considerable period of time after the initial installation. If it is situated on a hard wood, concrete, tile, or slate floor then the table will not require any re levelling unless it has been moved. If your table was installed onto a carpeted floor then your table should be re levelled after it has settled firmly.
Cues:
Store them vertically to prevent bowing. Use sandpaper on the cue tips before play to create a rough surface for the chalk.
Balls:
Every few months wash the balls in warm soapy water and dry with a soft cloth; this will remove any handling marks and cue chalk.
| Construction Process: |
Aristocrat Billiards have set rigorous quality control standards in our manufacturing process, and our experienced staff demand a high standard from our suppliers of cloth, slate, leather, brass and hand selected hardwood timbers that will make your quality billiard table.
All of our tables meet world rules specifications for the truest and most accurate play.
Before you purchase a billiard table, we recommend that you ensure all components such as the frame, sub-frame, legs and the rails are made from solid hardwood are not made from MDF (Medium Density Fibre) with a laminate or plyboard veneer. MDF tables may have the look of solid hardwood, but they are a cheap substitute and this process is never used in quality billiard table or furniture construction.
Rails /cushions:
Solid hardwood make up every part of our rails and hardwood is used in conjunction with quality rubber to make our cushions so the design and components deliver optimal ball response.
Our hardwood rails provide solid resistance to the ball and allow for precise cushion energy transference.
No nails or screws are used in our rail assembly process, only our 'aristocrat' lock system and glue is used.
We use old tradition billiard table making techniques for cloth assembly to the rails.
Frame:
We pre-assemble our frame, which means that they have been levelled and squared in our factory. No laminate, MDF or veneer finishes are used in our frames, cushions or legs, everything seen and unseen is hardwood.
Our table frame construction consists of full frame depth cross member timbers and dove tail joints, this ensures structural integrity and in the middle of the frame we use tongue and groove systems for triangular timber that support the legs.
In addition our frame timbers have been stain sealed on the end grain, inside and outside to keep the timber from absorbing or losing moisture, thus making it less resistant to cracking. Sealer applied to the underside of the frame and all other timber components will prevent this shifting due to humidity fluctuations in different weather seasons.
The slate:
Billiard Table slate originates from three regions of the world these being Brazil (being the cheapest), the followed by China & finally the most traditional supplier being Italy.
Slate mined in Brazil is also sent to Italy for cutting & machining and it is then packaged as 'Made in Italy' slate.
Quality controlling the supplier and the machinery that they use is most important & our Quality Control staff visit our suppliers frequently.
Slate has different characteristics & compositions depending upon the source. We primarily utilise Italian slate but also utilise Chinese & Brazilian if selected by the client for their billiard table.
With over 33,000 square meters of undercover manufacturing facilities and keeping pace with technological advancements and the companies policy of “quality, precision & tradition” Aristocrat Billiards Pty Ltd will soon take delivery of its first "kuka" tm robot.
This anthropomorphic robot can cut both vertical & inclined pockets, can smooth the pointed edges above & below the slate in order to avoid cutting the cloth when the table is covered. This robot can also produce any size of slate with pocket cut outs and speciality holes.
The legs:
Our legs are made from all hardwood. Pieces of hardwood are laminated together and then turned on precision machinery. We have many different designed legs, from tradition turned to more square lined leg design. These square lined legs are assembled with traditional cabinet making techniques.
The hardware:
All of our hardware, from bolts to brass brackets have been selected for their quality and design integration, as well as aesthetic appeal.
Cloth colours and variety:
We have most cloth colours in stock or we can order it from our suppliers, we also have stock printed branded cloth with your favourite brand or can arrange for any corporate or private logo to be printed. We offer you a range of quality cloths options.
Cloth for billiard tables is manufactured in many countries around the world (mainly England, Mexico, Spain, China & Italy). As with the quality of slate there are also many grades & qualities of this cloth from each manufacturer.
English manufacturer 'Hainsworth' & 'Strachan' (owned by Milliken) are the most well known & the most popular cloths utilised in Australia; however there are other manufacturers who manufacture excellent quality cloth as well.
Manufacturers in both China & Mexico are becoming more skilled & consistent in the quality of their cloth manufacturing processes.
Table colours:
Our tables are machine sanded as well as hand-sanded, and stained in a choice of colours. For a final coat, we add a pre-catalysed lacquer which gives the table its beautiful showroom finish. You have a choice of natural, teak, walnut and dark walnut as well as final finish of matt, satin, semi gloss and gloss finishes are available. We can also colour match your table to suit your décor or a particular piece of furniture that you already have.
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