Slate

[cynion]

Sid, I posted a topic awhile back asking if you knew how to cut the angle of the slate at the pocket and you said I could use a filler to do it as if there were a chunk of the slate missing. Have you ever heard of detaching the slate from its framed cabinet, turning the slate over, making new screw holes to attach the slate back to its cabinet and then filling the old screw holes with beeswax on top? It would seem that if you do that you would pretty much be playing on a perfect piece of slate because that side of the slate is protected by the cabinet.

[Sid]

That would probably work if the slate is unbacked slate. If it has a backing glued to the underside, you might be opening a can of worms trying to get the backing to come perfectly off without sanding it off and that would probably ruin the flatness of the slate.

If it is unbacked slate, i think you might have something there. The underside of the pockets would not be beveled so when placed on top you could bevel them to the angle you prefer. Any rounded file works very well on slate. Sandpaper when you are fine tuning.

I see no reason to have to make new screw holes though. You should be able to use the old holes, just counter sink the screw holes like the original ones.

One thing though. If you bevel the bottom (which in now on top) I can see a point happening in the center of the cut pocket. A point where the original bevel meets the new bevel would create a point around the center of the pocket. With the balls slamming into it after bouncing off the back, it might cut the cloth over time. It would surely wear alot there. You would have to do something to build up the bottom bevel and cushion the blow.

Just some ideas, really use your best judgement before doing something so radical. I would feel better if I were able to look at it personally. I hate for you to go through with something on my word and I am not for sure what you are up against without checking it out in person. So, please don't use me as your final say. If you have good table mechanic around, maybe you should have him check it out first.
Later,

[cynion]

Ok, I kind of understand what you are saying but i kind of don't. If I take the bottom of the slate and put it on top the bevel is going to go inward. Shouldn't the bevel go to almost a point? For instance the bevel wouldnt look like ( that right? So when i turn the slate over the bevel should go inward and therefore I would have the same thing as a 90degree cut of the slate because the slate would be pretty much flat where it stops in the pocket right?

[Sid]

yea, I think we are on the same track. I almost didn't understand my post either :)
Here is what Imeant.
This would basically be the side view of your original slate pocket cut.


Here it is turned over.


If you left it this way, the top 90 degree angle would be chipped away by balls rebounding off the pocket back into the top angle. Also, the cloth would get cut by the balls slaming into it around the sharp edge. You will have to round it off somewhat to strengthen the top of the slate and to prevent the cloth from being cut. I would file off a rounded top around the pocket like this.


But, even by doing this, it might leave a new sharp point where the two angles meet depending on the original cut of the pocket. This would have to be rounded also. Plus, I would line the pocket by gluing a scrap of cloth to cushion the blow of the rebounding balls.

If the angle of my table bothered me, I might try this way. Doing my table is not a big deal, but telling you to do this to yours is. I have not done this in the past, so no guarantees if you try it OK? Just a suggestion.

Later,

Slates are only honed one side for flatness, don't believe you could reverse the slate and get satisfaction from doing so. As for repairing slate automotive bondo can be hardened with catalyst to be almost as hard as slate and can be worked easily to conform to whatever shape you initially need. After it sets it can be filed into the correct shape!