Douglas E. Walters was CEO of two Billiard Retailers in the Rocky Mountain market from 1985 to 2005. Many of the tables his stores offered in those years were hand-made and others built by major manufacturers in the United States. Tables in his stores were both new and old as well as antique. In 1985, when he first became involved in the business, he had almost no one to turn to for quality, technique and technical answers, so that much of what he learned he discovered himself. As more and more answers revealed themselves, a need for more than those developed and while most solutions were not readily available, discovery and exploration was required.
So little was written down about the correct building and assembling of pool, billiard and snooker tables that the necessary information required extensive and detailed research as well as hands-on development. The techniques used today by the better table manufacturers and retailers were first discovered by Mr. Walters and given to the industry by him. Unfortunately, very few makers and dealers embraced this vital information.
Mr. Walters had spent two decades of his life learning and developing better construction methods and assembly techniques and perfected them over the years. In this book, Pool Tables 101, he lays it all out. The information is priceless and extremely difficult to find, except here. It is critical to understanding what you need to know before you attempt to purchase a new or older table.
Unlike the legendary pool hall technicians of yester-year who took their secrets to the grave, Mr. Walters wants to share this vital information with any and all future buyers or existing owners of tables for the Greatest Game ever.
His wish is to help those who want to have a table in their home or business select the right table for them, whether inexpensive or highly prized. He feels that there is almost no other consumer product in the market where consumers know so little. Informing the world of the vital information contained within the pages of Pool Tables 101 is his mission.
He commented recently that he is horrified by the misinformation posted on the internet and elsewhere. In reading another guide, he said that the level of knowledge found there was evidently that of someone who had been associated with billiards for maybe 10 minutes. On the first page the term "felt" was used in referring to the cloth or fabric. Never has felt been used on a real pool or billiard table. Only on table top toy tables and very poor cheap tables. If an "expert" doesn't know the difference between felt and cloth in this business, he certainly doesn't know very much. The difference between these terms is like "the Body" and the "Paint" on a car or truck. In reading through the "document", he found many omissions and much flawed information. A perfect example of the blind leading the blind!
Other Important sites to view:
If you have questions for Doug Walters, you can reach him here:
dwalters13@cox.net
He will respond within a few hours.