Topic: Solutions needed for a beer soaked side wall (Tornado)

[RobYates]

Hey everyone,

I recently placed my gray marble tornado into a bar, and a few weeks ago I noticed that a beer was spilled on the inside corner of the table. I guess the beer was never cleaned up, and this resulted in the side wall bowing out significantly between the 2 bar and the goalie.

My questions are:
- does tornado sell a side wall? (Not just the laminate)
- is it a huge pain in the ass to replace a side wall?
- is there a proven method to water proof the inside of the play field?

I would really hate to replace the entire table, and would not want to do so if there is no way to seal the playfield. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[kgstewar]

- does tornado sell a side wall? (Not just the laminate)
- is it a huge pain in the ass to replace a side wall?
- is there a proven method to water proof the inside of the play field?

Hey Rob, sorry to hear this happened to your gray marble. A few thoughts:

1. I don't know if tornado sells replacement sidewalls, but if they don't I *think* it's made from MDF which is readily available and could be cut to the right shape.

2. I suspect it is not super easy to replace but anything is possible! A simpler (but still not super easy) fix may be to remove the sidewall laminate and sand down the swelling until it is flat again. Not sure how viable this would be.

3. I have thought about the waterproofing thing before. Since the laminate is waterproof, the problem is the seams where the playfield meets the walls. To seal the seams I would use wide masking tape to mask off the playfield and walls and leave exposed a tiny narrow opening right at the seam. Then lay a bead of clear silicone caulk along the seam. Using a gloved finger, wipe 99% of the caulk away, leaving a very thin bead of caulk. Remove the tape and there should remain a caulk fillet that has a radius much smaller than the radius of the ball so that the ball would never touch it. Should be nearly invisible.

I'm in Raleigh and would be happy to look at the table and see if I can come up with any bright ideas. Is it the one at Snookers? If so, that is only about a mile from my house.

Kevin

[RobYates]

Thanks for your response Kevin.
I am intrigued by option #2. I was able to find replacement laminate for the inner wall, but was not able to find replacement walls.
Yes the table is at snookers, and beer is constantly being spilled on it  .
I will be up there Friday night, and will see if I can get that wall off.

thanks again!
-Rob