Article: Especially with older pool tables where the frame may be difficult to deconstruct, over the course of your move, you may have caused the configuration of the frame to shift. This could create difficulty when inserting the slate. Use a level to check that the frame is still properly shaped. You may also want to use a carpenter's square to check the corner angles of your table. Older tables, or tables that have sat in one location for a long time, may have experienced warping, or may have conformed to the natural contours of the home in which it lived. This might mean that you need an additional piece, separate from the parts of your pool table, to balance it and negate any rocking you may notice once the table is moved. When choosing a piece to balance a rocking pool table, you need to choose a material that won't compress under the weight of it. Scrap steel or a sturdy tile might do the trick. Buildings frequently have a slight pitch to them, and pool tables, to combat these potential angles, will often have adjustable feet. After you've taken care of the frame configuration and any major imbalances, you can move on to leveling the table. Have a friend hold the level atop a flat part of the frame and: Take the level reading. If the table isn't level, lift the end that needs adjusting. Have a friend adjust the leg in the appropriate direction. Set the pool table down. Check the level reading again and repeat if necessary. Significant damage to the slate of your pool table is likely to require a professional repair or even replacement, but small chips or cracks might be within your ability to mend. For small cracks or chips, mix some Plaster of Paris and apply it to the area, while larger cracks can be patched with automotive body filler. After your patch has hardened, you'll need to sand your patch level. There is little you can do to your table if the entire frame has warped to the point that the slate now sits in its mounting on an angle. The slate, on the other hand, can be adjusted. After fitting the slate together and fixing any damage, you can cut thin wedges of wood, called shims, and use these to level your slate. Some older pool tables will use special bolts to connect the rails to the narrow edge of the slate. To remove and attach the rails of an antique pool table, a T-bolt wrench will make the process much easier.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Check for twists or frame tension. Take warps in stride. Re-level the table. Fix the slate. Level slate in a warped frame. Know how to handle antique rails.
Article: You may choose to talk to this friend about the value of the relationship and how to make it better. If the friendship is worth saving but the behavior is something you just can't live with, suggest that you and your friend brainstorm some solutions. Be prepared to either work on the relationship or go with the changes that result if things do not change. Friendships change and this might be a time where you start to grow apart. Remember you both have different personalities and perceptions so take the time to have an honest dialogue about why you are friends, whether you want to continue the friendship, and how to go forward. Be sure to tell your friend how much you love him or her and value the friendship. This isn't about hurting feelings or blame; it is about making the friendship stronger because you see value in it. Whether it's a relationship with a friend, romantic partner, or family member, all healthy relationships should respect the individual boundaries of each person involved. If your friend is often unreliable, you may not have clearly set boundaries regarding what you are willing to accept and not accept in your friendships. Put your well-being first and make sure that everyone in your life understands how you expect to be treated. Show them the same courtesy in kind. If the unreliable friend is often late, be assertive and tell him this is unacceptable. "Zack, every time we go out you're nearly an hour late. I always show up when I say I will. I will stop making plans with you if this keeps happening." Setting clear boundaries about how you communicate and interact will help this process. It might just be a misunderstanding or something that happened unintentionally. But, once you make your boundaries clear, the behavior should improve. Many people with unreliable friends who have proven incapable of changing simply learn to work around the problem. This might be a suggestion for you if you have tried to help your friend change and nothing seems to help. Ways to work around your friend may include: Never making plans with this friend alone. That way if he or she is late or bails, it won't ruin the entire outing. Having someone else to wait with instead of being on your own Anticipating that any plans with this friend probably won't go as expected Not stopping what you're doing to wait for your friend's arrival. Tell the person to text or call when they're right outside In an extreme case, you may just decide to end the friendship. If there isn't a long-term friendship or you feel like this friend is not really invested in improving his or her behavior, this is probably the best move. If you feel like it is time to end the relationship, make a clean break without drama if that is possible. If this is a co-worker, agree to remain friendly but set a clear boundary about leaving the relationship strictly at work.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Try to problem-solve together. Set personal boundaries. Learn to work around your unreliable friend. End the friendship.