Building a Poker Table (1 Viewer)

Franklymydear

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Hello,

I'm building a custom poker table for my house and I was trying to figure out what speed cloth brand would be best. I was doing a little research and came up with yourautotrim as the go-to guy? I went to his website and I wasn't sure which fabric would last longest under modest conditions? Meaning over time which material is least likely to fray overtime? His patterned fabrics look like the ones on amazon that aren't too well liked, if anyone could shed some experience on this subject, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Frank
 
Excellent! I just placed an order for some of his forest green speed cloth. Now could anyone recommend a good brand of rope lights I could use to light the table up?
 
I used these with some 3M outdoor tape because the included taping sucks but otherwise, they work great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077PXV2WQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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DOn2sBr.jpg
 
If I may ask, what plans did you use to build your table? Does anyone know how to build a table with a racetrack and lights?
 
If I may ask, what plans did you use to build your table? Does anyone know how to build a table with a racetrack and lights?

Suggest you not to build one with a racetrack. Many regret it later. Me included. Plus, it adds a great deal of complexity to your build.
 
^^ Agree 100%.

If insisting on incorporating a racetrack, make it padded and felt-covered instead of bare wood.

Wood surfaces and nice chips/cards don't play well together. Playing cards on your kitchen table will reinforce this concept, even if throwing down some padded felt in the middle.
 
Ok, I'll concede to experience on that one. I really would have loved to have the wood, but the instructions I have want me to drill the railing into the playing surface through the speed cloth. Wouldn't that cause streaking or prone to tearing? Has everyone who built their tables used the plans from BYOPT?

Frank
 
Also, does anyone have a source for armrest foam and playing surface foam? Anyone have a good source of vinyl for the armrest?
 
Yourautotrim.com has all the materials you need, minus the lights.
 
I used the HD foam for my surface it is labeled as firm on there. If you are suing the suited speed cloth go with volara since it's closed cell nature makes it waterproof.

I used the 65 lb premium, it's all they have in stock atm it looks like anyway.

I built mine using plans from BYOPT. 2 x sheets of basic 3/4"plywood and 1 sheet of cabinet grade birch for rail and surface.
 
So if you used the BYOPT plans, the measurements don't add up for the portion when rounding the table off. As in, a 4x8 piece of plywood is about a .5 in wider. So did you plane the one side until it's exactly 4x8? Or did you just split it at 24 1/4 on each side?

Thanks for the help thus far!
 
So if you used the BYOPT plans, the measurements don't add up for the portion when rounding the table off. As in, a 4x8 piece of plywood is about a .5 in wider. So did you plane the one side until it's exactly 4x8? Or did you just split it at 24 1/4 on each side?

Thanks for the help thus far!

Not sure I understand! I used the plans and measurements just fine. Here is my build thread:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/the-roost-table-build-thread.27516/
 
Pro tip. Use bolts and T nuts to connect the rail to the table. That makes it much easier when you need to/want to replace the felt or vinyl later.

Take a look @EventHorizonVII's build. He did a great job, plus the felt is awesome!
 
You can find them in most stores, it is a two prong nut that embeds below the wood surface and allows you to bolt a table together instead of wood screws. Bit of extra work but if you ever need to refelt... You'll be glad you did it.

 
Easiest solution is an overhanging rail that isn't attached at all. I've built several tables this way; never had an issue with rail movement, and slide-under cup holders work great.

It just lifts off, making cleaning (or replacing) the table surface super-easy. No need for T-bolts or other fasteners. Gravity does a great job.
 
Easiest solution is an overhanging rail that isn't attached at all. I've built several tables this way; never had an issue with rail movement, and slide-under cup holders work great.

It just lifts off, making cleaning (or replacing) the table surface super-easy. No need for T-bolts or other fasteners. Gravity does a great job.

even after a few years of use and some warpage, drunk fat poker dudes flatten it down pretty darn quick : 0
 
Ok, I'll concede to experience on that one. I really would have loved to have the wood, but the instructions I have want me to drill the railing into the playing surface through the speed cloth. Wouldn't that cause streaking or prone to tearing? Has everyone who built their tables used the plans from BYOPT?

Frank
Oh yeah, BYOPT plans are not the best. They leave quite a bit of important detail out and mention nothing about table weight if you are looking for a table that needs to be stored in between games.
 
+1 for T-nuts. I used a spade bit to countersink the nut and put a little wood glue around it to hold it in place before covering it with the foam
 
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Easiest solution is an overhanging rail that isn't attached at all. I've built several tables this way; never had an issue with rail movement, and slide-under cup holders work great.

It just lifts off, making cleaning (or replacing) the table surface super-easy. No need for T-bolts or other fasteners. Gravity does a great job.

BGinGA....can you elaborate on the overhanging rail - what does this look like - have any pics?
 
+1 for T-nuts. I used a spade bit to countersink the nut and put a little wood glue around it to hold it in place before covering it with the foam

+1 for this. It’s what I’ve done on all my tables... you’ll want a bolt that is long enough to grab the threads, but not stick out the top. If you don’t countersink, you’ll feel it until the rail foam. Using glue helps on two fronts. It helps fill in any extra divot or dimpling, which might be felt under the rail... it also helps secure the tnut from coming out (under your nicely upholstered rail.

T-nuts can also be used for play surfaces in more advanced builds. You don’t want to feel the hole under the play surface.

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BGinGA....can you elaborate on the overhanging rail - what does this look like - have any pics?
Below are a few diagrams found online (none mine) -- all dimensions are adjustable:

Basic design - two pieces, screwed/glued together, covered with foam and vinyl, and sits directly on the table surface with overhang:
c7bea037c0.jpg


A1=top rail piece, B2=lower rail piece, B1=playing surface (red line denotes vinyl over foam, brown line denotes surface material over foam)
poker-rail-cross-section-basic-rail-png.10707


Overhanging rail construction:
Figure_4-5_3d.png


Shown here as a racetrack construction, but A+B can also just be a one-piece table surface (the underlying E component not necessary). D/C is the overhanging rail:
Figure_2-3.png
 

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