Help with First Table Build (2 Viewers)

[GarryT123]

The pieces shown in the previous pic.. are those pre or post sanding? Seriously, I’d draw a perfect arc (on the curves) and straight edge line on the sides, then sand until the cuts match the lines drawn) and are better. Those look rough. If I were building a table, I’d fix those edges, or start over (just me, but I’m a bit of a perfectionist).

Finishing (upholstery) and matching up the pieces (screwing them all together) will be infinitely easier with smooth (matching) cuts.

Definitely pre sanding lol

 

[GarryT123]

Been a while, I finished the topper, it's made to sit on top of my dining table. It's got a couple of wrinkles in the rail that i couldn't get out. I definitely wish i would've done a little better with the cuts. But not too bad for my first attempt at this thing. Big shoutout to Tony for the work on the gaming suede, I'm sure I caused him more than a few headaches!

 

[Beaniman]

If you ever redo the rail, you can cut it into sections and it's much easier to keep tight. They will double as seat positions too without the inconvenient numbers or lines drawn on the table if you want to use them as such. Another bonus is if you get a tear or cut you pop out 2 countersunk bolts & replace that one piece of material vs the whole rail.

 

[TheWhiteJZ]

both of these look great!

@GarryT123 what size topper and what size table do you put it on? Do you secure it down? How’s it to play on?

@Beaniman is that a topper? If So, same questions for you.

Thanks!!

 

[GarryT123]

The gaming surface is the exact size of the table. Put a little felt on the underside to keep it from scratching. Works great I think it's 6x2.5 ft.

 

[Beaniman]

@TheWhiteJZ Mine is a topper yes, It's 3/4" bottom layer and 1/2" top layer. It's on top of a standard folding table, couldn't tell you the size of the folding table but the plywood is stock width and length at the longest points. I think it's 5' x 2.5' or some such, my buddy has my table and I'll probably never see it again so I am making a new one this year! How is it to play on? Good enough he still has it I loved it. I have never been at any table that I felt the cupholders didn't get in the way of something, so I much prefer the racetrack. I sealed it with 6 coats of Poly so it's like a bartop surface. The center, I called it "the surfboard" was upholstered by itself so the track & rail are NOT over the fabric. I did 1/4" cotton batting with black crushed velvet over it and it's got just the right cushion / bounce and is oh so smooth!

The top is Heavy, being about 90% of 2 sheets of plywood alone. It just lifts off the table and is "Secured" by 4"x 4" blocks of 3/4" plywood from the corner cutoff scraps. I put the top on and centered it by eyeball, then drew a pencil mark at the center of each side. Then I glued & screwed the 4" blocks at those lines. So basically you lift it into place until it "drops" when the table is between those blocks. That keeps it from shifting around and unless someone leans forward with like 75% of their body weight it's pretty solid. I never had it come off, a couple times in 2 years it lifted a little when someone sat against it but it's so heavy it moves slow and you always realize it's moving before it ever gets to a point it would come off.

This was an older folding table, the ones with the fake wood finish that are mostly particle board, but it would work the same with any plastic modern table. You could take it one step farther by putting some type of latch from home depot on the 4x4 blocks or even a nylon webbing strap that would hook from one side to the other. Again, it's HEAVY, so it doesn't need a great deal of help staying in place.