Looking for Custom Table Advice - Do’s/Don’ts (1 Viewer)

[upduck]

I'm upgrading from my Barrington table "84 L x 42 W" to a custom table with dining top. Budget is around ~$5000.
* Emphasize the dining top, because I do want it to function as a dining table when there is no game.

Some quick details:
1. I run 2 games a week, 8-9 players in a New York apartment. There are space constraints.
2. I self deal the game with a Shuffletech (may consider hiring a dealer in the future)

Does anyone have any general tips? Maybe something they regret doing or adding to the build?

Here is my current plan/thoughts:

Size	Thinking of sticking to ~84". Should I do a bigger size to future proof it? Like 96". It may be tight in my current apartment.
Dealer Spot	Should this be added? Will it make it easier for me to self-deal.
Cup holders in the rail	What size?
No Racetrack
Raised rail	? ? ?
Felt	Will probably use a custom topper from rjdev (so that it's removable and washable)
LED Lighting	I'm thinking of passing on this feature
Shape	Oval
Legs	Pedestal
Wood	Not sure what wood I should choose for the dining top

 

[upNdown]

It may be tight in my current apartment.

I like the advice that says you need a minimum of 36 inches of clearance between your table and all walls. I work with just barely that and it’s just barely comfortable.

 

[upduck]

That's cool! I'll measure it out

 

[liftapint]

If I had it to do over again, I'd get round tables. Sitting at the ends of an oval kinda sucks.

 

[cpac54]

I like the advice that says you need a minimum of 36 inches of clearance between your table and all walls. I work with just barely that and it’s just barely comfortable.

This!

Don't sacrifice clearance for table size, especially if you'll be using it as a dining table the majority of the time.

 

[upduck]

If I had it to do over again, I'd get round tables. Sitting at the ends of an oval kinda sucks.

I read a few threads that said a Round table needs to be 60" to comfortably support 8 players.

Maybe I'm over-estimating but that seems like an awfully large table/dining table. How big is your table?

 

[sonofneeway]

I read a few threads that said a Round table needs to be 60" to comfortably support 8 players.

Maybe I'm over-estimating but that seems like an awfully large table/dining table. How big is your table?

60" round is the best configuration especially if you are only going to have 8-9 players. Also you don't need to design a dealer cut out and it probably works best for small spaces and to be used as a dining room table most of the time.
Also, they make a dual sized cup holder that is my reccomendation.
dining top wood recommendation would be oak and lots of coats of polyurethane or food safe sealer.

 

[sirwazowski]

Please let me know which builder you end up going with cause I'm in the same boat with similar budget and specs (same space constraints) in NJ and looking to get a table built

 

[dizzyChipper]

I saw this guy on FB. I have no idea who he is.
https://www.facebook.com/share/18QD2UvJ4F/?mibextid=wwXIfr

 

[BEANO52]

@bsdunbar1

 

[ThrowBack]

Round table becomes oversized

A dealer spot messes up everything if you don’t have a dealer.

Pick a cool color! Don’t go custom to blend in!! I’ll never regret going purple

 

[upduck]

Round table becomes oversized

A dealer spot messes up everything if you don’t have a dealer.

Pick a cool color! Don’t go custom to blend in!! I’ll never regret going purple

Purple sounds awesome.

Is that the color for the felt or is this something else like the railing

 

[ThrowBack]

Purple sounds awesome.

Is that the color for the felt or is this something else like the railing

Purple felt, wood rail, pink and gold center lettering lol

 

[T_Chan]

Keep in mind that for your dining table cover, if you plan on adding skirting that goes around it to hide the poker table, the dining table cover will end up roughly 4" larger to accommodate it. So a 84"x42" oval poker table would need an 88"x46" dining table cover.

 

[Goldfish]

If you have enough room I would jump to at least 96” long and I would definitely do 48” wide. 42” wide leaves the players on the ends too pinched/cramped, especially if you have bulky chairs. Just my thoughts (from experience).

 

[Machine]

I hate cup holders. No matter if I get to the game early or when it's short-handed, my elbow is always in a fucking cupholder.

Of everyone on this forum, TChan has the most experience building custom tables, if you're looking for someone to build one, you might discuss it with him.
I couldn't find the shape diagram, I think @justsomedude posted a while ago. He would be the other person I would read posts from about tables. You'll also want to read his post here

I have a dealer for my game; if I did not have a dedicated dealer, I would use a round table.

I deal, play, and host a game. I've been doing this since the 90s, I dealt earlier this afternoon on an 'oval'. It really sucks, I hate the traditional oval-shaped table. It's the worst as a dealer, and not great as a player. It is simply too wide.

I built this, its not a super ellipse, that is still too wide, this table is set up for a dealer, avg human can extend the arm to reach the bet line on the other side of the table, and they can also reach the bet line on the 90 or end of the table. The bet line is there to encourage the players to bet within reach of the dealer. The shape means only the 1 and 9 seat have issues seeing each others hands because of the dealer, same on any table. The sight lines on this table are better than any other table I've played at. When I say dealer, I'm talking about someone's vocation, someone who will be in the box for 8 to 12 hours with minimal breaks. Not someone being kind, dealing to friends who doesn't understand the finer points of a boxed card.

I'm in the other boat; I wouldn't do a fat table. I would prioritize the dealer over the players, and I like a thinner table, just my experience. I would say if you are concerned about the players, at the end, look into a kidney table.

If I were to make this table again, I would likely make it 44 in by 9 ft long.
The one in the photo is 46 in if the rail wasn't broken, and 96 or 8 ft long. From the cutout to the outer rail is 42 in. The box is significantly smaller than that plastic shitbox tray you get on Amazon.

Our amazing go-to woodworker crafted it for me, Alecnetwoodworks. In hindsight, I should have picked a nice woodgrain instead of the painted black.

 

[Old State]

Biggest table you can fit . Jumbo cup holders. No need for dealer spot but a chip drawer under the “dealer” is what I do and it’s great to play and bank the game

No need to spend 5K. I’d spend less and put the money toward a Deckmaster mounted in the table. You could mount the Suffletech if you feel it’s reliable enough to be a permanent fixture

 

[BPTDirector]

I have a really nice Gorilla Gaming Illuminati, honestly have not lit it up since the first game. I may next game, it’s just as nice not lit. Jumbo cup holders in the rail, used sometimes but nice to have.

 

[Timportant19]

What did you end up going with?

 

[Timportant19]

Biggest table you can fit . Jumbo cup holders. No need for dealer spot but a chip drawer under the “dealer” is what I do and it’s great to play and bank the game

No need to spend 5K. I’d spend less and put the money toward a Deckmaster mounted in the table. You could mount the Suffletech if you feel it’s reliable enough to be a permanent fixture

Do you have a link / post dedicated to the chip drawer

 

[Old State]

Do you have a link / post dedicated to the chip drawer

I made a wooden frame and dropped a poker table chip tray in it, then and attached rails. That said if you can get something like this or maybe shallower that will clear your legs sitting under it, you can just put chip racks in it. I’m sure there is a pic here of someone who did that

https://www.amazon.com/VEVOR-Mounte...msclkid=789c8a73aeb814b5d139e3a750f5edba&th=1

 

[Timportant19]

Thanks a lot