Plans for cheap and easy topper? (1 Viewer)

[Schmendr1ck]

For several years, my Kiwanis club has used a local bar poker group to run our charity poker tournaments. Unfortunately, that group is no longer around, and there isn't really another good option in our area. For that reason, we plan on running our next tournament ourselves. Obviously, chips and cards aren't a problem. However, we are going to need 4-5 rugged, inexpensive poker tables for this and future events.

I've played in several bar leagues that use poker toppers designed to sit on 6' banquet tables. These are usually cut from a single sheet of plywood, covered with inexpensive felt and foam padding, and use "pool noodle" style rubber pipe insulation for a rail. The ones I've seen are wider than a standard oval, so that they can accommodate nine players and a dedicated dealer with chip tray.

This idea seems like a good fit: cheap, easy to build, and won't take up all the extra space in our storage unit when we're not using them. However, I'm definitely open to any and all suggestions. Anybody have hints, tips, plans, material ideas, etc. for such a project? Basically, we're looking to build four toppers in a weekend with a budget of about $500.

 

[natumes]

Your suggestion is probably as cheap as you can do it. The pool noodle rubber idea is great, would love to see the final result with that. Upholstering rails is a PITA and where most of the cost comes in. The base part of the table is cheap and easy.

Plastic banquet tables tend to have a lot of slide, so some simple 2x4 scraps screwed in to hold them onto the table go a long way, plus give you handles to carry them with.

Headliner fabric is cheap and readily available at local stores, it's a bit soft feeling if you're used to volara but $$ savings and still let's you peek cards easier than nothing.

If you have dedicated dealers, don't do a wider table, 96x44 is plenty to comfortably fit 10. One bar I run poker at has the full 96x48 and I hate those tables when dealing, so much extra reaching for no benefit.

Don't skimp on the plywood (don't go osb or sheathing for example), a nice flat piece is important when going cheap and light toppers.

 

[BGinGA]

If you don't need rails, just go with roll-up neoprene toppers -- you can order them in sizes to fit whatever tables you'll be using.

 

[azhardball]

Pool noodle I went with. They work pretty good and easier to install than a homemade job. I'm happy I went the "noodle route".

 

[MeridianFC]

If you don't need rails, just go with roll-up neoprene toppers -- you can order them in sizes to fit whatever tables you'll be using.

Seconded.

 

[upNdown]

If you have dedicated dealers, don't do a wider table, 96x44 is plenty to comfortably fit 10. One bar I run poker at has the full 96x48 and I hate those tables when dealing, so much extra reaching for no benefit.

Yeah but aren’t these toppers going on whatever banquet tables are at the bar? And aren’t those tables usually 48 inches wide?

 

[BPTDirector]

I’ve played on ‘noodles’ before and they break down pretty badly when leaned on. Your results may be different but the ones I played on did not last long. Sorry for the negative report.

 

[Sparkynutz]

Pool noodle I went with. They work pretty good and easier to install than a homemade job. I'm happy I went the "noodle route".

Any details on this build?

 

[natumes]

Yeah but aren’t these toppers going on whatever banquet tables are at the bar? And aren’t those tables usually 48 inches wide?

No they're more like 30". The full 48" from a sheet of plywood is too wide for most table applications, dining, poker, or otherwise.

 

[Sparkynutz]

The banquet tables we have are 30, 32, and sometimes 36 but most are 30 or 32 wide.