Stupid Large Poker Table Build (1 Viewer)

Riomaa

High Hand
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I had a horrible idea to buy a conference table and use it as a multipurpose dining table, board game table, Magic the Gathering table, and poker table. In itself, it's not a horrible idea as these can be had pretty cheap from businesses that shut down and need to get rid of stuff fast. They're also usually the common oval shape that's needed. But I've also decided I'm using office chairs with arm rests and need 32" of space per person. This equates to a 12' table. So instead of making a smaller table or anything smart, I'm going to lean into this and document my build. Maybe others will chime in with ideas to solve the issues caused by my stubbornness. Table and chairs have been purchased and will be delivered tomorrow. Good luck, me!

Concerns and Possible Solutions
  1. For it to be multi-use, ideally a removable table topper should be used. I haven't found anybody that will make a 144" table topper - might need to lay down permanent foam and speed cloth but that makes use as a dining table challenging
  2. Rails. I have to hope something like this is stable. Otherwise I have to build a removable rail of some sort. - might need to consider permanent rail
  3. Dealing cards - middle players will be all-time dealers and speed cloth should really help
  4. Raking in pots - craps table rake? I saw a really short dealer in a casino use one. Doesn't seem to be that bad of a solution
  5. Seeing the community cards is gonna be really hard - I have a ridiculous thought to put two tablets on the table and a camera mounted above aimed at the community cards
 
Seeing the community cards is gonna be really hard - I have a ridiculous thought to put two tablets on the table and a camera mounted above aimed at the community cards
...which means that either you will need a permanent dealer or the current dealer of each hand will have to reach (likely walk) over to the designated community card area. Add that to your list of concerns.

You're going to end up spending more on this than if you had just bought a regular-ass poker table. Subscribed!
 
I realized this reminded me of a Rube Goldberg machine…”a contraption intentionally designed to perform a simple task in an indirect and overly complicated way.”
 
Raking in pots - craps table rake? I saw a really short dealer in a casino use one. Doesn't seem to be that bad of a solution
Have you thought about actual play? Like, how is the dealer going to make change for a bet for a guy who is literally 6 feet away?

Listen, I appreciate horrible ideas - I love them. But this one seems like a big bad mistake.
 
Can I see a picture? I’m a visual person….

Edit…there are so many words in the post…I admit I did not read past the first two sentences.

Conference tables are big.

Use plywood.
 
Playing poker on this will be challenging. Building a rail on this will be challenging if it's wider than normal poker tables. My craps table playing surface is a full sheet of plywood, and the rail extends out from that. I will never do that again. I originally intended to play poker on the craps table with an insert that sits on the chip rails and flush with the rail, but it's too big and we abandoned that after just one night of playing.
 
Maybe others will chime in with ideas to solve the issues caused by my stubbornness.

Found you a dealer at least :)

PcZR7Er.jpg
 
I put two tables together once many many years ago. It sucked to deal and everybody had a hard time seeing the cards. It was 12 ft long total.
I'm hosting a larger than usual tournament Saturday and I put some legs on a heavy 3/4" thick top with melamine on both sides. It measures 97"x49" or just over 4'x8'. I picked it up at Menards many years back for $9 on clearance due to a chunk out of onecorners. I used it on saw horses having garage sales many times. The saw horses worked fine to support clothes and crap but wouldn't work with guys bumping against it or saw horses in the way of people's legs sitting at it. I rounded the corners and routed the edge with a round over bit, slapped some 7ft 1x12's under it to mount a nice pair of table legs to then covered it in a cheapo amazon speed cloth with duct tape underneath pulling it tight. Looks pretty darn good but since there was no padding I put a normal size 70x35 neoprene poker topper on it.
We'll see how it works Saturday.

My dad is a cabinet maker and regularly orders 9'x5' plywood. I'm thinking of building a real poker table out of a few sheets of that into an oblong oval or maybe boat shaped to simplify the cushion/rail fabrication and install.
 
Just say no. As in, FUCK NO.

You listed five major problems.... to which there are no good solutions. None.

The only thing that a 12-foot poker table is marginally good for, is playing two simultaneous 5-player games -- one on each end. Or cut it in half and seat six each.

Don't waste any more time on this idea, and ffs don't waste any money or effort. You WILL be sorry.
 
Took delivery of the table today. Spent the last hour trying to make this work. I concede on all counts. There's literally 3 feet beyond my reach. And I grossly overestimated the space I need for each chair. I am selling the table and finding an 8 foot one.
 
Took delivery of the table today. Spent the last hour trying to make this work. I concede on all counts. There's literally 3 feet beyond my reach. And I grossly overestimated the space I need for each chair. I am selling the table and finding an 8 foot one.
Yes, better to cut your losses now before you put a lot of time and effort into a table that just doesn't work.
 
Best idea yet - build the table, and run two separate games on it at the same time (one at each end) !:sneaky:
that's actually exactly what I ended up doing. people comment that it's kinda goofy but I've had 9-18 players every week for the last 3 months.
 
The only thing that a 12-foot poker table is marginally good for, is playing two simultaneous 5-player games -- one on each end. Or cut it in half and seat six each.

At one point, when I was regularly hosting two-table tournaments, I planned out a 15-foot x 46" superelliptical table, which would have accommodated two 8-handed games at either end… That way the whole group could sit together:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/double-fantasy-table.62234/

Then I cooled off.
 

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