Tabling the Discussion
I got more done on the table this week. I assembled and put in the cubbies (see below.) I also put on the wheels so it can roll. Then I put on the hinged extensions. There are more details below, but that's what I've gotten done this week. It's playable as-is, using it as a 4x4 table. It's got the wheels, it's got the storage, it just needs supports for the hinged extensions, some border trim and a table-top to make it a full-fledged gaming table.

Bean-Counting
Well, I had been estimating $80 for the full cost of the table, but there were a few things that I hadn't really considered. The wheels and hinges were a bit more expensive than I had expected, mainly. Right now I'm about $90-95 into it and I still need to get some brackets or something to hold the 2x4 supports for the hinged extensions. It'll probably end up being about $100-105 in total, plus whatever I put down on the top. All in all, it's a very worthwhile investment, as it gives me somewhere to play and somewhere to keep my stuff. (Somewhere besides the floor, that is, this place is a mess!)

Cutting Cubbies
First off, I needed to cut slots into the boards I was using for the cubbie shelves and supports. The table was up on one end, so I just used the central tunnel to cut, bracing the boards on one or both sides of it while I used the saw.

Proof of Concept
While I was cutting the cubbies, I assembled the boards for the large cubby side to make sure that they would go together like I had intended. You can see the results propped near the window here.

Bigger Teeth
I realized part way through that I'd need to enlarge the slots in the cubby boards. The reason being that the kerf (width of the cut) of the saw was smaller than the 1/2" plywood was thick. This meant that it wouldn't fit as-is, so I had to make a couple of cuts for each slot, then break out the center bit to leave room. Most of these probably ended up between 3/4 and 1" in thickness, but that was okay, I needed a bit of wiggle room anyway.

Hey, Wait a minute...
As I went to start putting the cubbies in, I realized something. The 3-foot ones were the correct length, but the 4-foot ones (the horizontal boards that would become the shelves) were too long. This is because I had attached the table top and bottom to the ENDS of the vertical supports. (This was intentional, it makes them stronger in that direction, which is what I want from a table.) The problem was, This meant the vertical ends were LESS THAN 4 feet apart and I hadn't accounted for that when I cut my boards. Thus, I had to break out the saw again and slice roughly half an inch off both ends of each horizontal board. Sigh, a job worth doing is worth doing over, right?

A Wheely Big Deal
I decided to use smart Wheels so that the table could roll and steer in any direction. This made them a little more expensive, but not heavily so. I realized that I'd also need washers, since the heads of the screws I was using were too narrow to hold the wheels. I put the wheels out at the far corners of the table. I've seen tables that the wheels were too far in and it made the table less stable and more prone to tipping over. Wider, as the car commercials have it, is indeed better. As I was putting the wheels on, I realized that the screws would go through the plywood into the bottom of the cubbies. I didn't feel like putting little extensions down for them, so I used regular screws on the side that would be next to the side of the cubby (so it wouldn't interfere as much when it stuck through) and 1/2 inch screws on the inside edges. If that ends up causing a problem, I'll put support pieces between the wheels and the table bottom.

Assembly-Line
When I started to put on the hinges, I realized I had another problem. The screws were too long and would stick through the table top if I didn't add a support piece. Well, it wouldn't do to have my precious bugs impaled on giant screws, so I came up with a plan. I'd use hinge assemblies for the hinges. I cut a couple of chunks off of a spare board and assembled each hinge on two pieces. I could then affix the pieces to the bottom of the table top and the extension.

Benchmark Performance
Here is a makeshift bench for assembling the hinges prior to putting them on. You can see a hinge assembly in the foreground with a couple of longer screws to attach it to the table more strongly.

Pineapple Upside-Down Table?
Here is the table on it's top, with extensions complete. I put it in this position to attach the extensions to the hinge assemblies and table. This way I'd have something to push against when I screwed them in, and the floor kept them fairly level. I am currently leaving it in this position so that I can add the brackets and the 2x4 boards that will support the extensions when they are in use.

Across the room
Here is another angle of the table in a very crowded room. Much of the clutter in this room is terrain that will be stored inside or on the table once it is complete. Now I just need to add the supports and their brackets. With a bit of luck, I should be able to do that Friday. Then I can start storing the terrain so that I have more room (and less mess) to do things.

Where do we go next?
So, what's next for the table? Well, after I've got the border and the supports on, it just needs a playing surface. I think I'll start with a generic green surface for hills and forests. I can get other mats to lay out for other terrain types later, but this'll give me a quick start. It'll also keep the splinters off, some parts of this plywood are awfully rough! After that, I'll see who wants to get a game in and give this table it's baptism by fire!

If you enjoyed this, email me and let me know

Return to Warpstorm!