PDA

View Full Version : Help!! Info and advice needed (Pics)



Fred Voorhees
04-12-2005, 4:29 PM
Need some advice and/or info guys. I am about to start building the oak poker table for my new bar room and I am hoping to make it as large as possible so that eight players can sit around it in the most comfort possible and not be crowded with each other.

The dilemma is that I think I am restricted to using four foot wide sheet products and that, in itself restricts my width possible for the playing surface of the table. I have included a picture of fellow Creeker David Tiell’s beautiful poker table that I am using as a reference to build mine. I have also included a sketch to possibly help in explaining what it is that I need. Let me explain my building process in the hopes that it will give you a clearer picture of what I am doing and what I am asking.

I am planning on mounting a structure on top of the pedestal/feet assembly which would have half lapped cross braces. I want to dado the flat, horizontal portion of the structure (part “A” in the sketch) into sides which will be five or so inches in height. The reason for the height issue is that I will be recessing beverage holder “cups” into the actual tabletop portion of the table and the “cups” will sit inside the tabletop “innards” when the playing surface is sat on top of the table structure.

I would like the actual felt covered playing surface to be around four feet wide. However, if part “A” is only four feet wide due to lack of sheet goods over four feet wide, this would result in the playing surface being less than the desired width.

First question – is there actually plywood (or another similar sheet good)available that is over four feet wide that I might use in this procedure?

I thought about using possibly a “sandwich” of 3/8” plywood for a core and then laminating ¼” oak ply with the seams going the opposite way to the ply core. This way, I could make part “A” in the sketch, larger and thus, make the actual felt covered playing surface as large as I want to.

Just to clear up any questions, the outer rim of the top will be solid oak, just as David’s table. Each segment will be two pieces of solid oak laminated together with the beverage cup’s lip, laminated in between the two within a recess which will be routed out for the purpose. I am going this route to help in alleviating any kind of “spillage” of any beverage onto the playing surface. The cups will fully hold a can or firmly hold a good portion of a plastic cup. Either way, the possibility of a spill is greatly decreased.

The playing surface will be ¾” ply with the felt applied and then set into the outer solid oak rim that will have a lip that will allow screwing the pieces all together from underneath.

Sorry guys for the long winded explanation, but I thought it necessary to paint a clear picture of what I need.

Basically, I need to know if I can get a wider sheet good (plywood?)then 4’ for part “A” in the sketch, or what the general consensus is about sandwiching thinner layers together to make up a larger piece for my needs of part “A”?

Any help would be appreciated!!

Nick Mitchell
04-12-2005, 4:39 PM
Don't make it too big or you won't be able to reach to the middle of the table to collect your winnings ;)

You can edge joint material together, tongue and groove etc.

Alternatively, you might consider a removable centre panel to expand the size of the table, that way if you had less than a full house (no pun intended) you could have a more manageable size table.

Steve Stube
04-12-2005, 5:01 PM
Think Ping Pong table ply at 54" X 60".

That's a half table if it needs to be pointed out.

Dan Oelke
04-12-2005, 5:05 PM
Well - I've never used it - but Baltic Birch ply is generally 5' square.

Another thing to think about is do you NEED to have part A made out of one big piece of plywood? Could it be made up from smaller pieces joined together. You already have plans for the pedestal to have cross-braces. That means you will have a relatively large area of support. That could be used to your advantage.

I'm thinking that mabe the bottom could be made of just a ring of plywood (or solid stock?) pieces biscuited together - just like your top rail but maybe 12-18" wide. This would leave a hole in the center, but that is covered by the top part.

Chris Christopher
04-12-2005, 7:28 PM
May want to check Woodsmith Vol 27 No 158 -- Has plans for a "Classis Oak Poker Table" While the top is only 42 inches wide, It may be of some overall assistance to you --Also has a nice Poker Chip case to go with it --

Doug Shepard
04-12-2005, 8:03 PM
Baltic Birch ply normally comes in 5'x5' sheets. Not sure if that helps you or not.


Oops. Just noticed that Dan already suggested this, so this is redundant.

Fred Voorhees
04-12-2005, 9:23 PM
I will check on the baltic birch ply. That will certainly be the ticket. I appreciate the info guys. I'm pretty sure that I can find that locally without much ado. Didn't take notes on who said what, but I did think that the cross bracing would help somewhat with the seam issue, though if at all possible, I would try to avoid seams in the first place. Bisquiting is an option, though I would rather try to stay away from bisquiting plywood edge to edge. In the end, I would more than rather go with one sheet and eliminate not only additional work involved with trying to sandwich thinner sheets together, but eliminate time and money.

Thanks again guys, and I'll post some pics along the way.

Corey Hallagan
04-12-2005, 9:38 PM
At the risk of hijacking this thread, very quickly... does anybody's HD or Menards stores sell the 5' X 5' Sheets of Baltic Birch ply? If so what does it run for a sheet?
Corey

James Keeler
04-12-2005, 9:48 PM
Not sure what Menard's is, but I've asked about Baltic borch at the local Home Depot and the local Lowe's. I've gotten anywhere from a blank look to "It's a special order item." I never got to the price.

Corey Hallagan
04-12-2005, 11:11 PM
Menards is a midwest builders/home improvement chain (HQ is Chicago). They kick butt on Home Depot around here. Anyway, kind of figured it wasn't something HD wouldn't carry regularly in their inventory.

Corey

Jim Becker
04-13-2005, 12:18 AM
Fred, BB does come in 5'x5' sheets...I have a sheet of 3/4" if you want to see it and could even make you a deal. BUT...look at the shape of the table top you used as an illustration. Why make the center out of a single sheet of anything, at least what shows? Do wedges that meet in the middle. You can do bookmatched veneers that way or just cut them from veneer plywood that matches. The widest you would need would be the width of a single segment at the outside edge. This works for a polygon style (6-8 sides) as well as a circular table design

Fred Voorhees
04-13-2005, 3:27 PM
Fred, BB does come in 5'x5' sheets...I have a sheet of 3/4" if you want to see it and could even make you a deal. BUT...look at the shape of the table top you used as an illustration. Why make the center out of a single sheet of anything, at least what shows? Do wedges that meet in the middle. You can do bookmatched veneers that way or just cut them from veneer plywood that matches. The widest you would need would be the width of a single segment at the outside edge. This works for a polygon style (6-8 sides) as well as a circular table design

Jim - The actual playing surface will have oak only on the perimeter - roughly six or seven or maybe even up to eight inches wide. Inside of those eight segments will be a felt covered surface. I'm actually going to order the same red felt that covers my pool table. With the way the Waterlox tints the natural oak (it matches up very nicely with the pool table) and using the same felt as the pool table, the two pieces of "furniture" will be a nice match to each other.

Bookmatching would have been great if I could have fabricated the top to be able to flip over from a poker table surface to nice formal top surface. However, the beverage containers prevent any way of doing that. And I'm adamant about having the beverage holding cups recessed into the top. After building a nice poker table, I know myself enough to know that I would blow my stack if someone accidently spilled crap all over the felt.

E-mail me about the sheet of baltic birch. If you have no need for it, I'll certainly take it off of your hands for whatever price. If not, how much might I purchase it for from wherever you got it? I'm not sure if my Home Depot carries it.

Fred

Dan Oelke
04-13-2005, 5:48 PM
Menards is a midwest builders/home improvement chain (HQ is Chicago). They kick butt on Home Depot around here. Anyway, kind of figured it wasn't something HD wouldn't carry regularly in their inventory.

Corey

Actually - Menards is headquarted in EauCaire, WI (I drive past it on a semi-regular basis) - Google even has an image of their "world headquarters" (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=menards&ll=44.843788,-91.580830&sll=44.836426,-91.562626&spn=0.052614,0.068064&sspn=0.149658,0.250904&t=k&hl=en)

I don't know if they carry it or not. I have never seen it at my local Menards - but I haven't looked for it either. I like Menards - cheaper than Home Depot and closer to home for keeping the money from being completely exported - but you do need to watch the quality.

Jim Becker
04-14-2005, 12:20 AM
E-mail me about the sheet of baltic birch. If you have no need for it, I'll certainly take it off of your hands for whatever price. If not, how much might I purchase it for from wherever you got it? I'm not sure if my Home Depot carries it.

I bought it from Woodworker's Haven in Southampton. It's yours if you need it. We can communicate later in the week about the details...

Lars Thomas
04-14-2005, 1:03 AM
Fred, I'm not much help with the wood, but here's a good site for table hardware.

http://casinosupply.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?

Fabric and foam
http://www.casinosuppliesinc.com/view_product.php?product=DPTC

I haven't done business with either of these vendors, but have bookmarked them for when I build my table.

Lastly, here's a page describing a buch of different construction techniques.
http://www.homepokertourney.com/tables_build.htm