A train table

[Matt Meiser]

I built this for a friend's neighbor. My friend had one made a few years ago by another woodworker they know. Their neighbor wanted one and the guy who made the first one was too busy, so they asked me. A simple piece, but exciting for me since I got paid to do it. Its also the first time I've actively worked on two projects at once. Had to do the finishing in the attached garage so I could keep working in the shop. And then just when the poly got almost dry, we're getting thunderstorms so I had to move it over so I could get my car back in.

[Todd Davidson]

Looks good Matt. Congratulations on the commission and multi-tasking :) !

[Richard Wolf]

Table looks great. What do you mean by train table? Is it for those little wooden trains from Europe?

Richard

[Wes Bischel]

Looks good Matt. It's always great to get paid for a job! Is it oak and oak ply? Should make some little people very happy. :)



Great job.
Wes

PS - I need to get my rear in gear and make one for Sam. Do you have dimensions? I'd rather go with a known than have to guess. Sam's Brio set - figure 8 - is about 24" x 48", but I wasn't sure how big to go.

[Matt Meiser]

Richard--yes, for Brio, Thomas the Train, etc. Our friend's son also plays with Lego's on his, which helps to contain the mess.

Wes--yes, oak and oak ply. It is roughly 48x32. My daugher's table that I built for last Christmas is a little smaller, 28x40 I think. Its really too small, but she'll never know.

[Lincoln Myers]

Matt,

I like the looks of that table. Could you provide a little detail on the construction of yours? How are the legs assembled and attached to the table sides?

Is the table portion essentially a very large drawer box?
Did you use 3/4 inch ply for the bottom?

Thanks for any details, and again, nice work.

--Linc

[Joe Scarfo]

I've built those types of tables as well.

mine love it when they have a hole in the middle. That allows someone to crawl under the table and be in the middle of the action....

Tks
Joe in Valrico

[Frank Pellow]

Looks good Matt.

I have built several similar tables and the children that I give them to use them a LOT. One addition you might consider that is very popular with my "clients" is to cut a peice of plywodd that can be placed into the top cavity and glue lego and/or duplo base plates to that plywood. One of my honourary nephews has 3 different tops -one fpr trucks and cars, one for trains, and one for logo.

[Larry Browning]

My DIL is after me to make a train table for my grandson. However she wants it to have storage "boxes" on wheels to go underneath. I have been looking for a plan for somthing like it and have had no luck so far. Where can I find a plan for a train table?

[Matt Meiser]

I'll make the "plan" available somewhere on the web, but it will probably be a few days. This one is going to have two of those plastic storage drawers mounted underneath.

[Matt Meiser]

One addition you might consider that is very popular with my "clients" is to cut a peice of plywodd that can be placed into the top cavity and glue lego and/or duplo base plates to that plywood.

I did a painted one for my daughter's Thomas set, but never thought about the lego base plates.

[Matt Meiser]

That allows someone to crawl under the table and be in the middle of the action....

My daughter has been taking her naps under hers.

[David Hayes]

Larry was asking about a plan - don't have a plan, I just put mine together similar to a small bed. (see pic below) Think headboard, footboard and aprons/rails. I attached cleats inside the frame that the plywood table rests on. This allows the table to be flipped. The boxes are just simple plywood boxes assembled with pocket screws. The bottom is screwed to the box's sides. 2" casters are screwed to the bottom of each box.

It's not fancy, but it has held up very well and the wife loves the storage capacity of the roll around boxes.

Dave

[Jay Kilpatrick]

The least expensive part of another hobby. My son was a big Thomas fan (still is, but not so much). I built a table for one of those faux lanscape tops that the Thomas folks sell. Not nearly as well-heeled as yours, but its taken the abuse well.

~Jay...whose son has more Thomas items than anyone should have.

[Larry Browning]

I'll make the "plan" available somewhere on the web, but it will probably be a few days. This one is going to have two of those plastic storage drawers mounted underneath.
Matt,
Could you list the dimensions of this table? You said it was 48x32. Is that the size of the inside or outside? Also, how tall is it? did you make a dado for the table top to fit in?
As you might have guessed, I am about to start making one of these and I was wondering if you could post a few more details about it's construction.

Thanks,

Larry

[Matt Meiser]

The top is roughly 48x32 and the legs are about 18" long on the outside, 14 on the inside. The side rails are about 4". made rabbets in the side rails, then glued the rails to the plywood base.

I had previously promised to upload the drawing but completely forgot. I sent a message to myself at home to remind me. I'll also check if my coworker that gave the plan to me still has his copy here in the office. If he does, I can scan it on the fancy copier and make a PDF to upload.

[Larry Browning]

Thanks Matt, that would be great!

Larry

[Matt Meiser]

Sorry to those who have been waiting. I hope this is detailed enough to figure out along with the picture. This is the drawing I got for the train table pictured at the start of this thread.

1 each of parts A, B, C, and D get glued up to form each leg. A & B form the outside of the leg, while C & D form the inside and provide a ledge on which the top sits.