I have been playing around with different configurations for a custom table and wanted to note some things I’ve landed on that I really like. A main one thing is having the map mounted so that it can slide around as needed on top of a bigger playing area. My table is 65” x 95” in total with a 5.5” arm rest around the outside and the middle is a recessed neoprene surface. I have the OOB Global map mounted on 1/2” rigid foam with a 1/2” aluminum frame around it. This allows the map to slide up close to whoever’s turn it is, but then be in the middle so both players can roll dice In front of them without disturbing the map and in easy view of the other player. (Plus we like lots of room to roll the bones). This ability to adjust the surface along with a standing height, makes it comfortable for long uses because you can move around more and don’t feel as tied down.
Things I’ve learned and changed from original design - I originally used too big of a frame for the map and mounted it on too high of a foam block (you can see these pictures at the bottom) - it made it hard to see the other player’s dice and the big frame took up too much real estate. My global map is mounted on much thinner foam (the framing is bad, you can see if you look closely) but I also used much thinner aluminum angle for the frame. This gives just enough grip when needing to move the map around (I use furniture slides on the bottom, which glide very nicely on the neoprene) but doesn’t make the whole thing too bulky. Having it an inch or so off the surface keeps the dice off, but isn’t so heigh that you can’t see the other player’s dice rolls. When playing other versions (such as Zombies) the board is much smaller, but it can easily swap in and out on the same table since it can move around where ever it is needed or be pushed aside.
I originally made it normal table height, but found long reaches while sitting were harder and it just felt cramped. Standing height with a bar stool is a great way to have the best of both worlds.
The 5.5” rim around the table itself gives you a nice arm rest that doesn’t interfere with the gaming surface. I’m playing with how to best add some cushion to this part - open to suggestions. Sometimes I just lay a piece of leftover neoprene on it.
Dice bounce nice on the neoprene and stay off the floor. It also feels nice and has enough give to allow things to slide but be picked up easily. Wouldn’t definitely go with neoprene again as a surface covering.
I made the drawers open to the inside of the table so you can stay hunched over the action while accessing and stowing stuff away. 50/50 on whether I would keep this if I were to do it again. If I were doing it again, I might try to build customer drawers form scratch using actual drawer glides, but that was beyond my ability when I first did this, so I just used clear plexiglass boxes with aluminum pulls mounted on them. It’s nice having them clear, and I was happy with how the pulls came out, but without glides they can be a little fussy sliding in and out of their slots.
I originally designed the table so that I could put a cover surface back on top when not in use, but find I don’t really ever do that, so if I were to do it again, I might not mess with that part (I never even finished staining those as you can see in the pictures).
CF362D52-269F-4480-8CBB-08139099138F.jpeg A9E12EA1-66EB-4671-86AC-68C62FD30AD5.jpeg 858DE1F2-030A-4D5A-93E4-70A7D1180ADB.jpeg 8F513EE0-DA37-4BA9-880E-4D5EF7BF431F.jpeg F0188165-757B-4CC1-BF67-5045832283C9.jpeg 2E3CD627-0D31-4121-ACF8-682F9F58A40B.jpeg
Global Gaming Table Threads and Pictures
-
OK, finally getting around to posting and getting some pictures taken and uploaded to photobucket, but I’m having trouble including them here. I keep getting this message Sorry, you are not allowed to post links.
What started as a plan to cut plywood to a proper size to put over an old table, evolved into a custom-designed, ultimate A&A gaming table. It was a great project for over the winter break. (my son is a junior in HS)
We created a list of must-haves, looked at photos of other tables, and refined our plan. We downloaded the map file from here and sent it to VistaPrint for a custom poster. It took some kind of conversion of the file thru another site to be able to send it, but it worked out well and the final product is beautiful. (~$65 shipped)
We bought some turned legs, lumber, plywood, glue, hardware, stain and paint at the local big-box lumber store. We worked out a design that has sort of a “trough” along each edge to hold the boxes for each army. They were each painted to a color to closely match the pieces. (custom-mixed samples form their paint dept.) at each end is a “dice pit” with an incline to roll them to the outside edge so they are visible from a distance.
Hopefully, I can figure out how the picture posting works. Seeing it is easier than the thousands of words to try to describe it.
Bighammer, you have to have enough posts to gain privileges, such as posting pictures. You will probably have to wait till you have to 20 to 25 posts, before the administrator will grant you this privilege.
You will get there soon enough, just join in the many thread discussions, and eventually, it will open up where you can post your pictures.
Welcome to the forum!
Can’t wait to see your table. :-D
John
-
OK, I’ll keep posting here and there. :-D
-
Is there a purpose in the post count? Make sure I’m not picture-posting bot?
-
Is there a purpose in the post count? Make sure I’m not picture-posting bot?
They just want to see a history of posts, and to make sure, it is not someone spamming the forums.
-
So if I were to just post…
ttp://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/sv650bighammer/DSC_0687.jpg
… and say my lowercase H key wasn’t working and it only need one in front of it, would that work?
-
Just curious
ttp://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/sv650bighammer/DSC_0685.jpg
-
So if I were to just post…
ttp://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/sv650bighammer/DSC_0687.jpg� Â
… and say my lowercase H key wasn’t working and it only need one in front of it, would that work?
Bighammer, unfortunately, pictures and computers are not expertise, but I’m sure one of our fine members will answer your question.
Sorry, I’m just not good with these things. :-)
John
PS I do believe when you get up to 20 or 25 posts, you will be able to post pictures, when the administrator, unlocks your profile. So, it won’t be long till you get the privileges.
Many forums are like that these days.
-
-
That is freaking awesome Bighammer, you should start a new thread in this forum with those pictures so they don’t get buried. SSSOOOO much to talk about, one of the best I’ve seen… start a new thread and show it off.
-
Man that is a pretty sweet setup you got there, Bighammer. :-D
-
There’s a side of me that wonders if I made more of these, if they would sell. (and for how much?) The first is always the slowest, but after all the measuring and figuring is done, it gets pretty simple to do….
-
There’s a side of me that wonders if I made more of these, if they would sell. (and for how much?) The first is always the slowest, but after all the measuring and figuring is done, it gets pretty simple to do….
There would probably be a market for these – no doubt just a small and specialized one, but this wouldn’t be a problem because I assume you’d build the tables only on request rather than producing an inventory, so you’d never have any unsold stock lying around. The technical issue you’d have to figure out, however, would relate to shipping and assembly. Shipping costs might well be significant for something as heavy as the table…but the real problem would actually be volume. The fully assembled table could only be shipped by truck, which is probably okay for local customers in your town but becomes more difficult between cities. My guess is that shipping costs depend both on weight and volume, so to keep shipping costs down you’d presumably have to work out a design that could be shipped flat-packed (kind of like Ikea furniture). This in turn would mean that the design would have to allow for easy assembly by the customer upon receipt (again, like Ikea furniture), using very simple tools (a hammer and a screwdriver) that the average person is likely to have around the house and using simple instructions that the average person could follow. There are probably home-handicraft hobbyists who have the specialized tools, the skill and the enthusiam to handle more complex assembly requirements (I certainly don’t fall into that category), but it would limit your potential market if your design was aimed at such hobbyists rather than at more general customers.
-
I have been looking through this thread and have been very encouraged to make a table for the 4x8 map that I painted on piece of masonite. The tables featured here have demonstrated the simple and easy to the fine furniture quality that I would like to make. Are the any recent examples that have not yet been shown. I would love to see it. I won’t have the place to build an entire room around it with all of the decorations and the B29 flying over it (which I loved by the way) but I want to build a table that I can put a cover on and use it for a table should the need arise or atleast to protect it from grandkids and others who just can’t resist playing with the I G Joes.
-
Finally finished my game table. My first game on it is today.
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0184.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb
IMG_0183.JPG_thumb -
One more pic
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb
IMG_0186.JPG_thumb -
That is a great looking table. I see you used the pool table counter like YG. Where do you get that at ? What stain did you use ?
Also like the wide open dice boxes.I could just buy the rods and beads with holes in them and make it myself.
-
Terrific table in a terrific-looking game room! Very, very nice. I’m intrigued by what seems to be the French flag: is that an eagle I see in the middle part of it?
-
@SS:
That is a great looking table. I see you used the pool table counter like YG. Where do you get that at ? What stain did you use ?
Also like the wide open dice boxes.I could just buy the rods and beads with holes in them and make it myself.
Thanks! I didn’t use a stain because I like the natural look. I did put three coats of polyurethane on it which gave it a honey shine. The abacus is just put together from pieces. The rods were a couple dollars from Home Depot, just cut up some wood blocks an drilled holes in them, and the got the beads online that were already stained for about $15.
-
@CWO:
Terrific table in a terrific-looking game room! Very, very nice. I’m intrigued by what seems to be the French flag: is that an eagle I see in the middle part of it?
Thanks. It’s in my basement but I can’t wait to finish it. The flag is the Italian Social Republic which was used by Italy in 1944 as their war flag.
-
Awesome table PFC Pander, really awesome… love the detail and everything is so organized and clean. You should be really proud of your creation and I hope everyone who plays there appreciates your hard work.
Cheers.