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Ellipse raised-rail gaming table

3K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  JCinPA 
#1 ·
Hiya!

Seeing as I'm not able to find a stock gaming table that fit my needs I've decided to roll my own :D

This is the design I have come up with after thinking about it non-stop for 2 weeks (seriously)!

I need a great deal of advice as my woodworking skills are non-existent.
So here goes...

Description
I'm going for an ellipse table with an outer diameter of 42" x 68".
This is approximately equal to the golden ratio.

The table will feature a raised railing made of a lower and upper part.
The lower railing measures 3" x 2" (W x H).
The upper railing measures 4" x 1" (W x H).

The playing surface measures 36" x 62".

Circumference of the table is approximately 177".



Materials

Wood
1" plywood sheets.

Padding
1" foam on the upper railing.
1/2" foam on the outside railing.
1/8" foam on the inside lower railing.
1/8" foam on playing surface.

Upholstery
Faux-leather on both upper and lower rail.
Microsuede on playing surface.

CHALLENGES
Alright, so these are the major challenges I have identified.

Laying out the ellipse
Pending, need sleep :)

Cutting the wood
Pending, need sleep :)

Upholstering the rail
How do I go about upholstering the rail?
Will this approach work?

1) Upholster the inside of the lower railing
1a) Place railing on vinyl
1b) Staple the vinyl tightly from the outside of the railing
1c) Cut the middle of the vinyl and staple the rail from the inside

2) Attach vinyl to the underside of the upper railing
2a) Place upper railing upside down.
2b) Stretch and staple vinyl tight to the underside of the railing

3) Secure upper and lower railing
3a) Place upper railing on top of lower railing
3b) Line up and secure the upper railing to the lower railing with wood screws

4) Glue foam to top and outside of railing

5) Upholster the top and outside of the railing
5a) Cut the middle of the vinyl
5b) Pull the vinyl from the center over the top and outside foam
5c) Turn railing upside down
5c) Pull and staple vinyl tight to underside of railing

FAQ
Why an ellipse?
There's a slight angle around the entire table, which makes it easier to hide information from your neighbors (less easy on a regular oval).
It's possible to squeeze in a 7th or even 8th player (not possible on a hexagon).
In 2v2 board games the teams can sit next to each other (not possible on a hexagon).
I think it's beautiful!

Why 42" x 68"?
It fits perfectly in my game room and I like the golden ratio.
I have about 28" clearance on either side of the table.

Why a raised railing?
The table will be mostly used for board games, the railing keeps dice and tokens on the table.
The railing keeps opponents' arms out of the way which makes it easier to see what's going on.

Why a wider upper railing?
I imagine a 3" railing is not wide enough for players to rest their arms comfortably.
At the same time I would like to have a 36" playing surface across the widest part of the table and still maintain an outer width of 42".
It makes the table look like an arena which is pretty cool.
I'm toying with the idea of adding an led strip to the bottom side of the upper railing (makes sense?).

DISCLAIMER!
English is not my native tongue and I hardly understand Carpentish!
But I'll do my best to explain myself and won't take offense if you tell me I'm not making any sense :)
I'll try to add sketches tomorrow, too tired for now!

Later!
 
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