Foldable gaming table (WIP)

[Canadian_F_H]

I was lookin for a design for a DIY collapsable/foldable table. I had debated over making an 8'x4' or a 6'x4' table.

Contemplating a design that folds in half and the legs swing inside.

 

I'm working up an idea in my head but suggestions are more than welcome.

 

I've revived this topic for a WIP of said table.

 

The design is basically finished in my head. I priced out the majority of the material. I'll sketch out the design and plan to get material soon!

 

Watch out!

Edited December 6, 2018 by Canadian_F_H

[Canadian_F_H]

So!

 

1st - I finally found my original post on this subject!  I hereby Necromance my own topic with ontopic content and shame myself for my lack of updates on the matter until now!

 

2nd - I have updates!

 

 

I have built something of a monstrosity.  like most rewarding endeavors full of trial and tribulation, I do not recommend you follow in my footsteps!

 

the first table i build is actually 2 tables.  each is 4'x4' made to fold in half.  these tables are butted up to one another to make a 4'x8' table.  this was an old table standard from eons past.  i plan on hosting a lot of big games and i felt i needed the space.  also when playing a "normal" 4'x6' game the table provides a 1'x4' unused area on either end that has been quite handy in the 2 games we have already played on it.

 

the large double table is extremely sturdy.  a friend and i both stood on one of the 4'x4' sub tables at the fold seam and it barely budged.  essentially just the minimal flex of the lumber.  this was over 400lbs of mankind.  So unless we all switch back to caste lead miniatures i think we will be fine!

 

the table was a little rough and i ended up adding some bolts to pull the 2 halves together so they couldn't be bumped during play.  my 4'x8' table is meant to stay set up long term but is fairly easy for a handy person to collapse and store.  very important since i HAVE to sell my house for budget reasons and i will also be moving several states away for family reasons.

 

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I have worked out a "better" design for my second table.  it will be a 4'x6' table.  the table will fold into a 4'x3'xdepth section for portability and stowability.  the legs will also fold into the frame.  so essentially there will be NO disassembly and reassembly required. this 4x6 table is to be a gift for my brother on his birthday feb 2nd 2020.  so you will see this thing build very soon!  the necessary material and tools are already in my workspace.

 

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related note!

 

i have worked out how i will build the modular terrain for both my table and the 4x6 table  they will be in 2'x2' sections like the GW boards.  essentially cutting out a topo-map in 1/2" thick OSB to be laminated in layers building the rough of the terrain.  wood fill and sculpted to finish the shape then the usual detritus and painting etc.

 

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anyways.  i am resizing pictures now.  will post shortly

[Canadian_F_H]

WIP images as promised!

 

 

the test run of the board has been shown in my BT crusade PLOG where 3k of BTs faced off against 3k of Alpha Legion using 7th edition and horus heresy rules... yes, we play weird.  lol

[Fajita Fan]

That's a hella sturdy looking table.  We plan to use a few collapsible Walmart tables this summer:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-48-Fold-in-Half-Table-Rich-Black/340712325

 

They can be stored behind a crappy couch and fold up in the back of an SUV.  Yours looks infinitely nicer. 

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

Looks promising so far, keep up the good work!

[NovemberIX]

Those look sturdy!  I'm interested in seeing what hardware you use to get the legs to fold in for storage. I'm planning on rebuilding mine since they're just 5 x 6 sheets of MDF screwed on to a pair of cheap IKEA tables  

[Canadian_F_H]

been too long.  i have an update.  WIP of modular topographical tiles.

 

 

Modular tabletop terrain topographical tiles.  Made from presswood sheets.  nominally 1/2" thick.  various degrees of incompletion.

 

each tile is a 2'x2' square

 

tiles are made to line up in as many ways as possible.  obviously when the entire edge is at the same elevation.  but most importantly every tile edge that has a slope has the same slope profile along the edge.  so any piece so long as you orient it properly matching lowland to lowland, and highland to highland, the transition should line up very well.

that's the theory.  we shall see how it goes.

 

you can see where i have already made a rough pass with a grinder to start to get the smoother shape down.  I already tested the slope and models will stand just fine.  there will be steeper areas with stepped ledges for models, and that will be difficult terrain and sometimes impassable.  also note the early shots with models in for scale.  it was entirely intentional that the hills be LOS blocking in certain table arrangements.  i thought it would be interesting for games to have LOS blockers that often were not inhibiting movement.   the elevated and lower areas will accomodate some other terrain largely dependant on the tile arrangement.

 

ignoring that tiles with duplicate themes (all hill corners or all long hillsides for example) are not actually identical, i already sketched out over 100 permutations of 4 pairs of tiles (2 inside corners, 2 outside corners, 2 long hillsides and 2 flat lowland tiles) when setting up a 4'x6' table.  considering swapping each comparable tile with its alternate you can see that the numbers will increase very rapidly. just swapping 2 tiles doubles the permutations.  then swapping any other 2 tiles doubles those etc, so in theory over 1600 unique permutations, tho a great many of them will not be extremely different, since the swapping means you really have about 100 arrangements that each have 16 sub variations.  throw on terrain etc and you've got more variety than you can shake one of those old red measuring sticks you can't read at.

 

Yes I am aware this is overkill.  No it isn't that heavy.  Yes it is a lot of work.  No i am not crazy.  Yes that is exactly what a crazy person would say.

[Fajita Fan]

Awesome and yes, that's crazy.  Doesn't seem a bit high for 40k though? I'd be nervous about wobbly model syndrome...

Edited April 1, 2020 by Fajita Fan

[Canadian_F_H]

I tested the slopes with quite a few models. And i spread then out to mske them even more gradual since then.

 

Like i said tho, dont focus on the current state of the slopes. Much more grinding/sanding, filling and resanding to go.

[Sky Potato]

I’m not going to lie, I really like the look of the slopes with the steps in - it looks like an ideal method for demonstrating how contour lines work on maps when I teach map reading.

 

Whole project looks good mate.