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Guinea Anubis
2009-12-06, 09:17 PM
So as I posted some time ago the table the the group I have been gaming on was falling apart. Well it died a little sooner then we thought when a leg fell off the last we meet for gaming. We had a plan on taking are time and making a really nice one, but that kinda fell apart with the table leg.

So I quickly put something together. I got a piece of plywood, some white paint, 3 pencils and some clear adhesive shelf paper.

I painted the plywood white. I then penciled in a 1" grid on it. I then covered the whole table with the clear adhesive shelf paper (wet erase markers work great on it). The last little thing I did was run some tape around the edge to help hold the clear adhesive shelf paper in place better.


the battle mat on the table is a 28x28 one just for perspective.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh145/anubis1179/Random%20Crap/NewImage.jpg

Eguzki
2009-12-06, 09:28 PM
Its really fregin' wicked. Looks like you could map an entire dungeon on that table. If i ever get a more permanent place I'll have to try that out

good job

arguskos
2009-12-06, 09:57 PM
Ok, dude, that table looks sweet and everything, but FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS ABOVE, it's spelled "our", not "are"!!

Though, you did an excellent job with that table. I need one that sweet looking. :smallcool:

Guinea Anubis
2009-12-06, 10:21 PM
Ok, dude, that table looks sweet and everything, but FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS ABOVE, it's spelled "our", not "are"!!

Though, you did an excellent job with that table. I need one that sweet looking. :smallcool:

Thanks, I fixed it. I do not know what I was thinking.

Its very easy to do, cost me about $30. If you do it, you could make it removable so you could just lean it against a wall.

arguskos
2009-12-06, 10:24 PM
1. Thanks. I appreciate that. It happens to us all. :smallbiggrin:

2. I might ask Dad to give me a hand with a gaming table some time. I really do need a nice one when I move home.

kjones
2009-12-06, 10:41 PM
Damn that is one sweet table. *drools*

Drawing the lines must have taken forever, though...

Myrmex
2009-12-06, 11:04 PM
Yo Anubis, I'm really happy for you, I'mma let you finish but Pen, Paper, & Pencil had one of the best gaming tables of all time. One of the best gaming tables of all time!

dragonfan6490
2009-12-06, 11:16 PM
Yo Anubis, I'm really happy for you, I'mma let you finish but Pen, Paper, & Pencil had one of the best gaming tables of all time. One of the best gaming tables of all time!

Thus spake the prophet: When Kanye is quoted on the Boards of the Giant, thus shall begin the end of all that is good in the land. And darkness shall persevere until one can draw the sword from the stone and slay the mighty beast.

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2009-12-07, 01:11 AM
And here I though the Sultan (http://www.geekchichq.com/Co_Store/The_Showroom/The_Sultan/The_Sultan.html) had the greatest gaming table of all time.

Temotei
2009-12-07, 01:30 AM
Wow! Nice job man! That's so sweet. :smallbiggrin:

Gralamin
2009-12-07, 01:55 AM
Awesome. I might have to get a table like this eventually. :smallbiggrin:

Guinea Anubis
2009-12-07, 07:02 AM
Damn that is one sweet table. *drools*

Drawing the lines must have taken forever, though...


Not as long as you would think, I used a t-square. I did go through three #2 pencils but an electric pencil sharpener made that easy too.

Sila Prirode
2009-12-07, 07:24 AM
We actually have something similiar, but it's on much smaller scale, it's about 6.5 x 5 feet. It's a regular whiteboard, but grid is made with a needle and black lacquer, basiclly, we made thin bores with need, and then went with lacquer in them. So it's still smooth, but it's noticable when you go over it with finger, which makes counting steps easier :D

Scarlet Tropix
2009-12-07, 09:24 AM
Beautiful, beautiful table.

I may have to build something like that, least until I can afford a Sultan myself.

Gorbash
2009-12-07, 10:29 AM
The Sultan is a bit pushing it. 9000 dollars? Really?

I myself am a fan of Ultimate Gaming Table (http://www.ultimategamingtable.org/) and should I ever have a spare room to accomodate it, I'm so building it. But nowadays, we change the location of sessions frequently, so paizo's battlemats come in handy.

Scarlet Tropix
2009-12-07, 10:33 AM
It IS a bit much, but still masterfully glorious.

I've always wanted a better table, just as I've always wanted grids that didn't suck.

Duos Greanleef
2009-12-07, 10:42 AM
And here I though the Sultan (http://www.geekchichq.com/Co_Store/The_Showroom/The_Sultan/The_Sultan.html) had the greatest gaming table of all time.

I died a little on the inside knowing that I don't have this table.

But on the realistic side of things, the OP's table is freakin awesome too!
I like to build things myself and know that it will mean way more to him than $9K.
Good job, OP... Good job!
*pats on back*

Ormagoden
2009-12-07, 11:05 AM
It looks ok but get us some more pics! that one is blurry!

GreyVulpine
2009-12-07, 11:11 AM
Analog gaming tables aside. I really like the look of this guy's (http://tyrendes.spaces.live.com/) custom projection table (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8fTkXQ1tY0).

Sure it's no Microsoft Surface, but it's still pretty cool.

Guinea Anubis
2009-12-07, 11:15 AM
It looks ok but get us some more pics! that one is blurry!

I will try, my normal camra had a dead battery so I took that one with my cell phone.

Also this is not really a table, It is just sitting on top of another table. When not in use or my wife wants the living room table back, it will be behind my couch.

SMEE
2009-12-09, 09:02 AM
That's one sweet gaming table!

AslanCross
2009-12-09, 09:34 AM
That's fantastic. I don't own the house I live in, so I can't really modify any of my grandma's furniture for gaming.

I like the projected game table as well, but unfortunately, I don't have the cash to do that. I've been drooling over it since I first saw it.

Guinea Anubis
2009-12-09, 09:46 AM
That's fantastic. I don't own the house I live in, so I can't really modify any of my grandma's furniture for gaming.

I like the projected game table as well, but unfortunately, I don't have the cash to do that. I've been drooling over it since I first saw it.


thats the nice part about this "table", I did not modify anything. It is just plywood sitting on are living room table (I covered the table with a sheet so I dont scratch it to heck and back). Right now it is behind my couch and out of the way.

Emmerask
2009-12-09, 09:50 AM
Nice job :smallbiggrin:

Duke of URL
2009-12-09, 10:09 AM
thats the nice part about this "table", I did not modify anything. It is just plywood sitting on are living room table (I covered the table with a sheet so I dont scratch it to heck and back). Right now it is behind my couch and out of the way.

Which, of course, makes the concept scalable -- anyone wanting to do something similar can make it whatever size they want, likely something that will fit nicely over an existing table or else the size that is most convenient to store.

Did you consider attaching a fabric (such as felt) to the bottom to prevent scratching the surface, rather than needing to put a sheet over the table each time (one more thing to keep track of)?

Guinea Anubis
2009-12-09, 10:15 AM
Which, of course, makes the concept scalable -- anyone wanting to do something similar can make it whatever size they want, likely something that will fit nicely over an existing table or else the size that is most convenient to store.

Did you consider attaching a fabric (such as felt) to the bottom to prevent scratching the surface, rather than needing to put a sheet over the table each time (one more thing to keep track of)?

why the hell did I not think of that :smallconfused:

Erom
2009-12-09, 10:42 AM
With a felt side, you also have a nice casino style surface for card games or whatever, if you're into MTG or even just poker.

Zovc
2009-12-09, 11:06 AM
With a felt side, you also have a nice casino style surface for card games or whatever, if you're into MTG or even just poker.

Although, he'd need to bring the sheet back in if he wanted to play on the felt side.

Jagyr_Ebonwood
2009-12-09, 11:51 AM
Although, he'd need to bring the sheet back in if he wanted to play on the felt side.

Get a sheet and cut it down so that it's only an inch or so bigger than the plywood on each side. Then, attach the narrow edge of the sheet to the narrow edge of the plywood (staple gun?).

That way, you can fold the sheet over to cover whichever side is going to be facing downwards.

Duke of URL
2009-12-09, 11:57 AM
Get a sheet and cut it down so that it's only an inch or so bigger than the plywood on each side. Then, attach the narrow edge of the sheet to the narrow edge of the plywood (staple gun?).

That way, you can fold the sheet over to cover whichever side is going to be facing downwards.

That'd work, too. With that approach, you could have a square grid on one side and a hex grid (for example) on the other.

Random832
2009-12-09, 11:57 AM
Why not use rubber "feet" on the side that will be touching the table - then it is prevented from sliding around in addition to being prevented from scratching the table, and you won't be tempted to turn it over to use that side as a play surface?

Jagyr_Ebonwood
2009-12-09, 12:03 PM
That'd work, too. With that approach, you could have a square grid on one side and a hex grid (for example) on the other.

Oh man, putting down a hex grid with pencil would be murder :smalleek:

Guinea Anubis
2009-12-09, 12:30 PM
Oh man, putting down a hex grid with pencil would be murder :smalleek:

yes it would and there is no way in hell I would be drawing that by hand.

Guinea Anubis
2009-12-09, 12:43 PM
Since I have two or three people ask how I did this


Things you will need
plywood cut to the size you want
white Paint
3 or 4 pencils
pencil sharpener
a t-square (http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Level-410-48-Drywall-T-Square/dp/B000ETUNDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1260380767&sr=8-1)
clear adhesive shelf paper
a sponge
a roll of tape (I like duck tape and never not have some in the house)

If you go to a HomeDeopt or Lowes you can get a piece of plywood for under $20, I picked mine up for about $15 and if 4x8 is to big they will cut it right there for you for free most of the time. I picked up the clear adhesive shelf paper at the same Lowes I got the plywood from for about $7. The white paint I got from the dollar store for like $2 from the craft section. So my new "gaming table" cost me $24 and I can slide it behind my couch when its not being used or my wife wants the living room table back.

I just dumped the paint on one side of the plywood (if you get the stuff in the big squeeze bottle it will make this easy) and used a damp sponge to spred it all over the table.

Once it was dry in like 3 or 4 hours I got out my t-square (if you don't own one you could buy one then return it when you done) And measured out the grid, then ran the lines still using the t-square. I had to reshapen the pencil after every line but I have an electric pencil shapener so it's not to bad.

Once I had the grid I took my time laying down the shelf paper. This is the hardest part IMHO since you have to go slow and be sure not to get any air bubbles. The shelf paper also did not sick as well as I would have liked thats why I used some duck tape on the edges. The plywood I used was 48" wide and the shelf paper was 18" wide so you can have a 3" over lap.

All told it took me about 5 hours to make not counting the time it took foor the paint to dry. I also picked up a pack of crayola washable markers, they can be wiped off with a damp rag.

Duke of URL
2009-12-09, 02:06 PM
Oh man, putting down a hex grid with pencil would be murder :smalleek:

You'd have to create a stencil and work in sections.

But it'd be sweeeeeet when it's done.

Guinea Anubis
2009-12-10, 08:30 AM
Still sounds like way to much work, but if you want to do it ALL the more power to you.