# need table building tricks



## mking (Apr 25, 2000)

hi. the company i work for is willing to let me bring a slot car track to work. i have a maxtrax and an ed bianchi oval that i bought a while back and never set up (i have a routed track already set up). i need to get 2 4x16 tables for these tracks. my handy man skills are limited to HO scale, i built the table for the track i have now and it was more work than i care to repeat. i do have a local handyman that has done some great deck and home repair projects. i would like to get some ideas on fast and simple table designs he might duplicate for me. i already know i want him to build the tables in 4x8 sections so they can be easy to move. 

i am thinking of having him build 4x 8 rectangular frames out of 2x4s and cover with a sheet of MDF, and use folding table legs. i can take care of the carpet, paint and wiring. 

any body have any good table ideas? since i am paying by the hour for labor, any time saving tips would be great!! 

thanks


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

OK, here goes...

Let me preface this by saying that I am NOT skilled in working with wood. Give me nuts, bolts, machinery, kits that just need to be put together, anything like that, and I'm golden. But hand me raw wood and the plans and tools to cut that wood up and turn it into something, and I'm sunk. I can't cut two pieces of wood the same size to save my life.

That said, when we bought our house 9 years ago, it had a HUGE unfinished basement that was slated to be my hobby dungeon. I wanted a 4x16 table, and I built one. It's not elegant, or even really well done, but it's sturdy enough that I haven't had problems since I've built it. There are table plans out there that are designed so that you could walk on them without fear of damaging anything. This is NOT that kind of table. But it works for me. I'll let the pics tell the story:

This is what I started with. Two 4x8 sheets of plywood, two sets of banquet table legs...










and a bunch of 2x4s and 1x4s.










I used the 2x4s to build a kind of frame under each sheet of plywood...










and attached the banquet table legs INSIDE those frames, and screwed the 1x4s to the top as a retaining wall.










That's pretty much it. I have two small metal plates that I got at Lowe's joining them in the middle.



















There's plenty of better and more sophisticated designs for tables, and if I ever finished the basement and this had to look more like furniture, I'd probably have to go with one... but this is working for me for now.

(Sorry if some of you guys with woodworking skills who have REAL tables are out there cringing right now...  )

--rick


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## rbrunne1 (Sep 22, 2007)

Rick - I'm not a master carpenter either, but that's a nice simple table design :thumbsup:

mKing - Unless it's for commercial use, keep it light, folding legs are nice and put it on wheels - you know you're going to have to move it - especially while you're building it :freak:

Take Rick's folding table legs and add some simple casters










Search the forum as there are a plethora of ideas! Check out Scaf's track: http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=171878

The table looks just like Rick's and that's where I got the idea for casters 

Bob B.
Clifton Park, NY


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## Hornet (Dec 1, 2005)

If you have any skills or tools for working with steel,1"X .100" square tubing makes a nice frame.
Won't dry out and change shape like wood,and is just as light as a 2X4 frame.
All my tables have been steel for the last 15 years.
Just throwing another idea past you.
Beauty of hollow tubing is it's ability to hide alot of the exposed wiring,when you run your wiring threw the tubes:thumbsup:

Down at the bottom of this post is a couple pic's of a steel table frame 

http://routedtracks.yuku.com/topic/16/Some-links-to-Pictures


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## mking (Apr 25, 2000)

*table ideas*

thanks for the ideas

i think i am going with a greg braun version with 2x4 legs. i have a table made from 2x4 frame and 4x4 legs and it is way overbuilt. i have another table with banquet/folding legs and it is not as solids as i would like, plus i can't find banquet legs for a good price ($25 a set, even 4x4 posts are 1/2 that, and 2x4 posts will be 1/4 of that).

greg braun style: 

http://www.hoslotcarracing.com/Tables.html#4x8

http://www.hoslotcarracing.com/Construction.html

http://www.slotcarreview.com/table/4x8Table.html

greg braun style using doubled 2x4 for legs (cheaper than using 4x4s)

http://www.slotcarcorner.ca/pages/Table-Construction.html

table using 1x3x8 (really cheap)

http://www.ehow.com/how_4841291_build-train-table.html

table using 1x6x8 and 4x4 posts for legs

http://www.fantasyworldhobbies.com/racer-info/tech-tips/table-and-layout-building/

table using 1x6x8 and 2x4 for legs

http://www.scxworldwide.com/ipb/index.php?showtopic=1621






i did find some cool links.


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## rbrunne1 (Sep 22, 2007)

Don't forget wheels


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## roddster (Jan 17, 2010)

How about this. Menards sells a complete folding table for about $30.00 if you catch the sale right. These are roughly 36" X 72" (I think). Yep, you spend money but it is usable right now.


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## rbrunne1 (Sep 22, 2007)

I started with a folding table, but I already had it. It's a nice sturdy platform and it was easy to add wheels: http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showpost.php?p=2865724&postcount=1

Bob B.
Clifton Park, NY


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