Starting this week with materials orders. Planning on building a standard 4x8 oval, all felt, no built-in cupholders, folding legs (future upgrade to permanant 4x4 legs), as outlined at Buildyourownpokertables.com

Budget is $350, coming in under without sacrificing quality would be pretty sweet. I will begin this thread with my base materials, and allow for comments/suggestions/calling me names.

Plywood
Top rail 3/4" Birch
Rail lip/playing surface 1/2" Birch
Underside/full sheet support 3/4" Birch

Going for heavy-duty, yet portable if necessary. Figured the rail should be thicker so I don't have to worry about damaging it during construction. Playing surface can be thinner to cut out some weight since I'm pretty sold on using a full third sheet for underside support. Think I could get away with using a sheet of BC plywood for this (third sheet support)? It's about half the cost, but I'm worried the somewhat warped nature of this material may transfer to the sheets above. FWIW, there is less than 10% cost difference between 1/2" and 3/4", so I'm just looking for the best strength-to-weight ratio.

Underlayment
Closed-cell Volara, LDO.

Here's a question. Is 1/4" pretty standard? The first table I built I used 1/8", and I find that level of padding perfect. I don't want the playing surface to be too spongey. Also running into complications with 2# density vs 4# vs whatever they sell at YAT (more on vendors later).

Playing surface
Suited speed cloth. I gotta have the water repellant feature of this cloth. Seems to me that most other materials don't have this feature. Spills gonna happen. YAT (and others) have warned that this material can be found for half the price as a Chinese knock off. I've found a product called Stalwart Speed Cloth, which is very close in cost to the "100% USA made" YAT version. DCG also sells a speed cloth for about 1/2 the price, so I'm think that this is the Chinese version.

Rail Foam
Got a few choices here, as well. Standard or premium from YAT, or this product I found from Foambymail.com. I really have no idea what I need here. The firmer and more durable the better, I suppose. My first table I used scraps my buddy got me from the mattress factory he worked at...

Rail Vinyl
Numerous choices from YAT, not much else from online vendors. I hear the Whisper Vinyl is pretty nice. I will be checking with my local fabric store (where I purchased marine-grade vinyl for my first table, which has shown very little wear). No sense in paying for shipping if I can find a comparable product locally.

Table Legs
Found some heavy duty folding legs at Menards (@Menards). These should do the trick until I can build something a bit more solid (and interchangeable, should I need to temporarily transport the table). Nothing special here, probably didn't need its own [B] header, but oh well, I already typed it.

Right now, I'm in the looking-for-the-best-deals phase of my build. Planning on putting in the order Thursday when I get together with my buddy who is paying it forward by putting up half the cost. I've heard nothing but good things about YourAutoTrim, but cost is still a factor. Foambymail offers free shipping, as does DiscountCasinoGear. If I can find the same or similar products at these companies, I can save myself $50+ in shipping costs.

I came across this deal from YAT, not sure if it's worth it, though. Seems like everything in the kit are the lower-grade versions, and therefore perhaps not what I want.

Hoping to hear your questions, comments, suggestions, and ridicules (if necessary ). Progress reports and pictures will be made when they become available (I can just see eneely cringing at the thought of my mad photography skillz).

Two things. Is there a lowes close to you? Have you looked at plans for using two sheets and making the table almost as sturdy as using three?

Precept, Wesrwood and I may be getting together in the medium term to make some tables, so will be following along.

Use coupon scottkeen for 15% off at YAT. I just checked and this is valid on the foam/felt/rail material kit you linked to. Have you sat down to see what the kit savings are on top of buying the stuff separately? dumbass, says 10% in the title!

I once had a table maker show me dye-sub-printed cloth. He grabbed a can of coke and poured about a third of it on the sample. Have you ever seen mercury on a formica lab bench? The coke behaved the same way -- it acts afraid of the surface, not even forming drops like water on a windshield: positively levitating. He pushed it around for a minute or so while we chatted, then lifted the cloth up from the sides to form a channel and guided the liquid into a cup. To say that this stuff was waterproof is a gross understatement.

I really don't like the feel of speed cloth, so I'd strongly urge you to look into something like the Rye Park material, even if you don't get it custom printed. (although, it might only come in white if you don't print on it -- all the more reason to get a custom print job!).



cost compare. I often find stuff in retail locally for more than what it costs to buy online and ship. This is what put circuit city and about 10,000 other companies out of business! Retail locations are expensive. Especially true if you avoid state sales tax shopping online.


Rye Park sells the legs they put on WSOP tables. They wouldn't tell me what they cost, though (and I only asked once, since they wouldn't easily work on my round table). I heard they might have a minimum order of 3 or something. Probably blow your budget anyway.

I bought my legs from MetalKraft.com, and they're fine. I wanted something really well made and solid, but couldn't find anything high-end. That's the modern world, I guess.

At least get your hands on a sample of suited speed cloth before you go that route. I agree with gedanken on the feel. It is like playing on a large cheese grater.

I would say it's more like playing on medium grain sand paper for the first few times you play. It does wear down over time, but it's certainly noticeable the first few times you play on it. When there comes a point where I get another table, I'll likely look at a different option for a playing surface just for something different.

As sweet as custom felt would be, it's pretty pricey. I get your point about SSC, but what are the budget-conscious alternatives? I got samples of the "Nylon velvet speed cloth" from YAT, but wasnt that keen on it (purely subjective based on imagined looks). It definitely had more of a nap to it, so i can see how it would be more comfortable handling cards on it.

It is hard to tell how nice either would look on a full table from a tiny sample as well.

The nylon velvet is what I'm putting on almost all my tables that don't want SSC. The nap is minimal and the cloth definitely stands up over time, even for the customers that have regular sessions each week, not just a tourney or 4-8 hour cash game. I'd recommend it. There aren't a lot of other materials that combine decent value along with good playability (card glide). I'll attach some nylon velvet photos in another post reply soon.

No Lowes AFAIK. Got a Home Depot about 30 miles away, but I've personally never seen much difference between here and there.

What are these plans you refer to? I've seen numerous plans that use the cut-out from the rail piece to "reinforce" under the playing surface. I'm not sure how much "reinforcement" you can get when the whole of the rail (the rail everyone is leaning on) has no support underneath...

Let's not focus too much on the SSC issue. First and foremost, this will be the easiest element of a table build to replace/upgrade, and will likely need replacement at some point anyway. I have SSC on my current table, and am quite happy with it (well, the way it was before I Resolved the crap out of it ). For now, I am content with my choice of playing surface, unless Slidey's pictures sway me. And for the record, I was going to order a sample ring of SSC from YAT for $5, until I found out it was an additional $16 for shipping


For sure! I haven't yet had the chance to give Joann's a call, but it is on my list of things to do.

Ty sir, that will come in handy! Now I can put together a kit using the premium products and get a better discount!!!

Did the math. Using the "scottkeen" coupon at YAT allows me to go with Whisper Vinyl, my choice of playing surface, the premium Volara 2-EO and the premimum Heavy Duty rail foam, for a grand total of $10 more that using Foambymail for the same products with free shipping. Right in the neighborhood of $210. Thinking that coupon sways me. Good job Aidan!!!

That leaves me with $140 in the budget. I priced everything out at $150, so I should come out under if Slidey can convince me that a 2-sheet design will be durable enough.

Can't wait to get going on this!

no problem, looking forward to more progress. The two sheet design also intrigues me...

As promised. Also the reason I was asking about lowes is because the post office has these moving coupons where you get 10 percent off up to $500. Also the birch is pretty expensive. Here are the nylon velvet pix









I know the reds look a little bright but they look fine in real life. I'd recommend it but Like you said this is an easy part of the whole thing.

If you're doing a full felt table two sheets is the simplest way to do it. I am not on a pc so tough to sketch this out but basically you take the middle cutout piece that is leftover from your rail 1/2 sheet, center that underneath the 3/4 playing surface piece and attach, voila. Plenty of stability for the table if you attach it correctly and with enough screws, and it is quite stable. I've made probably close to 20 tables this way and have yet to have an issue. There really isn't a need for an additional sheet underneath unless you are doing a flush racetrack style table. Hope this helps and I wish I could draw a design to show you. Try to come up with something tomorrow.

I do like the look of the nylon velvet, but the waterproofing is my biggest issue. If and when space is no longer an issue, I can get or make some drink carts and this issue goes away.

So you're suggesting 3/4 base, with 1/2 for the rail and the cutout mounted underneath. Well, if it's good enough for the pro's, it's good enough for me. Do you add any additional blocking for the folding leg mounts? I'm a bit concerned that 1" screws won't be long enough to get a good grip.

You mentioned birch being expensive...are there more economical grades which would work? I saw birch, maple, and red oak in the finished plywoods. There was a pine (I think) ABX for a couple bucks less, and then of course BC sheating which is half the price and warped as hell. If I can get away with using only 2 sheets, I want the strongest and most sag-resistant.

It sounds like you are getting your lumber from a yard, in which case just stick with the birch. I don't put any additional blocks or supports for the legs, and I typically use 1 1/4 screws to attach the legs as the extra 1/8" or so of the brackets is enough to keep the screw from going all the way through. One other thought I had to, if you use whisper definitely check Joanns. You can find it there in several colors and when you use the half off coupon that's available almost anywhere you can get it down to around $12 a yard with no shipping. This will be pretty good savings if you can find it.

I used 3/4" plywood for all three sheets when I built my last table. Have to say that I am going that route every time in the future unless the person I am building for specifically asks for two.

The table is fairly heavy, but I love the look of it and it is sturdy as a rock.

Update:

Got all the upholstering materials ordered through YAT, $218 shipped with the "scottkeen
" 15% coupon. Found a 10-pack of cupholders on Amazon for $35 shipped. Just need to procure the plywood, legs, and fasteners, which I will do tomorrow after work.

Still not 100% sold on using 2 sheets, even with Slidey's endorsement. The question in my mind now is: Using the 2-sheet method, how do you go about attaching the rail to the playing surface? Just screw right through the foam and felt? Remember, I will be using slide-under cupholders; if the rail is sucked down tight, will they work correctly?

Wow, that seems a lot for some vinyl and foam, but I guess that is the biggest expense, right?

I agree. That does seem a lot. Each time I ordered supplies from YAT, it was never over $170.

Dug, which supplies specifically did you order?

SSC $57
Whisper Vinyl $51
2-EO Volara $33
HD Rail Foam $67

That's $208, minus the 15%, plus shipping ~$40.

Like I said, I went with the premium versions at every available turn (and please, no comments on SSC. I know how some of you feel )

It appears as though I may go a bit over my budget, once hardware and wood is purchased. Oh, well, who keeps to a budget, anyway?
I'll just pretend I'm a U.S. Senator

I know you used the same website for you plan as I am. Did you follow the rail foam directions to a "T"? As in, leaving 1.5" and 3" of foam hanging past the edges?

I don't actually know how much of the upholstery I will be personally doing; my very good friend works at his mom's upholstery shop, and he will be joining us for the felting and vinyling

Using 3 sheets of 3/4" plywood on those folding legs: is the table still pretty sturdy? No wobbles? Any other tips to using this plan?

Gotcha. Everything looks great. The only thing I worry about is that the vinyl you purchased is only 54 inches wide. The rail itself will be 48" across so when you are stretching the vinyl around the outside of the rail, you are only left with 3 inches to work with. This might make it difficult to hold onto when you stretch it especially if you're using thicker wood.

Slidey might know of an easier way than how I do it but at only 54" wide, that will make it difficult to hold onto when stretching. Maybe it will be easier with another persons help.

On most of my newer full size builds I'm sizing them at 44" wide so it's a little more room to work with the vinyl without sacrificing player space. Otherwise like I always say, just like most things it will come down to technique.