Crazy Topper Build with Built-in 55" TV (3 Viewers)

[Trihonda]

Snagged some beefier bracing to use when attaching the TV to the frame. It’s 1/4” thicker so that reduces my clearance some, but the rigidity and comfort it gives me is well worth it

The bottom of the TV is where sound and heat escape, so I angled off a piece of the 2x4 framing to prevent it from being covered up.

I also notched the top 2x4 so that the top of the TV will rest on a 3/4” wooden lip for support along the entire top edge.

I also started patching and cleaning up the topper. Had several spots where the veneer came off, so I cut spare veneer from scrap, glued it into place, and filled with wood putty (which I created from sawdust and wood glue). I’m staining “True Black” so I’m hoping that once sanded down, the patches will be invisible. I also had totouch up the edge banding, which was loose in spots.

Glass arrives next week, and once we get it in hand, we will start with dry fitting components. Configuring the back (underside), and only then will I stain.

 

[bsdunbar1]

lookin good

 

[Trihonda]

Subscribed to this guy on Patreon to access his maps.. 100's of animated maps like these.

 

[allforcharity]

That's really nice!

 

[Trihonda]

Filled cracks, Sanded a bunch. Installed the wood framing by gluing and screwing the 2x4’s.

 

[Trihonda]

Did some minor work on the table today. Some sanding, some test fitting the top, and getting the table set in a wife-approved position. I’ll eventually run a flat power cable down The leg, and out under the carpeting, to the cubby outlet behind the table.

did a test stain on scrap one coat without urethane looks good

You can see the clearances under the wood framing

 

[karsus]

Its looking amazing.. great work!

 

[Trihonda]

Picked up the custom glass... only to discover that I somehow cut the opening out of plumb. Good news is I erred on the side of caution and it was cut small. So I had room to work with when correcting. I routed out slivers on each end and the glass fit perfect. My buddy Cody is coming over later this evening to work on fitting the TV into the frame. So I’ll have more pics later tonight.

 

[Trihonda]

Almost done. It’s built. Still needs stain and urethane Wow. So cool tho.

 

[Trihonda]

For sure we are playing a pre-Mad Town Throwdown D&D game!

 

[binisha]

Wow, this is all amazing. Now to find an excuse to build one of these myself.

 

[Trihonda]

Wow, this is all amazing. Now to find an excuse to build one of these myself.

Here’s a break down of my costs

TV $400
Birch plywood $90
Custom tempered glass $80
Metal Shelving (cross braces) $12
2x4’s $5
Power extensions cords, cord organization clips, and power strips $25
USB exhaust fans $20
Grommets $5

= around $640

this was a topper to fit an existing table, and much of my effort was engineering this topper to function with the poker table and keeping it from being damaged. The fans are doing a great job of keeping the table and TV cool. they are pushing lots of air, but none of it seems to be warm. My guess is the TV doesn’t run very hot. The TV‘s audio is surprisingly easy to hear. I was concerned that as a topper, the sound would be trapped.

a lot of things would have been simplified if I was building from scratch.

 

[sheikh617]

Here’s a break down of my costs

TV $400
Birch plywood $90
Custom tempered glass $80
Metal Shelving (cross braces) $12
2x4’s $5
Power extensions cords, cord organization clips, and power strips $25
USB exhaust fans $20
Grommets $5

= around $640

this was a topper to fit an existing table, and much of my effort was engineering this topper to function with the poker table and keeping it from being damaged. The fans are doing a great job of keeping the table and TV cool. they are pushing lots of air, but none of it seems to be warm. My guess is the TV doesn’t run very hot. The TV‘s audio isn’t also pretty discernibl. I was concerned that as a topper, the sound would be trapped

Damn. I want to do this.

 

[binisha]

Really not that bad price wise for how great it all looks (although I think the craftsmanship behind it adds about $1k to the look of it at least)

 

[Trihonda]

Really not that bad price wise for how great it all looks (although I think the craftsmanship behind it adds about $1k to the look of it at least)

im excited to see how it will look ALL black... the screen will disappear until the TV is turned on. I think it will look 1000% classier.

I have a game I’m running this Sunday, the start of a crazy campaign. I’ll host this 2x month. I also started playing with Cody, the guy pictured in a few of he photos. He’s running a Campaign weekly with a bunch of really great people. He lives 5 mins away, and I’ll likely invite that crew to play at my place most weeks.

At some point between this Sunday and the following two weeks, I’ll need to disassemble the TV topper for staining. Ugh...

 

[binisha]

im excited to see how it will look ALL black... the screen will disappear until the TV is turned on. I think it will look 1000% classier.

I have a game I’m running this Sunday, the start of a crazy campaign. I’ll host this 2x month. I also started playing with Cody, the guy pictured in a few of he photos. He’s running a Campaign weekly with a bunch of really great people. He lives 5 mins away, and I’ll likely invite that crew to play at my place most weeks.

At some point between this Sunday and the following two weeks, I’ll need to disassemble the TV topper for staining. Ugh...

It's going to look crazy sleek when you get it all blacked out. Just imagining it gets me excited at maybe getting to see it one day.

 

[allforcharity]

Fan-freakin'-tastic!

 

[Thomacetti]

Awsome work, thanks for posting

 

[Trihonda]

Played our first game on the table. Worked well. Immediately after, the table got disassembled and is off to the stain shop.

 

[Trihonda]

Black stain. I used pre-stain wood conditioner first. It’s still not the most even coat, but I can only imagine what it’d have been like without.

2nd coat of stain, prior to wiping off excess.

 

[BNM]

I was discussing this in the Official D&D Thread, but this really rates it's own thread. I'm planning to create a topper that will sit atop my Fat Tire table. Inset into this topper I plan to flush mount a 55" TV. The idea is to use this topper for displaying game maps (battle encounters, dungeons, etc...). Here's an example of a table placed into a table top...

Here's an example of a TV battle map one might use in a game

Well... it looks like this will become a reality.. I just brought home a new 55” LED TV. It’s only 2.3” thick (which is SUPER THIN). 28” x48” are the total outer dimensions... Let's document the build here!


I am planning a Baltic birch topper (likely stained blackish), with a 28x48 hole in the center. My goal is to then route out a recess lip slightly bigger 1/4” deep, to accept a piece of 1/4” thick acrylic to cover the tv screen...

Here's a rough diagram of the side view.. obv not entirely to scale, but the height dimensions are accurate. I think I’ll add two table (desk) grommets, one on each end. One can be used to supply cabling between the TV and laptop, and the other will hide a PC fan to exhale hot air, which will get sucked in from the other end. Should I decide to rearrange the orientation, I’d only need switch fan to the other side. Anyway, that’s the plan thus far. It’s a super new and light TV, and I’m hoping that 3/4” distance between the TV and the Chan cloth (with forced air ventilation) will be enough to prevent any issues. Paging @T_Chan

View attachment 352897

Here’s the footprint of the TV screen at the table. Keep in mind that the topper will overhang the rail vinyl by 1” on all sides. This will leave the sides 10” of table space between the edge of the table and the screen. Seems tight to me, but on par with other gaming tv tables.

View attachment 352898

It's my game plan to rout out a channel under the topper to run a power cord, wrapped around the outside poker rail, and down to a power strip already located in the legs. I'll likely mount another power strip under the table to provide juice to the TV, Fan, and possibly an Apple TV…

Projected costs:
TV $400
Acrylic $100
Birch Ply $50
Asst Power Strips/Cords $25
PC Vent Fan $25
Apple TV (optional) $100
Total = $600-700

Any thoughts, criticisms, suggestions, ridicule, etc... ???

A 55” tv costs $400...amazing. I don’t want to say what I paid in 2006 for my 40” Sony flatscreen.

 

[BNM]

I didn’t realize D&D was still a thing. Does that count as ridicule? Might just be a thought.

Interestingly, it seems to be bigger now than it’s ever been. I was also ignorant of its rather massive resurgence but over the last several months I’ve seen multiple groups using the common room at my apt complex for games. Also overhead people talking about it at work and elsewhere.

 

[BNM]

This is just unreal. I am rolling a d20 to disbelieve. Made the throw and I am sure this IS real. Fantastic. Inspiring.

 

[CraigT78]

Awesome work, as always. But I'll say it. NERDS.

 

[allforcharity]

Awesome work, as always. But I'll say it. NERDS.

In case you missed it, nerds rule the world.

 

[DoubleEagle]

A 55” tv costs $400...amazing. I don’t want to say what I paid in 2006 for my 40” Sony flatscreen.

Or my Pioneer 50” plasma I bought about the same time.

 

[Trihonda]

Hmmm. Had mixed results with my attempts at staining and finishing the top. I am in a good place now, but my basement isn’t well suited for fast drying of the stains and urethane. Taking forever to dry and I might have applied urethane too soon, got some splotches where the stain wasn’t dry. and the urethane wasn’t completely dry when I went to sand and apply a 2nd coat (even after waiting 8 hours)... leaving the sander to hit bare wood (leaving unsanded spots). I reapplied a layer of stain to hit the bare wood. And allowed everything to dry overnight. It’s solid now. But I have 2-3 coats of urethane to apply. The weather is having a lot to do with the dry times. Unable to ventilate the space adequately. Stay tuned.

 

[markleteenie]

Hmmm. Had mixed results with my attempts at staining and finishing the top. I am in a good place now, but my basement isn’t well suited for fast drying of the stains and urethane. Taking forever to dry and I might have applied urethane too soon, got some splotches where the stain wasn’t dry. and the urethane wasn’t completely dry when I went to sand and apply a 2nd coat (even after waiting 8 hours)... leaving the sander to hit bare wood (leaving unsanded spots). I reapplied a layer of stain to hit the bare wood. And allowed everything to dry overnight. It’s solid now. But I have 2-3 coats of urethane to apply. The weather is having a lot to do with the dry times. Unable to ventilate the space adequately. Stay tuned.

That's too bad about dry times. Is it cold in your basement where it's drying? I have to run a little radiator if the temp is too cold and I'm doing projects.

 

[Trihonda]

That's too bad about dry times. Is it cold in your basement where it's drying? I have to run a little radiator if the temp is too cold and I'm doing projects.

the basement isn’t cold per se. but it’s taking a long time to dry. Not sure why. Lack of good ventilation is probably a factor.

 

[CraigT78]

the basement isn’t cold per se. but it’s taking a long time to dry. Not sure why. Lack of good ventilation is probably a factor.

Humidity?