Feedback on table? (1 Viewer)

[Ethan]

My buddy and I started this project and havent touched it in a while. Next step was to wall off the sides under the armrests but we never got around to it. Idea was to use vinyl floor trim and ‘wall paper’ it with speed cloth. Thoughts?

Also, we stained and lacquered the table top (multiple times) but it is hard to pick up cards. Is there anyway to make it easier without felting the whole surface?

Hope you enjoy the homemade pr0n/gore. Please don’t relegate me to the fugly thread.

P.s. this photo is before I found this site. I have since upgraded from the wheatears to china clays to paulsons. You guys have broken me in. :coffee:

 

[FDLmold]

If the rail supports were taller, you could host gladiatorial combat in your Colosseum.

 

[Ethan]

Just an excuse to buy more chips! If you can’t reach ‘em, stack ‘em higher...

A ‘slight’ miscalculation for sure.

 

[jja412]

List of easy improvements:

• Remove the center....put down volara over the wood
• Get some suited speed cloth for the entire playing surface
• Cut out cup holder holes in the wood underneath the rail and remove the blocks holding the rail up so high.
• Obtain some whisper vinyl and recover the rail
• Bask in the glory of your amazing table

These improvements will result in more comfort for your players, easier card handling/dealing, easier chip handling, less chip shuffling noise, and generally make the table prettier to look at.

 

[BGinGA]

Only thing worse than a wood racetrack is a huge wood racetrack.

Do yourself a big favor, and and add some padding and cloth to that thing. Make the covered racetrack the same height as the playing surface insert. You'll thank me later.

And pull that vinyl tighter on the rail. No excuse for wrinkles in a rail, besides laziness. Just ask if you need instructions on how to avoid them - it's easy.

wall off the sides under the armrests.......use vinyl floor trim and ‘wall paper’ it with speed cloth.

That could work. Could do the same thing with 1/4 hardboard, probably cheaper. Kerf-cut the curved sections.

 

[Ethan]

Ah thanks for the great feedback @jja412 and @BGinGA. We may just need to redo the rail completely. After a quick browse it looks like thicker volara would work well under the whisper vinyl?

Time to start shopping for some cloth.

I wish I asked months ago. Thanks again!

 

[jja412]

Ah thanks for the great feedback @jja412 and @BGinGA. We may just need to redo the rail completely. After a quick browse it looks like thicker volara would work well under the whisper vinyl?

Time to start shopping for some cloth.

I wish I asked months ago. Thanks again!

Volara is a very bouncy dense foam, and would not be a great choice for the rail. 50 - 65 lb 1" foam is a better, more comfortable choice, IMO.

 

[v1pe]

I marvel in your effort but I echo the suggestions of the other guys. I personally hate playing with a wooden race track.

 

[BGinGA]

Did you cover that rail AFTER you mounted it?

 

[CHP TD]

Only thing worse than a wood racetrack is a huge wood racetrack.

Oh Dear... that's anther thing to add to the list of things wrong with me?!?! its a bit sad really but its time to get out of the closet and say it - I love race tracks!!!!

Phew... i feel better i got that out...

 

[BGinGA]

Done well, they look great. But they have zero redeeming value when it comes to actually using them -- excessively noisy, easily-damaged, difficult to pick up or shuffle cards, the list goes on.....

There is nothing a racetrack table can do that a properly-constructed fully padded playing surface can't do better.

 

[PokerBrew]

That racetrack is HUGE!

 

[CHP TD]

Done well, they look great. But they have zero redeeming value when it comes to actually using them - the list goes on.....

There is nothing a racetrack table can do that a properly-constructed fully padded playing surface can't do better.

excessively noisy = No problem i play drums... What??? huh??? I cant hear you over the ringing in my ears...
easily-damaged - nup mine has epoxy shined to a mirror finish. Never kill that.
difficult to pick up or shuffle cards What?!?! Umm the cards should never be placed on the race track??? i dont even get what you mean?? you have a playing surface = use that. The cards should never leave the playing surface anyway.

the list goes on..... so sad, you just don't know how to use a race track right

 

[BGinGA]

Take another look at the pics in yhe OP. If you can manage to keep your cards on the felt, you're a better monkey-armed person than me.

 

[T_Chan]

Volara would not work well under the vinyl for the rail. You should use an open cell foam which is thicker. Most people use 1" thick foam for the rail, Volara is mainly used for playing surface padding.

If the rail is too high, couldn't you just remove those spacer blocks? You would have to cut holes in the base sheet for the cup holders but that's simple enough with a hole saw.

Regarding the difficulty of picking up cards on the racetrack, unfortunately other than adding foam and felt to the racetrack, there's nothing you can do to improve that. The only solution I've ever come across is to leave the cards on the felted playing surface part, but your table has such a large racetrack that the cards would be pretty far away from the players.

You guys did a great job on the finish for the racetrack though. Looks wondeful.

 

[One Eyed Dollar]

If you don't mind the racetrack being slightly lower than the playing surface, you could pull out that center section and replace it with a wider piece of 1/4" plywood covered w/ Volara foam and speed cloth, leaving just about 3" to 4" of the racetrack exposed. This would give you room to stack chips on the racetrack and keep your cards on the felt.

The tables we play with at justsomedude's place are like this, with a wood racetrack that sits slightly lower than the felt. The only time it really bugs me is when you get dealt a card that slides off the felt onto the wood and it's really hard to pick it up.

 

[Ethan]

Did you cover that rail AFTER you mounted it?

Yes, but only to the blocks. Not sure what we were thinking at the time. It made it more difficult for sure.

Volara would not work well under the vinyl for the rail. You should use an open cell foam which is thicker. Most people use 1" thick foam for the rail, Volara is mainly used for playing surface padding.

If the rail is too high, couldn't you just remove those spacer blocks? You would have to cut holes in the base sheet for the cup holders but that's simple enough with a hole saw.

You guys did a great job on the finish for the racetrack though. Looks wondeful.

We will most likely do this. Didn't think of cutting the holes out of the table. Good thought. And thanks!

If you don't mind the racetrack being slightly lower than the playing surface, you could pull out that center section and replace it with a wider piece of 1/4" plywood covered w/ Volara foam and speed cloth, leaving just about 3" to 4" of the racetrack exposed.

Yep, either this or going away from the racetrack. Perhaps we will make an insert two sizes (one bigger than shown, and one to fill in the space) to change it up and see what we like more. All in all we have a lot of work ahead of us.

Thanks again everyone for the suggestions. They are great!

 

[jja412]

If you are buying material to make the playing surface wider, definitely take the time to eliminate the racetrack. It's an easy recover, since the foam and cloth are both wider than you table to begin with.

And take everything i say about tables with a grain of salt...but definitely take @T_Chan 's word as GOSPEL. When it comes to poker tables, he's like the President, King, Prime Minister, Pope, and Supreme Being. Check out his sponsor's forum for photo evidence of this fact.

 

[CHP TD]

Take another look at the pics in yhe OP. If you can manage to keep your cards on the felt, you're a better monkey-armed person than me.

Hi BG

OOOOOhhhhh I have to apologize. I see what your getting at now. Ugh im an idiot.


That is too woody. Its the only time you will ever hear me say that has too much wood. Totally agree you cant pick up cards on wood or shuffle for that matter.

But its an easy fix Make a bigger playing surface and drop the rail and hey presto it will be playable.

I suppose this isnt the time to add i only have rhc's right? Add that to the list of things wrong with me... Sad face...

 

[Mac128k]

Only thing worse than a wood racetrack is a huge wood racetrack. .

Truer words were never spoken.

I’ve played on a lot of bad tables in my day. Folding tables and racetracks all have the problem of catching/flipping cards.
I’m all for the visual appeal of a printed track used as a “betting line” but it has to be on a uniform surface IMO.