Wild and Crazy table idea (1 Viewer)

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

I was recently trying to find info on selling a snooker table, so I joined a Facebook page. Today this post popped up and I had a revelation!

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=869070894163089&set=pcb.1883514628676350

It's a pool (snooker) table that rotates to become an ordinary looking dining table. So of course I immediately thought "I wonder how hard it would be to do that with a poker table???"

Yes, I know you can get dining table toppers to put on your poker table, but I always thought those looked bulky and awkward. Plus it seems like the table levels would be different enough potentially be an issue, especially for vertically challenged individuals. Of which I have several in my family. This just seems like it would be so much better, and you don't have to store a big, bulky tabletop somewhere when you play poker.

My thinking is a poker table surface (oval or round, not rectangular like this) and a raised rail with a mounting system for the padded rails that would cover the outer few inches of table top and be removable. Take the padded rails off (much easier to store than a bulky topper) then spin the top around for the dining table. I assume there are pins or some other mechanism to hold the table in either of the two positions so it's nice and stable.

@alecnetwoodworks Tagging my son the builder to get his input.

Not sure if you have to join the group to see the pics, so here are a couple showing the rotating snooker table.

 

[joeyshin]

@ConsensualPresidency has a chanman table with topper for their dining. It’s actually really common


Edit: wait you mean for it to flip?

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

@ConsensualPresidency has a chanman table with topper for their dining. It’s actually really common


Edit: wait you mean for it to flip?

Yes. Rotate. I thought I made that pretty clear. No?

 

[joeyshin]

Yes. Rotate. I thought I made that pretty clear. No?

I’m not English good

 

[TheOffalo]

I’m not English good

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

So anyone good English have any thoughts on this?

 

[TheOffalo]

So my gut reaction (at least for the pool/snooker table pictured above) is that it's gotta be a crazy-heavy table. The build quality has to be top notch, therefore likely very expensive! A flippable poker table may be cheaper and has less of a need to be as robust.

What I'd be worried about when it's in normal dining table operation is the surface of the facedown side accidentally being scuffed or kicked from underneath.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

I agree with the weight issue. That was one of my first thoughts. If it can be done with a heavy, slate top pool table, should be a piece of cake for a poker table. Not sure why you think people would be kicking the underside of the table though. I don't see that as much of an issue at all.

 

[TheOffalo]

I was just thinking if it’s acting as a regular dining table, depending on if someone has little kids or fidgety people…

Like I said just my gut reaction thoughts.

 

[Tonysquander]

Would still have to have legs at the edges of a round or oval table to allow the top to flip. I think that would look odd if it is even doable.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

I was just thinking if it’s acting as a regular dining table, depending on if someone has little kids or fidgety people…

Like I said just my gut reaction thoughts.

It would be relatively simple to figure out some type of cover if that were a real concern. A thin piece of MDF would do it.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

Would still have to have legs at the edges of a round or oval table to allow the top to flip. I think that would look odd if it is even doable.

Any more odd than my current dining room table with a PCF mat on it?

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

I do realize that 4 table legs is not ideal for a custom poker table. I have seen tables that use a U shaped support with a large base on the floor. It may be possible to design that U so that the table could still rotate within it.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

Something like this, but take it a little wider to allow for the rotation. Maybe with steel instead of wood so it wouldn't need to be so massive looking and would have more room for the legs of the players on the ends
.

 

[BGinGA]

I've seen a couple of variations of this idea before, not sure if here on PCF or back on CT. I've also seen and played on a store-purchased dining table that rotated over into a combo poker/craps tub table. Not the best for either game, but I thought it was a novel approach.

Also seen related builds where the poker table rotated 90° to stand on edge (and on wheels) making for easy transport and a significantly smaller storage footprint. The are commercially available banquet tables that also have those design features.

 

[joeyshin]

if you have little kids like I do, there will surely be sharpie marks all over the felt the next time you flip it