Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Gibby on 28 September 2013, 05:16:51 PM
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Hi chaps.
So I have made room at last in the geek room to be able to set up a 6x4 board. I have two identical desks now against one wall, and they will act as support pillars to rest the board on. They are only 1.5 x 2.8 and with one at each end, should support a board enough provided no one leaned on the table too hard lol
Anyway, I assume some kind of MDF will be the key, and I know B&Q will cut it to size for me, but does anyone have any better ideas? I suppose something weighty will be best given my support mechanism, and it has a big wall to lean up against when not in use. Thanks for any help in advance :)
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Since I work for Block and Quayle I'd recommend no thicker than 12mm. A full board of 18mm is a younger man's game.
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9mm MDF works well enough for me. I got B&Q to cut a sheet into four 4'x2' sections. I'm toying with the idea of putting piano hinges along three pieces, to keep it as one piece but easy to fold and carry.
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I sense a plan forming David... look forward to seeing what you come up with!
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Depends on how much weight you are going to put on the table....
Personally I would go with either 12mm mdf or 12mm ply
If you want a light top you'll go for 6mm mdf but you would need to strengthen with battens
Good luck
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I would not use MDF without a supporting frame. It's going to get bended during the time you lean it to the wall.
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Hmm, the bendiness is something I would like to avoid. I suppose nailing on some support struts will be an inevitability, unless any other material is a bit sturdier.
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I would not use MDF without a supporting frame. It's going to get bended during the time you lean it to the wall.
This. MDF can be quite susceptible to bending.
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How about Oriented Strand Board (OSB) ? I'd still use a supportive frame, but they should be much more stable (and less heavy)
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I'd batten it. As others have said, MDF picks up bends from leaning against a wall, I can definitely confirm this >:(
If you batten it then 9mm will be fine. If you don't want to batten then 9-12mm Ply is a bit more robust but I'd still recommend storing it on it's 6' edge.
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Ah, batten is the technical term for those frames. Now say you don't ever learn something usefull from gaming again lol
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It shall be leaned up using its 6' edge for sure. Thanks for the advice, chaps. How intensely will it require strengthening? A full on frame, or just three or four strips of wood going across at various intervals?
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I suggest hollow core, flush style interior doors. They don't bend or warp, can hold a lot of weight, and are still light enough to pick up and move. They're cheap too.
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I suggest hollow core, flush style interior doors. They don't bend or warp, can hold a lot of weight, and are still light enough to pick up and move. They're cheap too.
Now there's an idea!
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Doors are a great shout...even read somewhere that somebody even cut in their rivers.
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I suggest hollow core, flush style interior doors. They don't bend or warp, can hold a lot of weight, and are still light enough to pick up and move. They're cheap too.
Are they 4' wide? If so then that's a great suggestion.
It shall be leaned up using its 6' edge for sure. Thanks for the advice, chaps. How intensely will it require strengthening? A full on frame, or just three or four strips of wood going across at various intervals?
Depends on the gap between your tables but assuming you were doing a full batten frame then all four sides and two more spaced on the 4' span. With a big gap between the tables I'd do all 4 sides and then an extra 6' length down the centre.
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Are they 4' wide? If so then that's a great suggestion.
Depends on the gap between your tables but assuming you were doing a full batten frame then all four sides and two more spaced on the 4' span. With a big gap between the tables I'd do all 4 sides and then an extra 6' length down the centre.
Most doors are about 6'6" long and usually about 2'and change wide. You could do it with two doors aranged lengthways...
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I used 12mm ply cut into two 3'x4' boards with a piano hinge between them. I tried mdf and found it wasn't robust enough to take the regular moving to/from the garage. It's not light but it hasn't warped or sagged. I'm going to do two 4'x4' tables hinged in the middle to make it 4'x2' for storage. That'll let me set up an 8'x6' table too.
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I used 12mm ply cut into two 3'x4' boards with a piano hinge between them. I tried mdf and found it wasn't robust enough to take the regular moving to/from the garage. It's not light but it hasn't warped or sagged. I'm going to do two 4'x4' tables hinged in the middle to make it 4'x2' for storage. That'll let me set up an 8'x6' table too.
That's interesting re robustness. I hadn't thought of that. All the MDF I have is in fixed locations where this isn't a consideration! Maybe I've been unlucky over the years, but I've found that ply is even less stable than MDF as far as warping/sagging goes :'(
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I went with 12mm Plywood in the end. Seems to have worked a treat. Thanks for the help everybody!
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After the fact, I know, but here's how I did mine:
http://mitchwargaming.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/building-gaming-table.html (http://mitchwargaming.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/building-gaming-table.html)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QZ59yfPdA2A/UlFchTK2GtI/AAAAAAAABLU/n2kthMTZeG8/s320/table_03.jpg)
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Table is done! 12mm Plywood in two sections of 3x4 foot. Piano hinged together. Thanks very much everyone for the advise. I haven't butted it, but it'll be resting on its long face hinged up in this room so it shouldn't bow too much. If it inevitably does I will reenforce it or build a new one by then.
(http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/3747/bkju.jpg)
Quick test setup. I will likely position it further towards the wall on the left giving easier and more roomier access to the other three sides. There is a fair bit more room around it than the pictures make out, so it's a nice comfortable success.
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Nicely done mate! You're shaming me into getting on with my 4'x4' tables :)
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Thanks mate :)
The helmets are for when things get heated. :D