Poker table

[BillyJack]

Got an itch…

Guess after all the down time, the only thing I had an interest in was building another poker table. We will see how this one turns out.

 

 

[BillyJack]

I'm also going to take a long look at this poker case and see if I can't "better" the design as these have been going for more than I think there worth. 

 

[curlyoak]

On 10/25/2022 at 1:56 PM, BillyJack said:

Guess after all the down time, the only thing I had an interest in was building another poker table. We will see how this one turns out.

Are you building this for yourself or a customer?

[BillyJack]

Myself... I don't do customers anymore, but I am trying to put a sign together for exterior house painting..

[BillyJack]

osted September 15

I do high end and cheaper. I build what I like. I usually sell the tables, but this one I'll keep. Intended as a "Zombie" theme. When I went to the leather store he had the right color leather and I could spray it with red ink for blood.. Problem is I like to build with what's I  the shop and leaving details to my imagination..

 

[BillyJack]

Keep in mind....

 

My mind operates like a race horse on woodworking projects, but my body works like a sloth. 

[BillyJack]

I also have a double oak pedistal I can recycle into the table . I found this around the corner in my subdivision on trash day along with the solid oak table.

 

[BillyJack]

ted September 16 (edited)

I haven't decided if I will do the Zombie or not. To do the Zombie I have to spend a little money, if I don't I'll build with what's in the shop. The chip tray will be walnut, the question will be Ash for the outer ring, Cherry or a padded rail.. I try not to get locked into one wood as it dominates too much. I DO NOT LIKE WALNUT OR ASH, but will try and use walnut and the some of the 8/4 Ash up. I'm not so much in to spray anymore either. I have one of the two HB sprayers cleaned and working. Right now I think S&W precast is around $40 a gal and I don't think they sell the poly anymore..

 

So things have changed since  I built the last poker tables. Material prices have increased. Online now is the way to find hardware. I'm older, slower and much dumber than in the past. So have a lil patience with me on this build.

 

So to start I stopped construction of the Texas Hole table. I really don't want a 10 man table in my rec room( later build)I intend for this to fold next to a wall and a 10 man table takes alot of space on a wall. 8 person is rather large and the 6 feels right. I'm not really a Texas Holden plater but platy because everyone else does. I prefer dealer calls games. 

 

I had a 6 many table already started from years ago and rather than start a completely new one, I reused what I have. I  numbered and removed the oak chip trays , center pin  and  layed to the side. The plywood looks a little ignored so I had to sand it smooth. #1... the 0ly wood is still flat after all these years.

[BillyJack]

Problems I'm running into..

#1...Money in this project.

#2...space. I have limited space. 

#3...holdem table take 10 chairs. This would be a problem for storage. 6 would be better

#4...it must fold up. 

#5...I may build the walnut/cherry table and let it fund the Zombie table..

#6...been out of the game for awhile, trying to get back into it..

[BillyJack]

 

Why I keep old patterns? 

 

I'll reuse a radius from a previous Yin and Yang build. 

 

 

[BillyJack]

First step after removing and sanding is putting painters plastic on the top.

 

[BillyJack]

So I'm gonna have to clip the corner of my jig. . I use Bosch T101B blades almost all the time. have bulk of three clamps for glue ups but I need 2.5 and up. The 2" squeeze clamps are out. This is where k Body and pipe clamps don't have much value
 

[BillyJack]

K Body and pipe clamps not much value?

 

Daddy has been tappin  into my college fund to buy  K Body's
 

[BillyJack]

With the corners clipped and the center block reinstalled I can put the router on and test for center of radius..

 

[BillyJack]

The pattern lays on the plastic . This gives me a protective barrier from glue between the plywood and  walnut radius. Because 8 need to break this pattern loose from the form, I will install painters paper as a second barrier protection in case I rip the first plastic barrier.,it's not hard to tear thin plastic or paper, but better to have double protection. 

 

I have three temp clamps on. I will in lock one at a time and slip the paper underneath working around as to not disturb center and have to relocate it. Tape anything loose so you don't tear later.

 

[BillyJack]

 have a lot of 8/4 walnut scraps ranging from 12"- 50"   long. Some of these range from 2" wide to 13" wide. Some have knots, some not.

 

I  just recently installed the Unisaw sp litter on my saw. I bought saw 20+ years ago and just now tried to install the factory splitter. After some modification to the outfeed table I finally got it installed. The longest part of process it's the manipulating of the table and alignment. I stopped once before because of the long installment. 

I finally got it on and aligned.

 

[BillyJack]

Remember..... "Older, slower and dumber "

 

After all the years working in shops without any splitters or riving knife and no longer under the influence of production I thought this is the best thing  I could do next to stopping woodworking altogether to protect myself. I now had a  blade protect , anti kickback paws and a splitter. This was great for cutting sheet goods but not for cutting 1/4 scribe with short boards. I end up taking the splitter off , taking a hammer and knocking the pins out to remove all the extra stuff from the splitter. I now have a naked splitter.

 

[BillyJack]

With the pattern secured to the table to prevent warpage as I glue pieces and the splitter installed.

 

I will add this. Years of watching woodworkers post start and finish pictures A, B and then Z without completing the alhebet inbetween left me with the impression they #1.. Don't think k it's important, #2 Don't care if you learn anything, #3 .... Not worth their time , #4 ... Need you to think they are perfect and don't make mistakes or the usual  " I made my mistakes, now it's your turn"

 

I feel the more details and photos you involve in a project the more a new worker can learn. He/she can decide it if takes more tooling than they have or more work than the have allowed for.. You  have to allow for mistakes, complete project failures, etc. 

 

What you get out of  of a project depends on what your willing to put into it..

 

 

[wtnhighlander]

So true. I really appreciate when folks take the time to provide photos and details as they go along, even of the mistakes. Gives us all a chance to learn from them.

[BillyJack]

Your only as good as the mistakes you fix.

 

[BillyJack]

I cut up as much at one time to get started using smaller and some larger boards.Ran the boards through the planer on both side starting with 3/16 on one side and finishing the other side at around a hair larger than 1/8.. Some boards off the tablesaw were flat amd straight,  but rough sawn and when they went thru the planer not all of the rough came off. These pieces are " no good". You also have to watch snipe as well on the planer. We will address this on the build a bit later

 

[BillyJack]

I will add this…

live been out of the game for awhile. Even though my shop is acclimated, I will open the door to mow or work on the boat allowing moisture to drift in. When I pulled out the planer, it had surface rust on it. After a lil elbow grease and some paste wax it’s back up and running.. 

[BillyJack]

In order not to glue the strips to the pattern I will used tape at the joints to prevent this.

 

[wtnhighlander]

@BillyJack, do you take any special steps to avoid marring the wood with those metal-faced clamps, or does it not seem to be a problem?

[BillyJack]

Just keep them flat to the work..