Oct 06, 2017 What is your favorite type of wood to work with for poker table construction? Table top, legs, apron, race track - anything wood. Would anyone use a non plywood/MDF/OSB as a table top? It seems counter-intuitive but there is always a part of me that wants to use 6/4 red oak or walnut under the felt. 2 votes, you can change your votes.
Measuring and Cutting Your Octagon Poker Table
Making The Perfect Octagon Poker Table
Since we're starting with an 8 foot sheet of plywood, the first thing we have to do is cut our wood in half. All you have to do is measure 48 inches from on side and draw a straight line from top to bottom (Figure 1-1). This will seperate our plywood into what we will call sheet A and sheet B.
After you have your line drawn, its a good idea to take a few measurements to make sure that it is true. Once you are happy with the mark, run your circular saw accross it and seperate sheets A and B creating two perfect 4' squares (Figure 1-2).
This is where things could get complex. Fortunately we have already done the math for you. To make the perfect octagon poker table you will measure in from each corner 14 1/16' and make a mark (Figure 1-3). This is a strange measurement, but this is also an odd shaped poker table so we'll let it slide. Once you have all 8 marks done, you can simply connect the dots on each corner (Figure 1-4). If you want to double check your work before cutting, each side of the octagon should be 19 7/8' long. Remember that being off by an eight of an inch or so is not the end of the world as the entire table will be upholstered very soon. Note that these measurements and cuts need to happen to both A and B.
Once you are happy with all of your measurements, you can cut along the lines with your circular saw. At this point your octagon poker table will begin to take shape. Now with your tape measure, measure and mark 2' from the edge on all 8 sides of sheet A and connect the marks to make a 2' ring around the entire octagon (Figure 1-5). This process should be repeated with sheet B but measuring 4.5' from the edge (Figure 1-6). These pieces will eventually become the top and bottom of your octagon rail.
If you are happy with your marks, its time to cut them out. Keep in mind that you will be using the outer ring and the inner octagon from both pieces of wood so be careful. The easiest way to cut these rings is to drop your circular saw into the straight edges and cut that area first. Then you can clean up the corners with a jig saw and everything should come appart clean. When you're done, we will end up with 4 different pieces of wood that we will refer to as A, B, C, and D (Figure 1-7).
Plywood Table Plan
Now you can relax and put down your power tools. All of the cutting is done. With the wood work behind up, its time move ahead to Step Three - Building the Octagon Playing Surface.
Measuring and Cutting the Wood to Build a Racetrack Poker Table
In this step you will need a tape measure, string or chain, pencil, circular saw, jig saw, a few nails, and two sheets of 3/4' plywood. One sheet should have a stain grade finish while the other can be something much cheaper as only one piece will be exposed as the racetrack and the other will be completely covered in fabric.
To start, you will need to create the rounded ends of your poker table. To do this we measure 24' in from each end and make a mark close to the center. Then you will measure 24' from each side and connect with your previous mark to create and X. In the center of this X, pound in a nail part way. We will use the as our axis for all of our arc cuts.
Connect one end of your string or chain to the nail and the other end to your pencil making sure that your string is exactly 24'. To be sure, your pencil should meet the end of the sheet of plywood perfectly and arc either way to perfectly meet the outer edges. When you are sure that your measurements are correct, go ahead and draw the arc that your pencil follows when allowed to arc on the string (Figure 1-1). Now simply cut on the arced lines with your jig saw. Complete these steps for both sheets of plywood.
With both pieces of plywood now cut into identical ovals, its time to start making the differend pieces of your racetrack poker table. First we will work with the cheaper plywood that we will call Sheet 1. Using the same nails in the same axis points, you will draw another arc on each end of the oval. This time, however, you will shorten the string to 19.5'. To complete the ring, measure 4.5' from the edge of both long sides and draw lines connecting your two arcs. This should give you a 4.5' ring around the entire outer edge of the oval (Figure 1-2).
When you are sure that this is correct, its time to make your cuts. The easiest way to do this is to cut the long straight lines first by dipping your circular saw's blade into the line and following until it curves. Then you finish the arcs with your jig saw giving you two pieces of wood. These will later become the top of your padded rail and the base of your table.
Now it's time to mark and cut the racetrack, playing surface, and bottom of your padded rail. The lines will all be drawn like before, using the same axis points simply using different measurements. To cut the lower half of the rail off, you will use 22' of string and measure 2' from the outer edge. To cut the racetrack away from the playing surface you will use just 14.5' of string and measure 9.5' from the edge (Figure 1-3). This will give you a 7.5' racetrack of which 2.5' will be covered by the overhang of the rail, and 5' will be exposed. If you want a wider or narrower racetrack, you can adjust the measurements accordingly.
Plywood For Table Top
With all of your lines drawn and double checked, you can carefully cut out all three pieces. Unlike the standard all felt tables, when you're making a racetrack poker table, you need to be a little more careful with your cuts. This is because some of the wood will be exposed when the project is complete. Keep this in mind especially when you're making the inner cut for your racetrack. I also recommend that you clamp, or otherwise support in some way, each piece as it is being cut. The idea is to prevent anything from snapping off and leaving a rough edge that is exposed.
Using Plywood For Table Top
With all of your cuts completed you will have 5 pieces of wood. All of these will be used to build your racetrack poker table. We have labeled them A (playing surface), B (racetrack), C (bottom of rail), D (top of rail), and E (base). Figure 1-4.
Best Poker Tables
That's it! All of your wood work is done. It's time to put away the power tools and get out your paintbrush. Move on to Step Three - Finishing The Racetrack.