© 2005-2010 tacospokerknights.com. All Rights Reserved
Home       League Guidelines & House Rules       Leader Board, Weekly Summaries & Prize Pool       Poker Tables       News       Contact Us
First thing I did was get some info from HOME POKER TOURNEY website, all kinds of great info there. I've checked out all those great sites
of other builder’s tables and got a lot of great ideas to build my own. After building two other tables prior to this table, this table should go
together without any problems. I knew I wanted to make the table somewhat portable, so the one idea  that I knew I wanted to use  came from
Ryan's Table I liked the idea of his pedestal. It comes a part and it's very sturdy and looks cool.
Okay lets get started. For now this is what
you will need for the basic construction.

**Safety First**
Tools Needed:
Tape Measure
Saw
Hole Saw
Drill & Bits
Sander
Jigsaw
Square
Dowel Jig
Clamps
Router

Materials Needed:
4 Sheet of 3/4 plywood A/C type (Sanded on
one side)
12 Cap Bolts, washers, and wing nuts
Epoxy Glue for Cap Bolts
Dowels
Wood Glue
Wood Screws
Wood Filler
And this is how we are going to build it.
First thing that needs to be done is find the center point for the arcs. I decided to use the
whole sheet of plywood for my table (4' x 8') so to find the center of the arc measure 24” across
the end, then measure 24” up each side. Then use the square to mark where the center is. Drill a
hole for a nail; drill it instead of beating the nail in with a hammer.
The square I use is made out of wood so I
laid it out for every arc I will need to make,
drilled the holes big enough for a pencil to
fit put a nail in the hole I drilled into the
plywood (center point) and made my first
mark at 24''. This needs to be done to one
other sheet of plywood.
Then cut both of the sheets of plywood. Not
at the same time. Save the cut-offs we will
use them to build up the height of the table.
Set one of the sheets of plywood aside. I
used my square again to draw a 4'' ring
around the arc (20'' from the center hole)
and a straightedge for the long sides, then I
used my saw with a fence on it to cut the
long sides and the jig saw to cut the arc, the
cut offs are good to clamp in place so the
ring doesn't fall through when cutting. This
sheet of plywood is the top piece of the rail
and the base of the table. Before setting this
aside to cut the next sheet of plywood put a
mark on both pieces so you know how to
put it back together.
With the other
sheet of plywood,
lay it out for the
racetrack and felt
part of the table.
The
measurements
you lay out are
12'' (center felt
piece), 16'' (center
line for the cup
holders) and 22''
(This is the other
half of the rail)
Next pulled a tape and
make marks at 19 1/4'',
38 1/2'', 57 1/2''and 76
3/4'' lay the tape near
the 16'' line then take
the square, where the
marks intersect with
the 16'' line is the
center of the cup
holders. For the end
cup holders 24'' is the
center mark for those.
Cut out the 2'' ring first, the same way you cut the 4'' ring, saw with the fence first, clamp
off with the cut offs so it doesn't fall through and the jig saw to cut the arcs.
For the center felt piece I figured out the
distance from the edge of the saw to the blade
and screwed a board in place for a fence. You
can clamp it in place too, if you screw it make
sure you screw it into the center felt area its
getting cover with felt anyways. Then cut the
arcs of the center felt with the jigsaw. Mark
everything so you know how it goes back
together.
When you’re done cutting everything those 2 sheets of plywood
become 5 different parts of the tabletop.








Next step to do is sand all the edges. This is the time to do it because
once you put it together you won't be able to get to some of the edges.
After the sanding is done I laid the sheet of plywood that is
cut out for the, felt area, racetrack and the 2'' rail piece on the
ground. Lay it down so the rough side of the plywood is up.
Then I took an old deck. I used 7 cards at a
time and cut them in about 1/2 '' strips,
then stick then into the cuts. If you have to
use a flat bar or something to get the cards
in, doing this will make sure everything
goes together without any problems
When you’re done with sticking the card
strips in, everything will be spaced evenly.
Then put the other sheet of plywood on top
with the smooth side up this time and do
the same thing to this with the cards. Then
draw 2 lines around the edge one at 1'' and
the other at 7'' they don't have to be perfect
it just give you an idea where the screws
need to go.
Next I found a drill bit that was a little
bigger then the screw heads I decided to
use, don't drill to deep just enough so the
screw heads get counter sunk. Line the
two sheets of plywood up and screw them
together. I used 1 1/4'' wood screws.
Then you can lift off the rail piece.




Set the racetrack back onto saw horses and
give it a test fit .If it’s a tight fit you can
always sand the edge down some more.
Then I took the router to 3 of the edges of
the rail just so everything wraps nice when I
wrap it with foam and vinyl.

I used the 3/4” bit to counter sink the cap
bolts. I drilled out for 12 cap bolts, I put 2 on
each side and 1 at the ends on the rail and
the center felt, don't go to deep just deep
enough to sink the heads of the cap bolts,
then I drilled holes in the center of those
holes with a 7/32” bit all the way through
both sheet of plywood. Then I took the rail
off and the center felt area out then I drill out
the 7/32” holes with a 3/8” drill bit.
Then I got ready for the epoxy glue by
starting the cap bolts.
I put some of the epoxy around the cap bolt.
Spin it around to mix it.
Put the washer and wing nut on, then I
called it a night to let it dry.


I tried using T-Nuts on the first oval table I
made and had a hell of a time with them, I
think this was a lot easier to do, plus one
good thing by do it this way is I don't need
any tools to take it apart, with the T-nuts
you would need a screwdriver.
From a half sheet of plywood you will need
a piece of plywood that’s 48'' x 461/2'', cut it
in half and you got the 2 long sides for the
pedestal.

With the last sheet of the 3/4'' plywood I
start by cutting two 6'' strips off of it. From
these strips I got my sides for the top part
of the pedestal. (2 - 48'' and 2 - 13 1/2'')
Next from that same sheet I laid out a 24'' x
24'' square then I cut it in half, these two 12''
x 24'' pieces will become the short sides of
the bottom part of the pedestal.
Then I made a made a rectangle that is 33”
x 59”. Then I cut that rectangle at 18’’
lengthwise. The 18'' piece is for the bottom
part of the pedestal and the 15'' piece is for
the top part of the pedestal. With the 18'' x
59'' piece I laid it out next to round the
corners. (9'' x 9'' is the center of the arc)
Then with the jigsaw cut the corners off.
Then I cut down the 15'' piece down to a
length of 51” then I rounded the edges
with the router and sander.



With that done it's time to put everything
together.
I started with the top part of the pedestal
first; there is a reason to do this part first.
Before setting up the dowel jig I laid the
sides out on the ground and took a marker
and marked all the joints.

Then I set the pieces in the jig the edge
where you see the square at is the edge
with the marks on them.
After all the joints where drilled and
doweled I glued and installed some screws.


Once everything was together I took the
router to all the edges besides the edge
that will get attached to the 15'' x 51'' piece
of wood.
I center it up on the 15'' x 51'' part and
trace around it with a pencil.




Applied some glue inside of my marks.
Line it up with the lines then clamped it off.





Flip it over and drove some screws in it.
This is why I did the top part first, before
putting the bottom part of the pedestal
together I slid the sides inside of the top
part to make sure everything will fit nice. If
it doesn't break out the sander and sand
the edges down a bit, now is the time to
see if everything fits BEFORE you put it
together. Then I basically put the bottom
part together the same way as the top.
Fits Like a Glove!
After the pedestal is done I flipped the
table top over and centered up where the
top part of the pedestal will go. Those
holes that were drilled to make the very
first arc are a good thing to go by to center
the pedestal up with.
I then glued and screwed it to the under side
of the tabletop.
Then I got some of them arc cut off sand
cut some blocks out of then to get the
height of the table up. All I did was screw
these in place without glue, just in case I
ever need to lower the table for any reason.
The basic construction is just about done,
the only thing left to do is flip the table back
over and drill the holes out for the cup
holders, before doing that I got the under
side of the table ready for paint by filling all
the screw heads in with wood filler. I even
did all the joints too.
After sanding the underneath side I
flipped it over, put it together. It’s looking
good so far.


Now I drill out the holes for the cup
holders, I got the jumbo size cup holders,
which is a 3 3/4'' hole. I found the hole saw
at Home Depot.
Done with the cup holder holes and lots of
sanding it’s time for the paint job.

I flip it over put the bottom part of the
pedestal in and gave it a base coat of gray. I
got all the paint at Walmart.
After a light sanding and another coat of
gray, I masked off the edge so the rail will go
on with no problems. Applied the fleck
paint, let dry then applied the final clear coat
over the fleck paint. I like this paint a lot it
looks so cool.
Then I painted the racetrack part of the table and called it a
night to let everything dry.
Next was to get my sister over to draw the
graphics my wife wants on the table.
She wanted dragons around the racetrack.
The dragons with some color.
I used a lacquer for a clear coat; I used a
total of 8 cans. I sanded in between each
coat with 220 grit sand paper.


Move it up to the poker room.
Next I applied the 1/4'' foam with 3M Spray
Adhesive and cut it with a electric knife. I
got the foam from Smackdogg. When I
first order from Smackdogg they had a
package deal, the package consisted of
cup holders, felt, foam, and the vinyl
everything you needed. They don’t have
that deal anymore so now a days I get
everything from
Your Auto Trim Store.
I laid the felt on the floor and the
centerpiece on top of it, and then I trace a
line around it using a pack of smokes as a
guide.
Yeah, yeah I know smoking is bad for you.
I started attaching the felt to the wood on
one of the long side did the other opposite
side then the arches. See the orange dot?
The table has one too so I know how it goes
together.
Then I installed the wing nuts from
underneath. Now it was time for the last
piece of the puzzle, the rail.

I decided to use 1/2 '' foam on the rail. I
sprayed it with the adhesive and trim it up
with the electric knife again.
I laid the vinyl down with the rail on top.
Just like the felt I started to attach along
one of the long sides then the opposite
side. For the arches I started right in the
center of the arch then the opposite, when I
did a side I ALWAY did the opposite side of
what I just did. Then trimmed the vinyl. This
is how the middle part of the vinyl should
be cut to wrap the inside. When cutting the
fingers for the arches stop you cut about 2
to 3 inches away from the frame of the rail.
It’s time! Shuffle up and deal!
If you found the info I have here helpful a donation would be cool of you.
Final Thoughts:
I've played poker at all kinds of different tables and I still have a full felt oval table in the poker garage, in my opinion racetrack tables look
cool but the problem I have with them is playing at one. If you don’t have a dealer, when do you have a dealer at a home game, the players
at the ends of the table have to reach to deal and to rake in there winning pots. If I were to make an oval type table for myself again I would
just make a full felt type table. I've just recently made a decagon table (10 sided table); to date this is my favorite table I've ever played on
everything is in reach and comfortable for everyone at the table. If you have a idea for a table and would like me to build it for you Contact
me so we can talk about want you want and get construction going.