Table Construction

Slot Car Table Construction 101

Introduction

Layouts setup on the floor are prone to damage, more difficult to keep clean (both track and cars) and offer limited landscaping opportunities. Setting your track layout on a table will generally improve your overall racing experience. The following article describes how to make sturdy tables which require no special tools or skills to construct. The basic design is a variation of a table design which can be found on Greg Braun's excellent website (www.hoslotcarracing.com). While this article includes measurements to build a 4' x 8' table (since this is a common size for dimensional lumber in the United States), you can easily adapt the construction techniques to any size table you might need and/or lumber sizes which are readily available in your neck of the woods.

Materials List

Qty: 9 - 1" x 4" x 8" for the frame which will support the table surface and for leg braces

Tip: When visiting the local lumberyard or home improvement store, take some extra time to select straight lumber. This may sound obvious but starting out with straight lumber will make any woodworking project much easier.

Tip: Bring along a tape measure when you purchase the lumber and make sure each piece is at least 8' (96") long. I've seen lumber at the local home improvement store which was a tick shy of 8' long. While you can make adjustments, it is MUCH easier to work with the full 8' lengths.

Qty: 3 - 2" x 4" x 8' for the table legs. The tips described above apply here too.

Qty: 4 - 3/8" x 6" carriage bolts to fasten legs to table frame

Qty: 4 - 3/8" metal washers

Qty: 4 - 1/2" metal washers

Qty: 4 - 3/8" nuts

Qty: 4 - leg levelers (www.woodworkers.com Item #: 234-010)

Qty: 1 - 1/2" x 4' x 8' plywood with at least one "smooth" side

Qty: 75 (approx.) 1 1/2" - 2" wood screws (#7 or #8)

Qty: 1 - wood glue

Getting Started

Cut two (2) pieces of the 1" x 4" lumber to EXACTLY 96" length. They will serve as the side rails for the table frame. Next, cut seven (7) pieces of the 1" x 4" lumber to EXACTLY 46 1/2" length. They will serve as the cross members for the table frame.

Building the Frame for the Tabletop

Tip: The following steps will go a LOT easier if you have a work surface which is a least 8' wide to work on. A couple of saw horses with a piece of plywood (or even lengths of dimensional lumber) as shown in the picture will work fine.

Lay the two side rails side by side on your work surface so both ends are in alignment with one another. Measuring from one end of the rails, use a carpenter's square to scribe lines at 3/8", 14", 17 3/4", 48", 78 1/4" 82" and 95 5/8".

Note: The measurements above assume you will be using doubled-up 2"x4"s for the table legs. If you plan to use 4"x4"s instead, you will need to adjust the 17 3/4" and 78 1/4" measurements.

Pre-drill and countersink 2 small (approx. 3/16") holes in the side rails on each of the lines scribed in the previous step. These holes will be used for screws which will help hold the cross members to the side rails.

"Glue and screw" the 7 cross members to the first side rail as shown below following the steps outlined below (don't do anything with the second side rail just yet).

1) Place screws in the pre-drilled holes (just a couple of turns to get them started) in the side rail BEFORE gluing/screwing the cross members!

2) For each cross member:

a) Place some wood glue on one end of the cross member.

b) Center the cross member on the "inside" of the side rail using the lines drawn on the "outside" of the side rail to center it.

c) Use a #7 or #8 screw 1 1/2" to 2" long to secure the cross member to the side rail. Make sure the screws pull the joint tight so the glue can set up properly. The screws don't add much strength to butt joints like this - instead, they help ensure each cross member is glued securely to the side rail.

The picture below shows 2 of the lines scribed on the side rail in an earlier step and 2 sets of screws attached to cross members to hold them securely in place while the glue dries (cross members are "behind" the side rail hidden from view in this picture).

Once all 7 cross members have been attached with glue and screws to the first side rail, carefully grab the side rail and slide the partial frame off the front edge of the table as shown below. You want to stand the partial frame on the floor with the first side rail on the floor and each cross member pointing straight up into the air (see next photo). By using the edge of your work surface to support the cross members, there is minimal chance they will be pulled away from the side rail as you reposition the partial frame.

Note: I placed a stool under the frame to hold it temporarily so I could take this picture - normally you wouldn't do this.

At this point, your partially completed table frame should look like the one in the picture below. Don't worry if the cross members are not perfectly lined up - the second side rail will take care of that. Place glue on the top edge of all cross members in preparation for attaching the second side rail.

Place screws in the pre-drill holes (just a couple of turns to get them started) BEFORE gluing/screwing the cross members. Attach the second side rail to the cross members.

Place the table frame on a flat surface. Measure each diagonal as shown to ensure the table frame is square. If the measurements are identical (i.e. frame is square), let the glue set up before proceeding.

If the diagonal measurements are not identical, the frame is not square. Place one corner of the "long" diagonal against a secure object (a lolly column in the picture). Now push on the opposite corner of the "long" diagonal. Measure both diagonals again - continue in this fashion until both diagonals are the same length. Once the lengths are identical, place a heavy object against the opposite corner to ensure the table frame remains square while the glue sets up.

Building and Attaching Legs

Start by gluing up two 2x4's 31" long each (adjust length to your desired table height). You'll need four (4) sets per table.

Once the glue has set up, secure each leg to the table frame as shown below. The legs should be attached roughly 6" inside the side rails. A single 3/8" x 6" carriage bolt with washers is used for each leg. Use a "square" (builder's or carpenter's) to square each leg to the table top frame before tightening up the carriage bolts.

Tip: If the legs are too large/wide to fit between the cross members, you can use course sandpaper, a rasp and an electric sander to make them narrower.

Add 1x4 bracing about 8" from the bottom of the legs as shown in the picture above (keep in mind the table is upside down).

Unless you have a perfectly flat floor which the table will rest on, you'll eventually need to level your table(s). While shims made of various materials can be used, leg levelers are a very easy way to do this. The materials list at the beginning of this article includes a link to a web-based source where you can purchase these. To install the leg levelers:

a) Drill a 7/16" hole straight into the bottom on each leg. The hole is hidden in the picture below by the leveler mounting plate. The hole is necessary to allow the leveler "leg" to be adjusted up or down.

b) Attach the leveler mounting plate over the hole. The picture below shows my (then) 6 year old daughter mounting one of the leg leveler mounting plates. If you have kids, make sure to get them involved - they love to build things!

c) Once the mounting plate is attached, simply screw the leveler leg/base into the threaded hole and you're all set.

Tip: I generally screw the leveler leg into the mounting plate until only about 1/2" of thread is showing. If you go too far, it will be difficult to get a wrench on the adjusting nut when you actually turn the table upright and begin leveling.

Congratulations! You now have a table frame which is almost complete - it should look like the one in the picture below. You can turn the table over in preparation for attaching your table surface.

Even with the leg bracing, the legs can still pivot on the carriage bolts. To ensure this doesn't happen, attach a small square block of wood to each leg where it meets the cross rail on the table frame. Use 2 screws to secure each block as shown below.

The final step before attaching your table surface is to cut some short (3 1/2" long) 1" square blocks to strengthen the joints where the cross rails meet the side rails. Glue and clamp in place - once installed, they should look something like the picture below.

Attach Your Table Surface

Attach your table surface to the table frame. You have a couple of options here:

1) Glue and screw the surface to the table frame. The downside with gluing is you cannot disassemble the table in the future if desired.

2) Screw the surface to the table frame. While not quite as strong as a surface which is glued, the table will still be very strong! This option also gives you the flexibility to disassemble the table in the future.

Here's a picture of a completed table with a plywood surface.

Finishing Touches...

Use the leg levelers to level the table surface. If you have multiple tables, make sure adjoining surfaces are the same height. You can fasten some sort of soundproofing material (e.g. homosote, carpet, foam) if desired. A little paint or carpeting and you're ready to start setting up your track!

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