Data Sphere

These days my schedule doesn't let me get down to the club to play much anymore so I've decided to build a table for home. The trick is I live in a NYC apartment so it's all gotta fold up.
I started by getting my hands on a some of the SML City streets.
http://sharkmountedlasers.com/product-c ... y-streets/

They're awesome but I failed to take into account the fact that I don't have a table wide enough to fit them. So I came up with an idea for a frame to rest the boards on so I can fit them on the table. I got four 4'2" x 1" thick boards and cut a notch at each end.


This way when I snap the notches all together I've got a 4' x 4' frame.
Basically I made giant Lincoln logs.

Next step adding little ledges for the boards to sit on.

Looks good so far - can't wait to see more.

Question about the ledges - I assume you're planning on putting them around the edges of the frame, correct? If so, you will need something in the middle of the board to support the inside corners of the panels, else your board will droop slightly at the centre.

Cool idea. I am similarly space challenged in my London flat so I'll be watching with interest

That couch looks exactly like mine. Weird sensation.

It's the pile of laundry on the couch right?

So I cut the ledges. They only go on the two sides that over hang the table. That way the top of the ledge is flush with the top of the table. So if you're using 12" x 12" boards you'll need a table that's at least 26" wide. That way the outer tiles rest on the edge of the table and the ledge on the frame.

I've got the clamps on there because I haven't been able to nail it all together.

Here're all the tiles fit into the frame.


Best part the whole things folds down to a 12" x 12" x 4" pile and 4 48" sticks.


If I were doing this again I might use thicker boards. for the frame. The ones I used warp a bit more that I would like.

That's brilliant!

Swanky. Good job on it.

Very good idea!

Since you are using 12x12 tiles why not make a 12x12 grid to support the tiles evenly.
The benefit would be stronger support and no warping.

A 12 x 12 grid would give me more support but it would also be a lot more material. I think I'll clamp the frame down to the table when I'm playing just to make sure it doesn't go anywhere. Hopefully I'll get some time this weekend to finish up the frame. If it ever stops snowing I'll even get some paint on it.

Well.. my idea for a table (and still just an idea) is two 2x4' sheets of stuff (I'm thinking processed wood, like HDF or maybe plywood, though PVC or plexiglass can be interesting, too, as they are invulnerable to humidity). Add non-slip stickers I've seen in a DYI store, and call it a day.


It would be pretty cheap and easy to make (only the cost of material and cutting - the store can cut it for me - plus the non-slip stickers).

It would be easy to store (just two boards of not overtly thick stuff, 60x120cm each - stuck them anywhere), thus acceptably easy to move by public transport. Though I'd prefer 65x130cm or something about the size (i.e. 5cm / 2" extra on each edge) to make a "technical zone" buffer between actual terrain / models placed on the edge of the gaming space, and physical edge of the table. And could also be used for rolling the dice / storing dead models and so on...

Easy to deploy - put them next to each other on a kitchen table / dining table / two school benches (schools are pretty common place to organize gaming events here) or in a pinch - just on the floor. Make sure the furniture below supports the table adequately that is - a little over half of it, I guess). The anti-slip stickers will keep them from moving (and being accidentally bumped remians just as much of a problem as with any other table).

Then, you could place any kind of terrain on it - from street tiles like those shown in this topic, to individual terrain pieces of any type.

Errhile, consider 40cmx40cm squares. You would need 9, and unlike the larger sheets (60cm x 120 cm maybe) they would be easily transportable.

No sir, 120*60 is a lot easier. And if you get sponsors, it even pays back.

red harvest wrote:Errhile, consider 40cmx40cm squares. You would need 9, and unlike the larger sheets (60cm x 120 cm maybe) they would be easily transportable.

I, respectfully, disagree.

40x40cm is what I consider good size for terrain tiles (I originally thought about 30x30cm, but these I'd need 16). However, most of the time, it is the tableboard itself that is a problem. You have to have something to place the terrain on. Even terrain tiles need to be supported by something.

With 40x40cm tiles, I'd say that you need at least 100x100cm flat, rigid surface underneath. And even that means the side tiles will hang half in the air (and the corner ones 75% in the air), making them pretty likely to flip and fall down.
So - sorry, but as a tableboard construction, 40x40cm makes no sense to me. Unless you want to give it a support gird strycture similar to that the OP is making (but it would require a support beam every 40cm, as to support every 40x40cm tile on at least two opposite edges) - which I consider to be more trouble than it is worth.

So, while you are right about 9 pieces of 40x40cm being far easier to transport, they fail to fulfill the basic requirement of providing a reliable, stable gaming surface.
Well... you could always lay them right on the floor. That's what I did with those large wargaming maps that were often over a meter across... but I'm no longer a teenager: I wouldn't consider spending a hour or two n my knees a good idea anymore...

We have a guy in our area that built a 4x4 table that folds in two with hinges.
He added a shoulder strap and a small lock to keep it closed during transport.

As for the OPs project. A double layered grid made out of Coroplast would be extremely cheap, lightweight and easy to store or transport.

I thought about such a folding design, but I'm afraid I'm not a craftsman good enough to pull it.
Would you care to share some photos, MarkC?

Errhile wrote:I thought about such a folding design, but I'm afraid I'm not a craftsman good enough to pull it.
Would you care to share some photos, MarkC?

I tried locating them but the designer removed them from our local forum.

I got everything nailed together and looks like it works. I clamped it to the table for added stability
I have a lot of painting ahead of me and I'm going to need a lot more terrain.

Very good!
Who makes these buildings?

Currently nobody but I'm working with shark mounted lasers to produce therm.

Oh and the buildings all fold up with no glue. The whole set fits in an 8 x 10 box.

So I got a bunch more building in and here it is all put together:


And disassembled.


I've got some serious painting ahead of me.

Oh ho! Prototypes from Dexter, huh? Have you seen the preprinted versions from Rumble?

Gleeptoid7 wrote:Currently nobody but I'm working with shark mounted lasers to produce therm.

You're part of the Hexagon Mill team?

Yeah I'm the designer of these things. I've seen pictures of the preprinted ones I made some of the textures.

You might want to add some non-slip drawer liner (or nonslip rug pads) under the game table, Gleeptoid. That will help prevent scratching up the table surface.

I have the same problem with my Zuzzy matts, I decided to just get a 4x 1by4 foot pieces of board, with a rubber mat that is normally used to put under a rug to stop it from slipping. I think it costs me 15-20$. The HW store sells the boards in 2x4 pieces and get 1 free cut per piece so the effort is negligible. I was looking at building a piece that had hinges in it, and permanently gluing the non-stick mat to the bottom, but I could not see any way of making it foldable without making it having to make it a lot thicker to let me screw into it properly, or it would have screws sticking out that could scratch the table. I figure it would be better just to keep it simple.

The 1x4s are easy to hide in the back of the closet.

MARC C wrote:

Errhile wrote:I thought about such a folding design, but I'm afraid I'm not a craftsman good enough to pull it.
Would you care to share some photos, MarkC?

I tried locating them but the designer removed them from our local forum.

Not a problem any more. I figured that if I kept my 130x65cm table halves separate, I could very easily add another 130x60cm board in-between them, getting a 6x4 table for big games- and do that at the later date.

Well, the idea is neat, now I have to make it into reality, dammit...

Huh, I did something similar to this for a 5x3 table, except it was a little more clunky and actually folded up instead of disassembling like yours.

Buy some plywood or any other sturdy material to serve as a base, buy foamcore. Cut 6 24x24 base material and foamcore pieces, Glue them together, carve foamcore whatever you like, hit it with sand and grit and paint it. Really cheap and gives you ability to customize your table yourself, as well as compact storage ability.