Looking for a quick, cheap, table to hold a small model railway? If you have a drill and a few nails why not build your own?If you’re building a railway for your children you don’t need an elaborate baseboard construction and other ‘table top’ set ups can be too high for a small child. Play tables are ideal – they’re low for great for small children but will keep the railway – whether it’s a Thomas style plastic train set or more sophisticated Hornby OO gauge starter pack – off the floor.
But it’s shocking how much play tables can be. The average seems to be £50 to £100!
I honestly had no idea they were quite so much until I stumbled across one (literally) in a shop and glanced at the price. I nearly fell over it again!! Intrigued I had a look online when I got home and sure enough the average price for a simple wooden kids table hoovers around £70.
For something that will just be used to keep trains or maybe Lego off the floor this is pretty steep. Especially as they’re made from a few bits of wood.
This got me thinking. How difficult can it be to make your own and save that money for the actual trains?
After a bit of research it turns out it’s not that difficult at all. Scott Lawrence has a great breakdown of the parts needed on his Geodesic Sphere blog:
- Two 2×4, cut to pieces: 5′, 2’9″ (2’9″ + two thicknesses of 2x4s = 3′), leftover
- One 2×4, cut to pieces: 18″, 18″, 18″, 18″, 18″, leftover (one extra leg, because why not.)
- One 1×3, cut to pieces: 3′, 3′, leftover (for the lip)
- Two 1×3, cut to pieces: 5′ 1 1/2″, leftover (for the lip, with added width for the side lip)
- One piece of 1/2″ 4×8 plywood, cut to 5′ by 3′
- One box of 2 1/2″ drywall screws for connecting 2x4s into 2x4s
- One box of 1 5/8″ drywall screws for connecting 1x3s into 2x4s
- Finish nails (i had some leftover from before)
From his step-by-step guide see the full post here.
Picture: (c) Scott Lawrence, http://geodesicsphere.blogspot.co.uk/