Geek Chic Gaming Tables...Question to Carpenters..

[West996]

So I finally found the style of gaming table that I really want. I have been searching and searching. Of course it turns out my taste exceeds my budget. These Geek Chic tables are truly amazing, but I am not going to pay 3k + delivery for one.

What my question is for those that are more in the know about carpentry and what goes into making a table like this, is how much do you think it costs to make a table like this, and if you were willing to sacrifice some of the fancier look, could you make it out of cheaper wood to save some cost?

I don't need my table to have all the bells and whistles of a Geek Chic table, such as the rail system, with the cup holders, or even all the drawers, what I am really after is the lowered gaming surface that you can cover with the wooden leaves to preserve your game and make the table look like a regular table.

Any insight on this that can be offered would be greatly appreciated. I plan on just finding a capable carpenter in my area and commissioning the job, I just want to go in there with a little bit of knowledge to keep them honest.

[Gr33nJ3llo]

Honestly, I feel they have a fair price for a niche item.

I bought a Amish built mission style oak dining room table + 6 chairs. This cost me $2000, on sale, due to the poor status of the economy in 2007.


Big additions on the Geek Chic are the draws/pull outs, and the recessed area. OTOH, no chairs!

[Isante]

This is a tough question to answer since there are quite a few variables. The type of materials will vary the price rather drastically as well as the methods used. In my experience, what I would do if I wanted something like this is to find a picture of something close to what you are looking for such as the geek chic table or something along the lines of a poker table like this:



Find a few custom cabinetry shops or furniture shops and go in and talk with them about it. Having a picture like this will go a long ways to making sure they understand what you are looking for. And then shop around. Depending on who you talk to, the prices can vary pretty greatly. For example, something at ShopA will cost $1000 while at ShopB will cost $1600. There are many reasons for this but talking to as many different shops will allow you to get the best deal you can possibly get.

[West996]

Honestly, I feel they have a fair price for a niche item.

I bought a Amish built mission style oak dining room table + 6 chairs. This cost me $2000, on sale, due to the poor status of the economy in 2007.


Big additions on the Geek Chic are the draws/pull outs, and the recessed area. OTOH, no chairs!

Don't get me wrong, I do think that they are priced fairly, however I don't think shipping is included in their cost and I live in Ontario, Canada, so that is another big factor.

I also get why they are charging so much, it is a niche item with a low demand and it is hand made to order. So nothing against Geek Chic, but If I can get away with not paying those premiums by getting a local carpenter or furniture shop to make it for me, that is the way I'm going to go.

Yeah the big draw for me is a table that can look like a normal, nice looking table I can put in my office that has that inset gaming surface underneath. I will take a picture to some of the local places, I was just seeing if anyone that might be in the industry that posts on these forums should give me an idea of what I should pay before I go into a shop so I know if they are quoting me something fair.

I know this can vary greatly based on materials used, so I could also use some advice as to some of the cheaper woods to use that won't compromise the durability and stability of the table.

@Isante the link you posted has some nice tables. I don't want the table to look like a poker table though, I really like the appeal of it looking like just any other table when it is not in use, I also want something square to better suit war gaming.

That leads to another question. I want the table to comfortably play 4x4 Warmachine games. How big do you think the lowered surface should be to comfortably do this? Should I have an extra foot on the two ends the players stand on? We'll have the ledge to lean on and put things on, but you also don't want to have to place models right at the edge of the table.

[Isante]

@Isante the link you posted has some nice tables. I don't want the table to look like a poker table though, I really like the appeal of it looking like just any other table when it is not in use, I also want something square to better suit war gaming.

That leads to another question. I want the table to comfortably play 4x4 Warmachine games. How big do you think the lowered surface should be to comfortably do this? Should I have an extra foot on the two ends the players stand on? We'll have the ledge to lean on and put things on, but you also don't want to have to place models right at the edge of the table.

I know you don't want a poker table, but it's pretty much the same thing in terms of what you were looking for so more people might be able to relate to it. It all depends on how it's built for the depth of the gaming surface. If you have the room I'd go for a 4x6 area so you have some side space for drinks/models etc.

Ill try to post more when I get home later!

[Stuh42l]

Might at well go with 4x8 if you can swing the room. That leave room for books, tablets if warroom ever comes out, etc. Also, if pressed, you can pull out the sides for storage and run 2 games at the same time with more of your friends over.

[Po the Barbarian]

Maybe I can provide some insight as a geekchic customer:

For context, I've got a 5x4 playing area table from them, and it works great for warmachine with a Zuzzy mat in the playing area (It's also great for other table top games like D&D etc). They are a great company, incredible customer service, and I love the product, but I can totally see why you would look into building something similar to keep costs down.

On my table, the gaming area is about 2 inches deep ? this works well, but you can?t leave tall terrain or most models in there when it is closed up. You could save a lot of space in a custom model by not having the drawers that a GeekChic table does, as these close by sliding under the gaming area. This way you could build yours with maybe a 5 inch gaming depth and actually be able to leave a game undisturbed when closing the table up.

Shipping is a concern - it was 600 dollars to ship the table from their WA facility to the East Coast. But, you do get personal delivery by their staff an onsite setup etc. I just wanted to clarify that it wasn?t 3k to ship, so that may ease the price you (or someone else reading) would have to pay and make it the right choice. Though - we also got chairs to go with the table, and had to pay to ship those too, so there's that. They are great chairs though!

The GeekChic table has the cool drawers that pull out to put drinks on (as they have desks on the top of the drawers). If we didn't have those, the 1 extra foot of space on the end would be enough for dice, extra models etc., but 2 extra feet certainly wouldn't hurt (4x6). That way you could play in the middle and have space on both ends for stuff.

I did want to add - nothing at all against the plan of having something similar built - you may indeed be able to save over the bells and whistles approach GeekChic goes with. However, personally, I found the price to be pretty comparable to a regular handmade, quality, hardwood table.

I?d love to know how your quest turns out ? please do post pictures of the results when you get it!

[J. Beatnik]

Apparently some guys built a gaming table for around $500 (base materials)

ultimategamingtable.org

It's a roleplaying table, but if you modify the design, you could probably build one yourself for the same base materials. Contracted out to a local woodshop or cabinetry shop? I'd say that you'd be good to get in the range of $1000-$1500 for the finished product. That's using average quality lumber and all that. If you want to go cheaper, you could build it out of some 2x4s with a plywood base (8x4 table) and it'd make a good basement playing table for cheap.

[West996]

Maybe I can provide some insight as a geekchic customer:

For context, I've got a 5x4 playing area table from them, and it works great for warmachine with a Zuzzy mat in the playing area (It's also great for other table top games like D&D etc). They are a great company, incredible customer service, and I love the product, but I can totally see why you would look into building something similar to keep costs down.

On my table, the gaming area is about 2 inches deep ? this works well, but you can?t leave tall terrain or most models in there when it is closed up. You could save a lot of space in a custom model by not having the drawers that a GeekChic table does, as these close by sliding under the gaming area. This way you could build yours with maybe a 5 inch gaming depth and actually be able to leave a game undisturbed when closing the table up.

Shipping is a concern - it was 600 dollars to ship the table from their WA facility to the East Coast. But, you do get personal delivery by their staff an onsite setup etc. I just wanted to clarify that it wasn?t 3k to ship, so that may ease the price you (or someone else reading) would have to pay and make it the right choice. Though - we also got chairs to go with the table, and had to pay to ship those too, so there's that. They are great chairs though!

The GeekChic table has the cool drawers that pull out to put drinks on (as they have desks on the top of the drawers). If we didn't have those, the 1 extra foot of space on the end would be enough for dice, extra models etc., but 2 extra feet certainly wouldn't hurt (4x6). That way you could play in the middle and have space on both ends for stuff.

I did want to add - nothing at all against the plan of having something similar built - you may indeed be able to save over the bells and whistles approach GeekChic goes with. However, personally, I found the price to be pretty comparable to a regular handmade, quality, hardwood table.

I?d love to know how your quest turns out ? please do post pictures of the results when you get it!

Thanks for the insight as a Geek Chic customer that is really helpful.

I do wish I could just order it from Geek Chic and support the company because they truly have an amazing and unique product. It is really just the shipping that kills it for me. I think that if I asked Geek Chic to forgo some of the bells and whistles I could get the price of the table down to something I could afford. I just don't know how I could justify playing the $600 in shipping when those dollars could go into the actual product at a local place.

I will come back and post updates if I do find someone to build it.

Other then that I might just have to find an excuse to drive to WA and pick it up, lol.

[Gr33nJ3llo]

Other then that I might just have to find an excuse to drive to WA and pick it up, lol.

There is always that.

[West996]

Scratch that I just googled maps it. I'm over 4000 km away.

[HRViolation]

Ryan is a college friend of mine. He can build any piece of furniture you can ever dream up. I showed him a Geek Chic table a year ago and suggested that there seems to be a small market in this realm. Ryan used to play GW mini's back in the day so he understands basic mini-table 'wants'.

About 6 months ago, I received the prototype table. It is absolutely the best table you have ever seen period (gaming or not) and I own a fancy dining table that cost me thousands. He is a Kompany (for you Khador folks) of 1 and is based in Denver and his turn around time for a table is 6 weeks - 3 months depending on how much current work he is doing.

I have gamed on and touched several Game Chic tables and Ryan's is a nicer table. A Cryx\Menoth friend and his wife came over, were thinking about a Game Chic table and ordered a table from Ryan which is now in their house.

Cost is comparable, (but you get a better table) and is a negotiation directly with Ryan.

I was will display some pictures when I get home, it is a long overdue task that I have fumbled... here is his webpage (but it doesn't have the gaming table pics, but it has other furniture)

[West996]

Ryan is a college friend of mine. He can build any piece of furniture you can ever dream up. I showed him a Geek Chic table a year ago and suggested that there seems to be a small market in this realm. Ryan used to play GW mini's back in the day so he understands basic mini-table 'wants'.

About 6 months ago, I received the prototype table. It is absolutely the best table you have ever seen period (gaming or not) and I own a fancy dining table that cost me thousands. He is a Kompany (for you Khador folks) of 1 and is based in Denver and his turn around time for a table is 6 weeks - 3 months depending on how much current work he is doing.

I have gamed on and touched several Game Chic tables and Ryan's is a nicer table. A Cryx\Menoth friend and his wife came over, were thinking about a Game Chic table, S**T themselves when they saw this table and ordered a table from Ryan which is now in their house.

Cost is comparable, (but you get a better table) and is a negotiation directly with Ryan.

I was will display some pictures when I get home, it is a long overdue task that I have fumbled... here is his webpage (but it doesn't have the gaming table pics, but it has other furniture)

http://www.rtsfurnituredesign.com/

If you look at the 'Custom' section of your friends website I think there are pictures of your table there. It is nice. Your friend it still about 2400 km away from me though. So while you are closer then Washington, I think I would still run into the same logistic problems as I do with Geek Chic

[Sand20go]

If you look at the 'Custom' section of your friends website I think there are pictures of your table there. It is nice. Your friend it still about 2400 km away from me though. So while you are closer then Washington, I think I would still run into the same logistic problems as I do with Geek Chic

Gut tells me that you should do some investigating for custom furniture makers in Ontario. Believe it or not they exist. If you are going to pay the prices that Chic wants then you really do want it how you want it.

[HRViolation]

Actually shipping wasn't that bad*.... bad meaning a couple of hundred dollars on FedEx Freight. He shipped from Denver to Seattle, it took like 2-3 business days to get here. This table is the taller barstool height which you see in some kitchen islands. It has 6 x 4 playable space and a 10" lip so you can write on etc. It has 6" of depth so that you can insert whatever foam terrain board you make and keep most mini's standing up while still putting the top on. I purchased a GW portable game board and the ruins you see are some of my old Lord of the Rings terrain.

The inside of the board is made out of pool table surface and I remove the rolling hills terrain to play say a city scape battle or long board games like Arhkam Horror.
One day I found my 2 year old and 5 year old standing on it... and thats why you buy a gaming table with a lid.
You can choose color, wood (my top is cherry), how 'damaged' or clean the finish is etc. You can choose a table to match the style of your other furniture. You can throw in an armoire that matches the gaming table. (that might cost $)
Note in one picture (with my son) you can see what looks like to be a blemish on the lid. That is actually a keyhole, which is used to lift the top off. So how do you sell your spouse? Make the table so nice that she wants to have it, else you are in the garage or basement and playing on a ping pong table. (which isn't a wholly bad idea but you get the drift)
Anywho I will take some pics of my other buddies table. Supposable since mine was the prototype... his is 'superior'. bah

[HRViolation]

[HRViolation]

[HRViolation]

[ryaniksentrik]

Thats a really nice table HRViolation, showed it to the wife and she loved it too.

Guess I know what my next project for the house will be.

[MagnustheJust]

It would not be hard at all to duplicate a basic version of that table - sans drawers and pull-outs. If you have access to some wood working power tools, you could build one for a few hundred, depending on the woods chosen for the construction.

[infernofish1]

I am also in Ontario, and I just commissioned a table from a local custom carpentry shop. It is going to be a 6'x4' table, with a 4'x4' section that is recessed 2" into which I can insert different foam boards that I have made for warmachine. The additional flush 2'x2' top will be a place for dice/cards/etc, or when playing a larger game you can just use the foam and the hardtop. The table is being made from birch and will have folding banquet table legs. They are also staining it for me, and all of this is running me only $400. So, I am definitely an advocate of searching around for a local carpenter to see what they will quote you on it. (I am in Ottawa, if you are close I can send you to the same shop).

[Briard]

(I am in Ottawa, if you are close I can send you to the same shop).

Seriously? In Ottawa? Me too!
Give me the details. I have been thinking of trying to put together my own table, but I have no carpentry experience. If there are custom carpenters, who can do it cheap, and are right in my backyard... Maybe I can discuss what I want with them.

[MikeyC]

The table that HRViolation posted is amazing and definitely a miniature war gaming table. But that thing from geek chic is not, in my opinion anyways. It looks more like some form of board game table or something. I have seen almost the exact same thing for Axis & Allies and I am only saying almost exact because i think it is the exact same but cant be 100% sure.

But either way, if you have the money to waste yeah, going all out on a table is a great thing to be capable of doing. But realists like me who aren't rolling in dough just go drop 100 bucks on lumber and slap together a perfectly fine table that is just as good as these just not as pretty. Luckily pretty doesn't matter unless for some reason you are using it as a centerpiece in your home, which is just kind of weird.

[MaxKool]

Naw mike, that table is a wargaming table. They just have the tops on to play board games. A friend of mine has a geek chic table IDE swap my table for it anytime. It's awesome to play on and looks fantastic as his dining room table.
It's hard to talk them down, my wife's fact dining room table and chairs cost more than the geek chic and after seeing it in person she said we should have ordered one cause its nicer.
They are absolutely worth the money, u would be surprised what high quality handmade tables of any kind cost.

[hausdorff space]

I don't need my table to have all the bells and whistles of a Geek Chic table, such as the rail system, with the cup holders, or even all the drawers, what I am really after is the lowered gaming surface that you can cover with the wooden leaves to preserve your game and make the table look like a regular table.

Any insight on this that can be offered would be greatly appreciated. I plan on just finding a capable carpenter in my area and commissioning the job, I just want to go in there with a little bit of knowledge to keep them honest.

Have you considered simply purchasing an old snooker table and re-purposing it?

... I would expect thats one of the cheaper and easier ways to go?

[iG4MER]

What is the card game being played?

[Bullockist]

I think that table looks great. However if i was going to get one i'd really want sturdier drink holders, after paying big money for a table i can see them getting massacred easy (of course if they rotate under when not in use i see them lasting 50% longer). Drink holder destruction may just be a side effect of living in Australia with lots of drunken idio.... drunken australians.

[Strobe]

I built a gaming table for Wargaming/RPGs a few years ago for about AU$500.


I did/do intend to release the design but never got around to finishing the document of plans. If you want some more details I'm happy to discuss it.

-Strobe

Edit: Oh, I should mention I have a MkII table kicking about my mind with a more sunken surface and a top to convert it to a more traditional table when not in use (like it is ever not in use).

[havre]

All the tables presented are nice but if I were to commission my own, I would make sure it was a bit more space effective, especially on the sides. I guess most of you wargamers are familiar with 'Wargaming back' - the result of bending over a table for too long. You would want to minimize the bending, thus reducing the load of material between you and the gaming surface as much as possible.

You would want to decide wether you would like it to be room for 2'' foam inlays or if you would like a felt surface or Zuzzy mat to play on.

I would love to see the result of this project either way.

[Gr33nJ3llo]

I built a gaming table for Wargaming/RPGs a few years ago for about AU$500.
[/URL]

Strobe that's a very nice table, but I think you're comparing apples to oranges. I could also probably build a decent table out of cheap lumber for a few hundred dollars.

However, that is NOT a peice of fine furniture with the additional labor and nice materials inherent in such a product. Also, the Geek Chic people are not selling these tables at cost, which I would figure it around 1/2 to 1/3 list price.

[func]

I would give my left arm for a Geek Chic table, just PM me

No, but seriously. Im thinking of taking contact with a woodshop-school nearby and offering them some cash for a table, something they can make as a sort of student project. Something that all Swedish students have to do the last year of studies. Might be worth it both for wargaming and poker!

[ColdYinTiger]

That is a very nice table, and very well crafted, but as what was said before those drink holders look oddly out of place in quality compared to the rest. As it was said before, really good quality woodwork will run you a lot. That said, I probably wouldn't drop that kind of cash unless I had more than enough wiggleroom with my budget.

[weirdums]

I'm a carpenter in lower ontario. The cost of a custom table of any type is just labor and matterial. So its gonna cost more for nice wood and drowers and recesed surfaces. If you keep it simple and make it out of pine, it'll be reasonable. Try talking to a mennonite funitue salesperson at your local farmers market ( its not a sterio type, its true. Many menno run woodshops on their farms). The geek-chic tables are a reasonable price for what you're getting. However paying customs at the US border would make shipping costs stupid.

Have a clear drawing of what you want. THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.

[HRViolation]

That is a very nice table, and very well crafted, but as what was said before those drink holders look oddly out of place in quality compared to the rest. As it was said before, really good quality woodwork will run you a lot. That said, I probably wouldn't drop that kind of cash unless I had more than enough wiggleroom with my budget.

The drink holders push in and there are 2 per corner. They were designed to hold a pint glass. There is a metal cup insert that fit into them that hold a bottle shape or drinking glass better. My buddy who made the table also made a similiar table, but lighter and with less screws (mine was the prototype and he improved it on table 2) for a buddy of mine (the guy with the Lemmy beard) who geeked out playing on it.

His table is a bit smaller and with less fancy legs so saved him some money. You can adjust your cost by using less expensive wood and stain\laquering. My table is cherry and the top is apple.



Oh and the card game is A Game of Thrones LCG which we just started up again... go Martels!

If you are interested PM me and I will give you his info and help get a hold of him.

[rpddink]

As a carpenter remember you are paying a little for materials and the rest for the time, labor, and skill of a craftsman.