DIY Gaming Table (Using GamingGeek's Design)

I started the journey of building this gaming table in early Jan. Much of the design was borrowed from GamingGeek on YouTube ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spdescYFqIE ). All told, it took about 2 months to complete with my working on it here or there as I had time in the evenings. Next, showing the build progression.

Planning time! Though the project officially started in Jan, I have been thinking about this for MONTHS. Using GamingGeek's design & helpful YouTube video, I pulled together the materials. Sadly, the cost was about 400-600 bucks for me in the end versus the promised $150. This is largely due to the fact that the wood was about 3 times the costs quoted in the build. Supply and demand, I guess.

First step, fitting the TV into the table's base AND my first big mistake. Thought I would go the cheaper route by using particle board rather than plywood (its about 10% the cost). Sadly, I did not think through the fact that I needed to nail into the side of the board. Got the slot cut & ready - only to have to run out and buy some plywood to do it again. For this, I went with a 40'' TV. This required that I rework quite a bit of the measurements.

This is the underlying frame to the table. This step was probably the most nerve wrecking b/c I was being so meticulous on getting perfect 90 degree angles on this table. Much of this build depends upon the wood measurements working out perfectly and everything fitting tightly. Also, I found having a nail-gun is just about a must. I did not own one prior to this but got a very small compressor & gun for just under $150. Good for future projects too!

Got the armrests cut & ready to go. For the drinkholders, I used a 3'' holesaw bit to quickly knock those out. For the pencil holders, I used a jigsaw to cut them out by hand. They look nice, but, upon close inspection, you can see that the lines are not perfect. If I were redoing this part, I would find a lipped drawer organizer to fit into the recess rather than relying upon my being able to cut a straight line.

Stained & varnished table top. I am skipping a TON of time since the last image but it was simply ebony stain & about 4 layers of Varthane Triple-Thick Varnish. Also, I cut & placed in the foam backing for the pencil holders & table base.

Just a shot of the lower shelf. Thought it turned out pretty nice & it adds a TON of stability for the legs.

Here's a quick shot of the table wiring. Pretty simple & straightforward.

This is my biggest change from the plan. Originally, I intended to use 4 1x10 planks w/ the small spacer in the middle to cover the top. However, I had a heck of a time finding a 1x10 that was not twisted and that created a smooth service without rocking on the top. Instead of those, I found these nice pressed pine sheets that were very flat and made a more uniform surface. Also, went with a two-tone color (Provential Stain) to make the table fit into the room a bit better.

The TV is installed and part of the topic cover is removed. I ended up adding a Chromecast to the TV so that I can easily control it from anywhere I need.

Obligatory Roll20 snapshot. Yes, I cheesed it up by throwing on random dice and using a mock-up Roll20 instance. Still looks nice. :)

For those times when I don't want to use the TV, I bought a super-sized grid playmat. When I build up a bit more funding, I may end up buying a glass cover for the screen to protect it AND to allow me to use dry-erase markers on it.

QA department being very skeptical that any structure I built is actually sound.