Cheap DIY Gaming TV Table THAT'S PORTABLE!

Would have been nice to actually see the table.

Amazing table, if possible could you provide a full design blueprint you used to make it? I have some ideas, but would like to have the base idea.

Dose it still hold up 4 years later?

In the off chance you ever see this comment 4 years later...would you maybe be able to do a quick video showing if/how your table has held up over these last 4 years? Anything you would do differently after having used it for the last 4 years? Something you wish you had added or done differently? Any problems or difficulties with it 4 years later?

I'd like to build a portable table as well and I'm curious what lessons have been learned over the last 4 years that you might apply today if you were to build a new one?

NEvan?

How much does it weigh?

Pretty cool project, just want to say that the main reason you'd want glass over the TV isn't to avoid scratches on the TV but to avoid cracking the fragile liquid crystal layer, which can absolutely happen if a die has a little too much velocity, or if you accidentally drop a miniature on it when setting up. Most consumer tvs don't have a glass layer like cellphones have, instead have a flexible plastic layer that doesn't offer much protection against an impact.

To reduce the outlay for the table make the center section so you can hang it on the wall between games and use the screen as a TV the rest of the time.

+1 for using Starfinder books ❤

So now that you have a TV table, where do you get the digital maps to run on it?

Love the table.
But what are you on regarding giving tips?
Where Im from that is the biggest insult ever and tiping the pizza man..? might as well telling him to go F himself. 😂

honestly our living room table pulls apart in the middle as that's where you insert the extension boards, and the TV on the wall fits PERFECTLY in that area, the TV is as long as the table is broad

I wish you would have SHOWED us the building process, and not just told us what you did.
Seeing the steps, and not just your face makes all the difference.

Thank you SO VERY MUCH! Using your video I constructed a similar table that my players LOVED! I ended up “upholstering” the extensions with marine vinyl from a fabric store instead of the neoprene mat and it worked well. This took our gaming to the next level, and the portability means we can set up in our living room, but still return it to normal afterwards. Thanks again!

We don't have the room for a 2nd table in our house we only have a 700 sq ft to work with but I was thinking about one that we can just lay down on the table with a fancy frame would be nice

what software is that that he is using?

I've got a tv currently, but I don't have very many tools or anyone with any tools so honestly I'm probably going the cheapest route possible over the summer, a small case to hold my tv and an HDMI to connect to my laptop. This is so I can run DnD more effectively as it's a big part of my life. I am currently prepping over the summer for a long term campaign for my college friends. So having a few ways to make my budget needed smaller is great as this is a luxury not necessity.

Hi just subbed, great content but what sealed the deal is the comment at the start about tipping!

I recently built a variation of this table and mistakes were made but nothing catastrophic. I will mention the things that I learned along the way.

Blueprints for this build are hard to provide since the table itself is built around the actual size of the tv itself. You will have to do the math and make your hole fit the TV you are putting in there. I will mention the strategy for me when building was to build the center box where the TV fits and then build the rest of the table around that.

Also, because it's a table built around a TV you have and since tvs are different lengths and sizes, your pretty much stuck with the tv you built the table for. If that TV dies, you better hope to find the exact same model or close enough to its size to replace or your tv table will become useless.

The legs he used are ok, but when assembled, the table has wobble no matter how tight the legs are screwed into the base. It would be hard to add stabilizer bars to each leg since they are removable. I'm still trying to figure out this problem but the table is functional. It's just easy to knock the table and maybe spill a drink if that was to happen.

I don't agree with his conclusion on not using plexiglass. I went ahead and bought plexiglass and cut it to size. No one seems to care or has complained about the floating characters but this is a subjective con. However remember what I said about if the TV is damaged, it will be hard to replace. Also understand that Plexiglass is not really that cheap. The cut of plexiglass that would work for my 40 inch TV at Home Depot cost me around 50 dollars.

Pretty much the biggest top piece for your table is going to be 8'x4' at any of the regular box stores. That means your likely not going to build your table any wider that 4 feet. If you tv won't fit that width, you pretty much can't use it. You may find bigger at a specialty wood shop but your gonna pay for it too. Keep in mind the reason your building a table is to provide a comfortable amount of room for people to play. If you put a huge TV that is almost as wide as the TV table itself people will not be able to play there. I felt that 14 inches from TV box to the edge of the table was adequate. This is subjective. My build has a 40 inch TV and the table length and width ended up being 6'x4'. This is adequate for 5-7 people and does fit the DM and all of his stuff quite well on one side.

You will find yourself going to the specialy wood shops for things like latches to secure the top pieces and pins to line up the two top pieces together. This will cost you money. You may save money by buying on Amazon.

Last thing I wasn't content with leaf latches and pins to secure the top table, I drilled holes from the inside frame where the tv sits in and through the sides of the top pieces where the two butt up against eachother and at the corners so they stay in place. I used carriage bolts about an inch long to slot in when I'm building the table up to try to secure the top. It's not ideal but it works ok.

There are many other things but those were some of the problems I encountered.

Any blue prints? Table is awesome. Currently we play at a friend's on his kitchen table. The fact I could use the TV part and sit ot top of his table is awesome and then turn into a table when we decide to move to a location that can allow a table. I'd love to build one but hard to follow some of your explanations and diagrams you used.

Did I miss what size TV you used?

I know this video is a bit older, but I still appreciate that someone made a table video for the budget/frugal minded ppl out here lol.

Tips for future tables
1: tv is expensive, so is glass, acrylic is relatively cheap. I'm not worried about scratches as much as I am worried about somebody spilling their damn soda haha. Placing acrylic over the TV and then caulking the edges will help protect it from liquid spills
2: insetting hinges into wood or mdf isn't too difficult if you've got a decent set of chisels, and could help you break those two extensions down even further while still making them fairly easy to set up.
3: you can get faux leather for under $20/yd, that may be a bit cheaper than the neoprene, then you could use contact adhesive to glue it onto the table surface for a more finished look.

This is such a fantastic idea! I'm 90% sure I'm going to do this this spring XD.

I rather goes digital instead of buying minis or buying dice mats can't wait for baldurs gate but still its a cool table

Have you built a new table yet?

So not going to lie I am that guy the guy who will not spend moneys on a lot of things and I usually do things at home DIY style and have saved a ton of money mainly on Vehicles and small engine repairs but we started a campaign and now I need a better table then the kitchen table to play on. My thoughts were a coffee table because we don't actually have one and then having the sides on hinges so they can pop up and down. Reason I was going this route is I can have support under there because we all know the leaners in the group =) I had to put a 2x4 under the table for one of then because he kept putting so much weight on the table it was bending it up in the middle! =) I look forward to building it I have the 2x4 frame for the TV and I used the router to properly fit it. I am not going to lie I know its just a box but I am proud of it =).

Great table build. What software are you using for the dnd gaming?

Aren't you concern about players dropping beer on your new screen? Are you planning on adding cup holders or something?

Trade tips:

1. You need plexiglass to protect your tv screen, you can add Optix clear non-glare acrylic sheets on the inside of the plexiglass (this eliminates glare from the TV and gives minor magnification (which depending on the space between the TV and glass will eliminate the visual space between the glass and your tv).

2.
You can buy double rubber seal n' peal (25.00 for 25ft roll) (get the roll that doesn't have the aluminium side) to use as table top material, you can paint it or put felt over it, etc. Peal n seal already comes with one side with adhesive so glue not required.

3.
Use MDF board, it's much lighter than all other woods used in table making and it's cheap. (It being lighter also means it's weaker so don't stand on the table or let your kids do it).

4. If you install a tv have either A) upper passive air vents built into table or B) install fans into the frame the tv is mounted blowing air into the bottom of the tv vents or side (never the top vents of tv).

The reason for this is, TV's produce heat and radiation like any other entertainment device, the tv is not designed to lay on its side so the heat produced from the internal components will come up on the back of the tv screen.

Yes some heat will escape through vents but not until the inner components heat up. If you live in a cold environment like Maine or Canada you really have nothing to worry about until summer (humidity) and if you live in hotter climates like Texas or CA. You want fans blowing in because the summer heat can kill you tv. So taking two computer fans and rigging them in to blow air through dramatically decreases odds of damage.

Just (re-)discovered this and am Getting Ideas....

I like your idea so much I was sitting here thinking about how I could make it better lol. Now Im going to make my own.

Did you install an IR Touchscreen panel on your tv to register the locations of minis during gameplay?

American Pro Tip!!

You can buy ANYTHING from “Harbor Freight” or “Lowe’s”
use it clean it , return it and get your money back!!

People do it every day. Even the managers will recommend it to you 😂!!!

I have a 212 predator Harbor freight engine that I return to the store before my protection plan runs out and get a brand new Engine!! I recommend using cash.
No ID required

My Pc being portable too kekw

"Once the table is face down on some carpet..."

Great, so I need to install carpet now too?

Is it possible to make a version without the screen? My main groups use physical maps rather than digital ones.

You get a thumbs up just because of the tip statement.

Lol this is literally everything I’ve been looking for, except, no tv. Got too much dwarvenite

Are there dimensions for this?!!!

Do you still use this table? If not, what do you use now?

Well, it’s been 3 years. Got an update or made a new one?

Make them and sell the table please and make it available to australia in the post please most people here will buy it makeing it portal got me interested just my thoughts .

they sell screen protector sheets it would be like a 100 dolar investemnt but a few uncut tablet screen protectors will prorbably tripple the longevity of the tv with out cutting into maneuvrability

amazon has a decent projector for 50 bucks

We put perspex over our table monitor screen and can use markers on it if needs be.

Anyone have dimensions of this build? Would love to know if it would fit in our smaller gaming room.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is exactly what I have been looking for!

Love your table! Concept I’m thinking of is a truly portable table screen: A monitor in a narrow wooden case that can lie flat on pretty much any table. I would include a plexiglass cover that DM and players can write on with wet erase markers to indicate spell areas of effect, objects, intended direction moments, etc. Has anyone made or seen such a beast?