Hi everyone! I get emails and messages daily from folks wanting to know if there are plans or guides on this DIY table. Historically I've just been giving out my Google Sketchup file, but I thought I'd try and take some time and make a PDF guide that has all the dimensions (especially the pockets) layered out. Link: www.barberspaddockwoodworking.com/post/building-a-pool-table-billiard-table-top For give the website, I just threw it together to get the PDF out. I'll be a work in progress! If you found the guide / video useful, consider tipping!
Interesting project. You are truly talented. The pdf did not go into detail with dimensions for the ball collection system and legs. Is it possible to share the dimensions even if not drawn? Looking for a durable pool table that can be converted to a patio dining table.
The ball collection is purely just a box underneath each pocket. You are free to use what ever system, or even buy a pocket net off the shelf. As for legs, technically there isn't any. The purpose of my table is to lay it onto of another table, in this case, you're looking at the legs of my dining table.
My son and I decided to embark on a project to build a pool table and were trying to work out the pockets and were searching through google and came across your amazing build and found it fascinating to watch. It’s really modern and simple and yet enough small details to make it look elegant. Really great work.
Thank you! Yes the pockets are tricky, I had the same challenge. I found some online templates that I adapted to work with this build so you're more than welcome to my Google Sketchup files that I used to make my templates. anthony@barberspaddockwoodworking.com
Thank you for this video. My grandfather hand built a pool table about 60 years ago. I grew up playing pool on that table and I have so many great memories of my brother, sister, aunts, uncles and cousins playing pool on it. I always wondered how he was able to build it. Watching your video, I have a good sense of how he did it. Even without the modern power tools, I know he had the same thought, care and patience you showed. So, again. Thank you for that nostalgia trip.
@mikestanger4205 My suggestion would be to not try and print it, but to replicate the template directly using the dimensions in the guide. You really only need a ruler and a compass to mark this out.
You should market this product to Real Estate Agents who need something professional appearance but light and easy to move! Great for occasional play but also would work in staging a high end home for sale! Neat project!
Absolutely awesome work for a hobby project. Definitely seems like a great budget project for hobby makers and hobby pool players. The pocket catch design is actually brilliant, my mind instantly started thinking about how i would use PVC to create a collection system to run all balls to one compartment, but this works great. One thing i would add to this build, is some padded cloth or something in the bottoms of the ball compartments, to reduce the loud bang the balls do, when they hit the floor. But other than that, inspiring work!
Thanks! And yes, it was almost the first thing I did when I started using the table, I added some rubber matting to the pockets to soften the ball drop.
Thanks! Yes if I had my time again, I'd work out a way to make that happen, but I'll be honest, I didn't have the skills or confidence that I feel I have today to have made that happen at the time. If I was to do another one, I would certainly add things like a ball return.
Anthony, to have a build and video like this under your belt in your first year on the tubes is amazing work. A sensational DIY build on a reasonable budget balanced with practical design. May it roll in the watch hours for many years to come! :D
You did a very, very good job and you can be proud of yourself. I'm sure you are. I hope when the day comes I will build one for myself that it'll look as nice as yours does.
Great video showing all the craftmanship of woodworking that can make such a fine piece of furnishings as their own! Curious how many hours you put towards this project and applause for all the effort..
Amazing project. I grew up with a pool table in my bed room haha. But now days i don't have enough room anywhere in my house. This could store standing upright so you got me thinking.
Thanks! Yes the point of this was not to build some sort of world class accurate table, but for portability and storage. Stays leaning up in the garage when not in use, and easy enough for two people to move when you want to play.
Great work! Only suggestion I would make is if you’re going to use a wood top, maybe epoxy the top, that way you’ll always have a hard and smooth surface. Unfortunately with wooden top tables they will tend to warp over time and dent from the balls on breaks leaving slight indentations that you’ll notice when playing. But overall great work, I’m impressed! It will still make for a fun table to play on!
Thanks! And yes, I get lots of concerns on the table top that maybe it'll warp or worse not be smooth/hard after playing for sometime. If you've ever encountered form ply it's an insanely hard surface. I've done tests of smacking the crap out of it with a hammer and the result is no dents or marks what so ever. The surface is so hard, that when I was sanding the seams with 80 grit it barely made a mark and took hours to get through that surface layer. Would I recommend you use normal plywood (even high quality)? Hell no, but form ply? I think it's a decent substitute. As for warping, that's really my only concern, but I have to say so far so good. I will definitely revisit this and maybe post an update on how it's holding up at it's 1 year anniversary.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking awesome! I didn’t know that I thought it was regular plywood. Hopefully it won’t warp on you either then. Either way still a great build!
Nice table for a hobby player at home but would not last long due the wood changing shape and warping on a proper pool and snooker table they use a piece of slate to solve this problem but what a fantastic build you did an amazing job
Thanks and yes, slate is what you would use on a 'proper' table, but would come at a significant cost (and be a different video). As for warping It's been nearly a year, and it's not changed shape at all and gets regular use. I guess we'll see in another few years, but let's be honest, this isn't designed to last forever. But who knows, maybe it will. One day I'm sure I'll build another 'proper' one.
Excelente trabajo. Realmente el video es espectacular. Queremos realizar el proyecto y buscando en youtube, puedo decir que es un video muy completo. Muchas gracias por competir tu experiencia ya que nos alienta a intentar realizarlo. Abrazo grande desde Bahia Blanca, Argentina
So from the back of the side pocket, to the edge of the rail? About 25mm. You're welcome to my Google Sketchup file if you want the complete file for the table. Just hit me up in an email.
I'd like to build a table like this, but then with the green felt they often use at blackjack/poker. And then find a way to easily add/remove the sides so you can also use it as a cards table. The holes for the balls will then become drinks holders.
Hi bro, I'm from Argentina. I was wondering if you would share the plans and measurements for the mess. The truth is, it's very good. I congratulate you.
Hi bro from Argentina. Check out the first pinned comment and the description for a link to some PDF drawings. If you're interested in my Google Sketchup file shoot me an email, or hit me up on insta! Thanks for your support!
As a pool player I would like to comment. The cushions, that is the sides of the table that the balls will bounce off, need to be very consistent in their bounce force. Otherwise the players will get confused as to how hard to the shot. Also the bed of a real pool table is not plywood, it is slate. Slate will remain stable and true, which is critical in a pool table. Otherwise a very interesting project, well done, looks fun.
I can say with all confidence the bounce is consistent across all rails. As for the surface, for sure, slate is what you would use for a 'proper' pool table but for the goal of this project formply is a decent substitute (I would not recommend or use normal plywood for this). I will perhaps revisit this in a year or so time and report on how it's all holding up.
Awesome job mate it has inspired me to have a crack. I want to build a bit more basic with the one sheet main board so frame is more straight forward and a bit lighter as I want to be able to move it ( put it on top of table ) then take it off when finished. I can't see how or the method you used to mark out those diamonds on the rails which you doubled as bolt holes. Can you explain please. cheers
%100 if you can, use a full sheet. I only used QTR panels because (at the time) there was a massive shortage of formply. If I was to do this over again, I would %100 use a single sheet. As for the 'diamonds' AKA bolts, there isn't anything magic about it, I picked distances between the pockets of about 1/3 and simply marked centre from the rail. Good luck in your build!
Great build mate! This is the sort of build every serious hobbist wants to tackle so its a great addition of the youtube archives! Because I am binge watching your videos i can see the progress youve made! its amazing!
Send me an email and I can provide my Google Sketchup file. The black panel is called 'Formply' and is very common here in Aus, but seems to be an unknown material in other places, especially the US.
Merci infiniment pour les plans Sketchup que j'ai pu trouver sur votre site...Ma table étant un peu plus petite je vais voir si ces mesures seront adéquates
@barberspaddockwoodworking Amazing job. Truly top notch. My question, though, if you’re building this to play on regularly - what do you do when you need to inevitably replace the felt?
I'm not sure how long that would be, but assuming I needed to do that, I'd probably just remove the rails (they are just bolted on), then remove the felt and the million staples and replace. I don't think this would be too difficult on this design.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking Makes sense, thanks. Again, absolutely incredible work. Goal project for the future! Trying to get back into wood working and this probably isn’t quite within my realm yet Cheers buddy, keep it up! (And thanks for the quick reply)
So what do you sit the table on ( straight on top of dinning table ?) If so do the pockets or anything else interfere with it. 2. How did you secure the frame to the bottom of playing surface ?
Yes, or any flat surface. If we play outside which we do sometimes, I'll just use a couple of large saw-horses. If it's inside the dinning table, or a cheap Ikea table I have in the garage works just fine. As for the pockets, no it doesn't interfere, the pockets are on the same plane as the frame.
Great little project i bet u had a great time building it mate and u did a great job i applauded that you would even attempted such a feat, as always good on you and well done hey how do find working with that formply dose it have a lot of voids and also i was going to ask u have some great shop project and are you planing to post build videos for them again well done mate
Thank you so much! Form ply is a really great ply to work with, no voids that I've found, and the one I used in the bench build had 11 layers (yes 11!). As a pool table top, It's very smooth and very hard so it takes the abuse well. As for workshop projects, there are so many more that need to be done. The mobile workbench needs to be upgraded, the tools need to come off some of their mobile stands and onto more permanent fixtures and more. I hope to share those as I progress through a very long list!
I wouldn't generally recommend using standard plywood, but I've seen other people use it. The type of plywood used here is formply which has a hard resin surface which makes it quite smooth. I would say as long as you can keep it flat, have a good frame to stop warping, you probably could get away with it, I just don't know how it would stand up long term.
I get this concern alot, it's probably the number one question I'm asked and the answer is 'not really, it doesn't dent easy'. If this was standard plywood face, I'd fully agree and I specifically don't recommend it, but given this is formply which has a rock hard resin surface (hell it's used for concrete forming) it's actually very resilient to denting. It's the reason it's so often used in workbench / workshop furniture here in Australia. If you dig, there is a video of me beating some formply with a hammer and not leaving any distinguishable marks. Is it harder than slate? Of course not, but certainly much harder than plywood and for goals/criteria I had for this project it is an acceptable replacement. Your idea of using perspex however is very intriguing. I've never seen that before, but I think it could certainly work, the only downside I see is it would be (at least it would be here) a very expensive option. To get a sheet that size here would probably be a few hundred dollars and would negate one of the criteria of this project which was 'cheap'.
Formply. Very common here in Australia, it's a special type of film faced plywood that is traditionally used in concrete forming. It's very smooth, very hard and a decent substitute for other heaver surfaces.
Yes you can certainly make the table any size you want. This one is light enough you could (with two people) mount it on a wall to store, but if you made a smaller one you could certainly achieve that and have a single person be able to lift it. This table is roughly 4' x 6.5' in size.
Sorry I don't know. It doesn't have branding, my father gave it to me many years ago and he's had it for decades before that. I have no idea where it comes from sorry.
How did you screw in the railings? Did you prepare the felt before pre drilling, or just drill right though the felt? And just secured into the black sheet?
It would fundamentally be a VERY different build. No way you'd just slap slate on top of this frame, not to mention you'd need to build some very solid legs/frame. There is very little you'd could take away from this build to 'make it a slate table' in my opinion. It would be a totally different design requirement (and cost).
100% correct. And to go further (and I've mentioned this quite a few times in other comments), just use a single panel. The only reason I used 3 panels (well technically 4) is because of supply constraints. Having said that, I've not experienced any issues with joining them in this way and the table continues to be very flat, but I would completely agree on your solution. If I ever had to do it the 'same way' again....which again....don't....I'd follow something like you've suggested.
I had to make my own Lex, and agreed it's hard to get templates for this. If you're keen on getting my template from my Google Sketchup file you're welcome to email me.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking thank you for your offer. Meanwhile I decided buying a pool table, instead of building one. I've got too many projects and I got respect in building such a monster. I bought a 8ft table. I should measure it and make plans out of it. So if you need any information, let me know. I'll look the measurements and ankles up.
I built one and it did take some searching to find cushion pocket angles and shelf depths, I ended up drawing out full size mock ups of pockets and profiles of the top rail, cushions and skirt boards... I'm a carpenter so that helped. It's nothing fancy but it plays well. I pretty proud of it. you could check it out if you're interested.. th-cam.com/video/TR-RhxH8wcs/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Nick
Warping will be a constant battle for a pool table-top that is not mounted on a very secure frame. It will need to be checked for level at each end, 3 times along each side and diagonally both ways every time you set it up.
I have not had any issues with warping so far. Given the length and thickness of the rails and the box shape of the base, it's very 'anti' warping already. In time, maybe, but given the purpose of this table is for occasional entertainment then those are risks that are perfectly acceptable.
If the goal was to build a professional class table, then sure you'd use slate, but for a cheap no frills occasional muck around table? It's overkill and certainly wouldn't make it portable anymore defeating one of the main criteria of what I needed in a table. I've certainly conceded in many responses that this is not a 'pro level' attempt at a table for cheap.
Hey, i have a question, me and a friend wanted to build our own pool table, but we demoralized when we saw that a expensive quality table use "slate" on the table, as we wanted it to be a almost excellent table like the ones on our local pool we didn´t knew what to do and we left the project on stand by. My question is, is it possible to use something as good as the slate or at least something taht gives a similar result??? And if it is, what can we use???
Let's be honest, professional tables are built with slate tops for a reason. If you're trying to build a professional table that behaves like slate, then unfortunately I don't know or can think of an alternative surface. If you're willing to make some concessions/compromises and accept the limitations of what other materials have, then building a table out of formply (note I say formply, not plywood), or even MDF are viable options, but these are not going to be identical to slate. I've had people who play more regularly then me say the surface I've made feel good, so take that as you may, however these are my 2 cents: If you're wanting to replicate the kind of high end tables of a pool hall, then sorry I doubt this project while fun to make, is going to meet that bar. If you're after a weekend hobby table that you use with the friends or family as an entertainment piece, then that's what I've built and I think it works great for that. I hope that helps at least a little.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking YOO, that was fast!!!! And it actually helps a Lot, thank You man, i'll make sure to follow your instructions, thanks again
I'm attempting to put together a PDF of dimensions, specially on the pocket since that's what most people are after. In the meantime if you want you can have my Google Sketchup file I used, just email me a request and I'll send it to you.
No sorry, not something I build to sell. I do have free templates / sizing plans on my website if you're interested in building one for yourself, but I don't build these to sell sorry.
A nice build but I have a few questions. First I assume you went with wood vs slate for cost reasons, maybe weight as well. But why plywood vs MDF ? Plywood might be more stable with respect to humidity but it's probably not as flat as MDF and flatness is important in pool (so slow balls roll straight) ? Did you take any special precautions or design choices to be able to level and flatten the playing surface and keep it that way over time, temperature and humidity? How has it faired in that regard since you built it ? And one last question...slate table playing surfaces are usually 3 pieces due to weight and ease of transport. Wood tables are usually 1 piece and avoid joints and their problems. Why did you make yours in multiple pieces? Was that an Aussie vs US availability thing or ??? TIA.
Excellent questions Brian! Like many projects sometimes you have to compromise depending on the goals and that's certainly the case here. I was never going to use slate because of cost and MDF was going to be too heavy. Making a table to stand the test of time wasn't the goal here, just something to muck around on with friends/family on occasion, then stick it up against the wall in my garage when not in use. So weight, cost and convenience being the brief. Formply is actually very very flat and quite hard on the surface, but you are correct, it could move in time but we will have to see just how much that would be. The hard film they put on formply actually helps with movement (so I'm told) and I've not noticed any issues so far since I've built it, it remains perfectly flat but I'll be sure to keep checking it and report if I have issues. As for the multiple pieces for the top and why I did it that way, I regret forgetting to cover the reason for this in the video. Using multiple pieces was not something I wanted to do, it was unfortunately due to supply constraints at the time in Australia of sourcing wood in general (and still ongoing). It was going to take many many weeks for my local supplier to be able to get more sheets of form plywood in the size I needed, and these smaller quarter panels was all they were going to have for at least a few months. So in the end it was a compromise so I could have it for summer. Many people have emailed me asking for plans, and the one thing I always say to them is 'use a single sheet, make your life easier'.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking Thanks so much for the incredibly quick response! I knew there was a question I forgot to ask and it was what type of plywood you used. What is that top surface, melamine or some other laminate? Now I know it's Formply, something I've not heard of here in the US. I'll have to look it up and see if there's an equivalent sold here. I'm looking to build, maybe, a low cost table for my niece, who isn't a serious player, nor plans to be one. So unless I can find a low $ slate table, MDF or ??, is likely to be the surface. I'd also like to see if a low $ "wood" table plays as well as slate, all other things being roughly equal. Most serious players say No but won't say Why or How. Certainly a nonflat surface would be a reason but I think there's some snobbery involved as well. Building one myself would answer that question. Thanks again and have fun on your table.
'What's that stuff you use?' It's the biggest question I get and honestly I did not know it wasn't really a thing in the US until I kept getting questions regarding it (all from my US friends) so it certainly appears to be something not commonly available to those in the US. It's definitely not a melamine type product, it's effectively plywood with a resin surface that makes it very smooth, quite hard (I've smacked the crap out of mine with a hammer to see how much it takes to dent it and it's an insane amount) and it's resistant to things sticking to it (wood glue doesn't stick to it which makes it ideal for workbenches / tops etc). Traditionally it's used in concrete forming thus the name 'Formply', however it has many general purpose uses. You can get some really really good quality Form Ply. The stuff I used in this build has 11 layers (yes 11!). I think a similar product that is sold in the US is called MDO/HDO Plywood, tho I'm told it's not quite the same (there seems to be a difference between 'film layer' and 'resin layer') however from pictures it appears to be similar/same. If you can't get something similar, I probably think MDF is a better route? I don't think standard plywood would work, it would be too soft a surface and certainly no smooth enough. If you do find something that works, let us/me know!
@@barberspaddockwoodworking I wanted to add a bit more information I dug up on phenolic plywood, the generic name for FormPly and others. It seems to be a high grade plywood, thin plies, no voids, encapsulated in hard phenolic plastic (except around the edges). Used more in Europe than in the US, primarily for concrete forms. I couldn't find a hard specification for flatness, moreover there are various grades of phenolic plywood, higher grades used for industrial furniture and such. One (?low?) grade version sold in the US is TigerForm. A 3/4", 4'x8' sheet (you can do the metric conversion) goes for around 80 USD at Menards. Generally not found at Home Depot or Lowe's. A similar sheet of MDF at the latter stores is about 55 USD. Slate would be around $700, plus shipping. Flatness per WPA regulations is no more than 0.01" across the width of the table (any size) and, naturally, 2x that across the length. That's a bit wishy washy IMO, as I'm unsure how to interpret it. A coplanar reg for the slates is +/- 0.005". Compare those to a thickness spec on MDF of +/- 0.005" and you can see why, if properly supported and prior to any warping, MDF is often used. The spec I saw for TigerForm was 1 mm for thickness uniformity, about 0.04". But is that +/_ , on any single board or board to board, batch to batch ? And might higher grades, from other manufacturers, be better ? I doubt anyone knows. I suppose if you could measure flatness well enough, the rather thick phenolic surface could be sanded flat at the high spots, perhaps to better than real life MDF flatness. And then there's settling and warping over time and temperature and humidity. I think phenolic plywood might be more stable than MDF in those regards. Certainly both need a more supportive frame structure that does slate. So is there a clear winner ? Not that I can see. I'll have to look into higher grades of phenolic plywood here in the US. Thanks to BPW for bringing this to my attention. I'm not sure if YT always allows links so I'll stop here but try to put some useful links in a reply below.
Maybe it’s a country specific, but I’d say that’s pretty expensive for a such table. I build a 7ft table myself using two zinger bases, wood frame and two pieces of granite, rubber and 2m of cloth and it cost me around 30k rubbles which was about usd 500$ back in a time.
This is a very fair question, so let me expand. At the time of building it was during the covid pandemic, and material costs and supply shortages meant that the price of timber like the formply and even just the standard pine went up in price almost %100. It's reflective of the costs associated at that time in history, so no fast-forward to today, it can be done much cheaper. If I built this again today, I estimate it would cost probably half of what I originally paid, maybe a tad more.
It's a fairly uncomplicated design so the build time you see is about 4 weeks of solid work to make this one. As for building them for others to be frank 1. I'm no professional, and 2. It's questionable if it's entirely cost effective. Maybe in the future who knows.
Good question. I don't knew the exact figure, and be mindful that it doesn't have legs (that's the whole point), but I'd estimate that it's bout 40KG-45KG (about 100 pounds) and is very manageable for two people to move. If this was MDF it would be much much heavier, and if this was slate....well...it aint moving at all.
@@angelocolonna7581 Just under 4" wide, or about 10cm. The google sketch-up file I made will have the exact dimensions. You're welcome to it if you want, just email me the request.
Because the table is portable, it needs to be as rigid as possible to stop twisting when moving. If you were to mount this permanently to legs/frame you probably don't need to make it as complicated as I have. Additionally because of the lack of 4x8 formply sheets, I was forced to use QTR panels which means re-enforcing the points where two boards meet. While this also provides additional frame strength however it's completely unnecessary if you use a single sheet of formply (which I recommend). If I was ever to do this again, for sure there are things I would do differently in a re-design based on what I learnt.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking , oh, thanks for the answer. I think I'm gonna try to build something like this with my friends, but since we dont have much experience of working with wood it might end up being janky lol
I am currently designing my pool table. I watched the video very carefully until the moment when you started to mount the rubber. Is that rubber for windows? I'm sorry, but it's a fucking shame.
I used pool table rubber that I sourced from a pool table supplier on eBay. The link to what I used is in the description. The felt was also sourced from the same supplier.
This isn't just 'plywood' it's a specific type of plywood called 'Formply'. It's made up of construction grade plywood with a very hard resin coated surface. This surface is incredibly hard, smooth and flat and is commonly used here in Australia to create forms for concrete, thus the name 'Formply'. I have said this in other comments and in the PDF I created that I do not recommend straight up plywood, it is not as hard or as durable as this stuff. Formply is a trade-off between expensive stone, MDF that is too heavy or standard plywood which isn't durable enough. Secondly, the purpose of this table is to have some portability, it does not stay put. When it's not in use, I store it away in the garage. It's both sturdy and light enough to do this, and so far has not provided any problems. Two people can carry the entire top quite easily. Lastly cost. I've said this before, this isn't a project or a way to build a 'championship' table or 'heirloom piece'. If that's what you want to build, this isn't for you. What this is for me is just something to have a bit of fun with family and friends occasionally, and so far, it's been great. It is still dead flat, dead smooth and plays just fine. Hope that provides some clarity!
The cost of this project (at the time) was heavily impacted by local and international events. During and around the time I build this Australia had experienced some truly devastating bush fires that wiped out a significant amounts of local timber supply. Coupled with increased demand for rebuilding, as well as new homes this sent the price of timber and plywood through the roof as we've all seen around the world. If you were to ask me today what it would cost to build this, I would say it's still high compared to say 3 or 4 years ago, but probably not as high as when I originally built this. Could I have bought a table? Well sure but here, where I live that's not a cheap option, and additionally for what I wanted which was a portable or movable table, well that simply didn't exist. This project isn't going to be for everyone. Whether it's cost prohibitive, tool prohibitive or other is up to you to decide. The video simply demonstrated what it took for me, a relatively novice woodworker, to build a functional pool table that I can move around for as cheap as I could at the time of filming.
Nice, but literally anything can be built on a budget, just depends on the size of the budget. The statement is unqualified. Even saying tight budget needs more qualification, as tight to you will be loose for somebody else. Easier to just say what size of budget it could be built for and let other people decide if it’s within their reach or not.
I think the point you raise is an important one. %100 I completely agree, 'budget' is definitely subjective here. It's part of the reason why I don't make a conclusion regarding this point in the video, but simply outlay what it cost me to build with the cheapest materials I could get my hands on, based on where I live. People can then make their own judgement calls on this. Some have argued it's not fair to not include the cost of tools, or that I have a workshop, or that I could have used a few different materials to reduce costs etc. Those are all also valid points to look at it and consider as well.
Nowhere close to$5k, and I am sure these tools will be used for hundreds of projects around the house. By your thinking, why buy a fridge and stove to make one meal?
Valid question, and let me answer this as honestly as I can. This was one of my very early, and very first youtube videos. When I started, I didn't really have any idea what I was doing, and I mean that from both a woodworking point of view and a film editing point of view (and some will argue that I still don't, which I wouldn't totally disagree with). Given my inexperience as both a video maker and a woodworker at the time, I felt completely inadequate and unprepared to be telling people what I was doing, or how they should be doing it. I was just too scared to be honest. So the video was more about just watching someone build a pool table, and hopefully giving people their own ideas or concepts on how they might approach it themselves, as apposed to a 'tutorial'. So yes, fast forward to today, I've learnt a lot and gained more confidence to speak on camera and off camera and I'm certain this type of project I could more adequately cover. I may one day sit down and do a follow up video where I go into more details of this build for those that want to attempt it themselves, however I would say that I'm easily contactable, and you can ask any questions regarding the build, and I'll answer them to my best of my abilities. Thanks for your question!
Hi everyone! I get emails and messages daily from folks wanting to know if there are plans or guides on this DIY table. Historically I've just been giving out my Google Sketchup file, but I thought I'd try and take some time and make a PDF guide that has all the dimensions (especially the pockets) layered out.
Link: www.barberspaddockwoodworking.com/post/building-a-pool-table-billiard-table-top
For give the website, I just threw it together to get the PDF out. I'll be a work in progress!
If you found the guide / video useful, consider tipping!
I found PDF. how can I pay you.
@@elijahbutler5897 It's %100 free. If you feel compelled you can leave a tip, but it's not necessary.
Super cool
Interesting project.
You are truly talented.
The pdf did not go into detail with dimensions for the ball collection system and legs. Is it possible to share the dimensions even if not drawn?
Looking for a durable pool table that can be converted to a patio dining table.
The ball collection is purely just a box underneath each pocket. You are free to use what ever system, or even buy a pocket net off the shelf. As for legs, technically there isn't any. The purpose of my table is to lay it onto of another table, in this case, you're looking at the legs of my dining table.
My son and I decided to embark on a project to build a pool table and were trying to work out the pockets and were searching through google and came across your amazing build and found it fascinating to watch. It’s really modern and simple and yet enough small details to make it look elegant. Really great work.
Thank you! Yes the pockets are tricky, I had the same challenge. I found some online templates that I adapted to work with this build so you're more than welcome to my Google Sketchup files that I used to make my templates. anthony@barberspaddockwoodworking.com
Thank you for this video.
My grandfather hand built a pool table about 60 years ago. I grew up playing pool on that table and I have so many great memories of my brother, sister, aunts, uncles and cousins playing pool on it.
I always wondered how he was able to build it. Watching your video, I have a good sense of how he did it. Even without the modern power tools, I know he had the same thought, care and patience you showed.
So, again. Thank you for that nostalgia trip.
Wonderful story and thank you for sharing. Here's to your grandfather. :)
Built my Billiard Table with this video. Thanks so much. You did a great job.
That's amazing to hear!!
Is this a slate table though? I want to make mine into a dinner table but not sure if a frame with 2*4s will hold the weight
Dude this is amazing craftsmanship 🫡
Thanks! I appreciate that. :)
Hero, thanks for the dimensions of the pockets!
You're welcome.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking
i cant get it to print to scale correctly or find a great radius point to make one
@mikestanger4205 My suggestion would be to not try and print it, but to replicate the template directly using the dimensions in the guide. You really only need a ruler and a compass to mark this out.
You should market this product to Real Estate Agents who need something professional appearance but light and easy to move! Great for occasional play but also would work in staging a high end home for sale! Neat project!
Interesting idea!
Absolutely awesome work for a hobby project. Definitely seems like a great budget project for hobby makers and hobby pool players. The pocket catch design is actually brilliant, my mind instantly started thinking about how i would use PVC to create a collection system to run all balls to one compartment, but this works great. One thing i would add to this build, is some padded cloth or something in the bottoms of the ball compartments, to reduce the loud bang the balls do, when they hit the floor. But other than that, inspiring work!
Thanks! And yes, it was almost the first thing I did when I started using the table, I added some rubber matting to the pockets to soften the ball drop.
One thing that i'd personally add to this would be a ball return system. Great work man!
Thanks! Yes if I had my time again, I'd work out a way to make that happen, but I'll be honest, I didn't have the skills or confidence that I feel I have today to have made that happen at the time. If I was to do another one, I would certainly add things like a ball return.
Great job I wish I could make a table like that, you guys are geniuses that can do this honestly!
Thank you!
Heaps of fun to watch you put that together and the final product looks great! Well done!
Excelente trabajo maestro!!!
Anthony, to have a build and video like this under your belt in your first year on the tubes is amazing work. A sensational DIY build on a reasonable budget balanced with practical design. May it roll in the watch hours for many years to come! :D
Thank you friend!
Agree with James here, what an amazing start of a TH-cam channel. Well done Anthony.
man that is beautiful. great job
Thank you very much!
You did a very, very good job and you can be proud of yourself. I'm sure you are. I hope when the day comes I will build one for myself that it'll look as nice as yours does.
You can do it!
@@barberspaddockwoodworking Thanks for encouraging me. Time will tell...
Excelente trabajo, saludos desde Costa Rica.
For someone who watches too much TH-cam and doesn't comment much: great video.
It's great to see an Aussie builder on TH-cam.
Have subscribed.
Thank you I appreciate that!
Fantastic job. Looks awesome
Thank you! Cheers!
I'm a Ryobi fan boy. It's nice to see you have quite a few of their tools. Nice work by the way.
Best by far ,,,thanks
Great video showing all the craftmanship of woodworking that can make such a fine piece of furnishings as their own! Curious how many hours you put towards this project and applause for all the effort..
About 3 months, working mostly on weekends for this project tho. So I'd say about a week of solid work day wise. :)
Like your jigsaw nice one
Very cool. Nice to see you take such care with it. Looks great! :D
Amazing project. I grew up with a pool table in my bed room haha. But now days i don't have enough room anywhere in my house. This could store standing upright so you got me thinking.
Thanks! Yes the point of this was not to build some sort of world class accurate table, but for portability and storage. Stays leaning up in the garage when not in use, and easy enough for two people to move when you want to play.
Excellent, best creation we appreciate your beautiful job, well done.
This is pretty sick!
Thank you Great Job good craftsmanship. :Loved it
Thanks
Great work! Only suggestion I would make is if you’re going to use a wood top, maybe epoxy the top, that way you’ll always have a hard and smooth surface. Unfortunately with wooden top tables they will tend to warp over time and dent from the balls on breaks leaving slight indentations that you’ll notice when playing. But overall great work, I’m impressed! It will still make for a fun table to play on!
Thanks! And yes, I get lots of concerns on the table top that maybe it'll warp or worse not be smooth/hard after playing for sometime. If you've ever encountered form ply it's an insanely hard surface. I've done tests of smacking the crap out of it with a hammer and the result is no dents or marks what so ever. The surface is so hard, that when I was sanding the seams with 80 grit it barely made a mark and took hours to get through that surface layer.
Would I recommend you use normal plywood (even high quality)? Hell no, but form ply? I think it's a decent substitute. As for warping, that's really my only concern, but I have to say so far so good. I will definitely revisit this and maybe post an update on how it's holding up at it's 1 year anniversary.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking awesome! I didn’t know that I thought it was regular plywood. Hopefully it won’t warp on you either then. Either way still a great build!
Nice job
Thanks!
Nice table for a hobby player at home but would not last long due the wood changing shape and warping on a proper pool and snooker table they use a piece of slate to solve this problem but what a fantastic build you did an amazing job
Thanks and yes, slate is what you would use on a 'proper' table, but would come at a significant cost (and be a different video). As for warping It's been nearly a year, and it's not changed shape at all and gets regular use. I guess we'll see in another few years, but let's be honest, this isn't designed to last forever. But who knows, maybe it will. One day I'm sure I'll build another 'proper' one.
You used snooker rubber L77 did you use. 2 1/8 balls pool table typically use K66 rubber
Omg what a DIY
Great job...👌👏
Excelente trabajo. Realmente el video es espectacular. Queremos realizar el proyecto y buscando en youtube, puedo decir que es un video muy completo. Muchas gracias por competir tu experiencia ya que nos alienta a intentar realizarlo. Abrazo grande desde Bahia Blanca, Argentina
Thank you !
nice brooo looks vsry cool
Very cool skills thanks bro I'm inspired :)
Excelente trabalho e habilidade. Ficou muito bem feita. Parabéns!
Obrigado!
My man built a fucking pool table. Literally. 👏
Love it
Thanks!
I wanna learn how to build this table
I loved the video! I only have one question, what is the distance between the side pocket hole and the edge of the board on the sample?
So from the back of the side pocket, to the edge of the rail? About 25mm. You're welcome to my Google Sketchup file if you want the complete file for the table. Just hit me up in an email.
I'd like to build a table like this, but then with the green felt they often use at blackjack/poker.
And then find a way to easily add/remove the sides so you can also use it as a cards table.
The holes for the balls will then become drinks holders.
Go for it! You could easily for example put another surface on the bottom and flip the table the other way, that could be something to explore.
Hi bro, I'm from Argentina. I was wondering if you would share the plans and measurements for the mess. The truth is, it's very good. I congratulate you.
Hi bro from Argentina. Check out the first pinned comment and the description for a link to some PDF drawings. If you're interested in my Google Sketchup file shoot me an email, or hit me up on insta! Thanks for your support!
As a pool player I would like to comment.
The cushions, that is the sides of the table that the balls will bounce off, need to be very consistent in their bounce force. Otherwise the players will get confused as to how hard to the shot.
Also the bed of a real pool table is not plywood, it is slate. Slate will remain stable and true, which is critical in a pool table. Otherwise a very interesting project, well done, looks fun.
I can say with all confidence the bounce is consistent across all rails. As for the surface, for sure, slate is what you would use for a 'proper' pool table but for the goal of this project formply is a decent substitute (I would not recommend or use normal plywood for this). I will perhaps revisit this in a year or so time and report on how it's all holding up.
Awesome job mate it has inspired me to have a crack. I want to build a bit more basic with the one sheet main board so frame is more straight forward and a bit lighter as I want to be able to move it ( put it on top of table ) then take it off when finished. I can't see how or the method you used to mark out those diamonds on the rails which you doubled as bolt holes. Can you explain please. cheers
%100 if you can, use a full sheet. I only used QTR panels because (at the time) there was a massive shortage of formply. If I was to do this over again, I would %100 use a single sheet. As for the 'diamonds' AKA bolts, there isn't anything magic about it, I picked distances between the pockets of about 1/3 and simply marked centre from the rail. Good luck in your build!
Great build mate! This is the sort of build every serious hobbist wants to tackle so its a great addition of the youtube archives! Because I am binge watching your videos i can see the progress youve made! its amazing!
Hola maestro, excelente trabajo , un favor , me podrías compartir las medidas que tomaste en las tabla para hacer los huecos de la mesa, gracias.
Hola! Check the first pinned comment, there is a link to the template I made for the pockets!
why do you say its far from perfect, it looks incredible.
Congratulations for the project!
Where can i find the all the measurements? What is the name of the black gaming panel? Thanks
Send me an email and I can provide my Google Sketchup file. The black panel is called 'Formply' and is very common here in Aus, but seems to be an unknown material in other places, especially the US.
Thank you very much!
I’m Italian And even here ti would seem not to be known!
Merci infiniment pour les plans Sketchup que j'ai pu trouver sur votre site...Ma table étant un peu plus petite je vais voir si ces mesures seront adéquates
@barberspaddockwoodworking Amazing job. Truly top notch. My question, though, if you’re building this to play on regularly - what do you do when you need to inevitably replace the felt?
I'm not sure how long that would be, but assuming I needed to do that, I'd probably just remove the rails (they are just bolted on), then remove the felt and the million staples and replace. I don't think this would be too difficult on this design.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking Makes sense, thanks. Again, absolutely incredible work. Goal project for the future! Trying to get back into wood working and this probably isn’t quite within my realm yet
Cheers buddy, keep it up! (And thanks for the quick reply)
So what do you sit the table on ( straight on top of dinning table ?) If so do the pockets or anything else interfere with it. 2. How did you secure the frame to the bottom of playing surface ?
Yes, or any flat surface. If we play outside which we do sometimes, I'll just use a couple of large saw-horses. If it's inside the dinning table, or a cheap Ikea table I have in the garage works just fine. As for the pockets, no it doesn't interfere, the pockets are on the same plane as the frame.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking Thank you
Great little project i bet u had a great time building it mate and u did a great job i applauded that you would even attempted such a feat,
as always good on you and well done hey how do find working with that formply dose it have a lot of voids and also i was going to ask
u have some great shop project and are you planing to post build videos for them again well done mate
Thank you so much! Form ply is a really great ply to work with, no voids that I've found, and the one I used in the bench build had 11 layers (yes 11!). As a pool table top, It's very smooth and very hard so it takes the abuse well.
As for workshop projects, there are so many more that need to be done. The mobile workbench needs to be upgraded, the tools need to come off some of their mobile stands and onto more permanent fixtures and more. I hope to share those as I progress through a very long list!
Hi everyone, could you please advise if table top using plywood 18mm, does the ball moving still fine? Thanks
I wouldn't generally recommend using standard plywood, but I've seen other people use it. The type of plywood used here is formply which has a hard resin surface which makes it quite smooth. I would say as long as you can keep it flat, have a good frame to stop warping, you probably could get away with it, I just don't know how it would stand up long term.
I was thinking of doing this for an outdoor pool table and thought about use concrete or self leveling concrete as the “slate”
Now that's a novel idea and certainly not something I've ever seen before, you should give it a crack!
Sanding xonctrete slate would be moon and day works but great idea, have you done it yet? How it work?
Great job, the only problem I see is the wood bed of the table will dint easy. Given that slate is heavy and expensive, how about a sheet of perspex?
I get this concern alot, it's probably the number one question I'm asked and the answer is 'not really, it doesn't dent easy'. If this was standard plywood face, I'd fully agree and I specifically don't recommend it, but given this is formply which has a rock hard resin surface (hell it's used for concrete forming) it's actually very resilient to denting. It's the reason it's so often used in workbench / workshop furniture here in Australia.
If you dig, there is a video of me beating some formply with a hammer and not leaving any distinguishable marks. Is it harder than slate? Of course not, but certainly much harder than plywood and for goals/criteria I had for this project it is an acceptable replacement.
Your idea of using perspex however is very intriguing. I've never seen that before, but I think it could certainly work, the only downside I see is it would be (at least it would be here) a very expensive option. To get a sheet that size here would probably be a few hundred dollars and would negate one of the criteria of this project which was 'cheap'.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking thanks for explaining. You clearly know what you are doing 👍
@@benrichards399 Ha! I'm thrilled it appears that way!
NICELY DONE!! Love all the details! May I ask what kind of material is the board (black base board in the video). thx!
Formply. Very common here in Australia, it's a special type of film faced plywood that is traditionally used in concrete forming. It's very smooth, very hard and a decent substitute for other heaver surfaces.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking thx a lot!
👍👍👍
muy buen trabajo puedes hacer una mas chica para colgarse en la pared como un cuadro y descolgarse para jugar ?
Yes you can certainly make the table any size you want. This one is light enough you could (with two people) mount it on a wall to store, but if you made a smaller one you could certainly achieve that and have a single person be able to lift it. This table is roughly 4' x 6.5' in size.
Just wauw, amazing job. Did you consider doing the inside edges in aluminium? Its probably cheaper and it wont get bumps and dents like the wood.
Can't say I have, but it's an interesting idea. Perhaps version 2.0? :)
who makes that vise grip style angle clamp you used on the frame work
Sorry I don't know. It doesn't have branding, my father gave it to me many years ago and he's had it for decades before that. I have no idea where it comes from sorry.
How did you screw in the railings? Did you prepare the felt before pre drilling, or just drill right though the felt? And just secured into the black sheet?
Railings are screwed to the table with bolts. Yes drilling straight through the felt, so make sure you clamp down well and you won't have any issues.
What would be the structure build difference if someone wanted to use slate instead of wood?
It would fundamentally be a VERY different build. No way you'd just slap slate on top of this frame, not to mention you'd need to build some very solid legs/frame. There is very little you'd could take away from this build to 'make it a slate table' in my opinion. It would be a totally different design requirement (and cost).
Hi, just wondering what timber you used for the top rail, was it oak or something else?
Just boring, bog standard pine for the rails.
I would have Bondo the laminate joint like they do with 3 piece slate, and disc sanded.
100% correct. And to go further (and I've mentioned this quite a few times in other comments), just use a single panel. The only reason I used 3 panels (well technically 4) is because of supply constraints. Having said that, I've not experienced any issues with joining them in this way and the table continues to be very flat, but I would completely agree on your solution. If I ever had to do it the 'same way' again....which again....don't....I'd follow something like you've suggested.
Great job where we can get the drawings or specs to build it?
Check the first comment, I have a link to the drawings I used to build the table.
How did you make the templates for the pockets???
Template is made from 16mm MDF and cut out using a jigsaw.
Do you have lathe machine? Pool cue making would finish the series 😁
Ha yes! I'm not sure I have the talent (or bravery) just yet to attempt wood turning, that's a whole skill on it's own. Perhaps one day!
Awesome project and job. Where did you get those templates and plans?
It seems hard to get plans of size and ankles.
I had to make my own Lex, and agreed it's hard to get templates for this. If you're keen on getting my template from my Google Sketchup file you're welcome to email me.
Amazing project indeed. How may I have access to those templates? I would love to try and build one myself. Thanks
@@barberspaddockwoodworking thank you for your offer. Meanwhile I decided buying a pool table, instead of building one. I've got too many projects and I got respect in building such a monster.
I bought a 8ft table. I should measure it and make plans out of it.
So if you need any information, let me know. I'll look the measurements and ankles up.
I built one and it did take some searching to find cushion pocket angles and shelf depths, I ended up drawing out full size mock ups of pockets and profiles of the top rail, cushions and skirt boards... I'm a carpenter so that helped.
It's nothing fancy but it plays well. I pretty proud of it. you could check it out if you're interested..
th-cam.com/video/TR-RhxH8wcs/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Nick
Warping will be a constant battle for a pool table-top that is not mounted on a very secure frame.
It will need to be checked for level at each end, 3 times along each side and diagonally both ways every time you set it up.
He needed to use slate.
I have not had any issues with warping so far. Given the length and thickness of the rails and the box shape of the base, it's very 'anti' warping already. In time, maybe, but given the purpose of this table is for occasional entertainment then those are risks that are perfectly acceptable.
If the goal was to build a professional class table, then sure you'd use slate, but for a cheap no frills occasional muck around table? It's overkill and certainly wouldn't make it portable anymore defeating one of the main criteria of what I needed in a table. I've certainly conceded in many responses that this is not a 'pro level' attempt at a table for cheap.
I don't know is it accurate enough for pofessional play, but I think it would be great for hobbists. And also looks very nice! Thanks for video
Oh definitely not a pro table for sure, but it's still alot of fun to play on!
Hey, i have a question, me and a friend wanted to build our own pool table, but we demoralized when we saw that a expensive quality table use "slate" on the table, as we wanted it to be a almost excellent table like the ones on our local pool we didn´t knew what to do and we left the project on stand by. My question is, is it possible to use something as good as the slate or at least something taht gives a similar result??? And if it is, what can we use???
Let's be honest, professional tables are built with slate tops for a reason. If you're trying to build a professional table that behaves like slate, then unfortunately I don't know or can think of an alternative surface. If you're willing to make some concessions/compromises and accept the limitations of what other materials have, then building a table out of formply (note I say formply, not plywood), or even MDF are viable options, but these are not going to be identical to slate.
I've had people who play more regularly then me say the surface I've made feel good, so take that as you may, however these are my 2 cents:
If you're wanting to replicate the kind of high end tables of a pool hall, then sorry I doubt this project while fun to make, is going to meet that bar.
If you're after a weekend hobby table that you use with the friends or family as an entertainment piece, then that's what I've built and I think it works great for that.
I hope that helps at least a little.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking YOO, that was fast!!!! And it actually helps a Lot, thank You man, i'll make sure to follow your instructions, thanks again
Where can I get plans
I'm attempting to put together a PDF of dimensions, specially on the pocket since that's what most people are after. In the meantime if you want you can have my Google Sketchup file I used, just email me a request and I'll send it to you.
Do you sell these? Awesome build.
No sorry, not something I build to sell. I do have free templates / sizing plans on my website if you're interested in building one for yourself, but I don't build these to sell sorry.
Everything was great except the rubber bumper not recommended for that size
@@pitiknilitzkie Could you expand on that? What specific would be wrong with this bumper?
When marking the black rubber bumpers I would have used a silver sharpie pen.
When something is so obvious it's oblivious to you at the time.....and I have a silver sharpie pen....
A nice build but I have a few questions. First I assume you went with wood vs slate for cost reasons, maybe weight as well. But why plywood vs MDF ? Plywood might be more stable with respect to humidity but it's probably not as flat as MDF and flatness is important in pool (so slow balls roll straight) ? Did you take any special precautions or design choices to be able to level and flatten the playing surface and keep it that way over time, temperature and humidity? How has it faired in that regard since you built it ?
And one last question...slate table playing surfaces are usually 3 pieces due to weight and ease of transport. Wood tables are usually 1 piece and avoid joints and their problems. Why did you make yours in multiple pieces? Was that an Aussie vs US availability thing or ???
TIA.
Excellent questions Brian! Like many projects sometimes you have to compromise depending on the goals and that's certainly the case here. I was never going to use slate because of cost and MDF was going to be too heavy. Making a table to stand the test of time wasn't the goal here, just something to muck around on with friends/family on occasion, then stick it up against the wall in my garage when not in use. So weight, cost and convenience being the brief.
Formply is actually very very flat and quite hard on the surface, but you are correct, it could move in time but we will have to see just how much that would be. The hard film they put on formply actually helps with movement (so I'm told) and I've not noticed any issues so far since I've built it, it remains perfectly flat but I'll be sure to keep checking it and report if I have issues.
As for the multiple pieces for the top and why I did it that way, I regret forgetting to cover the reason for this in the video. Using multiple pieces was not something I wanted to do, it was unfortunately due to supply constraints at the time in Australia of sourcing wood in general (and still ongoing). It was going to take many many weeks for my local supplier to be able to get more sheets of form plywood in the size I needed, and these smaller quarter panels was all they were going to have for at least a few months. So in the end it was a compromise so I could have it for summer.
Many people have emailed me asking for plans, and the one thing I always say to them is 'use a single sheet, make your life easier'.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking Thanks so much for the incredibly quick response! I knew there was a question I forgot to ask and it was what type of plywood you used. What is that top surface, melamine or some other laminate? Now I know it's Formply, something I've not heard of here in the US. I'll have to look it up and see if there's an equivalent sold here.
I'm looking to build, maybe, a low cost table for my niece, who isn't a serious player, nor plans to be one. So unless I can find a low $ slate table, MDF or ??, is likely to be the surface. I'd also like to see if a low $ "wood" table plays as well as slate, all other things being roughly equal. Most serious players say No but won't say Why or How. Certainly a nonflat surface would be a reason but I think there's some snobbery involved as well. Building one myself would answer that question.
Thanks again and have fun on your table.
'What's that stuff you use?' It's the biggest question I get and honestly I did not know it wasn't really a thing in the US until I kept getting questions regarding it (all from my US friends) so it certainly appears to be something not commonly available to those in the US. It's definitely not a melamine type product, it's effectively plywood with a resin surface that makes it very smooth, quite hard (I've smacked the crap out of mine with a hammer to see how much it takes to dent it and it's an insane amount) and it's resistant to things sticking to it (wood glue doesn't stick to it which makes it ideal for workbenches / tops etc). Traditionally it's used in concrete forming thus the name 'Formply', however it has many general purpose uses.
You can get some really really good quality Form Ply. The stuff I used in this build has 11 layers (yes 11!).
I think a similar product that is sold in the US is called MDO/HDO Plywood, tho I'm told it's not quite the same (there seems to be a difference between 'film layer' and 'resin layer') however from pictures it appears to be similar/same.
If you can't get something similar, I probably think MDF is a better route? I don't think standard plywood would work, it would be too soft a surface and certainly no smooth enough. If you do find something that works, let us/me know!
@@barberspaddockwoodworking I wanted to add a bit more information I dug up on phenolic plywood, the generic name for FormPly and others. It seems to be a high grade plywood, thin plies, no voids, encapsulated in hard phenolic plastic (except around the edges). Used more in Europe than in the US, primarily for concrete forms. I couldn't find a hard specification for flatness, moreover there are various grades of phenolic plywood, higher grades used for industrial furniture and such. One (?low?) grade version sold in the US is TigerForm. A 3/4", 4'x8' sheet (you can do the metric conversion) goes for around 80 USD at Menards. Generally not found at Home Depot or Lowe's. A similar sheet of MDF at the latter stores is about 55 USD. Slate would be around $700, plus shipping.
Flatness per WPA regulations is no more than 0.01" across the width of the table (any size) and, naturally, 2x that across the length. That's a bit wishy washy IMO, as I'm unsure how to interpret it. A coplanar reg for the slates is +/- 0.005". Compare those to a thickness spec on MDF of +/- 0.005" and you can see why, if properly supported and prior to any warping, MDF is often used. The spec I saw for TigerForm was 1 mm for thickness uniformity, about 0.04". But is that +/_ , on any single board or board to board, batch to batch ? And might higher grades, from other manufacturers, be better ? I doubt anyone knows. I suppose if you could measure flatness well enough, the rather thick phenolic surface could be sanded flat at the high spots, perhaps to better than real life MDF flatness. And then there's settling and warping over time and temperature and humidity. I think phenolic plywood might be more stable than MDF in those regards. Certainly both need a more supportive frame structure that does slate.
So is there a clear winner ? Not that I can see. I'll have to look into higher grades of phenolic plywood here in the US. Thanks to BPW for bringing this to my attention.
I'm not sure if YT always allows links so I'll stop here but try to put some useful links in a reply below.
Some detailed research!
Great job. Would help mesurnaments:)❤
Check the first pinned comment.
Maybe it’s a country specific, but I’d say that’s pretty expensive for a such table. I build a 7ft table myself using two zinger bases, wood frame and two pieces of granite, rubber and 2m of cloth and it cost me around 30k rubbles which was about usd 500$ back in a time.
This is a very fair question, so let me expand. At the time of building it was during the covid pandemic, and material costs and supply shortages meant that the price of timber like the formply and even just the standard pine went up in price almost %100. It's reflective of the costs associated at that time in history, so no fast-forward to today, it can be done much cheaper.
If I built this again today, I estimate it would cost probably half of what I originally paid, maybe a tad more.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking thank you for explaining, this makes sense now.
can u give me the actual size of the table and wood you used.. where to download the template or can u give me the template measurement
Check the pinned comment.
Hello my friend....I just want to check with you what are the pocket sizes!?
Check the pinned comment and the description. I have a link that will provide a PDF that has all the dimensions including a pocket template.
Many thanks!!!
Na'ice job!!!
Thanks!
Hello can you give all the dimensions for the pool table please including the pockets dimensions and all dimensions about the pool table
If you'd like the google sketch-up file which will include all this, hit me up on my email: anthony@barberspaddockwoodworking.com
What the size of the table please by cm not fite?
Please check the description and the pinned comment for links to the PDF that contains dimensions.
very nice work brother. how long did it take and can u make me one?
It's a fairly uncomplicated design so the build time you see is about 4 weeks of solid work to make this one. As for building them for others to be frank 1. I'm no professional, and 2. It's questionable if it's entirely cost effective. Maybe in the future who knows.
I built this in 3 days... th-cam.com/video/TR-RhxH8wcs/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Nick
Bellissimo un capo lavoro👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏❤️👏❤️👍💪💯🇮🇹
About how much does the table weigh?
Good question. I don't knew the exact figure, and be mindful that it doesn't have legs (that's the whole point), but I'd estimate that it's bout 40KG-45KG (about 100 pounds) and is very manageable for two people to move. If this was MDF it would be much much heavier, and if this was slate....well...it aint moving at all.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking Thanks for the quick reply. That sounds very manageable.
beautiful, but what are the measurements of the house?
Assuming you mean the measurements of the table? It's 2050mm x 1200mm.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking sorry I meant the size of the holes (the width)
@@angelocolonna7581 Just under 4" wide, or about 10cm. The google sketch-up file I made will have the exact dimensions. You're welcome to it if you want, just email me the request.
anthony@barberspaddockwoodworking.com
but why no affiliation product, we need to increase profit, dripping is what more smashing advertise let's go!
Can I have your blueprints?
Sure, just send me an email and I'll send you my Sketchup file.
Hi, can I get your email? Thx
5/5 vodeo
Please tell me you weren’t using Philips screws…
To do what? The underneath frame? Yes. The rails? No those are bolts with a philips head profile.
Why this complicated frame tho. It's kinda difficult to build properly i think
Because the table is portable, it needs to be as rigid as possible to stop twisting when moving. If you were to mount this permanently to legs/frame you probably don't need to make it as complicated as I have.
Additionally because of the lack of 4x8 formply sheets, I was forced to use QTR panels which means re-enforcing the points where two boards meet. While this also provides additional frame strength however it's completely unnecessary if you use a single sheet of formply (which I recommend).
If I was ever to do this again, for sure there are things I would do differently in a re-design based on what I learnt.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking , oh, thanks for the answer. I think I'm gonna try to build something like this with my friends, but since we dont have much experience of working with wood it might end up being janky lol
@@saintsdgessus8823 Well only one way to find out!
I am currently designing my pool table. I watched the video very carefully until the moment when you started to mount the rubber. Is that rubber for windows? I'm sorry, but it's a fucking shame.
I used pool table rubber that I sourced from a pool table supplier on eBay. The link to what I used is in the description. The felt was also sourced from the same supplier.
@@barberspaddockwoodworking oh i see. This rubber for snooker table and maybe its ok for pool if you use 52mm balls or close
almost as expensive as buying on store.... so.... ill take one on the store...... nice woodworking....
Why on earth you using plywood not
Marble on the pool table.
This isn't just 'plywood' it's a specific type of plywood called 'Formply'. It's made up of construction grade plywood with a very hard resin coated surface. This surface is incredibly hard, smooth and flat and is commonly used here in Australia to create forms for concrete, thus the name 'Formply'. I have said this in other comments and in the PDF I created that I do not recommend straight up plywood, it is not as hard or as durable as this stuff. Formply is a trade-off between expensive stone, MDF that is too heavy or standard plywood which isn't durable enough.
Secondly, the purpose of this table is to have some portability, it does not stay put. When it's not in use, I store it away in the garage. It's both sturdy and light enough to do this, and so far has not provided any problems. Two people can carry the entire top quite easily.
Lastly cost.
I've said this before, this isn't a project or a way to build a 'championship' table or 'heirloom piece'. If that's what you want to build, this isn't for you. What this is for me is just something to have a bit of fun with family and friends occasionally, and so far, it's been great. It is still dead flat, dead smooth and plays just fine.
Hope that provides some clarity!
I’d rather buy a pool table for $500.
This video is for those who has not that choice
@@tchikoumahmoud4665you mean to tell me this table cost less than $500?
The cost of this project (at the time) was heavily impacted by local and international events. During and around the time I build this Australia had experienced some truly devastating bush fires that wiped out a significant amounts of local timber supply. Coupled with increased demand for rebuilding, as well as new homes this sent the price of timber and plywood through the roof as we've all seen around the world.
If you were to ask me today what it would cost to build this, I would say it's still high compared to say 3 or 4 years ago, but probably not as high as when I originally built this.
Could I have bought a table? Well sure but here, where I live that's not a cheap option, and additionally for what I wanted which was a portable or movable table, well that simply didn't exist.
This project isn't going to be for everyone. Whether it's cost prohibitive, tool prohibitive or other is up to you to decide. The video simply demonstrated what it took for me, a relatively novice woodworker, to build a functional pool table that I can move around for as cheap as I could at the time of filming.
A 9ft size pool table is no where near $500. If you know where I can find one that price please let me know because that’s a bargain!!
Tell me where to buy 9ft table for $500
Even $800 is fine
Nice, but literally anything can be built on a budget, just depends on the size of the budget. The statement is unqualified. Even saying tight budget needs more qualification, as tight to you will be loose for somebody else. Easier to just say what size of budget it could be built for and let other people decide if it’s within their reach or not.
I think the point you raise is an important one. %100 I completely agree, 'budget' is definitely subjective here. It's part of the reason why I don't make a conclusion regarding this point in the video, but simply outlay what it cost me to build with the cheapest materials I could get my hands on, based on where I live. People can then make their own judgement calls on this.
Some have argued it's not fair to not include the cost of tools, or that I have a workshop, or that I could have used a few different materials to reduce costs etc. Those are all also valid points to look at it and consider as well.
A 48 min ryobi commercial with questionable technique and a lack of shop safety
I'm touched you watched all 48 minutes.
$750 in materials, and about 5K in tools😅
Yup, the irony is not lost on me on that one. But it has to be said, this is why I built a workshop!
All I had as a portable table saw, a circular saw, drill and hand tools...
th-cam.com/video/TR-RhxH8wcs/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Nick
Very very nice!
@@barberspaddockwoodworking
Thank you sir..!
Nowhere close to$5k, and I am sure these tools will be used for hundreds of projects around the house. By your thinking, why buy a fridge and stove to make one meal?
Why not do some talking to tell people what you are doing?
Valid question, and let me answer this as honestly as I can. This was one of my very early, and very first youtube videos. When I started, I didn't really have any idea what I was doing, and I mean that from both a woodworking point of view and a film editing point of view (and some will argue that I still don't, which I wouldn't totally disagree with).
Given my inexperience as both a video maker and a woodworker at the time, I felt completely inadequate and unprepared to be telling people what I was doing, or how they should be doing it. I was just too scared to be honest. So the video was more about just watching someone build a pool table, and hopefully giving people their own ideas or concepts on how they might approach it themselves, as apposed to a 'tutorial'.
So yes, fast forward to today, I've learnt a lot and gained more confidence to speak on camera and off camera and I'm certain this type of project I could more adequately cover.
I may one day sit down and do a follow up video where I go into more details of this build for those that want to attempt it themselves, however I would say that I'm easily contactable, and you can ask any questions regarding the build, and I'll answer them to my best of my abilities.
Thanks for your question!
Thank you.