Custom Scrabble Table

[atogrf1]

I built this Scrabble Table as a surprise for my sister for Christmas who is a word game fanatic.

The game board portion is made with a Mahogany Grid system to lock the tiles in place, while the border is Mahogany with Wenge banding. The tiles are made of Maple, and the Double Word, Triple Word, etc. were laser engraved and then dyed the same colors as an official Scrabble Board.

The board is mounted to the table below with a lazy susan so it rotates to face the player making his/her turn and also clears the letters sitting in the tile holders along the perimeter of the base.

The table base is made from Sapele Mahogany with Wenge laminated to the bottom of the 4-way tapered legs.
The table top has channels cut into it to hold the tile holders that I made from Wenge as well. They are removable from the table if the player so chooses.

I also made a “cover” for it that locks into the table with dowels. This allows for her to put pictures, or a lamp, or something on there when the game portion is not in use.
The cover has a double hinged (barrel hinges) lid for her to store the playing pieces in along with a pen/pencil and paper to keep score.

I finished it by spraying General Finishes High Performance Satin finish and sanded between coats. Then, I applied a coat of Renaissance Wax to give is silky smooth finish coat.

 

[Holzhacker]

Beautiful job. I like the recessed tile holders and the folder board to put stuff underneath. Nicely thought out.
Luckily for me my wife doesn't look at the FOG or I'd be screwed. She'd want that yesterday.

 

[Steve R]

Beautiful job. I like the recessed tile holders and the folder board to put stuff underneath. Nicely thought out.
Luckily for me my wife doesn't look at the FOG or I'd be screwed. She'd want that yesterday.

[thumbs up]

 

[atogrf1]

Thank you.  I appreciate the kind words.

 

[WoodChuckWoods]

are you able to do the laser engrave or did you send it out? it all looks amazing

 

[atogrf1]

The worded tiles were laser engraved by a company called www.laserpond.com.
That is the one portion of the project that I had to source out.
I did they dying myself though.  They are made of maple.

There is a guy that works there named Paul that really took care of me.
The service was great and the pricing was pretty good.

 

[PaulMarcel]

That's a fantastic looking project; stellar design, too.  Was the design based on something else?  I'm betting not... well done.

 

[Kev]

If I had to be critical, I would say that I don't think "LTN" is a word  [big grin]

Nice work.

 

[atogrf1]

No, it was something I put together "on the fly" so to speak.
However, I did dye the tiles the colors of an official Scrabble Board.  I was just upset that the Orange looked too much like the red.  It was my first time using the Trans Tint dyes and it was a lesson learned.

I would agree.  LTN is not a word. 

 

[fritter63]

Very very nice!

And I like how the letter tiles will sit recessed on the board. Eliminates the urge to spin that lazy susan a little too fast if you're losing badly...  [cool]

 

[atogrf1]

My thoughts exactly.

The grid system stands proud of the board exactly one-half the thickness of a tile.  So, that way, they can play the tile and have it locked in place, but it is still easily pulled up with your fingers.

 

[CDM]

This is a really awesome project.  As I drive around Chicagoland I'll be looking for greenswards next to ponds where some folks are playing Scrabble.  (In a few minutes I'm going to go sit in a beach chair at THE pond, since we're having another balmy January day up north of the city.)

One technical question...  Did you make any accommodation for expansion differences between the table top and the over-cap that could lead to the dowel holes not being perfectly aligned?

 

[atogrf1]

It IS nice here today.  50 degrees in January.  I like it!!!!

Great question.
Actually, yes, I did.
The dowels in the over-cap/cover are 1/4" and glued into the over-cap/cover.  However, the holes on the table were drilled out at 3/8" in order to allow for expansion and contraction when the cover is on.  Also, the top is attached to the base and aprons with figure-8's to allow for the same thing.

 

[fritter63]

It IS nice here today.  50 degrees in January.  I like it!!!!

Great question.
Actually, yes, I did.
The dowels in the over-cap/cover are 1/4" and glued into the over-cap/cover.  However, the holes on the table were drilled out at 3/8" in order to allow for expansion and contraction when the cover is on.  Also, the top is attached to the base and aprons with figure-8's to allow for the same thing.

Since you're bragging... it's 77 here today in balmy Cali, but it sure looks like we're in a nice drought now too. Can't remember the last time it rained and I think I need to water the oak saplings this weekend....

 

[atogrf1]

This is Chicago.
It will be 50 degrees today, 14 below zero tomorrow, snow one day, and rain the next.
Like they say here, "Just blink and the weather will change".

 

[fritter63]

This is Chicago.
It will be 50 degrees today, 14 below zero tomorrow, snow one day, and rain the next.
Like they say here, "Just blink and the weather will change".

Yeap, used to live in Denver!

"Slip on the ice, fall in the mud, get up and brush the dust off"

 

[atogrf1]

LOL.  I like that one.