Pipe & Plywood Table

• Hacksaw
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Two straight pins or small nails
• Hammer (optional)
• String
• Jigsaw
• Electric sander with coarse-, medium-, and fine-grit papers
• Router with bearing-guided chamfer bit
• Drill with 3/16-inch-diameter drill bit
• Paintbrush
• Mill file
• Hex key wrench
• Blanket or pad
• Phillips screwdriver
• Circular or table saw
• See materials and instructions below.

 

Yes, the table legs really
are pipes.

• One piece 3/4-inch birch plywood, 74 x 48 inches for tabletop (A)
• One piece 3/4-inch Baltic birch plywood or conventional birch plywood, 48 x 30 inches, for subtop (B)

From 1-inch (inside diameter) galvanized pipe, cut with a hacksaw:

• Four legs (C), 25-1/2 inches long
• Two side braces (D), 40-1/4 inches long
• Two end braces (E), 22-1/4 inches long

• Polyurethane
• Eight #61-6 Kee Klamp flanges
• Four #21-6 Kee Klamp 90-degree side outlet tees
• No. 10 x 3/4-inch flathead sheet metal screws
• No. 6 x 1-1/4-inch deck or drywall screws

 

Diagram 1

1. Start by marking with a pencil a 74 x 48-inch rectangle on a sheet of 3/4-inch plywood for the tabletop (A) in Diagram 1 on the lower-grade face of the wood (look for mismatched veneers or small pin knots).

This face will be the underside, but work with it up for now. To create a perfectly-shaped oval, measure and scribe the centerlines of the plywood's length and width. Starting at the center point where the lines intersect, measure and mark 28-3/16 inches in each direction of the lengthwise centerline, then insert a pin or hammer in a small nail at each mark. Cut a 130-3/8-inch length of string; tie one end to each pin or nail to create a loop. Starting on the left side of the tabletop, place the pencil point within the string loop and move the pencil around the plywood, keeping the string taut and allowing it to guide you. When one side of the oval is marked, pick up the string loop, shift it to the opposite side of the tabletop, and repeat the process to mark the rest of the oval. To help you align the subtop with the tabletop during final assembly, use a measuring tape and the centerlines to mark a 48 x 30-inch rectangle, centered inside the oval outline you just drew.

2. Use a jigsaw to cut out the oval top, being sure to cut just outside the marked line. Sand away the remaining waste material to the line. Using a router equipped with a bearing-guided chamfer bit, rout a 1/2-inch chamfer on the edge of the tabletop as shown, opposite. Keep in mind that the tabletop is still upside down at this point.

3. Finish-sand tabletop and subtop (B). Drill a series of 3/16-inch holes (for screws) near each edge of the subtop, about 8 inches apart. Brush both sides of the tabletop and subtop with at least two coats of polyurethane, sanding lightly between coats. Let dry while you assemble the other components.

4. File off sharp or rough edges on the legs (C), side braces (D), and end braces (E).

 

Diagram 2

5. To assemble the base, start by installing a flange on one (upper) end of each leg. Slide the outlet tee fittings onto the legs so the fittings butt against the flange. Tighten the set screws with a hex key wrench. Install the side braces (D) between pairs of legs, then add the end braces (E) to the assembly. Add the remaining flanges to the lower ends of the legs.

6. To assemble the table, first place a blanket or pad on a flat surface. On the blanket, place the tabletop (good face down), then the subtop, then the assembled pipe-and-fitting base. Center the base on the subtop, and align the subtop with the rectangle you drew on the underside of the tabletop in Step 1. Attach the base to the subtop with sheet metal screws. Use 1-1/4-inch deck or drywall screws to fasten the subtop to the tabletop. Set the table right side up.