Drafting table suggestions.

[AmishWarlord]

I'm currently designing a drafting table.

It's going to have a top that is 4'x8'x1-1/2"

I'd like it to be lay flat and tilt up 90°.

The table top is going to be a torsion box with lead counter balance at the front.

The skirt the table top rest on will be 2.8' x 7.8' x 6"

The skirt will be positioned toward the back of the table top with 1' of table top handing over the front and 2" or so over hang at the back.

I'm planning to use piano hinges under the front to hold the table top to the skirt.

On the back I'm thinking about two floating boards with a slot and notches in it to position the table top at basic angles 30° 45° 60° and 90°.

Here are some pictures of antique drafting tables that I'm basing the design on.

I'd appreciate any advice you guys can give me on design or construction since I'm new at this.

 

[Hardcharger14]

I have an oak industral drafting table out in the barn with 10 + years of barn dust on it. It was used by a electrical contractor to lay out blue prints. It is BIG. What ya got to trade?? No thrill of the build, just a lot of cleaning, sanding and finishing. Steve Mc in High Point

 

[CDPeters]

Sound like you have a solid plan. I would build the torsion box top on as flat a surface as you can find, use 1/4" ply for the skins with a smooth malamine on the drawing surface. In a pinch to save money, you could also face the drawing surface with 1/8" hardboard (masonite).

C.

 

[AmishWarlord]

That sounds interesting. But I have some items I'm building this table around. One is my 1940's drafting machine and the next is a 48" roll paper dispenser.

Thanks for the offer though.

Mitch

 

[KenOfCary]

Don't forget the little lip on the front to keep your pencils and drafting tools from sliding off on the floor. The first two pics have one but the last one does not. In fact the last pic does not really look like a drafting table to me.

I would use some kind of laminate or hard-board as suggested earlier to make a very smooth surface.

- Ken.

 

[Hardcharger14]

Mitch, I understand the thrill of the build. There was a comment about tops for your table. The one I use and the barn table have/ had battle ship lienolium sp. ( gray or green in color ), at one time it could be purchased in sheets, in the furniture capital of the world HIGH POINT N. C. Steve Mc

 

[AmishWarlord]

The first two pics have one but the last one does not. In fact the last pic does not really look like a drafting table to me.

Yeah I don't know what kind of table that is to need a tilting top like that, yet have that deep of molding all the way around. However that thing has got some legs on it! ☺

 

[AmishWarlord]

The one I use and the barn table have/ had battle ship lienolium sp. ( gray or green in color )

That color sounds familiar.

 

[CDPeters]

Man I havn't seen one of those in a looooong time. That deserves a nice drafting table to be bolted to.

I was watching my son last night working on a project in AutoCad Inventor (he's studying Modeling and Simulation). Amazing what that software will do - but I still prefer the feel of a nice sharp No. 4 and a drafting scale in my hands.

C.

 

[AmishWarlord]

Yeah this one designed allot of parts for Grumman Aircraft in it's day.

 

[Jim Kunzweiler]

Naturally I can't find it now, but one of the Google Sketchup trainers on the wood forums has a real nice design. A portion of the top tilts leaving a flat work surface to the right of the board... with storage underneath. As I recall about 25% is fixed and 75% tilts. If I were replacing my 40 year old board I would consider the convenience of having a flat area next to the board.

 

[Pop Golden]

I've used hollow core doors before. They work ok, but not as well as a good drafting board. The best surface for a drafting table top is a product that is a self healing plastic around 1/8th. inch thick. Art supply stores have it.

Bill "Pop" Golden

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Like you, I still use a drafting table rather than Sketchup. Too lazy to learn. :wsmile: I use a 42" parallel bar rather than a swing arm, though. For the top of my table, and other supplies, I've used Draphix. Just FYI.

Bill

 

[AmishWarlord]

Hey Bill those parallel bars, can they work vertically?

 

[Jeff]

A few thoughts via Sketch Up based upon your rough dimensions.

You said a torsion box top I believe. This one is 1.5" x 1.5", but with 1/2" ply on the bottom and 1/2" MDF on the top it's 2.5" thick. It'll still be much lighter than a solid top and probably much flatter from day to day. :dontknow:

 

[Jim Kunzweiler]

Here is the table I was thinking about...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8294157@N08/6221025262/

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Hey Bill those parallel bars, can they work vertically?

They might, but I don't think I would try it. There is a fair amount of play from left to right. If you had it vertically, it would sag down probably 1-3". I suspect it would stay aligned, but sag.

Bill

 

[ehpoole]

Hey Bill those parallel bars, can they work vertically?

With parallel bars one typically uses a triangle for vertical reference.

I have an old Alvin from my college days (90s)... I mostly use TurboCAD these days but it is handy to have learned traditional drafting while woodworking (or layout out control panels for electronics projects).

 

[AmishWarlord]

My table top is going to be 48" X 96" I don’t think they made the P-bars in 96" size so I was wondering if I put it on the 48" the use triangles for the horizontals.

Really this would be just in case the swing arm can't reach down to the lower section of the board.

I have a sheet of 4x8 ply in the shop. I'll just test it out on that to see how far down it can reach.