Anybody ever build a Shuffleboard Table?

[Endless Pursuit]

Thinking about it for my basement. It's a well conditioned space with enough room for a table. My wife and I love the game and it could be an heirloom type project.

Just not quite sure how I would get a 4" thick X 20" wide X 16 ft long table top dead flat. Maybe a torsion box?

I have 4 other projects in que and this one's been in the back of my head for a while. Looking for input if you've ever done it.

Thanks in advance.

 

[KenOfCary]

Torsion box is probably a good idea - very strong and easy to make flat. Or of course a 20" Planer or Drum Sander with a lot of infeed and outfeed support. Never having tried anything like that, I'm only speculating on reasonable methods. Good luck.

 

[Jeff]

I'm walking the plank on this one with <absolutely no experience...

http://www.shuffleboard.net/blog/how-to-build-a-shuffleboard-table/

The tables have a hefty base (like a pool table) to support the weight and keep the playing surface level. This may be beyond overkill for what you'd like to build but...

 

[Gofor]

The one I used to play on in FL had 5 sets of 2 legs, about 4' apart, each leg having an adjuster to get keep the table flat and level. IIRC, the playing surface was only about 3" thick, but I believe it was hard maple laminated cross-ways like a bowling alley. What ever method you use, the top wood/finish will be critical to getting a perfectly smooth top, so I am thinking a cross-linked wood like maple would be better than oak, etc.

Go

 

[Tim Sherwood]

I used a router sled with a wide bit to flatten a piece of bowling alley for a table top. Turns out only the first 20 feet or so is maple . The bulk of a bowling alley is pine.

 

[thsb]

This is kind of my holy grail or bucket list project in woodworking. very intimidated by it because if it isn't really good, it will be disappointing.

 

[Graywolf]

Slabs that big don't go through any household type planers or sanders without creating casualties. I tried sending a 4" X 24" X 9' through a 36" commercial planner and it almost didn't make it. The slab was pine and it still took 4 grown men to load and un load this piece. Now this was over twenty years ago and if I was to do it again I would have planed it in sections and then pulled it together followed with some hand work and a good straight edge. That being said, I think this would be a really fun project for someone whom has the room for it.