$50 Drafting Table

I'm a poor, currently unemployed art student. I plan on doing tons of Illustration work over the summer but I don't really have a suitable space to work. My solution? Build a Drafting table! The first one I designed was far too complex, my friend showed me plans for one on Instructables (http://www.instructables.com/id/Good-n-Easy-Drafting--Design-Table/) so I used that one, but modified it slightly to fit a reasonable price range. Yours, however, might come out to a few bucks more because I had a bunch of stuff laying around that I thought I could use, that's all optional though.

Also, keep in mind I'm no carpenter. If something was done wrong or you think my choice of materials wasn't ideal then please lemme know! If you plan on building this then pay attention to the comments because someone may mention something I've missed. >_>

Step 1 Materials

Okay, so the total came to $52.77 (including tax), without including the random bits I found. I just took one trip to Home Depot and found everything easy.

Materials:

3/4" thick slab of MDF: $26.72
- The size I got was around 3'x4'. You can get it cut at Home Depot for a 50 cents a cut for every cut after the first two. No big deal if you don't have a circular saw. In the Instructable I linked to in the previous step he uses a hollow-body door. The price was a bit steep for me so I went with MDF. If you don't want excess MDF you can get some smaller slabs for a smaller table.

UPDATE: MDF was a terrible choice for the wood. After leaving drinks on the sides of the table the condensation gets absorbed by the wood and raises the surface. Now I have grotesque looking bumps and rings. Not only that but it's pretty darn heavy, too.

Hinges: $3.57
- I got a pair of Non-Mortise Hinges, they were small enough to just barely fit on the 3/4" MDF. (See second image)

Collapsible Table Legs: $19.97
- These took the longest to find, seems like nobody knew what I was talking about. Got 'em sure enough. They require minor assembly, pretty straight forward.

3/8" thick scrapwood
- The hinges will give you a 3/8" gap between the table and the drawing surface. To keep your surface flat when you need it you'll need anything that's 3/8". I found an old CD rack with perfect little blocks so I cut a few off for the table.

Tools:

Power Drill & Drill Bits
Circular Saw
Screw Driver
Pliers (small)
Pencil
Ruler (Or measuring tape and straight edge)
Saw horses (Not really necessary if you get all your pieces cut at Home Depot)
Wood Glue

Optional:

Plexiglas
- I found a 2'x3' sheet of this in my basement, it's not the *ideal* size but I thought it'd work nicely on it.

Anti-scuff pads
- I don't know what these things are called, but you put them on furniture legs so they don't scuff the floor up. I put them on mine just to be safe. You could also put them on the 3/8" risers so the drawing surface doesn't come down with a bang.

Camera
- Take a picture of yours and show me! \o/

Comments

[baken411]

what about those rulers on the rails? thats what i would like to know how to build diy since they are so expensive normally

[SirBrittanicvs]

Could you elaborate?

[jadronx]

he means a sliding t-square

[Factor V]

I know I am quite late to the party here, but have you considered coating the MDF with Melamine rather than the plexiglass? I t is not transparent but I think it would be a slightly better material for drawing on top of.

Just some unsolicited advice 8 months late.

[SirBrittanicvs]

It hadn't occurred to me to do that (mainly cuz I had that piece of plexiglass), however I've been looking for the name of that stuff for a while now as I have a project in mind that would look great with melamine instead of wood.

Also, this table bit the dust during my last move. : /

[artcobain]

 im so so so so jealous right now >.<

[jetbd1]

 great work. =)

[iluvpandas4]

where'd you get the stool? its pretty neat looking

[SirBrittanicvs]

I think that's from Ikea. It is, unfortunately, nonadjustable and the height it's currently at is killing my back. That's where milk crates come in, if you don't mind waffle-butt that is. :p

[jdege]

I've never had much luck putting screws into the edges of MDF. Even through the paper, MDF doesn't hold screws well. Through the edges it's like screwing into oatmeal. What sort of screws did you use? And have you had any problems with them pulling out?

[nachosyumm]

Regular wood screws do not work that well, you can get by with them by pre-drilling the hole and hand screwing them on the face, but i have never been able to get standard wood screws to securely go into the edges. I use plastic inserts for stuff like hinges that go onto mdf. The small screws have a tendency to rip out in mdf if you just use them by themselves

[SirBrittanicvs]

I just used the screws that came with everything. I haven't had any problems ith them, but then again, it's only been assembled for a few hours.

[jdege]

If they pull out, your best bet is probably to dowel them. Drill out the holes with a 1/2" bit, two inches deep. Cut off lengths of 1/2" dowel that are longer than the holes. Or, if 1/2" dowels won't fit, use the widest dowel that will fit. Slather them with wood glue, and drive them into the holes. Let them dry for a day, then cut them off flush. Find some longer screws, drill proper pilot holes for them into the dowels, and attach the hinges. You should be able to find some 1-1/2" flat-head screws that fit the holes in the hinges. They should hold reasonably well, screwed into wood dowels - even in end grain.

[SirBrittanicvs]

Good idea. If things start falling apart I'll give that a shot.