Introduction: SIMPLE Flatpack Portable No-tools Plywood Table

About: San Francisco native and tourist. Spinner of lumpy yarn. Techshop member and teacher. Gymnastics natural. Oatmeal connoisseur.

I'm Lauren, and this is my first instructable. Hope you like it.

This is a design for making a simple, lightweight, but sturdy interlocking table. The table top is 24 by 30 inches, and the height is 30 inches.
All you need is:
*(6) 24" x 18" sheets of 1/4" plywood (I used a good quality dense furniture-grade 5-ply birch). You should be able to get (10) pieces out of a standard 4ft by 8ft sheet of plywood.
*A saw.
*Sandpaper

I used a laser at Techshop SF to draw my cut lines on my wood to make it easier, but you could use carbon paper or tracing paper instead.

:D

Step 1: Download This File

This table requires 5 pattern pieces. Four of them are provided here: 1st layer, 2nd layer, 3rd layer and 4th layer. You will also need a a piece I will call "Layer 1b". It's just like "Layer 1" except the middle slot is on the right side instead of the left side 

"Layer1Design" Is a lace artwork file that I laser etched onto all my pieces to make them pretty. So go ahead and download those files in this step.

You must have Abobe Illustrator to open these files.

Step 2: Laser or Draw on Your Wood

You will need to cut out one of each of the files that you downloaded.
Except you will need 2 of the "4th layer" file.

Like I said in the previous step, make an additional file for "Layer1b".

So go ahead and get the shapes drawn on your wood somehow.
For the lace decoration, I just ran the same file on all my pieces.

Or if you're super special, skip the drawing and cut this out on a Laser, ShopBot, or waterjet cutter. Techshop SF has all three!

Step 3: Cut Your Wood

I cut all my lines with a band saw. Make sure you wear safety glasses and don't put your fingers near the saw. Don't wear any gloves because they make your hands more likely to get caught on a moving blade. Handy tips from me to you.

Step 4: Sand Everything

with sandpaper. Especially inside the slots.

Step 5: Put Everything Together in Order.

Put Layer 1 and Layer1b together.
Add Layer2
Add Layer3
Add Layer4

Your slots should be tight. Use a mallet to get the X's into the tabletop pieces securely.

DONE!

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