A recent BGG geeklist featuring game room prOn had me, again, trying to explain my gaming table. Having attempted this numerous times and after having to find pictures that help explain the mechanism, I figured I’d write it all down once and then use this blog item to explain it when the topic comes up again.
My gaming table (which doubles as my dining room table) has a double thickness top that when arranged in its smallest form, comfortably seats 6 at 38″ x 60″. Great for your basic board game. When you need more space, it can be opened to double its size (separating the double thickness top into two single “tops”) which comfortably seats 8 at 76″ x 60″. In the “open” configuration, you can accommodate two smaller games or one large game.
To open the table you rotate/spin the both thicknesses of the entire table top parallel with the floor counter-clockwise. The table top, however, doesn’t pivot from the center. Instead, the table is bolted to the legs in a position offcenter and more towards one end of the table.
This pivot position allows the table top, when rotated 90 degrees, to arrive centered at the far end of the now exposed frame and legs.
In its final position, the hinges along the edge of the double thickness top allow a single layer of the top to be lifted up, over, and down to cover the exposed frame and legs effectively doubling the size of the table.
I love this table for gaming and to be honest, we sort of lucked into it wanting a dining room table that was normally small but could be opened for larger gatherings without having to drag out leaves and have all the extra cracks running through the table. It has really worked out well for the two gaming groups that come over every month allowing us to run games at each end for 6 to 8 players.
