Switch Theme:

Marketability of Breakdown Metal Wargaming Tables (4" x 6'-0"+/- is biggest piece) (now with sketch)  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
  • No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
  • Times and dates in your local timezone.
  • Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
  • Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
  • Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.




Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut




Oklahoma City

Hello all, the FLGS needs some new tables and wants to upgrade to metal ones. I see this as an opportunity because I am tooled up to make these.


I was working on designs/cost estimates and was curious about how many people may be interested and if so what they felt was a marketable price point? I don't want to do a bunch of fancy sketches/renderings or anything like that if my price point can't be met.


Currently the design weighs about 118 pounds + the bolts to assemble it + packaging material. This does not include MDF/hardboard inserts for under your game surface. (supports are at 2'-0" intervals on 6'-0" span) but not on the 4'-0" span. (so you will have to have a board down to lay realm of board tiles in... but I could add in more supports at 2'-0" intervals on the 4'-0" span to catch the RoB or secret weapon board tiles?)


The table will have a 1" lip to catch board/tiles, the shelf on the bottom will be adjustable to 6 different locations. (it will need a hardboard infill as well). It's nothing too fancy, just a clean metal frame that breaks down made out of tubestock/angle.


The table should be able to be assembled by a single person (though much easier with 2) with a socket wrench.

It stands 36" to the table top. It will have an opening adequate for a 6' x 4' gaming board with a 1/8" tolerance around the perimeter.


It could be easily setup in small apartments in a few minutes and broken down and put away when not in use. (though I would recommend using 3 - 24" x 48" pieces of hardboard for inserts if done this way for ease of storage. who has room for a 4' x 6' sheet? )

So dakka, how much interest in a project like this would you envision I would receive? At what price point would you say "hey I want one of those!" ?


Thank you very much!



This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2013/04/30 21:50:57


http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/472615.page#4701031 LAND HOOOOOOO! my freeboota blog (can look me up on the-waaagh and da warpath same username)... Currently in the the midst of adventure into night goblin squig cult



hi daoc friends this is beeyawnsay c: 
   
Made in us
Legendary Master of the Chapter






Without pictures it would be hard to tell (got some prototypes or drafts?)

Simple cheap angle iron construction shouldn't cost more than 100, like a metal bed frame.

Id expect people to pay around 100-150 depending on the material and finish. about as much as a sturdy metal shelf.

 Unit1126PLL wrote:
 Scott-S6 wrote:
And yet another thread is hijacked for Unit to ask for the same advice, receive the same answers and make the same excuses.

Oh my god I'm becoming martel.
Send help!

 
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut




Oklahoma City

Hoping to get a prototype done later this week/beginning of next week and will post photos. The drafts I have are just hand sketches used for estimating. I'm more of a cad operator than a draftsmen heh. Not showing anyone my 7 year old looking scribbles

I originally designed it using just angle iron, but I brought it to the resident engineer where I work, asked me what I thought would happen when the first 400 pound player leans on the edge of the table... Who then suggested a tubestock frame with an angle iron lip to catch the playing tiles/surface.

I guess I could try to post some sort of a scribble up.. remember, cad operator, not an artist


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Updated drawing



When I looked into it, games workshop pays over $500 per table for their store.. Which seems rather high. Using slotted angle iron fabrication. This is mainly done using structural HSS 1x1x11ga, and Angle Iron 1x1x11ga.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/04/30 21:45:28


http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/472615.page#4701031 LAND HOOOOOOO! my freeboota blog (can look me up on the-waaagh and da warpath same username)... Currently in the the midst of adventure into night goblin squig cult



hi daoc friends this is beeyawnsay c: 
   
Made in us
Frothing Warhound of Chaos




I chased down the company that produces the tables for GWS. And they asked GWS if it would be possible to sell tables to individuals. Unfortunately, GWS declined to approve of such sales.

I wonder if the GWS table price of $500 includes the rubber mats, etc? Do those tables come with 4x6 metal table surfaces already in place?
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut






skyfi wrote:
I originally designed it using just angle iron, but I brought it to the resident engineer where I work, asked me what I thought would happen when the first 400 pound player leans on the edge of the table... Who then suggested a tubestock frame with an angle iron lip to catch the playing tiles/surface.


Nothing much would happen... Look at any warehouse or machine shop in the world - pretty much all your material handling equipment is simple angle iron construction, and it supports thousand of pounds without issue.

The big issue I see with your design would be lateral forces (leaning on the edge of the table and pushing it over like a house of cards...not down). Double bolts would help, a diagonal brace would be better or source some deeper angle (1x4 or something along those lines) which would allow you to provide more support against lateral loads.

A peg and slot style (again, common in material handling systems) would allow for tool less assembly and quick setup/tear down.

http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/H-1138-LAM/Packing-Tables/72-x-36-Laminate-Top-Packing-Table

Quite often these end up being over designed for what they are meant to be. 4 pieces of angle for the rim, 3 pieces of flat for the grid, off the shelf folding legs - done and done. $75 plus labor at retail...about half that at wholesale. Sell them at $150 for a pretty decent margin (need to be at $200-225 for distribution pricing to work out). Small enough to fit in a 6" tube for shipping. Knockdown tables don't normally have a need for storage.

The downside of course is that metal corners can be hazardous. Rounding those is somewhat labor intensive and without expensive tooling it is hard to avoid the manual labor so scaling up isn't a simple matter.
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut





Redmond, WA

I bought 2 of the 30x72 work tables form this site and set them up in my storage area.

http://www.concessionstands.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.312/.f

They are fairly sturdy, but I wish they had more shelves underneath.

They are also very easy to clean.

https://gumroad.com/wulfsheademiniatures

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/wulfsheade-miniatures 
   
 
Forum Index » Dakka Discussions
Go to: