one sheet plywood picnic table

reible · Post by **reible** » Sun Jul 24, 2011 12:05 pm

I had a really nice day yesterday, my two boys and I worked on a family project together, one that I know will be meaningful to their families in years to come.

Sorry but I have to add a bit more to the story. Back in time to the 70's, could have been 73 to as late as 77-78 I built one of these picnic tables out of a single sheet of plywood. I'm thinking I saw it in Popular Science??? The plywood industry would have contests in which the winners projects were published, and one of the winners was a picnic table.

As a family we would use it outside to eat, play with match box cars, color, draw, and about anything where a table would come in handy. The house had a nice sunny enclosed porch where the table would winter until late February when the kids would begin using it there.

As things go the table started getting left out after we moved to a new house without as much storage space. Weather is not kind to plywood and problems began taking a toll starting at the feet. We got a good dozen years out of it but then it started to fade away so to speak.

As a family we had a lot of great times with the table and I have wanted to make a new one for the last dozen years but I wasn't able to find my plans and well I never got a round to it. Earlier this year we were at a family gathering and began talking about the old green picnic table... slide forward until a few weeks back when I began searching for plans. I never did find the exact table but picked out another version that I think I like even better.

One of the nice parts for me was working with the boys again on a project. I've worked with each of them many time but it has been years since we did a project all together. So back to yesterday, I tend to not trust plans as many many times they have issues. We are in process of making 3 tables but rather then jig up we went with lets just make one, all by hand tools and see if things work out. I didn't shoot many pictures, but I did take a few after shots.

This picture is what the cutout parts look like sitting on a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood. What I hope you can (sort of) see is how little waste there is.

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Assembled with the tools of the day.

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We still need to do a few adjustments and sanding, if the rains hold off this afternoon that might happen. We want to get this one done so it can get painted and used for a birthday party next Sunday.

BTW the drawings seem to be correct, so maybe we will do a pattern next before the next two or more tables. The layout must have taken at least an hour...

Ed

algale · Post by **algale** » Sun Jul 24, 2011 12:26 pm

Love the story and love the design. Can post a link to the plan?

reible · Post by **reible** » Sun Jul 24, 2011 12:36 pm

Link to pdf:

http://familyfun.go.com/assets/cms/pdf/ ... ctable.pdf

Ed

algale · Post by **algale** » Sun Jul 24, 2011 12:45 pm

reible wrote:Link to pdf:

http://familyfun.go.com/assets/cms/pdf/ ... ctable.pdf

Ed

Much obliged!

reible · Post by **reible** » Sun Jul 24, 2011 2:00 pm

One other thing I forgot to mentions was the extra feet that we will be adding.

Take a look here to see what I'm talking about:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Additio ... ic-tables/

Ed

john · Post by **john** » Sun Jul 24, 2011 2:09 pm

Ed:

Thanks for the original post and the link to the plans.

Nice Job!

This looks like an interesting project.

John

kd6vpe · Post by **kd6vpe** » Sun Jul 24, 2011 2:42 pm

I'm so glad to see you posting again and what a nice table I know you will enjoy it again.

stant · Post by **stant** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 1:46 pm

That is quite an impressive plan based on one piece of plywood. Are you going to be painting it or staining it? I like the grain pattern of the plywood and it would be cool to keep the top or seats natural to show off the grain. I need to make one of those for my kids after I finish their toy box and other little projects.

reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 3:35 pm

Hi,

This is one of three we are building. This one is one of my son's and I think the last we talked about it he was thinking of making it look like a lady bug, red with black spots. Second son was talking about a natural finish for at least the top and seats as you mentioned.

I think I'll go with a painted pine sort of green bottom and a cedar color seats and top. This is subject to change as the wife has the red/white/blue theme she likes, and I've also thought about a few other colors I wouldn't mind seeing... who knows I might even make another one just so I can check out another colors scheme.

Ed

stant wrote:That is quite an impressive plan based on one piece of plywood. Are you going to be painting it or staining it? I like the grain pattern of the plywood and it would be cool to keep the top or seats natural to show off the grain.

kent123 · Post by **kent123** » Tue Aug 16, 2011 3:30 am

Hi...,
Nice idea....
My dear i am appreciate your efforts to make it really nice.I am hopeful you will be successful in this project.
Thanks for sharing this nice post and best of luck......
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