How to Make a Miniature War Gaming Table

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In this video Miniwargamer Dave shows you step by step how to make a miniature war gaming table used for warhammer 40k, warhammer fantasy, warmachine, flames of war, hordes, lord of the rings and just about any other war game you can think of.
Music is royalty free from incompetech.com

[@Hepabytes]

The 480p hurts, but the old times feels are so good

[@zakphillips976]

You’re telling me

[@tailschalk1813]

Video still holds up today.

[@AJuicyLemon]

And today too....

[@generalsamsintern9580]

Wait you're telling me that as a Canadian you don't just walk out your front door with a choppa and chop down a tree? You actually have Lumber yards? My mind is officially blown.

[@smokingunstudios6474]

James No that's us southern boys when I first got into making models I thought I had by everything, if I need a short stick I'll just walk out into the woods and find one

[@Lestat3721]

Next time, make it easier on yourself by screwing the braces together before putting the plywood on. Think of it as building a frame for a wall in a house. Would be much easier to do all of the starter holes, and you would have zero worry about anything moving, because the support boards are already joined into one piece.

[@mikeyoutside5452]

Hahaha this was in my recommended vids after 8 years?!? It’s 2018! Hahaha the relevance is real 😂🤗

[@allisonparker2405]

I got 3 24" x 48" folding tables with various frontline gaming mats for my miniwargaming table. So I can just take add or subtract the third table depending on whether its a 4x4 or 4x6 game.

[@peetwi]

Lol can’t believe I never thought about that...

[@Hellscope1]

That space marine Idea is by far the best idea ever. You should also get a giant inflatable defiler to go over the building, like they do at car dealerships and stuff :D!!

[@roberthaskey8350]

i made one like this long ago with a friend. for people just now seeing this vid like me. i find that a ping pong table picked up at a 2nd hand store. the cheapest i ever scooped one up was 20$. gives you room for the revolutionary game mats AND room for unit, dice boxes, the various tools for gaming. cool tip, shop for the biggest game mats, even double sided, tape off the game size. love your MWG vids, never stop.

[@MrMhtmht]

This was the real thing. I miss these videos.

[@aomega6]

This came just in time! My friends and I are going to be building one of these within the next month... So awesome!

[@tarkhan15]

I live in a 2BR apartment with nothing in the second bedroom. This is a dangerous video for me to be watching.

[@AxDhan]

dude, you did the table?

[@DIRTYYETTI]

Please tell me you did the table. Everyone is awaiting your results

[@albiegamer]

interesting video, the cross brace very smart I've know people to miss that. But why cut the plywood down? leave it at 8 ft long, box in the remaining 2 ft and you have space to sit minis, roll dice etc. mine sits on three 4x2 folding tables the legs can be set to three different heights allowing me to use it for both Minis (34" high) and RPG (forget the height but its the middle setting).

[@MrRapidPotato]

+Al Beddow Could have just been for storage and transportation? I like the idea of an extra 2' but I doubt you would be able to get it in a car and have a place to keep it for when it's not in use. Good call though.

[@LastRussianEmporer]

I wish I live in Canada just so I could go to your gaming club. I have a feeling your selection is better than our lgs.

[@rzedic]

Should not use drywall screws in wood. You should use wood screws in wood. The dry wall screws are more susceptible to snapping. Cost difference is minute and wood screw will hold up better over time in this application (I would also suggest using carpenters glue in conjunction with the screws).You can cut 1x3 ends at a 45 degree. That way you get nice finished corners. Lastly, it would be easier to frame all the bracing and everything before hand. You could then apply carpenters glue and lay your plywood sheet on top of this followed by screwing everything together. Unsure how you plan on finishing the edges. Would be good to sand or router the corners to avoid cuts/splinters.

[@OmnipotentPeaceMan]

You can just put cloth over the top and staple it in underneath.

[@Radio4ManLeics]

Good basic DIY for the new gameboard maker. Got better as it went along.

[@TheUltramarine13]

Hey Dave! Miniwargaming should do a tutorial on how to "decorate" the board!

[@darthcadman]

Dave, you are my favorite person at miniwargaming (I like everyone there but Dave is the best) your enthusiasm with Chaos is what drove me down the road to convert my Space Marine army into Chaos. Thank you man

[@pudgydog00]

This is a lot like the game table I built. However, I drilled and countersunk a piece of particle board. I then glued a piece of nice plywood on top of that. I don't have to worry about any of the screws showing then. It's held up well for almost 20 years of gaming.

[@mattmattduck]

Oh matt, i just played warhammer 40k game and it was my first game against nids. They are amazingly awesome. Im gonna collect a nid army now.

[@TheRaivaaja]

After watching this video I realised something. I don't even play Warhammer or any miniature games!! Why did I watch this? How did I even get here?!? Oh well, it was a good watch. Carry on.

[@OZITOMAE]

i dont get how these guys went from good amount of views to pathetic amounts now, these guys are great

[@M0U53B41T]

you can easily countersink those as well, get a nice finish add a little spackle over the holes and voila, flat surface you can paint/prime or cover without annoying metal bits

[@Philtopy]

anybody watching in 2020 and wishing it was 2010 again?

[@benwilson1088]

Random 40k live action battle across the street.

[@bspbleach]

I love the sign idea!! A store near us does it, and the Games Worskshop HQ/Bunker did that, and they looked awsome!!

[@Rad_Crab]

You should try the advertising Space Marine idea when the Ultramarine movie comes around. That way, people will recognize the suit and get all curious and go in and play.

[@xSuperiorManx]

Forget Tim Taylor, here comes Dave Taylor. ;) Sandra ftw, it's been ages since she appeared in your videos. And we need more cats!

[@Rad_Crab]

@JoeyWarhammerFreak Yup, it's called Ultramarine. I don't know too much of the details but I know Dan Abbett and a few of the other writers are working on the story.

[@DemostheneYuan]

Even away from the store, Dave sees the world in gaming terms. Orbital Bombardment wiped out the steel factory. A primary strategic point has been lost!

[@unclewillywow]

the space marine suit would be awesome. But not out side the store. I would be in town on a Saturday night with that thing on!

[@bloodylordQC]

the space marine costume idea is really cool :P, and yeah, put jo in it

[@TheSGRob]

'sandras gonna give me a hand with that' then watch for 5 mins while she just watches as you build this table xD awesome table, me and my mates 'built' one recently, but we just bought 3, 4foot by 2foot bits of wood and lay them lengthways ontop of my dinging room table to make a 6by4 table. Its not connnected and its just plain wood that we put buildings and trees on, but its better then playing on the floor :)

[@EtherPilot]

Our board is built with two 3X4 Boards that have been put together with a Piano Hinge for easy storage.

[@dkadukowski]

I love the space marine commercial idea :D

[@ArtDeGuerra]

3/8 inch MDF board would work even better because u can easily carve into it for surface details and other atmospheric textures. Btw MDF is Smooth.

[@nathanieljernigan1147]

Pre-drilling is very helpful and effective. It will lead to better results.

[@SteveOrlowski]

Love how miniature war gaming turned into a carpentry lesson, which I already knew from high school.

[@Dylfunkle]

A string line is also helpful for seeing where the brace will be under the top.

[@Ashkinda]

@Jowenator I'd probably just get the citadel battlemat or something similar (most places which sell train sets etc have a grass mat), that way you get a perfect even mat of static grass for much cheaper than buying pots of the stuff. You then have an option of having a different colour surface underneath so your board doesnt have to be just grass all the time, or you can staple/glue your grass mat to the board and cut pieces out if you want to make pools/roads etc. Much less mess too!

[@pkingstr94]

good driving dave

[@guardiantsaintX03]

Best tutorial i've watched by far.

[@HandleyHalifax]

also drilling a pilot hole reduces the risk of a screw going in at an angle, also to get better aesthetics you should countersink the holes.

[@benjaminketteringham307]

uuuuuh i hate converting imperial to metric

[@TNTLotLP]

Erzats Weird tbf, imperial guard is way cooler than metric guard.

[@Dylfunkle]

RedKing, in my country everything under 2 metres is measured in millimeters. At least in terms of trade materials. Anything else is taken as an estimate, not a measurement.

[@IAMTOMSAWYER]

Miniwargamer Dave FTW!

[@Runner_L]

This is so old i feel like i've been robbed by subscribing only 4 months ago

[@roberhood4]

Luis Ruiz this came out in 2010........

[@MaximF7]

Yes :)

[@SuperDrChappers]

Genius Idea: why not do a war gaming style vlog whilst driving round in your truck. Getting inspiration from things you see on the street

[@nicholasjohnson6279]

This was very helpful for me! Thank you so much MWG! You guys are so awesome

[@DeadStupidFilms]

Thanks for this guide, I may start this as a project soon because of this vid.

[@allanlloyd7979]

Well actually, we in England do pretty much exclusively use the metric system, because it's far more accurate. But to be fair, it makes more sense to make a gaming table in imperials, because like you said, the games we play on it are in that system.

[@Radio4ManLeics]

He stood the edge on a table. A couple of clamps would also be good!

[@casper77777777]

Having someone holding a sign while being dressed up as a Warhammer 40k character is a good idea.

[@irishdude54]

Yes to the Space Marine sign advertisement! It tis is a good idea O_o

[@xXxKazamaxXx]

I'm british and my country leaders want my vote. Sod it, only thing I'm voting for is that Space Marine advertising MWG!

[@Getz-Da-Chompy]

DIY novice here with two questions to anyone who might see this and is able to help me A) Is MDF suitable for a gaming board? Some Googling gave me some results that seemed to indicate MDF is better than plywood for tables, but just wanted to see what others thought. B) What do you use for the table legs? I can see you have some there, but I don't know what they would be called and can't find anything similar online. A lot of the stuff that I can find online are A-stands or very thin looking rods that I don't think would be suitable for a table like this. Thanks to anyone who can help :)

[@Cloakedsphere]

yes. i just got done buying the supplies. oh i cant wait till i get to finish it.

[@joshhopkinson1034]

a life size defilier with working battle cannon would be amazing for advertisement

[@Alex-oh6lj]

So I am going to be building this like this weekend or next! Thanks for this video!

[@TheWolfBearProject]

warhammer world have loads of life size Space marines, they are really awesome and part of the experience of visiting the place. How much did this all cost?

[@MastertheGamerpg]

This is a great video! Love the explanations of why you do things too.

[@dudeiusmannigast1543]

before drilling the holes where the screws goes. you might wanna use some pva glue to make everything stick where it is, so no movement are done while drilling

[@narceron]

I like this, can we get a parts list for talking up the guy at the lumber yard?

[@DracoTheBlack]

The Space Marine costume is a good idea but you should go wander around somewhere with lots of people and hand out leaflets or something instead of just in front of the store.

[@SuperSanjuro]

It's been five years, but yes, it is a good idea.

[@MrMhtmht]

7 years now and I even miss the eating contests from 3 years ago lol :')

[@SuperScam1]

you guys still rock im going to maybe take pics of my gaming board from your help. from superscam1

[@Erin22134]

Space marine holding a sighn would be awsome

[@TheEmporer]

Mini war gamer Dave should grow a beard out like Leonidas from 300! "This is madness!" "Madness? This- Is- Chaos tactica!"

[@121surferdude]

i think the space marine with the sign is a good idea

[@lotrmaster6]

Nice info on how to build a gaming board. Keep it up :D.

[@alistaroh]

I'm commenting 13 years on wondering if Dave ever got his Space Marine standing outside MWG HQ

[@JuryDutySummons]

I got a 4x8 sheet of fleece for cheep that makes a great cover.

[@TheNordus]

You should make a video where you do something more to it... You know, paint it, base it, put some non-modular terrain on it...

[@spiketusrex9380]

thumbs up 4 the space marine with sign

[@eacey]

How about a video for putting down the ground terrain? Enjoyed this video by the way, extremely helpful.

[@massimo24connotati]

Great tutorial

[@hoppityhop9]

depends what screws you use, i use no-hole auto taping screws

[@OWNEDBYADRAGON]

thumbs up for a HUGE space marine poster ;D

[@StoogeMan12345]

i like the add idea but i think that it should be a necron or a eldar or someone other than a space marine holding the sign.

[@wachewwww]

we play so you don't get put out of the job. LOL, great vid

[@turgonnaish]

Use a countersink bit to get the heads of the screws to sit under the surface

[@NorseIronKIng]

@mjolnirharrington I do believe this would generate a lot of publicity

[@defiant900]

It is called a pilot hole, not a starter hole. Just FYI.

[@minipancho94]

the space marine might be hard to make or expensive, and youll prbly want to bring it in every night to stop it from getting tagged, i would go with a realistic looking manakin and put an IG costume on it, or if you have the time and money even both lol. i still have my cadian costume that won me 80$ worth of stuff at the LA battle bunker on holloween lol.

[@PzychoLeech]

Nice to see a fellow Chaos Player handyman! Good vid. But Damn you need some metric system, I understand only every second messurement you talk about XD

[@inkblot493]

Why couldn't you fasten the frame together first then screw the tabletop onto it? Also, would not it be stronger if the interior bracing was done in an "X" shape?

[@th3n3wc4d]

thought that was weird too, if you used deck screws, you could get away with half as many screws, and thus half the work

[@cactusgraveler4011]

I think that setting up enother club would be a great idea

[@danielyoull6654]

YOUNG DAVE!!! oh I miss thee with short hear too

[@TysonX15Warrior]

If you ever plan on makeing a advertisement for your store make it one character for each day chaos and such or make it simple imperial guards or.... *whispers in others ear and not let Dave hear* Tau

[@alpharius3045]

I would have used 2x4s and 15/8 inch coarse thread drywall screws as opposed to what he used which is fine thread 1 1/4 inch screws and 1x3s. The 2x4s add increased support and the longer screws hold better. In addition, he used fine thread screws which have a high chance of stripping out the holes. Coarse thread has a much lower chance of doing this.

[@alpharius3045]

I also would have cut the wood myself but I do carpentry as a hobby.

[@skate4work]

that is a genius idea

[@Trueflights]

nice tutorial, but he showed what side was the nice and smooth side... then layed out the braces n that side, lol. it was fixed off camera before they screwed the braces on though. A nice addition, if you have a permanent place to leave it up, is to get some 4x4's and put legs attached to the insides of the four corners.

[@blowuptheworld1]

The space marine with the sign would be awesome, how do you paint and texture your wargamming tables?

[@taiyoctopus2958]

anything I want on it? Ok I'll cover mine in cake frosting.

[@SirKillianAtreides]

$50 to 100 usd start to finish.... Also invest in a countersink drill bit this helps hide the screws on the table top...

[@spec24]

@TheDarkWolfBlade Yeah, that's what he meant. Which part of it didn't you understand?

[@mattmattduck]

I was just watching this video because i like your videos :). And i think the space marine idea is awesome. He should be holding a banner that says bring glory to the emperor and play warhammer. Or in your case dave, BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!!! Oh and can you please put me in your next ask a war gamer? I didnt really ask anything though. Wait i just asked to be in your video.And if you put me in your video ill be your best friend, Oh wait i already am! MUHAHAHAHA (secret relationship, OOH sneaky)

[@aguyfromsweden]

nice video MWG!

[@Rhino10e]

The music had me on edge

[@lunhil12]

I salvaged a set of folding legs from an old table and used them on a train layout I built once, handy if you want to stow it away. I had it hanging on a wall when not in use. I used a hollow door which made it lighter.

[@Dimitrij90]

the space amrine is a great idea :=)