Introducing the Freebird Gaming Table

Debuting at the UK Games Expo in May/June 2019 here is a detailed description of the Gaming Table from Freebird Interiors

[@the250mikec]

Super cool. The spill proofing is a giant selling point for me.

[@freebirdgamingtable]

Thanks I’m glad you like it. We are moving slowly closer to actually providing these - see this update: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHi5qISibtNraZY

[@jackfinnerty7891]

Very impressive design Alastair! Wishing you all the best over the weekend. Hope the hard work pays off!!

[@drewbyscoobywho]

Looks great Alastair, you've clearly put in a lot of thought with this design, ever time a question popped into my head about it, you came out with the answer in the next sentence! Especially impressed with the gasket and guttering for leaks! Although I won't be at the expo, I wish you all the best! Keep the great videos coming 👍👍👍

[@lockystocky1]

Looking good Alistair, I hope you have great success with it

[@freebirdgamingtable]

Thanks, I haven’t been checking comments on this channel so much but I’ve just posted an update on the project here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHi5qISibtNraZY

[@krisruchomski9294]

I would want one of these in my house and I don't even play any games. Looks very cool. Good luck with the new venture Alastair

[@freebirdgamingtable]

Thanks Kris, latest update here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHi5qISibtNraZY

[@ChristopherCobra]

I know this is an older vid - but you asked for comments. Of all the nook/gaming tables I have seen, this one looks the most professional. The only possible exception would be Wyrmwood. I personally would like it about 2 cm shorter. This is a good, clean, quality, entry level table design - and is furniture - not just a "gaming table" that will last a few years and get tossed when you move. I see no osb, MDF or Pressboard. Good ply doesn't bother me if it is used right. I would quickly buy for $400 USD and consider it a deal. I would spend $500 on it (and I am cheap) - you could ask more possibly - hard for me to see the fit and finish in a video - but if it is good I would pay more. I think you could also sell it to non-gamers as a nook table - and that is important because many gamers are not exactly furniture folks. I would concentrate on keeping the cost down without sacrificing quality. I hope you can make it an end-user assembly to save on your own labor - and make it so it can easily ship. You might look into what Game Cafes might think of it. Maybe you could sell modified versions. Something with some high traffic modifications. My concerns if I had a game cafe would be a good supply of inexpensive replacement drop in pads for the recess - maybe some edge or corner protection. AT any rate - if it were for sale, it would be on my list of choices.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Thanks for this comment which I missed. Right at this moment I am working on the drawings for the new improved model. It’s going to be beautiful. For the last few months I have been setting up a new bigger workshop. I am finally ready to move this product forward and getting excited about it again. If I sell it at your suggested $500 I would not even be covering my costs though, even excluding labour 😂. There will be some economies of scale but not that much!

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Why 2cm shorter?

[@ChristopherCobra]

@@Alastair_Freebird Well, I'm cheep (they are US dollars though - that's like $10,000 Canadian). Man, the internet is getting serious! But since you bothered reading my comment (thinks), I will explain. Those prices were me thinking more along the lines of a buy from the internet - which carries some risk and some assumptions because I was think more along business lines - and you could see the price go up in my comment as the video progressed. For a table of that design I would pay $500-1200 (shipped to the US) - but there are a lot of variables and $500 assumes it is of reasonable (not perfect) quality and unassembled but sealed or finished (think Ikea). Higher prices depend on things not established in the video. Getting more than $1200 in the States would be difficult I think. In part, because you are in the UK and it would have to be shipped. You can't deliver an assembled one to my door that way so you either need a distributor or it needs to be a kit. Plywood is fine if done right, but it won't command higher retail prices. Also, there is competition here. At $1500 you are getting into Wyrmwood prices. I'm not afraid to spend money (despite my protests), but if this prototype in the video was more than $500 USD in materials even in plywood - that will be a limiting factor. I do think a hardened version for gamer cafes i something to look into. Wyrmwood is too pricey and "fine" for that application, but a single cafe might buy 6-12 tables - and they should pay if they are serious and you folks are. But high traffic requires some thinking and maybe even extended support (like replaceable inserts). As far as the height comment, in the States at least, a typical kitchen table is 28-30" to the top surface. A low bench (work bench or dresser top) is 31-33". A counter (dining bar) is 34-37". A standing table is 38-42". A bar is 41-44". A standing bar (or large bar or spectator bar) is 44-47 and anything higher is a shelf. These are not set in stone or anything, but typical chairs/stools are designed with them in mind. Thing is - tables are usually ~30" because that leaves room underneath for a valence and you don't have to bend over as much. I like how your table is 8cm for the recess. Too many of these tables are too deep. It is not comfortable. I think it is a great design and product, but I think you hit the same walls/hurdles as others. Most gamers are cheap - because they are young. So, the market is smaller than you might think. Turning it into true furniture is a start - but you have to expand the market. And that will come down to marketing and possibly creative accessories or designing with a younger market in mind (like somehow making it a cool thing for college - wish I could help). Sorry about writing a book. Obviously it is a subject you know more about than I.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I appreciate your comments, all feedback is helpful. Did you see that I just posted an update video on this channel showing our new workshop space?

[@ChristopherCobra]

@@Alastair_Freebird I did not see that. I will subscribe and check out the other videos. Who knows, eventually I may have one of your tables in my house.

[@TheLionPear]

I wish this were available already so I could order for my husband’s birthday. We’ve totes with the idea of getting a taller table that my extremely large dog can’t get his head up onto and disturb pieces mid-play, but having a depression in the table instead would solve that. Only thing I can think of (as an American) is maybe having the option of cup holders that could hold soda cans or anything of a uniform size at the top and bottom. Please continue work on this project as we have 160+ games that we’d love to play on this table and the money to pay for one. Thanks!

[@TheLionPear]

Totes was supposed to be toyed*

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I really appreciate your interest. We almost went to kickstarter but I was nowhere near ready to go into production at scale. We are in the process of setting a up a bigger workshop but the CNC machine is very delayed. I plan to start releasing more videos about the build up to production soon.

[@freebirdgamingtable]

Latest update here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHi5qISibtNraZY

[@javiermonroy2841]

muy bonita la mesa y sus accesorios están estupendos los felicito por sus creaciones .desde bogota un amante de los juegos de mesa

[@freebirdgamingtable]

See the latest update here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHi5qISibtNraZY

[@SharpEdgeWoodworking-UK]

I'm not much of a board gamer myself but it looks like a lovely duel-purpose product. I'm not sure if it's viable but I'm just thinking out loud here..... Could the cup holders be engaged using a French cleet system. Obviously you'd have to factor the ossosing cleet into the aprons somehow but like I say, I'm not privy to the design.... just thinking aloud. 👍👍

[@freebirdgamingtable]

Sharp Edge Woodworking they could. There are other tables on the market with variations on interlocking slots. I’m trying to keep the mechanism as concealed as possible, tucked under the rim, at the top, which limits my options for how it all engages.

[@lmaoroflcopter]

This is a thing of beauty. Is this now commercially available?

[@wolfbladesalpha6271]

You should checkout these guys called wyrmwood. Built pretty much the same thing on a grand scale of production

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Hi, yes a few commentors on here have brought this to my attention! There are some similarities and some differences.

[@RandomPerson-nd2ey]

But... where do I go to order one? There's no link in the description and Google didn't show any results.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

We are in the process of setting up a new workshop with a view to starting production alongside our usual fitted furniture work. I should be able to get some more news out on this channel over the next few months.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

The new workshop is set up. I am beginning the details drawings for a further improved version.

[@freebirdgamingtable]

Latest update here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHi5qISibtNraZY

[@stevestarkey5293]

I bet d&d game players would like that they can leave games in progress, looks like you have some good ideas for it i like if you spill a drink it doesnt get through to gaming surface

[@freebirdgamingtable]

Thanks. It’s hard to make one table that meets all needs and I’ve had some feedback that D&D players might want a bigger table. But in general the size seems to be a sweet spot for most games. See update on our progress here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHi5qISibtNraZY

[@ImaginationHobbies]

looks like the one wyrmwood just came out with.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Very likely. Can you send me a link to the relevant table? I've been half expecting a big player to steal my ideas. I'm still setting up the new workshop to get ready to bring this to market.

[@ImaginationHobbies]

@@Alastair_Freebird there are similarities and there are differences. Its very possible youve just had similar ideas. Ive spent a couple weeks looking at all the gaming tables on youtube. Many of them use the accessory railing and removable tabletop to turn it into a dining table. The thing i noticed was what you made to put the table toppers in. While thats a nifty concept im not sure that it wasnt thought of by others years before. Here is the link though. www.kickstarter.com/projects/wyrmwood/modular-gaming-table?ref=section-homepage-featured-project

[@ImaginationHobbies]

@@Alastair_Freebird to be fair though regardless if the ideas are similar you should still make your gaming tables. You have a good price point and you will make sales. You should probably step on it though because tables are getting more affordable. If you dont have the means to do big production runs then just start doing commissions.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Interesting to hear your thoughts and your overview of the market. Thanks for the push to get my skates on! It’s moving back up the priority list. I made the right decision to shelves it for a while though. I came too close to launching a Kickstarter when my gut was telling me we were no way near ready to go into production. Luckily I listened to my gut in the end. We didn’t have a handle on packaging, shipping, production at scale, and the pricing implications.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

The wormwood design looks great. I always thought it was strange how most table set the leaves into a rim, making the wood shrinkage and expansion issues more problematic and the spill drainage more elaborate, so it’s good to see wormwood using the simple overlapping top. I hardly think I can take credit for much as it’s most likely they’ve arrived at the idea independently but it is interesting that they also went for a simple slot just under the rim for attachments as that was the second feature I felt was distinctive about mine. I also considered magnets.

[@HiroClownstep]

Is there an update on the price?

[@freebirdgamingtable]

Kingthefoot so, this went on the back burner for a while but we are making serious plans now for a relaunch. There will be new videos, social media, and a website launched in the next few weeks. Really struggling to bring the price below £2k when I look at the current costs, still not committing to a future price until we do a trial manufacturing run which I am planning to do in our new workshop which we will be moving into and getting set up early next year.

[@JuliusCorvinus]

@@freebirdgamingtable any news on this?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Our new workshop is ready. I am working on the drawings for a further improved version right now.

[@stevenfalkner3174]

Seats 10 Europeans; six Americans, max.