12 – More layout table details
So what should you build your layout table out of? Part of the answer to that question depends on how permanent you want it to be. Another part depends on what types of materials you are comfortable working with. You do want the table to be sturdy. You also want the table to be square and flat so that the panels you build on the table are square and flat. If you were starting up a small factory to turn out a lot of panels you might want to make your table out of metal. For a smaller scale operation wood might be fine. Using plywood (or maybe industrial grade particle board) as a tabletop is a good idea for several reasons.
1.) Plywood sheets are typically fairly square. You might want to confirm that though.
2.) Plywood sheets come in incremental sizes that might be close to what you would want your panel sizes to be. It’s not at all a bad idea to pick modular sizes for your panels that are based on a sheet of plywood or OSB. It does make some sense to pick a panel size that is a multiple of 4’ since it would require less cutting of your sheathing material during assembly.
3.) It is easy to attach brackets at virtually any place you want them on the plywood surface.
If budget permits you might consider using a combination of wood and metal. One approach that I find appealing is to use steel angle iron of at least 1-1/2” on each leg and at least 1/8” thick to create a frame around the edges and along the joints of the table if there is more than one sheet of plywood. The steel might be straighter than a wood framework would be resulting in a flatter table. It would be very easy to attach the steel to the bottom of your plywood with screws through the steel with the result that there wouldn’t be any screws visible from on top. I would suggest that your plywood be at least ¾” thick if you are doing this. It would also be easy to attach legs under the table by screwing through the vertical flange of the angle iron into the legs.
I do think that you could make an entirely acceptable table entirely out of wood though providing you exercise reasonable caution in picking frame members that are as straight as possible.
I suggest that you let the edge of your tabletop extend past the framework for at least 1-1/2”. This makes it very easy to attach a clamp to the edge of your table at any point along its edge.
Here is basic drawing of a 4’ wide table made from ¾” plywood, 2” angle iron and 4×4 legs. The table shown here would be about 16” tall.
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