~ $200 Full sized Lowrider table, Non-CNC Build

vicious1 · February 7, 2025, 12:46am

I went out to see exactly how I would make a table for a 4’x8’ Capable CNC if I did not already have a CNC. Besides just two full sheets of plywood on the floor I think this is the next easiest.

I used
0.7"x3.5"x10’ Primed MDF strips, super easy for the torsion box
2"x4"x8’ For the saw horses and cross brace
1/2" OSB sheet for the bottom
1/2"-3/4" Particle board sheet for the waste board.
Light gray spray paint just to clean it up a bit.

Used the uncut 2x4"s with some shims to make a flat surface (not necessarily level) with the particle board and OSB to work on.

I used a chop saw to cut the pieces to length, power tools are not needed. I used a hard stop so all the pieces are easily and accurately sized.

You can use many different tools to do this.

How cool is this picture it is all the material needed to build a LR and the table for it. Really not that much?!

I clamped the longer x pieces so I can mark the blocking locations. Making sure the ends are nice and flush.

Using the cad for the center locations I marked each one.

I used a square to transfer the line down both sides. This will help with blocking alignment later.

I used a bit of glue on each end and nailed them into place. Brads are fast but you can use many other fasteners.

I just held the by hand aligned as flush as I could get it and as close to each side of the center line as possible. Pop a nail and move on.

When it was all done I checked the overall diagonals to make sure it was as square as possible and let the glue dry.

I flipped it over, and added glue to all the white pieces. Then added the bottom piece aligned as good as I could get it. I used the straight edge to pop a few brads down each runner. You can use any fasteners or just weights and let the glue dry.

I flipped the table back over and sanded all the top joints to smooth out any misalignments there might have been. It is very easy to see with the pre-primed MDF, I checked each section with a straight edge to make sure the surface was as flat (not level) as I could get it.

I then added the saw horses with the crossbars at the bessel points for the main table, marked in the CAD.

I glued and nailed the two Y rails together and cut them to length. Then glued and nailed them to the table. At this point the top is just sitting there, it is not attached.

I pulled the top off and spray painted the torsion box. Then set the top surface back on. This surface will not get attached until after the LowRider is fully built so the location can be accurately centered.

…Centering, Counter boring and attaching the surface pics coming soon.

CAD - Onshape

mbamberg · February 7, 2025, 2:34am

@vicious1

Do you ever sleep!!??

Mike B.

CesarH · February 7, 2025, 4:08am

If only… 10’ mdf we can’t get anything over 9’ melamine over here. I envy you.

Bigchepin · February 7, 2025, 5:17am

Nice!

Hmm. I guess I missed that in school.

RockinRiley · February 7, 2025, 12:08pm

I missed that entirely in his post, little lone in school

CesarH · February 7, 2025, 12:19pm

a funny note: how hard did you had to vacuum that floor?

jeffeb3 · February 7, 2025, 2:39pm

These are trim boards. Not sheets. But I also don’t think any (except for the runners) stayed over 9’.

dos · February 7, 2025, 3:00pm

Epoxied floors are usually pretty easy to clean.

vicious1 · February 7, 2025, 3:31pm

There was lots of trim options when I looked around, we have 6’ to 12 or 18’. Raw real wood and MDF, but the pre primed MDF was the least expensive and honestly pretty easy to work with. It is a bit more flexy than I thought but after the sheets and sides are added it is good to go.

That poor little $60 vac has been keeping it super clean. Every so often it hides under a table for a few days until I find it but it is totally worth it. I spend a lot less time cleaning the floor, money well spend.

DougJoseph · February 7, 2025, 3:42pm

@vicious1
This is absolutely fantastic. Such a great addition to the docs. You are adding this (or at least a link) to the docs right? Truly a great help.

DougJoseph · February 7, 2025, 3:46pm

We can get MDF strips (intended to be used for trim) that are longer than 8’ — while in full sheets, most of us cannot get anything longer than 97 inches — with the exception being that some have access to cabinet maker shops who seem to have longer full sheets of MDF.

vicious1 · February 7, 2025, 4:00pm

Yeah. I intend to make another CNC based version next, I need to use this current build to fill in some blanks in the LR4 docs first.

CesarH · February 7, 2025, 4:00pm

Longer than 8’ we only have acces to 9’ melamine in here

vicious1 · February 7, 2025, 4:02pm

The important point is for whatever sized table you build you will need a few long pieces, longer than your table, to make Y rails out of. You can join pieces together to make them or for newcomers it is much easier to buy them in one piece.

MakerJim · February 7, 2025, 4:24pm

Beautiful! This fills a hole in the formal LR4 documentation and it’s a super affordable, great table to boot. NICE!

DougJoseph · February 7, 2025, 4:25pm

@vicious1 I have edited both the Printables listing of my table extenders, and the corresponding post here on the forum, to suggest to new makers that they consider this approach you show here, rather than considering starting out with Unistrut metal rails.

Pebble · February 10, 2025, 2:36pm

My only concern with this is primed faces being glued together. I would guess that the glue would still adhere, just not as well if it was wood to wood. Otherwise table looks simple and effective. Perfect for a first table for beginners. If I was to do this, I’d only get the primed MDF parts for the Y rails and use regular MDF for the rest. I’ve got a table saw which would make ripping them to the correct width easier, but thats likely a tool beginners don’t have. The primed glue adhesion issue sounds like a reasonable compromise to keep the simplicity.

jeyeager · February 10, 2025, 2:49pm

The primed MDF trim boards I’ve seen are not primed on the one side.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/ReliaBilt-1-in-x-4-in-x-12-ft-Primed-MDF/5002042023

Pebble · February 10, 2025, 2:55pm

Yes thats true but you will still have 1/2 the joints on a board not being wood to wood for the horizontal braces. You’ll have wood to paint. Same with the top and bottom sheet of plywood.

MakerJim · February 10, 2025, 2:56pm

It’s MDF. It’ll be fine. The base material isn’t that strong in tension to begin with.