# Custom Table Top



## CoryS (Aug 22, 2016)

Hey everyone,

I'm going to be building a unique game table for a client. The table top will be a custom shape. The shape is kind of an oval but with both ends squared off. Rockler and other places sell router jigs for making elliptical shapes. And normally, I would use one of those and chop the ends off. However, the table top will be 6' long and none of the jigs I've seen make 6' ovals.

The table top will be made with 4/4 poplar and will be painted.

Here is a link to the plans for the table…
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4jWUZkHco9SOTBBd2JwaW1rbFE/view?usp=sharing

Can anybody share with me how I would accurately cut this out or somehow make a template?


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## diverlloyd (Apr 25, 2013)

A piece of tempered hardboard would make a good jig. So you need the center line which would be 9" put a screw there and do the same on the other end. Now take a piece of string and tie it to both screws. Leave it loose enough to where the center of the string can stretch to the apex of the oval. Now you can take a pencil and push against the wrong or wrap the string around the pencil once and draw out your arc. You can cut it with a jig saw and sand it now you have a templet. http://www.mathopenref.com/printellipse1.html 
Or you can take the length and height and do some geometry and find out the radius of the arc you want to draw and use a set of tremel points. At 6' long and a 9" height you would be 6.375' radius to draw the arc from. So there you have it 2 ways to draw the arc to make the guide. I like math.


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