Drafting Table

This throwback drafting table is sure to get you away from the computer and grabbing a sheet of paper and some pencils.

The work of designing shop projects, drawings, and creative paintings since the advent of the digital world has been a dazzling adventure, to say the least. And in many ways rightly so — the ‘undo’ feature that is available in all creative software programs has been a godsend. While the digital defense team gloats about these merits, we all know that there are times when the old school analog realm works just fine, thank you very much. How about the touch and tooth of sublime surfaces from cotton rag paper to voluptuous vellum — along with your favorite drawing or painting instrument? That can’t be replaced by a sterile monitor. And you’ll never be forced to upgrade your pencils for this table. Speaking of the table ... Coating the base and sleeves with a spray-on hammered fi nish provides a sleek unified look to the table. These MDF base parts hint at an art nouveau-industrial kind of mash-up. Good looking and sturdy, that works for me. As a counterpoint to the cooler vibe of the base, Dillon Baker threw some walnut into the mix. The walnut accents start with the stretchers and are used for the adjustable legs, cleats, and pencil tray to add a warm, earthy element to the table. The top is more MDF that is wrapped on both sides with plastic laminate, but not the edge, which plays nicely with the walnut. Lastly, there’s a shop-made pivot plate that provides any table angle you want.

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What You Get:

  • 14 pages of step-by-step instructions
  • 36 full-color photos and illustrations and exploded views
  • Hardware sources and materials list

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