How to make a crafting table

The multi-talented maker Nick Britsky made this cool crafting table for his multi-talented crafter girlfriend, Lish Dorset.

How-to: Custom crafting table

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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http://twitter.com/NotSoSiniSter Anthony Gomulka

oh thats so sweet of him. :D So thoughtful <3
http://twitter.com/who_dat_tweeter Dave P

Isn’t it just 4 x planks?
- Mark_Frauenfelder
  
  Yes! I also found out about some charlatan who has a statue in a Florence art museum that’s JUST A ROCK.
  - http://twitter.com/who_dat_tweeter Dave P
    
    My mistake, should have been a bit clearer :P
    
    http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Crafting_Table
    - Mark_Frauenfelder
      
      I thought you were being snarky. I am dense. Good one, Dave!
- MonsterMan
  
  Was coming here to say that. :D
spejic

I like to do crafting stuff in front of a TV too. It makes my TV watching seem more productive, and I like the ability to switch focus back and forth without having something actually distracting.
ROSSINDETROIT

Hey, I know Nick. He’s a very handy and creative guy. Shout out to hackerspace I3Detroit.
niktemadur

Look, they’re watching “Up In The Air” on the teevee.
Guest

Well, if the women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy. ;)
- Guest
  
  If he’s handy, I immediately look at him through ‘handsome-colored’ glasses.
  - Guest
    
    Yeah, me too… usually. I’m pretty damn handy myself. Am I handsome…? Sort of…? :P
    
    The best gifts are always tools (MIG welder, mountain bike, die grinder! :D) that I get for my birthday. :3
- Greg Miller
  
  Always good to find a bit of Red Green humor!
  Quando omni flunkus moritati
- http://www.facebook.com/nickbritsky Nick Britsky
  
  Perfect quote from my favorite handy man. He look! It’s me and Mark infront of a giant statue of Red Green that was made out of Duct Tape and breathed fire!! http://twitpic.com/2aq26t
Guest

Oh, and that is a mighty fine table. I love, LOVE practical gifts… :3 I could totally see playing Scrabble or D + D or poker or something with some people…
- http://www.facebook.com/nickbritsky Nick Britsky
  
  I made a gaming table too, in my first apartment. Sadly, it was re-purposed for workbenches now. Some are event on display at i3 Detroit. :)
  - Guest
    
    That’s pretty cool. :)
ackpht

Magnet for sleepy cats. (I think THIS is a good place for a nap…)
http://www.facebook.com/people/Anita-Nuss/522679782 Anita Nuss

I am definitely going to try this…
Guest

If he’s funny and can play the drums too, I just hit the trifecta.
- Guest
  
  Hah! XD
Spriggan_Prime

I think the real achievement is not the table but how she convinced him to give her the whole damned living room to craft in!
- Guest
  
  It’s her woman cave! XD
SomeGuyNamedMark

Wait, I need a crafting table to make my crafting table.
BarBarSeven

No disrespect on this table—which is good if you have the space—but I am very interested in finding a nice/folding craft table that is better suited for city dwellers with not a lot of space. Something that is maybe 16 inches deep folded, but sturdy and simple. I have a feeling I would have to look towards Japan to find something close to that since they are the experts at maximizing space.
- http://www.jjsaul.com Jim Saul
  
  Easy enough… Those standard metal shelves you can find everywhere with rollers on the bottom make a super strong portable base, and half a folding door bolted to the shelf makes a flip-out workbench. The leftover panels can be attached to the posts to close in like cabinet doors, and with the table flipped up hide the mess.
  
  Cheap, fast and cluttered here, from when I had an apartment with almost no storage space…
  
  https://picasaweb.google.com/112098127579036224982/CleaningAndHackingTheCelestronShortTube#5382366488707741154
patelanjali

I have a feeling I would have to look towards Japan to find something close to that since they are the experts at maximizing space.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1360519100 Stephen Gideon

My father-in-law built something remarkably like this, except it has a measuring chart under the translucent top, and a light under the center so it can be backlit. He built it last week for my mother-in-law. The top pivots up on one side, and a set of legs folds up so it only takes up one foot of space and she can store it against the wall in her crafting/sewing room. It’s quite amazing, I was shocked, but my father-in-law is quite the carpenter.
lifesart

My husband is (slowly) building me a craft table that will fold down when I am not using it. It will be attached to the Ikea Expedit shelving units we bought to hold all my craft supplies, getting them off the dining alcove table and floor. The top part is done, 6′ x 3.5′, and he has bought the piano hinges to attach it, but he is way overthinking the way the support legs will collapse (IMHO). He promises to try to finish it this weekend. I’ll post some pics when/if!
Jack Daniel

For those looking to save space, here’s a small wall-mounted folding-table I’ve used in a small apartment. It’s small, but you could probably build a bigger one for your crafting needs.

http://www.amazon.com/Ikea-Wall-Mounted-Drop-leaf-Folding-Table/dp/B0050S7CK8
Christhegirl

I wonder how easily you could modify this to make part of the work surface a light table. I’d let my husband put the grille back in the back door if he made me a place to trace patterns.
Shelli Gutholm

Team Lishky!!!