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DIY Folding Table Tennis

If you are serious about table tennis, you will need a practice table at home. However, these don't come cheaply, and building your own table is a sensible alternative. You will nonetheless need to ensure you are practicing on an appropriate surface. Thus there will be a few regulations to take into account. First, the table has to be 9 feet long, 5 feet wide and 30 inches high. Second, the ball has to bounce approximately 8¾ inches when dropped from a height of 12 inches. Lastly, the white lines have to be applied according to standard regulations.

Things You'll Need

Two 2-inch by 2-inch boards, 50 inches in length
Two 2-inch by 2-inch boards, 102 inches in length
Two 4.5-foot by 5-foot ½-inch plywood panels
Four 2-inch by 2-inch boards, 29.5 inches in length
Four 3-inch standard door hinges and screws
Six 2-inch flush hinges and screws
Eight 4-inch screws
Strong wood glue
Masking tape
Green enamel paint
White enamel paint
Paint roller and tray
¾-inch paint brush
Screwdriver
Electric drill
Handsaw
Meter rule
Pencil

Instructions

- 1
  Lay the two plywood panels together on the floor so that they form one 9-foot by 5-foot rectangle. Place one 3-inch door hinge, flat side down, along the panels' joint 6 inches from one edge. Place the remaining door hinges across the joint at 12-inch intervals. Screw the hinges to the panels with a screwdriver, ensuring the screws don't go through to the other side.
- 2
  Take the two longer 2-by-2 pieces and cut them in half. Join them back together with 2-inch flush hinges screwed to the inside ends of each piece. Place the two hinged-lengths parallel to each other, with a 50-inch gap between them. Place the shorter lengths between the longer lengths, one at each end, to make an 8.5-foot by 4.5-foot frame. Screw the pieces together, using 4-inch screws -- two for each joint.
- 3
  Check which way the frame folds and apply a generous amount of strong wood glue to what would be the inside edge of the frame were it folded. Place the frame onto the joined plywood panels, glued edge down, leaving a margin of 5 inches all the way around. Ensure the joints of the frame line up with the panels' joint and push the frame down firmly. Wipe off any excess glue. Leave to dry, checking the glue's container for exact drying times.
- 4
  Attach one 29.5-inch length of 2"-by-2" timber to each inside corner of the frame, using 2-inch flush hinges screwed to the plywood panels. These are the table legs. Attach the legs so that the hinge barrels face the joint of the table top, ensuring the legs fold inwards towards the middle joint.
- 5
  Turn the table over into a standing position. Paint the table top in green enamel paint, using the paint roller and tray. Allow to dry and apply a second coat. Leave to dry, checking the tin for exact drying times.
- 6
  Apply masking tape to the outside edges of the table, leaving a ¾-inch margin all the way around. Paint the exposed edges of the table, using white enamel paint and a ¾-inch paint brush. Mark the center point on the table top's width. Draw a line along the center of the table, across the entire length, using a meter rule and pencil. Apply two strips of masking tape either side and parallel to the center line, leaving a gap of 1/8 inch. Paint the gap in white enamel paint, using a ¾-inch paint brush. Allow to dry.
- 7
  Purchase a net from a sporting goods store. Ensure the net is 6 inches high and comes with built in clamps. Clamp the net to the middle of the table, ensuring the bottom edge just touches the table's surface.

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