step by step building octagon poker table

Once you have your 8 pieces, arrange them in your octagon shape to see how you did on your cuts. I always try to cut with the finish side up, so the majority of my tear-out will be underneath, on the side no one will see. Pro Tip: Don’t be lazy and flip your work piece over so you don’t have to switch your miter saw from side to side. After that, I used this piece as a template to make the other cuts. I cut the first piece based on my measurements from earlier (21.75″ on the outside edge). Most miter saws have a positive stop at this angle, so the saw will “lock” into place. The cuts are made by setting the miter saw to 22.5° (half of 45°). My saw couldn’t cut all the way through each 2×8, so each angle cut was really two cuts, with me trying to line the cuts up perfectly. This proved to make things a lot harder than I initially anticipated. I own a miter saw, but it’s not a sliding one. Note: This seemingly simple step is actually fairly complicated, if you don’t have the right equipment. Granted, the first reason is due to lack of planning, but I’d like to think I would have ended up with the same conclusion based on #2 and #3 above.

I think I like the full wood surface on the racetrack better (instead of inset chip trays).The grain of the sub-table (plywood) showing through wouldn’t be lined up with the direction of the grain of the racetrack.I’m running out of time to have this finished.Instead of a chip tray and cupholder on each section, I’m opting for a cupholder at the angle where two sections meet.

Since I’ve been busy with some other outdoor game projects (Cornhole boards and Washer Toss), I’ve decided to simplify my racetrack design a little bit. This is the 2nd part of a multi-part series.

Step by step building octagon poker table