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Steampunk Coffee Table

I made this coffee table from a recycled solid, clear fir door (Second Chance, $20) and maleable black iron plumbing pipe (Home Depot). There are several configurations for the pipe base, but I think this one looks good.

New pipe is not cheap and I've not found a supplier of used pipe. I paid about $180 for the pipe - yikes. Search online for better prices.

As for the door, I set it on saw horses, cut it into parts with a Skil saw, sized the parts and cleaned up their edges on the table saw. I had wood left over. Biscuits, glue, and clamps overnight. Planed flat and sanded to 220g. Finished with 1 coat of boiled linseed oil and 4 coats of oil based polyurethane.

Because of the way I put the top together, I needed to strengthen it with a 36" length of 1-1/2" angle iron underneath. I first sprayed on a few coats of black Rustoleum, let it dry. Then I drilled 8 oversized holes down its length and screwed the iron to underside with 1" pan head screws. The table top extends past the end of the angle iron about 3-1/2" on each end, so you don't really even know its under there.

Connect the pipe frame to the underside of the wood top via 4 floor flanges, positioning their centers about 4" in from the side and 5" in from the end. These measures will differ for different sized tops.

For the feet, you can go with flanges or caps. Add felt pads to the feet if the table will be on a wood floor.

Dimensions

Tabel top = 43" long x 22" wide x 1-1/4" thick

Table top surface = 17" from the floor

Center to center of legs length = 33-1/2"

Center to center of legs width = 14"

pipe coffee table frame.jpg

Black Pipe Fittings Needed:

(4) 1" x 10" nipples ($21)

(4) 1" x 1-1/2" nipples ($8) <-- this may actually be a 2" nipple

(4) 1" x 2-1/2" nipples ($10) <-- this may acually be a 3" nipple

(4) 1" T's ($22)

(4) 1" to 3/4" Reducers ($20)

(8) 1" Floor Flanges, 3.75" diameter ($75) ...or...

(4) 1" Floor Flanges ($36) + (4) 1" Caps ($10) if you want cap feet

(5) 3/4" x 12" nipples ($25)

(2) 3/4" T's ($6)

Tools Needed:

Usual shop tools. A couple of pipe wrenches may come in handy when tightening pipe and leveling the base so it rests flat on the floor.

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