Sand Table Assembly

The sand table was assembled and used for East Kingdom battle planning during the Pennsic War this year. I completed the parts just before leaving on vacation, stained them in camp during the first days I was there, and then assembled them into a sandbox on legs the following day. Here are all the parts, ready for assembly:

The key pieces where the legs, which I had pocket screwed together with the Kreg pocket hole jig. Each leg has a shelf that makes assembly easier and helps support the weight of the sand. Each of the side pieces has a ledge that is glued and screwed on. These sit flush with the top of the leg shelves, and the sides screw directly to the legs:

The addition of a lower stretcher makes the table side stable:

The second side slides into place much like a puzzle piece:

Installing the additional sides and stretchers makes a solid pedestal for the table:

A plywood bottom slides in to create the sandbox:

Five bags of sand filled the box:

A plywood top makes a functional table when the sand table is not in use.

The project was a success. The only thing that needs changing for next year is more or better sealant for the box (especially the lid). Moisture from the sand caused the table top to curl upward a little at the corners, and made the bottom swell enough that it took some force to knock it out at the end of the two weeks. Both of those problems should be corrected after a year of dry storage.