1:144 scale dining table

Supplies and tools

• PaperWood or other thin wood (about 0.5 mm or 1/64" thick)
• Scale lumber: H0 2×2 (this equals 0.6×0.6 mm or .024" or about 3/128")
• Chopper or scalpel for cutting
• Tacky glue
• Your choice of stain and clear finish

Check out the Hints and guides section of the site for additional information about the wood types I use, as well as hints on cutting and finishing.

Cutting and assembly

First of all, decide what size table you'd like. I suggest 6.5 mm (1/4") wide and 11 or 16 mm (1/2" or 11/16") long for a dining table. The shorter version has room for two of my slipcovered chairs on each side, the longer for three.

Cut one piece of PaperWood in your chosen table size. Then cut another one, that is 2 mm (3/32") narrower and shorter than the first.

Stain both of the PaperWood pieces, and about 7 cm (3") of scale lumber.

Glue the PaperWood pieces together as shown, the smaller piece is grey in this sketch. Try to center it exactly. (By the way, the drawings are not to scale!)

You might want to clamp it flat or weigh it down while the glue dries, to keep the tabletop from warping.

Cut two bits of scale lumber the same length as the small piece of PaperWood, and two bits the same length as its width.

For an apron, glue the scale lumber bits around the small piece of PaperWood (they're shown in grey here). Note that there are gaps in each corner where the legs will be glued in next.

Cut four table legs from scale lumber, 5 mm (3/16") long for a dining table.

Glue one leg (grey) in each corner of the apron and try to get them all straight. I find it helpful to put the table top down on the work table and squint along the table surface to see if the legs are parallell to each other. I adjust the leg that looks the worst, turn the table to look from another angle, adjust and turn again until I think it looks okay.

Let the glue dry completely, then add a clear finish if you like.