Building a cable spool table

Pick the size by height

The reel's overall width, flange face to flange face, becomes the table's height when you lay it down. That decides what kind of table you get:

Okonite's published table gives a 24 × 12 × 10 in reel an overall width of 15 in, and a 36 × 24 × 17 in reel 28.5 in. So a 24 in reel makes a coffee table and that 36 in reel stands at roughly dining height without any changes.

Okonite Company, Technical News Edition 33, "Reel Anatomy", November 2016.

Choose a sound reel

Look for flat flanges with no split boards, tight staves, and no soft wood at the edges. Plywood reels give a smooth, even top; nailed reels have a rustic plank top with visible nail heads. Avoid reels with oil, tar or chemical stains, and anything that smells of preservative, especially for indoor or eating use. If in doubt about what the wood was treated with, keep the table outside.

Prepare it

1. Clean. Brush off dirt and old labels, then wash with water and mild detergent. Let it dry for several days, on its side, out of the sun.
2. Fasteners. Hammer proud nails flush or punch them below the surface. Check bolts are tight.
3. Sand. Start coarse on the top flange and the edges, then go finer. Round the top edge so it won't snag.
4. Fill. Fill big gaps in the top with wood filler, or lay a sheet of plywood or glass on top for a flat surface.
5. Seal. Use an exterior finish for outdoor tables. Texas sun and rain will grey untreated wood within a season.

Ideas that work

• A shelf inside the drum. Cut a hole in one flange and use the traverse as storage, for books or firewood.
• Casters. Bolt four heavy casters to the bottom flange to make it movable. Check they're rated for the reel's weight.
• A glass top. Cut to the flange diameter, with clear bumpers between glass and wood.
• A sanded and stained top with the rest left rough, for contrast.

How heavy it is

Even small reels aren't light: Okonite lists a 24 in reel at 23 lb and a 36 in reel at 64 to 77 lb. A dining-height table will need two people to move it. Large reels make great outdoor tables but should be placed where they'll stay. See reel weights before you plan a move upstairs.

Getting a reel

We sell single sound reels for tables across Dallas-Fort Worth, with delivery or collection by arrangement. Tell us the height and top size you want, and we'll match a reel. Our page on buying a spool for a table has the details.

Outdoor tables in North Texas

Outside, a reel table takes everything the climate throws at it: hard sun, heavy spring storms and the occasional freeze. Lift it off the grass or soil on pavers or feet so the bottom flange doesn't wick up water. Recoat the top every year or two. Keep a cover on it through the wettest months. A sound reel looked after this way lasts many seasons on a patio, a porch or a deck by the pool.

Questions