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DIY: Combine function and whimsy with this Etch A Sketch coffee table

July 21, 2016

What if your coffee table could be entertaining as well as beautiful? Caleb Kraft has done just that with his working Etch A Sketch coffee table.

The DIY blogs are littered with tutorials on how to make your own coffee table using everything from pallets and suitcases to barrels and old windows. But what if your coffee table could be entertaining as well as beautiful? Caleb Kraft has done just that with his working Etch A Sketch coffee table.

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According to Caleb Kraft for Make Magazine: "I’ve had this project kind of bouncing around my brain for a long time. I wanted a coffee table that worked like a giant etch a sketch. On the visual side though, I didn’t just want a giant etch a sketch. The image of a zen garden kept popping up when I would envision this project.

After a bit of research, it would appear that I wasn’t the only person who had these ideas. There are some other really cool projects out there like the Zen Table and the giant motorized zen display you can see at Maker Faire . Both are incredible, but both are also motorized, rare, and expensive.

Ultimately, I wanted mine to work just like an etch a sketch with two giant knobs you could turn to move the ball bearing through the sand."

About the Author

Alexis Gajewski | Senior Content Strategist

Alexis Gajewski has over 15 years of experience in the maintenance, reliability, operations, and manufacturing space. She joined Plant Services in 2008 and works to bring readers the news, insight, and information they need to make the right decisions for their plants. Alexis also authors “The Lighter Side of Manufacturing,” a blog that highlights the fun and innovative advances in the industrial sector. 

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