Aaron Li
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Planter Table

A small tea table with a hole in the center for a plant pot, inspired by Chinese tea gardens.

Red steel and wood planter table holding a plant and tea set beside a garden pond
Date
Oct 2025 – Dec 2025
Context
Stanford ME203: Design and Manufacturing
Discipline
design and manufacturing
Stack
Autodesk Fusion 360 · TIG welding · Sand casting · Milling · Laser cutting · 3D printing · Woodworking

In Stanford’s ME203: Design and Manufacturing, I designed and manufactured a small table that holds a planter pot in its center. The design was inspired by patterns found throughout Chinese tea gardens.

CAD Models

CAD model of the watering dish and full table assembly

The watering dish and the full table assembly were designed in Autodesk Fusion 360.

Fabrication

Foam and cardboard prototype of the table

Second view of the foam and cardboard prototype

A first prototype of my table using foam and cardboard.

Milling a table leg end held in angle blocks

Milling the table leg ends using angle blocks to get the angle I wanted.

Sand mold rammed up around the watering dish pattern

A ram-up of the watering dish for sand casting.

Laser-cut steel sheet metal patterns

Laser-cut patterns of steel sheet metal for the center pot holder of my table legs.

Angle grinding a weld on the steel legs

Angle grinding down the welds of my mild steel table legs.

Cutting the center hole in the table top

Cutting a center hole in my table top using a jigsaw and then a router.

Test assembly of the table before painting

Test assembly before finishing the table legs with spray paint.

Finished planter table

Final result after assembly and finishing.