How would you make a shuffleboard table?

[ragnar]

I have wanted to build a shuffle board table for a while now.  Lengths are 9-22'.  I think I read that "professional" matches are played on the 22' tables.  I don't need one that big but still, I want to go say 15-18'.  Maybe 22'.  The Sizing is all TBD really.  And I want to build my own because these things can easily get over $2,000.  I am hoping (maybe I need to pray) to do this for under $500.

The thing is, I can not decide on how to make an inexpensive seamless table that is 18' long.  12' is easy.  Just go to a real lumber yard and get some 12'x8' plywood and laminate several layers to make it very thick so it will not flex.  But how would you go about making an 18' table (for example) that will resist flexing and have a seamless surface?

Another catch.  I don't know if I can do pine on top.  If I had to laminate 1x3s, I'd probably go with poplar or some other inexpensive hard wood.  But that cost would add up quickly.

Thoughts?  Of course, I can always go with a 12' table even though it is not what I want to do in the end.  But while I am at it, if I did do plywood, I would probably do some sort of hollow core design by using some sort of wood honeycomb-like design inside.

EDIT: Google yields alot of results but I have not found a good build thread.  (example: http://www.davesspot.com/shuffleboard.htm)

[ragnar]

DUH!

Found a guy talking about his build.  Made a "subfloor" out of plywood and surfaced it with wood flooring.

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/1759