OK, I've done this enough without documenting it ... We first figured this out in 1998 by more or less copying a client's table that had a mechanism that worked pretty well ... We've built tables with it probably
4 or 5 times since then, but never
carefully documented the process with notes and drawings ... I'm going to give it a whirl here ... Click the pictures to enlarge them and I hope you can figure it out .... Be sure to make a small mockup in ply or mdf to try it all out before you attempt it on your real table ... Works OK with four legs or a trestle ... We always put some felt on the bottom of the table top where the leaf closes ... strips or larger pieces .. I put a very short video of the mechanism in operation
on you tube here
concept sketch
cad drawing
cad drawing of the pull out supports .. It'll all make sense once you mock it up ...
The finished table
Parts
Close up of the steel apron detail
One of the four legged versions in recycled chestnut
On site
My original coffee table drawing from 1998
OK, I've done this enough without documenting it ... We first figured this out in 1998 by more or less copying a client's table that had a mechanism that worked pretty well ... We've built tables with it probably 4 or 5 times since then, but never carefully documented the process with notes and drawings ... I'm going to give it a whirl here ... Click the pictures to enlarge them and I hope you can figure it out .... Be sure to make a small mockup in ply or mdf to try it all out before you attempt it on your real table ... Works OK with four legs or a trestle ... We always put some felt on the bottom of the table top where the leaf closes ... strips or larger pieces .. I put a very short video of the mechanism in operation on you tube here
concept sketch
cad drawing
cad drawing of the pull out supports .. It'll all make sense once you mock it up ... 
The finished table
Parts
Close up of the steel apron detail
One of the four legged versions in recycled chestnut
On site
My original coffee table drawing from 1998
3 comments:
We recently purchased an old porcelain top table with pull out leaves. It has a 4 legged wooden base with a 2" X-cross-brace attached 6" above the floor. It has a drawer which is sadly in need of repair.
The top, when closed, is unusually large for a table of this type measuring 48” x 32”. The pull out leaves are on the ends (as opposed to the long side). They measure 12” each, extending the table 2 more feet when both leaves are out.
The slides, which are metal and spring loaded to raise the leaf up to the table top level, are only there on one end. The slides on the other end are missing. The main top is hard mounted to the frame so that it does not raise up when sliding the leaf out. Could we modify this table to use your design for slide outs? I am assuming we would have to re-mount the top so that it can lift to slide the leaf out.
The base itself is unstable and in need of re-gluing. We are considering switching the "X" structure to a trestle. Is this a workable idea?
Thank you, Don and Rosalie
I have been looking for downloadable plans for this draw leaf table for months, and haven't found them. I hope you can help. I have some 16" brazilian cherry that I want to use.
I think your table is fantastic, and I don't want to screw mine up.
Thank You,
John Konecny
hi john .. that is the old version we used to do .. to see our most recent version with plans on the fine woodworking website, see my blog post from march 29,2012
http://dorsetcustomfurniture.blogspot.com/2012/03/reclaimed-chestnut-table-with-self.html
i think you will need a subscritption, but for one article maybe not .. there is a link to the plans in the 2012 blog post ..
Post a Comment