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Thread: Draw Leaf Table

  1. #1
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    Draw Leaf Table

    I'm wondering what the mechanism is like for a draw leaf table. I did a google search but wasn't successful in finding anything that shows how the leaves are supported when they are pulled out. Any ideas? Pictures? Thanks.

  2. #2
    Dave,
    Here is a link were you can get plans for a draw leaf table. Hope this helps.
    http://store.yahoo.com/tylertool/krdldrletapr.html

  3. #3
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    Thanks Don. I'm not really looking for plans. I just wondered how the mecahnism works to support the leaves when they're out and yet allow the leaves to be pushed underneath the center portion of the top.

  4. #4
    When I was growing up my mom had a drop leaf table and as I recall it had a pair of rails underneath fastened to the leafs. As I recall when you slid the leafs out and lifted them leel to the table you then slid the leafs back into the table. The rails went into a slot that was on the underside of the table. To lower the leaf you mearly slid the leaf back out and it would drop down so you could store the leaf again. I hope this makes sense.

  5. #5
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    I think it does, Don. Thanks for that information.

  6. #6
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    Another very traditional support for the leaves is a hinged support that just swings out from the rail.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Schoene
    Another very traditional support for the leaves is a hinged support that just swings out from the rail.
    I believe that there is a New Yankee plan that showed that... I know that you are not looking for plans but it could give you some ideas...
    I can pay retail anywhere, so how's your service?
    Grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory one project at a time
    Maker of precision cut firewood


  8. #8
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    I just snapped a couple of pics of the table I made 4 or 5 years ago - it was a combination of an antique draw-leaf that I owned and a diagram of one from Bill Hylton's book Illustrated Cabinetmaking.

    Below is the table pulled in.



    Top removed




    leaves pulled out



    different view





    no - the one leaf is not tipped - just one of those "photo things"


    Table full extended



    I hope those pics are along the lines of what you were looking for Dave, don't hesitate to ask if you think I could help any further.

  9. #9
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    Hey! Shelley! That's great. Exactly what I wanted to see. Thank you very much.

    I gather from the pictures that the runners attached to the leaves are essentially ramped to bring the leaves up to the right height when pulled out.

  10. #10
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    You're real welcome Dave. I crawled under the table to take the next couple - certainly not the best in photography but might illustrate the "angle" a little better for you.



    In the pic below, it appears that the "legs" are lower than the apron - another one of the photo things......you will notice in the above pics you can not see them from a normal standing view.



    I gather from the pictures that the runners attached to the leaves are essentially ramped to bring the leaves up to the right height when pulled out.
    Perfect way of putting it!

  11. #11
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    Thank you for crawling around taking and taking these additional photos. I hope your neighbors didn't see you. I'd hate to know that there are rumors of "Shelley's gone off the deep end" floating around your neighborhood.

    One other thing. What is the procedure for retracting the leaves? Do you just push the leaves toward the center or do you have to pull them out a bit first? I can understand how the angle on the rails attached to the leaves causes the leaves to lower but I can't quite understand how they get past the end of the top.

    Or do you remove the top, pull out the leaves and reinstall the top?

    Thanks.

    Dave
    Last edited by Dave Richards; 09-29-2005 at 9:01 AM.

  12. #12
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    Shelley, that's a really nice table. Well done! Did you make the matching chairs as well?

  13. #13
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    Actually Dave, my husband did give me "a look" when he watched me get up from the PC with camera in hand and proceed to crawl under that table.....but hey, after 32 years he is pretty used to me doing strange things.

    Pulling out the leaves are really straight forward - the main top stays in place ( there are 2 dowels in the top that fit into oversized holes in the vertical piece of the center I that you see in the second pic.) while you pull the leaves out by a decorative cleat that is attached to the underside. To prevent scratching the tops of the leave with the the "dragging" motion, I glued on some pieces of felt. The action works so great that you do not have to remove anything from the table - you can have a completely "set" table with full water glasses on it and when unexpected guests arrive, you just pull it out to make room without upsetting anything. Retracting the table is almost as simple. You do have to lift the main top up to enough to clear the leave while pushing it with your leg.....once started, the leaves just slide on under the main top and stops in the correct place due to the I .

    I don't want to lead you to believe that it is a simple design to make - I went through a few "legs" or "runners" before I finally got it right - a lot of variables to concider........I tried using the ones from my antique set as a template but because I was changing the overall size of the table, they would not work. My advice would be to start out with some scrap and "whittle" them down until they work and be prepared for a lot of frustration! But hey, once you start using it, the pain will disappear and you will never regret building it!

    Below is a pic I just took to try to illustrate the leave coming out....the main top does raise up slightly and does drop down as the leave is full extended .


  14. #14
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    Thanks Frank.....yup, the six captains chairs you see in the pic as well at two other armless. I bought my Delta mortiser for that job. I built a press of sorts for the bent lamination that I used to create the curved backs...but that is a whole other story! Personally I found the hardest part of building chairs is the designing and making of the prototypes, jigs and templates to achieve the design......then it is pretty straight forward and really not that difficult. (hey - I can say that now, that was almost 5 years ago so..... )

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shelley Bolster
    Thanks Frank.....yup, the six captains chairs you see in the pic as well at two other armless. I bought my Delta mortiser for that job. I built a press of sorts for the bent lamination that I used to create the curved backs...but that is a whole other story!
    OK Shelley.....

    I had to idea that you made chairs. Now I know EXACTLY who I'm gonna be hollerin' at when I start the LOML's kitchen chairs.
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
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