Table top advice

[Ken Fitzgerald]

In an attempt to eliminate carrying table extensions up and down the stairs, I am building a butterfly extension dining table. It's my first attempt at a dining table. My wife and I looked at different dining tables and she wanted a 4-leg table base. I bought a geared table extension mechanism from Lee-Valley. https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop...able-extenders I am planning on having a retracted table length of 68" and extending it to 92" with a 24" butterfly extension in the middle. I have the butterfly extension "axle/pivot mechanism" also purchased from Lee-Valley. https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop...ount-mechanism he table width is to be 36"

My thoughts are to run the grain of the walnut across the tabletop and breadboarding the edges, pinning the breadboard edge to each board with a slotted hole in all but the middle board's tenon.

The front and rear rails will be topped with either an aluminum or steel 1/8" flat stock covered by some HDMW tape to reduce wear and friction though the opening and closing for extension use won't be operate that often.

By breadboarding the edges and with the grain perpendicular to the plane of the extension mechanism the tabletop should be supported and should have less opportunity to warp.

Any opinions on the plan as I described it? Inputs appreciated!

[Jamie Buxton]

If I'm following correctly, the legs are at the corners of the retracted table, right? And they don't don't move when the table get extended? The extensions essentially will add 12" to the each end of the table. Where do the chairs go on the extended table? It seems to me that the legs are going to interfere with the diners at the ends of the long sides of the table?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jamie, you are right, the table legs will not move. The table frame connecting the legs will not more. Only the tabletop will extend opening a 25 1/2" opening. The 24" butterfly extension will unfold up and out resting on the now exposed rails. Then the top will retract to engage the extension. Brass guide pins will align both sections of the top with the extension. 4 locks underneath will lock the 3 pieces together preventing unintended accidental reopening of the tabletop.

The legs are octagonal and the tabletop will be mitered on the corners to make it "somewhat octagonal. We are hoping this will allow seating people on the corners.

As far as the legs interfering with chairs, our current table puts a 7.5" extension at each end without the base moving so it's really no different?

Keep the opinions coming please! Point out the errors in my design before I start framing the table and the table top.

[Jamie Buxton]

When I'm designing a dining table, my rule of thumb is that each diner should get 24" of table edge. I found this rule by experiment. At a dining table, I sat next to another person. We moved our chairs closer together and farther apart. We acted like we were eating - waving our elbows like we were cutting food on our plates. When our elbows collided, that was as close as we could sit. I put a tape measure on the table, with the tip directly in front of one diner, and read the tape directly in front of the other. That's the center-to-center distance for diners. For me, that's about 24". You might find your comfortable distance is a little different, but I'll bet it isn't too different.

In the diagrams below, I represent a diner with a blue 24x24 square. I overlap the square on to the table 12". That represents the area where the diner's place setting goes.

I have two diagrams. The first is your table in the closed form. The legs are at the corners. The table seats six comfortably. The second diagram shows the table extended 12" on each end. I don't see anyplace to put more diners.

fitzgerald.jpg

[jack duren]

It’s not hard to figure spacing.

[Jamie Buxton]

Here's a possible fix: move the legs so they're about 6" away from the corner. You get space for two additional diners at the extended table. The elbows of the diners at the ends of the table are hanging off the ends, but that's okay. There's no neighboring diner to collide with.

fitzgerald2.jpg

[jack duren]

How many people at this table?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Here's a possible fix: move the legs so they're about 6" away from the corner. You get space for two additional diners at the extended table. The elbows of the diners at the ends of the table are hanging off the ends, but that's okay. There's no neighboring diner to collide with.

fitzgerald2.jpg

Jamie,

The "golden rule" based on a table top thickness of 1 1/4" dictated that the legs be 5.29" from the corner in the retracted position and that is what I had planned. There's really no reason I couldn't push that to 6". Also, I plan on "clipping" a 4"-5" off the corner of the tabletop so it somewhat mimics the octagon on the legs. Those sitting at the corners would be angled a bit.

Thanks for the input! Keep it coming!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

How many people at this table?

Jack, in the retracted position, normally 6. In the extended position hopefully 8. Most of the time it will be family or a mix of family and close friends so it could well be more.

[jack duren]

You can do what you want, but you need to sit down at the table with the chairs you are going to use, put your arms onmtye table wit( a plate and see what you need. My chairs are wide , so I have to figure width of each chair.

tables are figured based on an average, but not you..

when I figure poker tables, I figure the chair first and how people sit.

[Jamie Buxton]

Jamie,

The "golden rule" based on a table top thickness of 1 1/4" dictated that the legs be 5.29" from the corner in the retracted position and that is what I had planned. There's really no reason I could push that to 6". Also, I plan on "clipping" a 4"-5" off the corner of the tabletop so it somewhat mimics the octagon on the legs. Those sitting at the corners would be angled a bit.

Thanks for the input! Keep it coming!

Any golden rule is just a guideline. The important thing is that your diners can sit comfortably at the table. Draw yourself out a diagram like I made, using whatever dimensions fit your vision. Use dimensions for diners that fit you and your chairs. Make sure there's room for the diners' place settings and their legs. That should get you a dining table which works well.

[jack duren]

I have to draw poker tables because most tables you see are by manufactures who have to ship and its size and cost . So I make them custom sizes to meets wants versus needs.. I need a new table, but my wife wants oval.. guidelines are great reference, but are changeable to some degree..

Apron making..

[glenn bradley]

Ken, first off thanks for doing this. I have many pictures of butterfly tables and imaging one is in my future. I will be following closely and watching for tips and tricks.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ken, first off thanks for doing this. I have many pictures of butterfly tables and imaging one is in my future. I will be following closely and watching for tips and tricks.

Glenn, from a fellow member of a local woodworking club I was directed to this website as a company that provides good table hardware. https://www.osbornewood.com/products...ides-equalizer

[Ken Fitzgerald]

My plan for the top is to run the grain of the boards across the table with breadboards on each edge. That coupled with the two equalizing extension rails should keep them aligned. I don't have a dominoe to it's either biscuits, dowels or just glue to join them.

What say you?