Drop Leaf questions: looking for ideas and resources

[andy Needles]

Hello all,

I'm working with a lady on designing and building a large dining table (seats 10), with leaves for the ends. I will need to use solid wood (oak per her request), as I am inlaying abalone, and other various materials in it. Other aspects of the design are going to be rather straightforward, with a small skirt, and tapered legs, etc.

I'm hesitant to use drop leaves in the middle due to the pattern on the top, and would rather make leaves for the ends. I am looking to add about 2 foot leaves on either end of an 8 foot or so table.

Do you guys have any design reccomendations for adding two foot leaves ot the ends of tables in a sturdy manner? Are there some good resources out there to help me?

Thank you for allowing me to pick your brains on this one. Any responses are appreciated!

[Frank Drew]

Andy,

I'm assuming the client doesn't want a drop leaf with swing leg at each end?

How about pull-out leaf supports coming out from the end aprons, with either the leaves or main table having two or three stub tenons for registering and the mating piece shallow mortises to match. You might also need some kind of positive fastening under the leaves to make sure they stayed put during dinner.

All that would show on the main table when the leaves weren't in place (the mortises or tenons, the cutouts in the aprons that the slides come out of....)

An alternative would be to make two end tables to serve as the leaves; when not in use they'd be against a wall looking like what they are, small tables. D-end tables are a common version of this idea. Again, they'd probably need some sort of fastening to the main tabletop.

Still another idea has the two leaves that live underneath the main table top when in the stored position, and then pulled out with integral bracing when needed. When they're all the way out the main tabletop drops down the thickness of the no longer underneath leaves.