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Thread: Plans or ideas for collapsible table

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Virginia Beach Va
    Posts
    381

    Plans or ideas for collapsible table

    Hi, I wanted to know if anyone had plans or ideas for a collapsible table. The hole I dug myself in is that my wife has this great folding table that we use as a dining table at Christmas and other family events ( 80 inches long by 35 inches wide ) It has a steel apron, metal folding legs and the whole things folds in half, width wise, and then locks closed to make it easy for transport - except that it is very heavy. I got the brilliant idea to make a new top ( two halfs really) for it that would be lighter. I used the thinnest luan I could find and a torsion box assembly. So I built the two tops and they came out fine, except, I just weighed them and if I put them on the metal frame I will save a grand total of about 4 pounds - if I am lucky. Probably would have been smart to weigh all the peices in the torsion box first, but I soldier on so for plan 2 I am thinking of ignoring the old metal frame and just make a new table with the 2 torsion boxes. I have a pair of those cheap metal folding legs and I figured I could mount one to each of the tops, and separately they be quite light. Anyone have any ideas, or plans, for how I would join the 2 tops when it is time to use the table so it would be rigid enough to use for dining, but compact and easy to assemble, transport and store. One idea was to use 2 long stretchers with screw inserts and screw it together, but that doesn't sound very sturdy, and hard to transport. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Barry

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Central Ky.
    Posts
    153

    folding table

    Barry, My Father In Law has some spare tables he made by attaching some metal folding legs to Luan doors he bought at a surplus store. Never really checked to see how heavy they are but they're pretty sturdy. And he got the doors for a song. Just a thought. Happy Woodworking, Craig

  3. #3
    Barry, If I'm picturing this right, you are looking at something like this?
    Table1.png

    Depending on how stiff the torsion boxes are, you could do something like this. If they are really stiff, the connecting piece in the middle wouldn't have to stick out below the table more than a couple inches.
    Table2.png

    Reinforcing with cross pieces would also increase stiffness. Something lightweight like this might work, but you might be able to get away with less or need more depending on the stiffness of the torsion boxes.
    Table3.png

    Light and strong at the same time is a challenge, but these are some ideas to work with. Luckily it will be covered with a table cloth, so you don't have to worry much about pretty.
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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    10,304
    Did you put blocking inside the torsion box, so that you have some meat to screw the metal legs to? If you screw them to just the 1/8" skin, they're going to get broken off very easily. If you didn't put blocking inside, that's not a death-knell for the project. It just means that the table base needs to cradle the top without using it as a structural element. That's actually how most traditional table designs work.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Virginia Beach Va
    Posts
    381
    Jamie, John and Craig - thanks for the input. I like the idea of the connector and will try to mock that up this weekend to see how sturdy it is. The torsion box is pretty stiff, the spacers are 5/8 high by 1/2 wide on a grid of 5 1/4". As for blocking, I already installed some, but it was in the specific locations for the screws on the metal frame I am not using. I feel comfortable I can attach some 1/2 ply to the bottom wherever I need it and so long as it completely covers a grid I should be able to use it to screw into. Before I saw these ideas, I found folding leg brackets at Contstantines http://www.constantines.com/index.as...ROD&ProdID=737

    4 for about $15. I ordered 2 pairs. If the connector idea isn't sturdy enough, I have 2 options - 1 put 3 legs on each half - the 2 outside corners of each half and one in the middle of the opposing end - so that when the tables are put together - the two middle legs would support the weight in the middle and would not interfere with chairs or the legs of the diners. The other option is to put 4 legs on each table to allow them to be used separately, then use table latches and a tongue and grove on the middles so they can be attached as one unit, with the down side being possible interference with where people can sit. John, for my mockup, I am thinking of making each connector out of 1/2 ply and screwing it to the ends that will be the middle and project below the bottom of the table about 4 inches - then put bolts as close to the bottom of the connectors as possible - I hope it works because it is really an elegant solution. Barry

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