Dining room table mod ideas?

Hey Woodworkers...

I am planning on converting our dining room table to an expandable top by splitting the top surface (and apron), then adding a pair of slides to the end opposite the wall. This will allow me to expand the top without moving the fixed legs. I anticipate adding a 12" leaf to the center. I have considered other options, like end extensions or a drop-leaf, but couldn't really find a suitable way to support them, or keep the drop-leaf from banging the knees getting into and out of the chairs. Question: have any of you modified your table in this way? Or, perhaps, is there something I'm not thinking through here? Fortunately, I have a well-equipped wood shop and have a fair bit of woodworking experience. I know that some units are furnished with these, but buying one is not an option. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

Mark

Our Bighorn has an expandable table so can't help with cutting yours apart and putting it back together. I did add a 3" riser to our table, I was always bumping the very sharp corner on the undersiide. But you might consider extension slides and latches from Rockler for a start.
http://woodworking.rockler.com/sear...=s3A13C13A1kaEUR2UG&modaf=rn:cat2:~n4h64syw7s

Mark,

That sounds like a cool mod! Which type of table do you have? Could you post some pictures?


Cliff

Cliff,
I have the standard, two-legged 'harvest style' table with 4 chairs. A little tight for 4 adults to occasionally share a meal together...especially if you're not related! We have plenty of room to add a foot on the end of the table. I'll try to post the pictures later. It will be a couple weeks before I actually do the mod. Thanks.

Another idea: Our table comes with a leaf, but I still wanted more room for guests or playing games. I made an inexpensive table topper that simply lays on top of the table from 3/4" foam board covered in contact paper. When a table cloth is used, you would never know its just a piece of foam board. Its light weight & can be stored behind your sofa when traveling or under the bed if you have the large, lift up style storage compartment. You can purchase custom made table toppers that are padded, fold in half and are more durable. Of course, they are significantly more expensive and take a few weeks to get, but it is another option.

Rather than cutting the table top up, you could add a hinged drop leaf to the end of it. I did something similar when I built this craft cabinet as a birthday gift for my sister. There are different ways to support the extended leaf, but since I wanted her to be able to sit under it, I chose the pull-out drawer idea for good support. The hinges are "Butler table" hinges.

View attachment 19974View attachment 19973View attachment 19975View attachment 19976

Well, it looks like my "2 weeks" has turned into several months and the project is still not finished. I like the idea and it is much simpler than tearing apart the table. This could be an easy solution to our problem. And, considering our youngest son is getting married tomorrow, we are selling our house next week, and leaving by July 15 for a three-month road trip...foam is looking like a better option all the time.

John,
Your skills impress me! I know enough about woodworking to know that what you've done with the craft cabinet is not easy. I considered adding a drop leaf originally, but didn't want a knee banger when it was just Cindy and I using it. I even considered an "end-leaf" extension, but couldn't see a workable way to support it. As I mentioned below, life suddenly got busy and it will take some time before I'm able to get back to the shop. Thanks for sharing. Mark.

That's pretty darn fancy John, what is the torsion box for?

porthole said:

That's pretty darn fancy John, what is the torsion box for?

Click to expand...

Were you talking about the eggcrate looking thing in the background? That's my plywood panel cutting table I made a few years back from a magazine plan. I can pop a 4x8 sheet on it and cut it down to size with a circular saw (with panel cutting guides I have). Has folding legs under it so I can stand it against the wall. The top of it is basically sacrificial since I set my circular saw blade just beyond the thickness of the plywood I'm cutting. It's put together with brass screws so if I do hit one, it won't do any damage to the carbide blade. The open design allows clamping of just about any size piece you need to cut. Handy, too, as a routing table for large panels or finishing parts.

This photo is from the magazine.

View attachment 19985

Yep, that's it. Similar design can be used for making lightweight, strong large panels.

porthole said:

Yep, that's it. Similar design can be used for making lightweight, strong large panels.

Click to expand...

Indeed it can. I've got a RoundtoIt Honey Do project that might see them being used.