Fold Up Tables

[pfbarney]

I needed a couple of tables for doing shows, but couldn't find anything I liked. After searching around the web, I found some examples that would work, but they only sell them in England. So, I figured it out and built my own. Two of them actually. The one not pictured is 6'x2'. this one is 4'x2'. They are both 36" high. They're made from scrap wood and pallet lumber. I paid for hinges and screws. The hardest part was figuring out how to line up the legs so they would both fold flat when not in use. They are sturdy enough too. My brother in law climbed on one and stood up and it barley moved.

 

[jttheclockman]

Speaking of fold-up tables, whenever doing any kind of show and they supply the tables such as most craft shows, make sure you check to see that they are locked open before you set your stuff up. Most likely they had a bunch of school kids set these up and we know how much their minds are into things like this as they are texting the kid standing next to them. I seen the results, not mine but another crafter. Table full of lamps. Not good.

just a reminder and now back to your regular scheduled program.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I like the tables... do the legs lock open... I notice the hinged braces aren't completely straight when open... also how does the weight compare to the plastic folding tables from Lowe's or HD? I have several of the 6 footers from Lowe's and while they aren't too heavy, they do get a little cumbersome to move around sometimes... especially as I get older.
I used a series of baker's racks that folded to display my bowls, but this year I'm going back to a wooden "A" frame with boards as the racks have just gotten too heavy for me to move around, plus one of the hinges broke on one of them and lets the whole side wing come off. I don't have any way to weld back together.

 

[JimB]

They look very nice. I was wondering about the weight and locking legs as well.

 

[Charlie_W]

Very cool tables! You get the size and height you want this way!

It appears that the hinged braces go past center(flat) and pop into a locked position when the leg is fully against it stopping point. Pushing up on them will allow the leg to unlock and fold closed.
Just watch your fingers when you place them in the locked position!

 

[pfbarney]

Charlie is correct. The hinges in the leg braces go past fully opened which locks the legs in place. So far I haven't caught my fingers.

The weight on these is a little more than the plastic tables, but not by much as far as I can tell. I have one of the 6' models and didn't want to use it because it doesn't seem sturdy to me. These tables are much sturdier feeling. I need to incorporate a handle for carrying, but at only 2 feet wide, they're pretty easy to tuck under an arm.

 

[low_48]

Did you glue and screw that cleat under all those boards making up the top? Wood expands and contracts. The top will expand and contract, that cleat will fight that. If you glued it up solid, expect some cracking or cupping of the top.

 

[pfbarney]

No glue on the cleat. The only glue used was when gluing up the top panel. Hopefully we won't experience any of those problems, but time will tell.