Knucklez

i love this trestle table. sadly it sells for $2800 and would take me a long time to save up for.. in fact, i could probably build it myself before i could save that much.


i'm stumped though, on how to connect the table top to the ' X ' shaped base. the table is probably a hundred pounds.. and you know somebody is going to lift the table to move it into a new position in the room.. so the connection has to be strong.

what i know about table making is that the top has to be connected in such a way that it still allows for movement due to moisture expansion/shrinkage.

i have seen on the net these tabs or table top clips that are screwed into the under side of the table top and then rotate to slide into a slot (biscuit cut) of the horizontal piece at the top of the X bracing. this would work, but i doubt its strong enough .. even 4 of these per side.

what else is out there?

Knucklez

woodnthings

They must be kidding! What's it made out of wood from Queen Victoria's Bed? Or unobtainium, but it looks like pine to me. To answer your question about the top attachment just repeat the leg and foot detail underneath making it a little wider, and slot the attachment holes 1/4" over each side from center, center the screws and snug them up, but not overtight, to allow for movement. bill
Check out this thread as well: Expansion Lesson

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Knucklez

ok.. sounds like you're suggesting what i wanted to avoid.

namely,


i just thought this method wouldn't be strong enough to support the weight of this table.. but maybe i am wrong .

Knucklez

woodnthings

But not exactly what I was suggesting. Just take your foot detail and repeat it at the top using a 1" wider piece to allow for access to the screws.
The wood will expand/contract from the middle out/in so the center attachment screw can be tightened down. The outboard screws need to allow for the wood to move, so just slot them 1/4" both ways from the screw location across the width. Drill 2 holes cut between them and use a fender washer. (large washer with a small hole)
So you end up with 3 screws on either end of the table, the center ones tightened down and the outboard ones snug, but not tight. You can use clips and slots as shown, but this will work too. Just make sure the wood is kiln dried and acclimated to the room humidity before assembly and finishing. bill

__________________
Never stand directly in front of a horse or tablesaw that's running!
If you're not making dust, you're gathering it. After I reread my own posts, I agree with myself even more.

joesdad

$2800?...wait, I'm still coughing, but you know what? Good for that guy/gal who's commanding that price and getting it. It's the picnic table legs that are killing me.

As to the assembly...ditto what woodnthings mentioned. I usually plow out a .75" wide dado along the length of the brace at approximately a third of the way into the thickness of the stock, stopping just before the ends. And then again with a .25" straight bit dead center of the .75" one. The .25" one goes all the way through the thickness of the stock. I have also used a vinyl fender washer underneath the steel one to assure over time that the table top can always move freely even if the washer was to get a little funky (ie rust, corrosion) A little overkill but for a $1.00 it's not bad insurance.

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Tony B

Sorry for writing on top of you, but sometimes in a multi-question post, it is easier for me to not lose my place.

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Tony B

http://www.thetexaswoodworks.com

neiabutcher

Unless I misunderstood -- you said this was a trestle table.

I built a trestle table and on mine the top is not attached.

The top is heavy enough that it doesn't need to be attached.

I have a cleat on the outside of where it rests on the leg assembly.

When I need to move it -- I remove the top and move the leg assembly and then replace the top.

A true trestle table should disassemble and reassemble easily.

woodnthings

Item# SAFTZR
Retail Price: $499.99
Ships free for only: $449.99
Size::
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 weeks.
Source: http://www.nextag.com/trestle-table/stores-html
The original post is not "exactly a trestle table" if I'm correct. The top can not be removed without the legs falling over on the OP picture. A Traditional trestle table will stand alone if the top is removed, you are correct. So advice was given based on the photo shown. Sorry for any confusion. The movement issue remains unless the top is not mechanically fastened to the legs. bill

__________________
Never stand directly in front of a horse or tablesaw that's running!
If you're not making dust, you're gathering it. After I reread my own posts, I agree with myself even more.

Mike Gager

its a picnic table!

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/table

to answer your question the top of the X will have a horizontal support silmilar to the one on the ground that attaches to the table top. simple elongated holes with screws would solve any movement problem


err after reading is exactly what woodnthings said lol

rrich

Is it just me, or does the picture look like a backyard "Picnic" table that the legs are sitting on a piece of stabilizing wood?

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Rich (Tilting right)
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Remember that when we have the "BIG ONE" everything east of the Rockies falls into the ocean.