c¥_og5 jL_oYou CAN TAKE IT WITH YOU Bench Table Folds for Picnic Easily-built collapsible unit lets you dine in comfort wherever you choose By JOSEPH GIAMBALVO Youu never fight for a roadside table again, once you've built this clever unit that flattens for toting in your trunk. Or, the unit has ad- vantages for backyard use: When not needed, it folds and stores under cover, so when you want it, you'll find a clean, dry table—not a weath- ered mi And since it isn’t at the mercy of the elements all year, it'll last forever without refinishing. We even carry it along for boat- dock dining (below left). Although my design is patented (No. 3,256,037) and can’t be repro- duced for sale, Poputar ScienceSetup is quick, easy, and needs no tools Carry flat-folded unit to site, spread halves (1) and lock wingnuts on center beam. Raise table leaf that has tie bars and swing latter out about 45°; hook them over beam (2). Raise both leaves (3) sa tie bars swing under opposite leaf; bring leaves together and swing tie bars into lock-blocks. Raise seats (4) and low- ef supports to notch over dowel. Set-up unit is sturdy enough to be tipped (5) to show tie-bar lock (not a set-up step). Travel readers are invited to build one table for personal use. Materials’ cost should be under $30. Construction is simple. Built of redwood and maple, the folding table is surprisingly sturdy when set up. ‘The basic principle is triangular ten- sion with three fixed points. eas To fasten leg assembly to top, center make starting holes with sharp awl, use offset screwdriver to turn hinge screws. Ropes hold position (clamps stop creep) Hardware is standard, except for the pivot hinge. A long search for one to do the job proved fruitless, so I designed my own (sketch) Ten of the backflap hinges are off- set in a vise (next page) to permit a tighter fit when closed, and to al- low the table leaf and seat to rest squarely on the supporting joint when open, The four hinges you don't offset go on the top (105-de- gree-bevel) end of the table supports. Secure the hinges with No. 6 sheet metal serews—they give greater hold- ing power than wood screws. In the on locked leaves, maple, use a 52 drill for pilot holes ‘a sharp awl will do for softer red- wood). When applying the hinges, take care to get a good fit on leg and table support, as shown. Milled dimensions of 1-by-12 red- wood are, of course, %4” by 1114". But the 1” (34”) maple was ripped into actual 2” and 3” widths from wider stock. For accurate angl with straight, dark lines. After cut- ting, true them on a disk-sander ta- ble, leaving a hair of the line. A Continued lay them out Once supports are fastened to seats, butt seat against table leaf, use predrilled 3/16” hole as template to drill through leg for pivot bolts. Unit is semifalded as in photo 1, above.3'.2"12" ReDwooo cleats (4) | JOINT _& HINGE ona" PAPER 7 MUST BE / TIGHT Fir Sie cgmaate 2°N"8 SCREWS: oats (16) MAPLE, Tie -BaR STOP Be, ice Beis REOWOOD t2) CENTERSEAM STOP 2 / 2 nove TIE-BAR AGSEMBLY PARTS DETAILS TABLE SUPPORT ves cur-our | BOWELS 14" APART W/HOLES: a4 DRILLED IN MATING EDGE 14 1 Puke marce TABLE SUPPORT (4) Ba" a 2116/2" MAPLE, BENCH LEGS (8) 5,6, 3754" DOWEL MATERIALS LIST Lumber (2) hardwood dowels Hardware =8 2° FH wood screws: FH sheet-metal screws 4)" 2024 aluminum atches for legs END VIEW bandsaw is best for cutting the tabl supports out of the legs. It's a no-waste project: the four 4’ lengths of 1-by-12s ar ripped to 9” widths and the sean are used for the tie-bar assemblis From each strip, cut one tie bar ant two spacers. For the cleats, glue ant nail (from the bottom) the redwood spacer, paper spacers, and maplh stop, then drill from the opposi side for the countersunk wood screw: The paper lets the tie bar slide unde the cleat. To pivot the bars to the undersid drill two 3/16” holes through leaf and countersink the top side sq the flathead bolt sets below the sur| face. Relieve the opposite side so. nut can be locked flush with th surface (1” of bolt protruding). Attach the tie bar with washe| and nut to pivot smoothly. Positior it square with table edge, clamp cleat to its stop, and screw in place Sand a slight radius on one corner o} the cleat so the tie bar clears ye locks snugly. & Ten of 14 hinges need reworking i vise. Place leaves against jaw, hold scra ‘steel! against barrel, hten vise to offset Make pivot of 41/8" 2024 alumi- num. Cut first side and clamp scrap to opposite leg: drill and riv- et. Scrap acts as spacer. You'll need pair for each end. Center- beamboltis pivot.