Folding table - very convenient and indispensable in many cases. Most apartments in our country have small area, and many do not even dream of placing a large dinner table. To solve this problem, there is wide choose folding table designs. And when organizing a picnic in nature, it is optimal to take a small aluminum folding table with you, which is lightweight and folds compactly.
Variety of folding table designs
Dimensions vary depending on their functionality, but in any case, the folding part must be shorter than the height, otherwise it will not be able to fold. A hand-made table can be decorated with decoupage or simply painted, not forgetting to apply several layers of varnish at the final stage.
Folding tables are used in trade, picnics, cottages and apartments. They are indispensable when you need functional, but compact and lightweight tables. Depending on the place of their use, the appropriate material is selected. So, for the street it is best to take aluminum structure With plastic countertop. Such a table is moisture resistant and has a small weight. Natural wood, plywood or laminated fiberboard are suitable for the home. wooden frame. But all folding tables have one drawback, you can’t get up on them. Such a load for a folding structure is too large.
First of all, they differ in the shape of the tabletops - rectangular, round, oval or square. The most versatile tables with a rectangular top.
Legs are made of wood, aluminum and steel. Parallel legs make the design less rigid, but it is comfortable to sit at such a table. And located in a cross, although less convenient, but they provide maximum stability. In addition, there are removable and adjustable legs, they are especially convenient for uneven surfaces. Therefore, when choosing a table, you need to focus not only on its appearance and the size of the countertop, but also on design features frame.
Tables made of wood or laminated fiberboard with parallel legs look beautiful. But you can use them only indoors and provided that you do not have to often lay out.
An inexpensive table made of lacquered plywood is perfect for going out into nature. It is waterproof and will last for years. To quickly and easily fold the legs should be placed crosswise.
How to make a folding table on different cases life will be discussed in this article.
DIY folding picnic table
Outdoor recreation is becoming more and more popular. It helps to relax and unwind from the hustle and bustle of the city. But even far from civilization, you want to make your pastime as comfortable as possible. An important attribute is a folding camping table, which has a number of advantages. Firstly, it has small dimensions and light weight, which greatly simplifies its transportation. Finished tables have a special coating of countertops that does not absorb food odors and is easy to clean. Secondly, it is made of reliable material, most often aluminum, and can be used in the harshest conditions for many years. It is convenient if there is a hole for an awning in its center, then rest under the hot sun will be as comfortable as possible. Today there is a large selection of folding tables for a hike: for children, sets with benches or simple tables. They combine time-tested materials with modern ones such as plastic.
Consider how to make a folding table with your own hands using the example of a simple and very reliable design.
It will turn out to be compact and lightweight, which will allow you to use it for different purposes: on a hike, in the garden or on a fishing trip. The following is a drawing of a folding table. If necessary, the dimensions can be proportionally changed.
First cut out required amount bars with a small margin in size. The easiest way to do this is with a circular saw.
The tabletop can be made of any material, but it is better to make it from lacquered plywood or wood (in the future, it must be carefully covered with several layers of varnish).
All saw cuts of blanks are closed with an edge tape. The bars for legs and footrests are rounded with a jigsaw or a right angle is cut off and smoothed with a grinder.
They are fastened to each other with a bolt, the length of which should not exceed 35 mm.
Having prepared all the details, you can proceed to the pre-assembly. First of all, the legs and supports are fastened together. After that, markings are applied to the countertop for fastening (it will be mounted on wood screws). Having numbered all the details, the table is disassembled, all irregularities are polished, and several layers are applied. protective composition. That's it, it's ready for final assembly.
DIY universal folding table
For home use the most convenient mechanism is the "table-book". It has a beautiful and noble appearance, is stable and reliable, and most importantly, it will fit behind it. a large number of Human.
Consider how to create such a table with your own hands.
A - tabletop 700x670x20 mm - 2 pcs. It is optimal to use hollow shields.
B - table cover 700x200x20 mm - 1 pc. Joiner's boards are used as a material (legs, drawers and underframe are also made from them).
B - leg 720x190x20 mm - 2 pcs.
G - tsarga 628x120x20 mm - 1 pc.
D - underframe 628x190x20 mm - 1 pc.
E - horizontal bar frame 500x40x25 - 4 pcs.
AND - vertical bar frames 500x40x25 - 2 pcs.
Z - movable leg 720-40-25 - 2 pcs. Made from hard rock wood.
I - piano loop - 4 pcs.
The book table is assembled in stages:
- all saw cuts are processed with an edge;
- first, the central part is fastened - a movable leg (З) with vertical (Ж) and horizontal (Е) bars. All parts are connected with deaf straight spikes;
- then a tabletop is assembled, consisting of a leg (B), a drawer (G) and a underframe (D).
- the cover (B) is attached to the ends of the table legs with round plug-in spikes;
- a movable leg with a frame is attached to the piano hinges, having previously attached an elastic band or a metal button to its end;
- after the table is fully assembled, if necessary, it is varnished.
As you can see, all the complexity lies only in the manufacture of parts, the assembly itself will take a little time. As a result, the price of a do-it-yourself table will be much lower than the market price.
Tourist folding table: features of choice
High-quality picnic furniture will allow you to comfortably enjoy outdoor recreation. Depending on the needs, there is a wide variety of individual folding tables, as well as entire sets consisting of both tables and benches that fold compactly.
The price of a folding picnic table depends on the materials from which it is made, its size, design and, of course, dimensions. Today, there is a wide variety of folding designs, which makes the choice more difficult. In any case, choosing it should be based on functionality - a small folding table designed for 1-2 people, or a large one - for a whole company.
The durable steel frame and aluminum tabletop can withstand even heavy loads. Wish it had a protective case.
For a small company, a very light table is best. small sizes. If it will be used outdoors, then you need to choose aluminum or plastic countertops.
Whether it's not big table ik, which is intended to be transported by hand, or a large table, it is important that the design is light in weight. In the first case, there should be a convenient carrying handle, and when choosing the second option, take into account its dimensions when folded - it should easily fit in the trunk of a car.
All materials from which tables are made have their advantages and disadvantages. So, aluminum, although light, but short-lived, steel is reliable and durable, but begins to rust over time, wood will require additional care.
When choosing a mechanism for the design of a folding table, you should be guided by the main rule - the simpler the better. Such a table, although it will fold less compactly, will last for many years.
The tabletop is selected according to your taste and preferences. The easiest and most convenient to care for -
plastic or aluminium. Appearance is also important, but the choice should not be dominant.
Folding table photo
Who among us does not like to go fishing with family or friends for a picnic, barbecue or just relax in nature.
However, in addition to fishing rods, food, barbecue and tents, you need at least some kind of camping furniture - cooking and sitting on bare ground is inconvenient.
And the main item needed for a picnic outside the city is a folding table.
Now it can be purchased at any tourist or fishing store, but why spend money if folding table you can do it yourself. Let's find out how to do it and what is needed for this.
Design features
If you do not go into details, then you can distinguish two types of camping tables - a table with folding legs and a table-suitcase.
In the first version, when transporting or carrying, the legs are removed under the countertop. Upon arrival, simply move the legs of the table apart to put it on.
In the second version, the tabletop is like a suitcase or a chessboard - in the stowed position, the legs lie inside it, but in place they must be taken out of the “suitcase”, connected to it and put the table in the right place.
Both types have their advantages. A folding table is easier to make and only takes a few seconds to set up. At the same time, the suitcase table is more convenient to carry, takes less space, and, in addition, you can put dishes, skewers and other necessary things in it during transportation.
Wood, plastic or metal?
What is the best material for making your own folding camping table?
If ease of creation is most important to you and you do not have a large set of tools or skills in working with plastic and metals, choose wood.
Timber, boards, chipboard, plywood - all this can be used to create a fairly simple folding table.
But a table made of wood, if you do not protect its surface with varnishes and special coatings, under the influence of dampness, sunlight and temperature changes, it will warp and lose its attractive appearance.
Both plastic and even metal can be used as a material for legs and countertops. But here you may need those tools that can not be found in every home. In addition, working with such materials is more difficult than with the same tree. But tables made of plastic are not subject to corrosion, and those made of metal are very strong and durable.
In order to make collapsible or folding table, you need a set of enough simple tools, which can be found in any house or garage:
- Electric jigsaw (can be replaced with a circular saw or a hacksaw for wood);
- Electric drill for preparing holes for screws;
- Hammer and Phillips screwdriver;
- Roulette, square, ruler, pencil and level.
Attention! remember, that cutting tools, such as a circular saw or a jigsaw, are sources of increased danger! Follow all necessary safety precautions when working.
Folding picnic table
To make a simple and strong enough, you need the very minimum of materials and fasteners:
- wooden boards, 20–40 mm thick. For countertops, instead of boards, you can use a sheet of chipboard or plywood, about 10 millimeters thick;
- self-tapping screws, furniture bolts, and for each pair of legs the bolts must be of different lengths, wing nuts for bolts;
- door handles for carrying the table and hooks.
To start, cut out from the boards or sheet chipboard countertop the right sizes. If the countertop is made up of several boards, assemble them together, lay them down and measure the length and width.
Stages of work
Step 1. Making the frame
Lay the boards for the frame on the countertop, on each side the frame should recede from the edge of the countertop by 2-3 centimeters. Using an electric jigsaw, cut the boards to the desired size, then lay them again on the countertop, check the length and width of the frame according to the drawing. Outline the contours of the frame - use them to make holes in the countertop for the screws.
Important! In order to accurately maintain the dimensions of the paired parts, connect the boards together with clamps and cut them with an electric jigsaw or hacksaw together.
Step 2. Intermediate bars
Cut out the stop bars on which the unfolded table legs will rest, make four holes for the screws in them. To prevent the table legs from colliding with each other when folding, make wooden substrates for the second pair of legs, which will be located between the frame and the stop bars.
Step 3: Assembling the Frame and Tabletop
Assemble the frame elements together, fasten the stop bars and wooden substrates, make four holes for the bolts with an electric drill. Fasten the tabletop and frame with screws. 
Step 4. Table legs
Draw and cut out the legs of the table with an electric jigsaw. In the upper part, where they are fixed with the frame, the legs should be rounded, while in the lower part there should be a cut at a slight angle (15–20 degrees). Make holes for the bolts.
Step 5 Assemble the table
Connect the first pair of legs with a crossbar and secure to the frame with a bolt and wing nut. Repeat the same with the second pair. Check that the legs do not catch on each other when unfolding and folding the table. If they get stuck, treat the legs at the point of friction with sandpaper.
Folding table is ready. Additionally, you can attach a handle to it for easy carrying and hooks to hang towels or barbecue and barbecue equipment.
Table-suitcase
To make a camping table-suitcase, you will need more materials and fasteners:
- sheet of plywood or chipboard for the lid. In case of their absence, boards can be used;
- wooden beam for legs and countertop box;
- hinges, door or suitcase handle, two latches;
- furniture bolts and wing nuts;
- self-tapping screws.
Stages of work
Step 1. Take chipboard sheets, cut out the halves of the countertop. Then saw off the frame bars you need along the length, connect them to the halves of the countertop with screws from all sides. Fasten the halves of the tabletop together with the help of loops.
Step 2 Cut off four beams, which will be the legs of our table, make holes for the bolts in them and in the frame, while indenting so that the table legs freely connect to the frame.
Step 3 Connect the legs and frame with furniture bolts and wing nuts.
Step 4 Attach the carrying handle to the frame. Don't forget to make two latches ,
so that the suitcase does not open during transportation.
Note! Before starting work, draw up a drawing of your table in several projections, calculate the dimensions of all parts and how much material you will need. So you will save yourself from mistakes, and you will not have to redo all the work again.
Protecting the camping table
An unprotected tree ages rather quickly: dampness, temperature fluctuations, which are inevitable in nature, sunlight and many other factors have a bad effect on the material and reduce the durability of the folding table.
Therefore, do not forget to treat all its surfaces, especially the countertop, which is most susceptible to harmful effects.
For use special antiseptic compounds, stain.
Finishing with varnish or paint will enhance the look of the plywood or chipboard and make the camp table more beautiful.
How to make another version of a lightweight folding table, see the video:
Now for complete set I decided to make a tourist simple table - a folding bed. Such a table when folded looks like a small plywood suitcase. The table design project includes the manufacture of a plywood table top. This material is strong enough specific gravity it is quite acceptable for use as the main material for this type of portable furniture. The plywood suitcase is easy to carry and takes up little space in the trunk of a car.
For its manufacture, he prepared tools and purchased the necessary materials.
Tool
Since the furniture assembly scheme is based on plywood materials and wooden beam, then you need the appropriate tool:
- drill;
- jigsaw;
- screwdriver;
- wrench by 6 mm;
- chisel;
- level;
- tape measure, square, ruler, pencil.
materials
I bought materials according to the list I compiled:
- plywood sheet 140 x 70 x 1 cm;
- timber 800 x 4 x 4 cm - 1 pc.;
- plastic handle - 1 pc.;
- suitcase locks - 2 pcs.;
- fasteners screw-screw 100 x 6 mm with a grip for a wrench - 4 pcs.;
- wing nut ø 6 mm - 4 pcs.;
- furniture hinges - 2 pcs.;
- screws 30 mm - 30 pcs.
I decided to make camping furniture from two folding tabletops measuring 70 x 70 cm each. The height of the legs was determined by 60 cm, so that they fit freely inside the suitcase. At the same time, such a height of the legs should provide a comfortable position for a person sitting at a table on an ordinary chair.
After the preparation for assembling a homemade camping table with your own hands was completed, I proceeded to the step-by-step implementation of the points of this instruction.
Step by step instructions on how to make a tourist table
- A sheet of plywood was cut with an electric jigsaw into two parts measuring 70 x 70 cm.
- The beam was cut into pieces for the stretcher: 70 cm - 4 pcs., 620 - pcs., And for legs 600 mm - 4 pcs.
- From the pieces of timber 70 cm and 62 cm I assembled 2 subframes, connecting them with screws at the junctions.
- I laid plywood on top of the frames.
- I fixed the plywood sheets with screws around the perimeter of the frames with a screwdriver.
- With a chisel, I made recesses of 2 mm in size for furniture hinges in the back side of the adjoining frames to each other.
- The hinges were placed in the recesses and secured with screws.
- In the corners of the frames I made a drill 4 through holesø 6 mm.
- I screwed 4 screws-screws into the upper ends of the legs with a wrench.
- On one side of the side of the frame, I fixed a plastic handle with screws.
- In places where the tabletops meet, I attached suitcase locks to the frames with screws.
- The screws-screws of the legs were inserted with threaded ends into the corner holes of the frames.
- From the outside, the threaded ends of the fasteners were secured with wing nuts.
- I put the table on its legs and checked the levelness of the tabletops with a level.
- Then he removed the legs, laid them inside the tabletops of folding furniture.
- He folded the countertops, closed the locks. The table took a stowed position.
To once again make sure that the furniture for tourism was assembled correctly, I assembled it again and checked all the fasteners. Here's what happened in the end.
Cost of materials
At the end of the work, I calculated the cost of materials in order to manufacture folding furniture:
- plywood sheet 140 x 70 x 0.9 cm = 150 rubles;
- timber 800 x 4 x 4 cm = 8 m x 110 rubles. = 880 rubles;
- plastic handle - 1 pc. = 15 rubles;
- suitcase locks - 2 pcs. = 20 rubles;
- fasteners screw-screw 100 x 8 mm with a grip for a wrench - 4 pcs. = 20 rubles;
- wing nut ø 8 mm - 4 pcs. x 2 rub. = 8 rubles;
- furniture hinges - 2 pcs. - 10 rubles;
- screws 30 mm - 30 pcs. in stock.
Total: 1103 rubles.
Labor costs
For cutting plywood sheet and cutting the timber with an electric jigsaw took 1 hour. The assembly of the table took 2 hours. The total time for making a sliding table with your own hands was spent in the amount of 3 hours. During the work, he used a respirator and goggles.
For those who have little experience in assembling furniture, it will be useful to watch the corresponding video, and then get to work. Such furniture will be indispensable for a tourist going on a hike for a picnic in nature.
Garden folding table looks organic in the shade of trees suburban area, under a canopy or in the gazebo, while making the rest comfortable and convenient. A huge advantage of this design is its compactness when folded and the special warmth that comes from hand-made things. Anyone can make a folding table for a summer residence, especially since no specific tools are required in the process of work, and the material for the structure can be bought on any construction market.
Folding table with your own hands. Photo
Folding picnic table with your own hands. step by step photos
Before you start assembling a folding table, you should remember that half the battle is to use quality materials . The beam and board should have as few knots as possible, and cracks and delamination of wood are not allowed. In addition to lumber, you will need fasteners, hinges, and means to protect lumber from the effects of the atmosphere.
Materials needed to make a table
To make a folding table, you need to have on hand:
- beam size 45 × 45 mm - 8 pcs. 730 mm long - for the manufacture of legs;
- rails 45 × 20 mm: 2 x 550 mm and 2 x 950 mm - for assembling the upper frame of the underframe, as well as 2 x 350 mm - for the reclining part;
- plywood slats 40 × 27 mm for supports - 3 x 450 mm;
- 18 mm plywood with dimensions: - 985 × 585 - a sheet for the table top; - 2 sheets 985 × 530 for folding parts; - 1 sheet 885 × 481 mm for the shelf;
- rail 440 × 40 mm as a cross member;
- 2 rails 450×40 mm for side support elements;
- 4 hinges 60×34 mm for attaching table tops;
- 4 hinges 80×41 mm for folding legs;
- screws made of galvanized or stainless steel;
- metal dowels for mounting shelves.
When cutting blanks, try to ensure that the corners of all parts and their ends have right angles. To do this, use a joiner's square, and in its absence, you can apply the angle sheet material factory cutting.
Folding table do-it-yourself drawings. Photo
Assembly instructions
Before you start assembling a folding table with your own hands, you need to prepare parts from a bar for installation. To do this, a groove up to 20 mm wide and up to the middle of the workpiece (22.5 mm) is cut out on each part of the frame. The same distance is measured from the edge to the groove - 30-40 mm.
How to make a folding picnic table step by step
After all the grooves are cut, drill holes for connecting parts to each other, as well as fastening the legs.
To avoid skew of the frame when making a folding table with your own hands, on each leg do cross cuts, which during installation will include the corners of the frame. This process can be seen in more detail in the figures presented.
Properly prepared parts are the key to a quality assembly, so it is advisable to use quality equipment- good circular saw, drill, a set of chisels and other carpentry tools.
Assemble the top frame underframe(the common name for the frame of the countertop). To do this, the slats are assembled into a groove and fixed furniture confirmers(screws for a hex key);
Installed on the assembled frame support legs , combining the sawn parts with the frame rails.
At the corners of the plywood shelf do cutouts for supports. To fix the plate at a distance of 220 mm from the edge of the legs, install metal dowels.
Assemble retractable support elements. To do this, the remaining bars are connected in pairs with rails installed in the grooves, fixing the junctions with confirmations.
After sanding and priming the countertop and other details, they begin to paint the steps, slats and countertops.
Mounted shelf spacer. Side jumpers are attached to the frame of the tabletop. Support rails are attached to the shelf, for which holes are drilled in it. Remember that this work requires special care, because even small displacements can affect the geometry of the table.
A jumper is mounted to the table frame, after which three additional spacers are attached.
Retractable legs hinged to external struts.
Main and reclining parts countertops fastened to the hinges.
The table top is placed on frame, after which the middle part is fixed on the frame with self-tapping screws.
The table assembled in accordance with our instructions will have sufficient strength and reliability. The main thing is to do the work in stages, in the presented sequence. Processing and staining must be carried out before assembly. Otherwise, it will not be possible to accurately paint individual parts and ready product will not look elegant and impressive enough.
DIY transformer table. Instruction
The sliding type table has a solid, stable design, and even a beginner can master its assembly. When folded, the dimensions of the tabletop are 1200 × 700 mm. After spreading the table top, a special insert is installed in the resulting opening, obtaining a tabletop length of 1670 mm. This makes it possible to additionally place two adults at the table.
Tools and materials
Before going to the construction market, write down what parts and materials you will need to assemble a table with a sliding lid:
- laminated Chipboard thickness 25 mm;
- PVC strip for pasting edges up to 2 mm thick;
- aluminum corners 50 × 50 mm in size - 4 pcs. 500 mm each;
- telescopic rails for drawers 500 mm long - 2 pcs.;
- furniture legs with a diameter of more than 60 mm - 4 pcs. length 710 mm;
- drawer latch - 6 pcs.;
- 10mm M4 threaded screws;
- furniture self-tapping screws 16×3 mm and 20×4 mm.
For work it is necessary to prepare such equipment and tools:
- milling cutter;
- electric jigsaw with a set of files for plywood and chipboard (fine tooth);
- circular saw;
- electric drill and a set of drills;
- screwdriver or a set of screwdrivers;
- building hair dryer or iron;
- wallpaper knife;
- bubble level;
- clamps;
- measuring tool, pencil.
Before you start cutting the material, make a drawing of the table according to your dimensions or use the design we have proposed. In this case, the dimensions constituent parts worktop covers are shown in the drawings.
Table transformer. Blueprints
Instructions for making a folding table
Stage 1. Do markup sheet material, then cut out the details of the tabletop from chipboard - an insert measuring 700 × 470 mm, as well as two halves of the table top measuring 700 × 470 mm. You can avoid chipping on the surface of chipboard by using an electric jigsaw with a special nail file with a low-profile tooth. Additionally, masking tape can be glued at the place of the cut, which will prevent chipping of the facing layer.
Remember: if you plan to process workpieces with a router, then be sure to make a processing allowance of at least 2 mm.
To cut the slab evenly, it is fastened with clamps to the workbench and the edge is leveled. The tool should be driven slowly, constantly monitoring the quality of the cut.
Stage 2. Facing milling cutter will allow you to get perfectly even side surfaces. This tool also works slowly and accurately.
Stage 3. pasting ends of a table-top with a PVC edge. The workpiece is fixed with a clamp, cut off and applied to the side surface of the plate edge. After that, it is heated with a building hair dryer or iron and smoothed. After the material has hardened, the protruding edge of the edge is cut off with a wallpaper knife.
Stage 4. Handle all sharp edges and corners of aluminum corners.
Making a transformer table. Photo
Stage 5. At each corner, mark the middle and measure 25 mm from each edge.
Stage 6. Each side of the furniture rails is applied to the corner and the places of their fastening are marked. At the marked points, the corners are drilled. To prevent the drill from sliding on aluminum, punching of installation positions is performed. Corners and guides are connected with bolts.
Stage 7. Received guide designs stack on a flat substrate as follows: the corners connected to the inner guides (thin) are placed inward, towards each other, and the corners to which the outer parts of the guides are attached (fixed, thicker) are placed outward. After that, 4 holes are drilled in movable and fixed aluminum parts.
Stage 8. Both halves countertops stack front side on a workbench or other flat surface. From above, at a distance of 80 mm from the sides of the panels, retractable guides are installed (with a movable, thin part inward). In this case, the joint between the halves of the table cover should fall in the middle of each guide.
Stage 9. fixed half telescopic guide attached to the left half of the table cover, and the movable - to its right side. For this, self-tapping screws 20 × 4 mm are used.
Stage 10. Near sliding system mount latches and hinges.
Stage 11. With the latches open, both parts of the tabletop are moved apart and an additional panel. After that, all elements of the table cover are shifted to form a flat, gap-free surface.
Stage 12. Additional latch loops are installed on the middle part of the tabletop. The resulting fastening will fix the table both in the open and in the assembled state.
Stage 13. The legs are attached to the tabletop with 20 mm self-tapping screws.
Having assembled a folding table with your own hands, be sure to check the design for strength in extended and folded position. Only after testing the table can be considered fit for use and installed in a permanent place.
Summer is in full swing, and as soon as free time appears, many citizens go on a picnic. AND modern man wants to communicate with nature, but for some reason, communication, in his opinion, should take place in the most comfortable conditions for a city dweller. So the “tourists” are taking tents and camping furniture sets into the forest, which today are produced in abundance by domestic and foreign manufacturers.
The folding table is lightweight, compact and easy to assemble.
In this variety of tables and chairs, which differ from each other in shape, material of manufacture, price, finally, the eye, as a rule, clings to rather interesting pieces of furniture, the origin of which is clearly not store-bought. And by the proud look noticeable to everyone around, with which a person collects a table in a clearing, camping or on the beach, you can determine that this table was made with your own hands.
2 simplest designs
I would like to offer those who want to make picnic furniture on their own, 2 simple designs camping tables that do not require the manufacture special costs and sophisticated instrumentation.
One of them, when assembled, will be a suitcase, and the other can be easily folded like a rug, and it can be put away in a case.
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Making a table-suitcase
The blanks for the table-suitcase will serve as:
The tabletop can be made from MDF or plywood.
- 10mm plywood;
- planed timber 30 by 30 mm from birch;
- self-tapping screws 4 x 50 mm (thickness and length of fasteners) for fastening the frame bars;
- self-tapping screws 4 by 25 mm for fastening fittings and plywood to the frame;
- 2 hinges for windows (the width of each plate is not more than 30 mm);
- 4 furniture screws with a length of at least 70 mm, nuts for them and 8 washers.
Of course, every "self-respecting" suitcase should be equipped with a carrying handle and locks. Latches can be taken from an old case or suitcase. Suitable for locks and small hooks. The choice of a handle for carrying the table remains with the master, but maybe there will be a belt instead of it so that the folding table hangs on the shoulder while hiking.
For the countertop, you need to cut 2 pieces of plywood with dimensions of 580 by 500 mm each. For the frame under it, you need to saw off 8 bars: 4 of them will be 500 mm each, and the rest - 520 mm each. For the legs, you need to cut 4 beams no longer than 500 mm (to fit in the box when folding the table).
First of all, the frame is assembled. To prevent splitting of the bars when screwing in the screws, it is necessary to drill holes in the wood. After tightening the frame, the table top plywood is attached to it. Do not forget to make holes in its surface before screwing in the screws and countersink them under the fastener caps.
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Installation of legs and hinges
Legs can be either wooden or aluminum.
Table legs will be attached to the 500 mm frame bars. In the frame, step back 15 mm from each inner corner and 15 mm from the countertop and mark the centers of future furniture screw holes. In the bars for the legs, also measure 15 mm from their end and one of the sides. Drill holes with an 8mm drill bit.
The most crucial moment when assembling a transforming table is the installation of hinges. It is easy to screw them to the frame, but if the hinges are not recessed into the frame, then after closing the table, gaps will be noticeable between its halves.
Yes, and the suitcase will definitely need 4 legs made of rubber or plastic. Their thickness should match the diameter of the hinge hinges so that the closed table stands steadily on the surface, and there are no problems when opening it.
So, the draft version of the table is ready. It remains to peel it wooden details sandpaper. Treat the wood with antiseptics and cover the table with paint or varnish.
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Making a roll table
There is an even easier way to make your own camping table. For work, cuttings will be required for garden tool or round wooden rods, several meters of wood planks and fasteners.
Here is a more accurate list of the required material:
To protect the table from moisture, treat all parts with stain.
- 10 600 mm wooden planks 15 by 45 mm;
- 2 540 mm strips 15 by 45 mm;
- 4 wooden rods with a diameter of 30 mm and a length of 400 mm;
- 2 nylon, leather or canvas belts, 540 mm long;
- 4 threaded inserts with internal thread 10 mm;
- 4 bolts M 10 70 mm long.
Choose the straightest birch cuttings or rods in the store, as the look of the table will depend on this. Birch wood is the most suitable material and for countertop rails.
After you have cut 10 600 mm rails, 4 400 mm rods, 2 540 mm rails and sanded their surface, you can start assembling the table. 10 wooden planks of the future tabletop are fastened together with a belt using construction stapler. Make a small gap between the planks. To make it the same between all the rails, insert bars of the same thickness (15 mm) between them. So that the countertop does not deviate from a rectangular shape, do not refuse to use a square in your work. So, the tabletop is ready. Now you can roll it into a roll or fold it like an accordion.
Clamp the table leg in a vise, but to prevent sponges from damaging its surface, use rubber, wood or sandpaper as a spacer between them and the rod material. Drill a hole at the end of the leg to a depth of 40 mm, into which the threaded insert will cut. Repeat this operation with each of the 4 rods. Make sure that the drill enters the leg perpendicular to its end. Screw the threaded inserts into the body of the legs.
The 540mm planks will serve as a rigid base for the countertop. Drill 2 bolt holes in them near the edges. Then attach the slats across the planks of the tabletop at the same distance from its edges and mark the centers of the holes in the extreme slats. With the same drill, make 4 holes in the countertop.
Treat the wood with an antiseptic compound and paint the table. You can cover its surface with varnish.
Perhaps, it will not be difficult for anyone to make such tables for a picnic. And if you put the production of folding furniture "on stream", then you can provide them with all your relatives and friends.
