Expanding Circular Dining Table

[George Johnson]

Hi,

I have just finished this expanding circular dining table. I have wanted to make one for a while and finally found a client who wanted to commission one. The top is veneered in walnut curl, I think this is one of my favourite woods.
Working out the mechanism took a while and quite a few prototypes, but as always, the next one will be a lot quicker!

There is a video of me operating it on YouTube here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FooHhYwNjXs

George

 

[marcros]

wow. just wow.

 

[Adam9453]

Absolutely stunning, I'm sure the mechanism is as difficult as could possibly be

 

[n0legs]

Very very cool =D> =D>
Welcome aboard.

 

[dzj]

That's a very nice looking table. Well done.
The glossy finish wouldn't be my first choice, but to each his own.
Mdf substrate for table top?

Some of the older expanding tables have no mechanism at all.
The inserts are connected manually and it takes a minute or two, but it's not a big deal
since guests don't come around every day (thankfully).

 

[George Johnson]

Hi,

I agree with the gloss finish, but it's what was wanted. Although it always seems to look more extreme when taking photographs!

All the sheet materials I used were birch ply to be a bit more rigid than MDF, next time I might use 25mm thick boards instead of 18mm for even more strength.

I like the old expanding tables, like the Jupe mechanism, but I wanted to make a table where the expansion leaves were stored within the body of the table and not kept separately.

George.

 

[Mike.S]

Beautiful =D>

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I like the old expanding tables, like the Jupe mechanism, but I wanted to make a table where the expansion leaves were stored within the body of the table and not kept separately.

George.

It is a truly magnificent table.

Now you just need to figure out a design with stowage space for the extra 4 chairs :lol: :lol:

 

[Parquet Dave]

A true work of art, absolutely outstanding.

 

[JR147]

Wow, that is stunning

 

[mailee]

That is just fantastic George. Do you have any details of the mechanism, I would love to make one of those.

 

[George Johnson]

That is just fantastic George. Do you have any details of the mechanism, I would love to make one of those.

Hi,
I will have a go at explaining it!!
In the last photo you can see a little inside the table before it is fully assembled.

The central section with the three ramps visible stays still, the outer ring with the 6 table top segments attached rotates, the table top pieces move on ball bearing runners and are attached to the central stationary section with metal rods so that as the outer ring moves around they are either pulled in or pushed out. From closed to open the table moves through just less than 120 degrees. The expansion leaves are not in this photo, but they are in one piece, and sit on small castors with their weight in the centre of the table. They are rotated by engaging with the small blocks visible at the front of the picture. As they move round the castors run up the ramps raising the expansion leaves up to the level of the rest of the top, then they can be unfolded.

I hope that makes sense!

George

 

[Harbo]

Fantastic just fantastic!
Nice chairs too.

What finish did you use?

Rod

 

[George Johnson]

Hi Rod,
Thanks! I used Liberon Finishing Oil after putting a grain filler on. I think I must have put about 15 coats on in the end!
George

 

[RogerM]

That is just fantastic George. Do you have any details of the mechanism, I would love to make one of those.

Hi,
I will have a go at explaining it!!
In the last photo you can see a little inside the table before it is fully assembled.

The central section with the three ramps visible stays still, the outer ring with the 6 table top segments attached rotates, the table top pieces move on ball bearing runners and are attached to the central stationary section with metal rods so that as the outer ring moves around they are either pulled in or pushed out. From closed to open the table moves through just less than 120 degrees. The expansion leaves are not in this photo, but they are in one piece, and sit on small castors with their weight in the centre of the table. They are rotated by engaging with the small blocks visible at the front of the picture. As they move round the castors run up the ramps raising the expansion leaves up to the level of the rest of the top, then they can be unfolded.

I hope that makes sense!

George

Thanks George. That is Mega Impressive. Is the expansion mechanism anything like the one described here?

 

[George Johnson]

Hi Roger,
There are some similarities, but quite a few differences! The segments move out radially using the same iris principle, and ramps are used to lift bits up. But his table has an extra level of complexity as you don't have to go around unfolding the expansion leaves, and the mechanism to raise the central star is really ingenuous! It's great that there are so many ways of making these tables, each probably have different advantages depending on the size of the table and how much you want it to expand...... It's got me thinking again for the next one!!
George.

 

[RogerM]

Thanks George. I'm just aching to try and build one of these for ages, but regretably we don't have a suitable space for an expanded table.

There's also this one, but I think your solution is far more elegant.

 

[beganasatree]

Thanks for sharing it is absolutely stunning,well done.


Peter.

 

[Biliphuster]

Amazing work, very nice mechanism and wrapped in beautiful veneer to boot.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Great work George, just had a look at your website, there's some lovely stuff on there. You must have some wealthy clients!