Wife's latest impossible request?

[Bob Glenn]

My wife is redesigning our kitchen and wants me to build a trestle table. Okay, I can do that, plenty of those around. But..........she wants to be able to extend it lengthwise when the family comes over. I can't recall ever seeing anything like. Anyone have any ideas how to do this?

[Zach Dillinger]

My snarky answer would be to just build two tables. It would be way easier.

My truthful answer, I've never seen one before, but I could see a design in my head with three rails in the trestle, one nested inside an outer pair. One leg would have two rails permanently attached; the other would have the inner one. The leg with the two rails would have a notch for the single rail to rest on when the table is closed; the leg with the single rail would have two notches for the pair of legs. You could groove the inside of the pair of rails to take a pair of keys, which would be mortised all the way through the single rail and would act as the support for the table when extended. The top of the trestle table could be a similar setup, with an additional board that sets down on the rails to provide the top surface.

If this isn't clear, I'd be happy to work up a drawing of what I see.

[David Weaver]

Split it right in the middle and make the legs so that they are a pair next to each other on each side with one pair attached to the tops on each side and the other pair attached to the slides that allow expansion. The center two legs would stay fixed in place and the outer legs would move with the top.

When the table is together, each pair would be together and the table would just look like the legs are laminated and with a cut on the top.

[Sean Hughto]

Build two, and when family comes over push the short ends together.

Work out a complicated way to have the beams be extendable - tube and sleeve sort of thing - with a insertable leaf. It would be complicated and ugly.

Make some sort of flip up ends - also ugly and renders the ends unsuitable to sit at when not in use.

In short, a trestle table is not a design that lends itself to simple and efficient expansion.

[Tom McMahon]

You don't need to reinvent the wheel. Do a search for "draw-leaf table" you can put them on any stye base you choose.

[John Lanciani]

Pics tell the story, simple and elegant.



http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRGFzBgc57zCMHJ3SG_PED8ipEHpZ4Ao NZSAYvoferzt7_Q_tnuzYmVAwCG

[Zach Dillinger]

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Here is an illustrated version of my above described design. Make sense?

[Sean Hughto]

Slide in - instead of drop - leaves. That's pretty good, but I wonder if requires the trestle leg to be so close to the day-to-day length ends that sitting at an end puts your knees/feet in the trestle end.

[Jim Koepke]

That brings a whole new meaning to the stretcher.

jtk

[Brian Holcombe]

This can be less complicated than it seems. You can build the trestle base to support a frame that holds the sliding mechanisms that the tabletop attaches to. The leaves would then insert between the top.

[David Weaver]

You could also build the trestle table and at the same time, build two small pedestal tables of the same type and use a mechanical hook to hold them to the trestle table when you want more table area. Then you'd have more utility, because you could use those pedestal tables against a wall anywhere for anything and haul them in for duty only when you need them.

And it wouldn't turn the main table into an ugly complicated mess.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I agree with the idea of company boards like John Lancini posted. Our dining room table is dutch footed cabriole legged with a porringer corner top. The stretchers at both ends are slotted for company boards. Each company board extends the table 16" at each end and makes a huge difference in seating capacity. The only down side is storing the company boards when they aren't in use. I keep ours in the back of the hallway coat closet.

[Joe Leigh]

My wife is redesigning our kitchen and wants me to build a trestle table. Okay, I can do that, plenty of those around. But..........she wants to be able to extend it lengthwise when the family comes over. I can't recall ever seeing anything like. Anyone have any ideas how to do this?

I can do better than that. I already made one. I can take and post some pics tonight with dimensions if you'd like.

[Chuck Nickerson]

Looking at Zach's drawing I'd be tempted to rethink on aspect. I'd want the trestle to be double-railed where it connects to each pedestal.
The piece in between would slide/lock and be responsible for the expansion.
The locking mechanism (wood or iron) could be visually pleasing in and of itself. I'm thinking here of the Green & Green-style beam locks.

It's that kind of thinking that causes my projects to take a LONG time to complete.

[Tom Scott]

My mom has a trestle table that extends, and much simpler than what I've seen so far. The trestle base is fixed...you really don't want to deal with an extending trestle do you? The breadboard ends both slide out on rails (which you can buy) to allow about an 18" leaf to be inserted, thus adding 3' to the overall length. Dowels are used to keep the breadboard ends and leafs aligned.

[Jim Matthews]

I've seen two versions that use sliding rails that tuck under the normally deployed table when not in use.
The version I like best secures the leaf with magnets. There's only a couple holes to drill to mount the through rod mechanism.

When not in use, the stowed extension rods are nearly invisible.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6HzVnb1aGk

[Sam Murdoch]

My mom has a trestle table that extends, and much simpler than what I've seen so far. The trestle base is fixed...you really don't want to deal with an extending trestle do you? The breadboard ends both slide out on rails (which you can buy) to allow about an 18" leaf to be inserted, thus adding 3' to the overall length. Dowels are used to keep the breadboard ends and leafs aligned.

Yes, to this idea. The base is fixed and only the top moves - lots of pedestal tables that do this and your trestle base can be considered a "pedestal". Here are some good slides that allow for a big range of openings. http://www.osbornewood.com/table-slides.cfm You'll want to use the "equalizers".

Here is what they look like set into a table I recently built (not a trestle but a 4 legged table base - same idea) I used Festool dominos to align the top sections and the leaves. This worked very well.

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The above idea is pretty cool though :).

[Zach Dillinger]

Looking at Zach's drawing I'd be tempted to rethink on aspect. I'd want the trestle to be double-railed where it connects to each pedestal.
The piece in between would slide/lock and be responsible for the expansion.
The locking mechanism (wood or iron) could be visually pleasing in and of itself. I'm thinking here of the Green & Green-style beam locks.

It's that kind of thinking that causes my projects to take a LONG time to complete.

I'm sure there are lots of ways to improve my quick-and-dirty design. I hope someone draws up a beauty!

[Joe Leigh]

Here is my version of an expandible Trestle table. It is based on one that was shown on This Old House..
The table top measures 76" x 38" without the leaves, and 102' long with both leaves installed. It easily seats 10.

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The center of the table is stationary. The ends, which look like breadboard ends, are moveable and made from clear Maple stock. They open to make room for the two leaves..

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The leaves are made from the same 8/4 stock as the top with the same clear Maple edging. The two leaves are indexed using tapered hardwood dowels for alignment.

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The Maple edging in the sides and ends starts as 6/4 stock bevel cut to 7/8" to give a lighter feel to the top.

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The stretcher is attached to the top using a Tusk tenon joint which is very strong when assembled. This joint allows the tablew to be broken down easily for moving.

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[Bob Glenn]

Thanks for all the ideas. I don't know that I fully comprehend them all as of yet, more study is in order. I guess when I heard trestle table, I was thinking most that I have seen have the table top boards running length wise on the table. This implies a board stretcher is needed.

One thought that I have had, is to some how have the tongue and grooved boards that slide apart length wise, then filler boards slide in to fill the gaps. I may have to settle for one of the previously suggested ideas.

[John Walkowiak]

The Jacobean expanding refectory table design is another way to go. That way you don't have to store the leaves somewhere. They were very popular in the 1920's and 30's, you should be able to find one in an antique shop or 2nd hand shop to examine the construction. Here is a link to the idea. http://www.cinoa.org/antiques/d/jacobean-style-antique-draw-leaf-extending-oak-dining-table/101535

[Sam Murdoch]

Thanks for all the ideas. I don't know that I fully comprehend them all as of yet, more study is in order. I guess when I heard trestle table, I was thinking most that I have seen have the table top boards running length wise on the table. This implies a board stretcher is needed.

One thought that I have had, is to some how have the tongue and grooved boards that slide apart length wise, then filler boards slide in to fill the gaps. I may have to settle for one of the previously suggested ideas.


I know that what I propose here is unconventional :rolleyes: - but using the Osborne slides I can think of no reason why you could not build a trestle table with a conventional top - the boards running in the long dimension of the rectangle - so that the top opens in the middle length wise. The one down side that comes to mind is that with a long top you would have a problem storing the leaves. My solution to that is to cut the leaves in half.

Alternatively and just as unconventional but certainly doable, even with a trestle table - is that the boards be oriented in the short dimension i.e., parallel to the legs.

Using the Osborne type slide the slides support the top more than the base. Maybe in the first option you would need to add another slide depending on the table length (I think past 72") In either case you would need to build a sub top (a platform that is attached to the legs and to which the slides are attached). This platform would have a perimeter rail (apron) that needs to be 3" to 2-3/8" tall (+ the thickness of the platform) depending on the style of the slides. The rails on the opening edge of the table need to be attached to the underside of the table as they need to move off the platform in order for the slides to open.

Yup, unconventional - but just the idea of an "extension trestle table" takes you into unconventional woodworking. With these two options there are no bread board ends or frame and panel top construction necessary. The first option is especially intriguing to me. Might just have to build one myself. Of course there are other ways ...

[Dave Cav]

I think a Dutch pullout design would work well. Here is one from FWW:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/818/dutch-pullout-dining-room-table

Frid also discusses it fairly extensively in Furnituremaking.

Our dining room table is of this design, although it's not a trestle table, but more conventional construction and teak Danish Modern style which my wife purchased 35 years ago. It can all be shop built, and no special hardware is required. The leaves are self storing, which is also a nice feature.

If you don't have a copy of Furnituremaking I highly recommend it.

[Brian Holcombe]

I like the Dutch pullout design, it's fairly common among Danish modern dining tables. This thread has been helpful as I plan to build a pullout table for my sister this year as a wedding gift, which may cause my wife to want to replace out table with one of my works as well.