Help finding dining table plans

[Mark Hollingsworth]

My wife wants a dining table that will seat up to 20 people and I would like to build it but I'd prefer to have a set of plans to go by. She found one made by an Amish manufacturer that sells for $2000 plus $250 per chair but I would rather build the set and spend the money on something more beneficial like-you guessed it-tools! Anyway, I've searched the web quite a bit and can't find plans for anything near that size available. If any of you can help I'd appreciate it. Thanks, Mark
PS I forgot to mention that this needs to be an expanding table. The one I mentioned for $2000 has 12 leaves.

[Dave Avery]

My wife wants a dining table that will seat up to 20 people and I would like to build it but I'd prefer to have a set of plans to go by. She found one made by an Amish manufacturer that sells for $2000 plus $250 per chair but I would rather build the set and spend the money on something more beneficial like-you guessed it-tools! Anyway, I've searched the web quite a bit and can't find plans for anything near that size available. If any of you can help I'd appreciate it. Thanks, Mark

Mark,

No help with plans, but does your wife realize that, to seat 20, the table will need to be 20 feet long?

[Mark Hollingsworth]

Dave, Thats the other part of the project. She wants me to turn the living room into a dining room which would then be an extension of the kitchen. No big deal right. Of course before I can do this she wants me to add on a new living room to accomodate the living room furniture. Just another project.

[John Gregory]

here is one the Norm did that seats 10 (http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct3.cgi?0411). Not sure what you would have to do to seat 20. That would be a huge table.

[Carl Eyman]

Mark, here is one I made that seats 12. with a couple more leaves, which the extension slides would accommodate, it'd seat 16, but the room isn't big enough. Beyond that length 150"+/- I'd want some support in the middle. One of the guys at SAPFM made one where legs dropped down as you extended the table. Maybe if you go to their forum someone will steer you in the right direction. I think it was Steve Latta but am not sure. Anyway plans are hard to come by. I couldn't find any, but if you want to get started I think I can find some construction pictures. here's the site www.eyman.org/furniture

[Jamie Buxton]

Look out. Dining chairs are considerably more challenging to build than dining tables. If she wants a table, that's one thing. If she wants a table and chairs, that's a project which is maybe four times bigger.

[David Scarborough]

heres a link to the PM website plans for a big table. As shown, it seats 8-12, but if you beef up the design, it could seat more. Just a thought

DS

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_improvement/furniture/1273281.html (http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_improvement/furniture/1273281.html)

[David Scarborough]

I agree. SWMBO has her eyes on a dr table and chairs for me to build. Luckily, nothing on Marks scale. Plus, I have till November to build. Now, if I can only get the two 7' tall bookcases, cheval mirror, adirondack furniture set, and tall clock built on schedule...

hmmm

DS

[Frank Chaffee]

Mark,
Check out tod evans' website. He made a large conference table that you can get ideas from.
Frank

[Rob Will]

What is the best way to get the expanding table slides?
Anybody know of a site or have a pic on how to fabricate these?
I'm looking to do a kitchen table.

Rob

[Rick Thom]

Lee Valley sells several varieties. Following is the link.
http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=1&cat=3,43586&p=43593

[Carl Eyman]

Rob: Norm's table referenced above, has some pretty simple slides. I've twice bought Rockler's long ones and been well satisfied. I'm sure it would not be cost effective to try to make them yourself. To have them work smoothly and not sag would be quite a task.

[Mike Sheppard]

Mark
A table that long would need a lot of support, why not just build two tables. They would be more visatile when not needed for the 20 people. In any of the houses I have lived in a table that big would need to be built in the room and taken apart to remove. My 1 1/2 cents worth.
Mike

[Carl Eyman]

How's this for a solution? Make a round table 8 feet in diameter. That will seat 12 (2' per chair). Then cut a 5 foot diameter hole in the center. 8 people can sit in the hole. Any Questions? [OK the 8 can crawl under]

[Nathan Hoffman]

My parents have an Amish made table that expands to seat 24 people, with about a dozen leaves. The slides are wood, maybe wiht some metal or plastic in the wear parts, and are about 4 pieces that slide into one another. There are 2 legs attatched to these slides at different points so that as you expand the table, the support moves also. I have attached a sketch to show what I mean. As long as you plan out the supports on the slides, there is no reason you can't extend that far. I've attached a sketch to confuse you farther;) .

[Art Mulder]

A) I'd look at double-pedestal table designs. Friends of ours have one and we easily fit three families (6 adults, 9-10 kids) around it. The benefit is that you can shrink it when not in use.

B) Thomas Moser's book "Measured Shop Drawings for American Furniture" has several tables in it. One, as I recall, he entitled "table maximus" or something like that. It was a design which was infinitely expandable. Just build more sections to fit inbetween. He also has guidelines about height and "elbow room" needed for a dining table.

Personally, I would begrudge the space taken up by a table that sees only infrequent use. Unless you're entertaining weekly, I'd build a normal size table, and bring in another table (ie. from the Kitchen) for that once or twice a year gala. Or at least make sure that it folds up or has leaves, to shrink the size when not in use.


Hope this is some help
...art