Butterfly leaf expanding dining table hardware

[Phillip Mitchell]

I have a potential client who is very interested in a folding butterfly leaf type expanding dining table and have no experience with them.

Anybody have thoughts, experience, and/or hardware suggestions for this type of table?

Probably talking about a ~60” table expanding out to 78-80” with the leaf.

[Kevin Jenness]

Like this? https://www.finewoodworking.com/proj...xpansion-table

There's a discussion in the Tables and Desks chapter of Joyce's Encyclopedia of Furnituremaking.

[Phillip Mitchell]

Kevin,

Yes, something like that is what they’ve pointed to liking. I saw that article pop up during a quick search but I don’t have a FWW online membership anymore.

I’m sure there are other variations on that theme? I think the main feature they desire is they just don’t want the leaf (leaves?) to store separately from the table.

I don’t know the Joyce book, but will look it up. Your book recommendations have always steered me right in the past!

[Kevin Jenness]

I've never done one so my knowledge is limited to the sources I mentioned. You might find the FWW article at a public library- it is well illustrated. The Encyclopedia is invaluable and thorough, full of time-tested procedures and construction details and updated by Alan Peters in 1987. It shows at least one other expanding table design with concealed leaves.

Tage Frid's Furnituremaking has a couple also, one with a folding top and one a pullout design.

If you use the butterfly design the familiar Soss hinges may be replaced with an adjustable version like this https://www.sugatsune.com/product/3-...ncealed-hin-5/

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I hope to get around to building a butterfly extension dining table in the next year. I bought the hardware from Lee Valley. Here's a link: https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop...ount-mechanism .

There are several articles in the archives at FWW.

[Will Boulware]

I’ve done several of these. They’re tricky, but people really like them for the reason you mentioned - no leaf to store under the bed.

Get the Joyce book to help you figure out the arcs you’re swinging with the leaf as it rotates. I build mine with wooden blocks housing a piece of 3/8 steel bar stock for the pivot. Not fancy, but rather foolproof and easy to re-do if you make a mistake.

I used Soss hinges on all of mine, but would probably consider those Sugatsune’s if I do another one.

Happy to answer any specific questions you have. Give it a shot! They’re pretty cool to see in action.

I also build mine with a base that expands rather than a top that widens to sit on a fixed base, as it makes things more stable. This requires a sort of frame built within a split side apron so the leaf has a fixed reference, but I like the added stability of having the legs move outward with the top. Probably overkill, but mine won’t flip over when Uncle Larry has one too many and decides to tap dance on the edge.

[Mark Gibney]

I made one a number of years back. I did the same as Will and used a brass pin through a wooden block, with Soss hinges.
It's not as difficult as it looks. The hinges were the most difficult part I seem to remember.
What you can do is make a plywood and 2x4 mockup of the butterfly leaf part and play around with the sizing and placement of the block and get a hands-on understanding of how it works. That way if you decide to get a book on the subject you'll understand what they are saying more easily.
Screen Shot 2021-09-11 at 6.02.42 PM.jpg
Screen Shot 2021-09-11 at 6.03.16 PM.jpg
Screen Shot 2021-09-11 at 6.02.59 PM.jpg

[Jim Becker]

Looking at Marks photos (wow...nice table!), I actually like this format. It seems strong and obviously, it eliminates the storage and risk-of-damage factors that independent leaves bring. The downside is less flexibility in size with a single center expansion. I could live with that.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Looking at Marks photos (wow...nice table!), I actually like this format. It seems strong and obviously, it eliminates the storage and risk-of-damage factors that independent leaves bring. The downside is less flexibility in size with a single center expansion. I could live with that.

Like Jim, I really like Mark's table! Well done Sir!

Jim, according to one of the two FWW articles, you can make one with more than one extension. I haven't figured that one out yet. I may have to buy the referenced book.

[Jim Becker]

Jim, according to one of the two FWW articles, you can make one with more than one extension. I haven't figured that one out yet. I may have to buy the referenced book.

I was actually thinking about that when writing my previous response.

[Mark Gibney]

Jim, Ken, thank you for your kind words on the table.

[Phillip Mitchell]

Thanks everyone for the great responses.

Mark, that is a beautiful table!

I will find a used copy of the Joyce book and start there and will also try and get my hands on the FWW article somehow.

Is anyone else aware of alternative on-board leaf storage options that aren’t the butterfly operation style just for comparison’s sake? I do like the appeal and ease on the client end of the butterfly operation if it works as easily as it appears to.

The design conversation is still in the early stages, but they are stating a preference for an apron less table (maybe a trestle type base and/or some sliding dovetail battens underneath the top for stability and flatness. Trying to envision how the butterfly operation will look and function on an apron less table...

[Kevin Jenness]

The pullout table common to both Joyce's and Frid's books are what Frid calls a "Dutch pullout". It is a leg and apron table with leaves that slide out from under the central leaf on tapered supports. It could probably be adapted to a trestle design.

[Myles Moran]

I hope to get around to building a butterfly extension dining table in the next year. I bought the hardware from Lee Valley. Here's a link: https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop...ount-mechanism .

There are several articles in the archives at FWW.

When I asked about this project this hardware was recommended to me. I bought it and it works great. I also used soss hinges which are wonderful for the leaves, they were just a bit more tricky to install than traditional hinges.


Phil, as for your question about other forms of leaf storage, depending on the size of the table you might be able to fit them sideways under the top. This requires careful size planning, much like the butterfly mechanism does. I went with the butterfly for my table because we wanted it to be 4' square at the smallest so self storing leaves had to fold to fit.