Replies

1. 
   roqqytop | Nov 05, 2008 04:54am | #1

   I spent 1 month hashing out the exact samedilema you currently have.
   My table is 98% finished and is 47 x 85 with 2 END extension leaves 13 1/4.
   I made my own slides and they work fine. And they are very simple to make and nearly foolproof.
   Send me your e-mail and I will send you the details if your interested.
   Am currently working on the 8 CHAIRS for the table with tomorrow being the critical day............routing the upper back slats.
   Rokk

2. 
   oldusty | Nov 05, 2008 08:52am | #2

     chuck ,

               The top sliding over the apron would mean the top is floating and not fastened to the apron . You can make a draw leaf table with the draw leafs coming out from each end say 14" .

       That way the top can be fastened to the fixed apron. A top that size needs to be kept flat . Without having a center leg or pedestal you will be challenging gravity in 96" imo .

       I think if it was me I would use the traditional approach with a split in the center and a set of slides for support . Wabash brand is a good wood slide readily available . Advice , make sure the screws are not too long and use short glue blocks to reinforce the screws holding the slides to the underside of the top , so the glue and blocks will share the burden .

        Just out of curiosity , why would you want the top to slide over the apron ?

             good luck        dusty

1. 
   chuck3 | Nov 05, 2008 05:05pm | #5

   Hi Dusty:

    

   To satisfy your curiosity, I wanted the table top to float so as to avoid splitting the apron when the table is open...just don't like the look.

    

   Thanks for taking the time to comment.

    

   Chuck

3. 
   terrylee86 | Nov 05, 2008 03:35pm | #3

   Chuck,

   They make a table slide for the application you are looking for. The slide have cogwheels on the top of the slide and matching metal gears let into the wood slide. The Amish in Indiana make tables like you are talking about all the time. They mount the slides to apron and allow the top to move independently. You can find the table slides online pretty easily at http://wwhardware.com/. They are called equalizer slides.

4. 
   joinerswork | Nov 05, 2008 04:01pm | #4

   chuck,

   As has been  pointed out, the aprons are generally there to hold the top flat as well as to position the legs, and hide the slides.  If you want the tops independent of the leg/apron assembly, I'd suggest that you use a pair of battens screwed to the undersides of the tops to hold them flat.  Be sure to give the screws enough slop in their holes (in the battens) so that the width of the tops can change with the seasons.

   One end of each outer slide segment is attached to the tops, of course.  You will also need to attach the underside of the center (fixed) segment of each slide to a crosspiece which is in turn attached to the apron/leg assembly.  To eliminate the undersides of the moving slide segments from scraping as they pass across this crosspiece, I  use a shim, made of veneer, to lift the center slide up just a skosh.  I've also have simply put  metal washers between the slide and the crosspiece, skewered by the screws or lagbolts that hold things together.

   Ray  

5. 
   ASK | Nov 05, 2008 11:24pm | #6

   http://www.tablelegs.com/Parts/TableSlides.aspx

   Table slides

   ASK

1. 
   jeffs | Nov 06, 2008 09:20am | #7

   I bought a pair of the slides indicated by ASK.... very poor quality in alignment of the component slides.... wound up not using them but bought some from Lee Valley. Much better quality and work great. My table is cherry and is 120" (when both 20: leaves are in place) traditional 4 leg design with a split in the middle. The leaves have short aprons on them so there is no large gap in the apron when they are in place.  I am almost done with the 10 chairs to go with it.

   Jeff

1. 
   ASK | Nov 07, 2008 05:26pm | #8

   Jeff,

   I bought 2 sets of slides from them. After the flood in the basement shop the first set was unusable. The second set which I did use on the table work perfectly.  I added 4 drop down legs at the center for when the table is fully open; 128" with the 3 leaves.

   You're lucky, I wasn't permitted to even think about making the chairs.

   ASK

1. 
   jeffs | Nov 07, 2008 08:20pm | #9

   I bought mine from them when I bought the rest of the wood for the project but did not get to the stage of needing them for a few months after I bought them. When I was ready and wanted to use them, I found that the slides were not flush and they  warp so could not be mounted. I could have spent a bit of work on them but thought I shouldn't need to modify them to make the useable so called to see if they would be replaced and was told no I owned them too long.  Since it was a few months I didn't think it was an unreasonable answer (although I was disappointed). I bought new ones from Lee Valley and they seemed to me to be constructed better (better wood and fit and finish) and have been happy with them. The table has been in use for a bit over a year now.

   I am almost finished with the chairs...went shopping for seat fabric this week. When they are done I will post photos of the table and chairs.