Replies

1. 
   rob_ss | Jan 22, 2021 01:39am | #1

   Extensions for a table need two things - something to support the extensions and somewhere to store them.

   Experience of owning extension tables suggests that they are used so rarely that they are worthless. It is better to add an end-table when needed unless you are entertaining many people most weekends and need the space meanwhile. My mother used hers once or twice for dinner parties, though I suspect that she invited more people just to ensure she had the opportunity to use the centre extension. I have a very large family now and we just cram in a bit closer, even though we could use the extension, we usually do not.
   If you do want to go ahead then probably having a pair of beams which can be slid under each end of the table then pulled out as required will work well with a trestle design. Toggles could fix the leaves down or you could use a drop-leaf design (though very odd for a trestle design, but you could probably make it work)

   TBH, I'd just build a second table for the home which is exactly the same height and can be leveraged as an extension when needed.

1. 
   esch5995 | Jan 22, 2021 09:24am | #3

   I'm not sure it's helpful telling the OP that because your family has no such need for an extendable table that it's a bad idea. Growing up in a large extended family where gatherings of 10-30 people was common we had 2 large extendable tables that saw regular use.

2. 
   ysu65 | Jan 22, 2021 07:22am | #2

   Different opinion: I made the drop leaf table for my daughter. Extension fold under the top, are pulled out when needed. They do not take up more space than the base footprint and are not excessively heavy. In our home we have a table with the middle inserts. We use the extensions very often but this thing weighs a ton.

   One comment about the drop leaf design, make sure the base is dead square.

3. 
   john_c2 | Jan 22, 2021 09:46am | #4

   Doing leaves or extensions of any kind for a live edge table will be problematic at best.

4. 
   esch5995 | Jan 22, 2021 10:23am | #5

   Des, what you are thinking about is doable but the live edge is going to complicate things immensely. While I understand the need to extend the table at the ends to keep the live edge flowing and consistent it also means that when the extension is stored the live edge extension is likely to be wider than the primary top on at least one end if it was a simple pull out type extension. This would not be desirable in my opinion. This necessitates a mechanism that not only pulls out but rotates the leaf 90 degrees for storage, no simple task in wood. It also would require a primary table at greater than 72" assuming a 36" table width, this may not be what you had in mind. You didn't say what your dimensions were going to be.

   Since I enjoy design challenges like this I am intrigued by the possibilities but working out a complex mechanism would take more time than I can devote to this and would probably require at least one prototype being built something I'm not sure you intend to do. With all that said I think the KISS principle is called for here.

   Use 2 fairly easy to design and construct heavy slides that can extend 10-18" from each end. These can be connected to the table apron. This apron height needs to be 2 times the top thickness plus at least probably another inch. The extendable sliders need to be on the inside of the main table supports and separated by about 20" or so for a 36" wide table and connected to each other by several ¾"x 4" slats. These slats form a tray to hold the hinged and folded leaf, I recommend limiting it to 12-14" in width.

   In operation you would simply pull out the apron end exposing the folded leaf, which you would lift out and place on top of the extended slides which would be pushed in an appropriate amount while still providing support fot the leaf.

   Now for the tricky part, locking the leaf in place. Traditional pins are out because you would have exposed holes when the leaf is stored, plus they only align a leaf not lock it in place. Commercial table locks that both align and lock leaves in place may work but again may be visible when the leaf is not in use, although I've seen some low profile designs that may work. The other option is to lock the the leaf to the slides then discreetly lock the slides in place. The problem with this idea is it would not align the the leaf and top, creating a potentially irritating ridge right where a plate would be. I'm sure a solution can be found but I need to get back to work.

5. 
   _mj_ | Jan 22, 2021 10:47am | #6

   If you don't need the table to self-store the leaves you can cut sockets through the trestles or a reinforced apron and just cantilever the leaves off the ends. The arms for the cantilever would be attached to the leaves, not the table. This way your live edge would still be able to flow to the leaves.

1. 
   esch5995 | Jan 22, 2021 11:04am | #7

   A doable idea but the leaves would be very awkward to store with 18-24" arms protruding. A variation of your idea and mine could be to have the cantilever arms slide out from the apron and just place the leaf on top. The problem of aligning and locking the leaf in place still remains though.

6. 
   nickbrak | Jan 22, 2021 06:56pm | #8

   My parents have a similar design to what you are thinking. The end extensions have the beams attached so the extensions are a bear to store. I like the cantilevered beam idea that slides out from the table. Since it is a trestle table it probably wouldn’t have an apron so when the extension is “in” it would look like part of the beam holding up the top. Then pull out when needed. For the extension top. My parents table has those 1/2 turn window latches that lock it down from the underneath. They work really well. One thing to think about though would be the weight. Wood can be heavy so cantilevering=sag if the cantilever is too large. And people at the edge will apply more weight to the cantilever.