we’ve made quite a few tables with the pull out, self storing leaves, 6 or 8, at least.  in the past, we used a complex mechanism we copied from a clients table back in 1998.

here is a video link showing the original version being opened and closed. for this new table, we took the advice of two people who had commented on my previous table post   and used a simpler mechanism that we easily found described in a finewoodworking article from the 70’s by tage frid that they had mentioned. you can’t go wrong with an online membership to fine woodworking. i love the search feature … i never would have found that issue in the cardboard boxes of back issues in my attic.  when i started making furniture back in the 70’s fine woodworking was my bible, home schooling lesson plan and the source of much of my ‘on the job’ training, and i saved every issue (somewhere) …  after we studied Frid’s article and made a half size mockup in mdf, we determined that his mechanism was simpler to fabricate and easier to use. it works really smoothly and the clients loved it … there is a you tube video of the new mechanism here more photos and more process comments and larger photos on my dorset custom furniture blog …

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