Bill Tindall

I have an aluminum version of this table. Figuring I could make minimum wage making one from wood (WAY too optimistc as it turned out) I set about making one from cypress.

What follows are my impressions.

There are a boggling number of non-obvious details that impact fitting- what gets in the way of whatever, etc. If you really need one you will likely be building two to get one right. I would never have gotten it built without the aluminum one as a guide. It took a long time to figure stuff out(I'm slow when it comes to reading magazine plans which is why I never build from them). There is an error corrected in the Dec issue. From cypress and using very thin stock for all but legs it still weighs nearly 7 pounds.

Changes I recommend

I bushed the bolt holes with a metal bushing; Nylon would have been better but I didn't have any. Flat head stainless steel screws and lock nuts would be best for assembly, or the flanged panel joining devices available from McFeeley. The complexity of the dowel handle is unnecessary. Just put a third cross piece across the inner leg pair that are closest together as seen in picture of folded version. I used fender washers between legs where the bolts go through. 1 3/4" by 3/4" legs are adequate, as is 3/8" top and cross bracing. Don't put the top slats on till the rest is assembled, then nail them in place with legs assembled. The clearance of the outer top supports and the legs is critical and I wasn't successful in getting it right without having the legs in place to go by.