Twin Oak Pedestal from a Dining Room Table- Too Short (1 Viewer)

[Mr. Cheese]

So about 2 years ago I picked up a brand new twin oak pedestal setup. It was originally supposed to be on a dining room table that had the sliding tracks and everything for the leafs underneath the table so the actual pedestals are only 23.5 inches tall.

I'm thinking I need to bump that up so that the bottom of the table is at around 26.5 inches.

My idea is to build a 3 inch tall "box" essentially and mount that to the pedestals and then mount the poker table top to that.

3 inches tall x 24 inches wide x 60 inches long so it helps with stability.

My table is 46x 86 when its all said and done.

Here's a sweet paint picture I made of what I'm talking about.

If anyone has a better idea please let me know.

Thanks!

 

[BGinGA]

Your approach essentially reduces the amount of knee room under the table by three inches. Players with long legs will likely be bumping their knees on the edges of the box.

Are the pedestals round or square? Hard to say for sure from your diagram, but I'd go with double 2" x 6" risers that run horizontally from upright to upright (rising 2-1/4" above current height), and then mount a 3/4" x 24" x 60" sheet of plywood onto the riser pieces. Attach table top to the plywood. You can use angle mounts to further stabilize the platform if necessary, but I don't think it will be needed.

 

[Mr. Cheese]

Your approach essentially reduces the amount of knee room under the table by three inches. Players with long legs will likely be bumping their knees on the edges of the box.

Are the pedestals round or square? Hard to say for sure from your diagram, but I'd go with double 2" x 6" risers that run horizontally from upright to upright (rising 2-1/4" above current height), and then mount a 3/4" x 24" x 60" sheet of plywood onto the riser pieces. Attach table top to the plywood. You can use angle mounts to further stabilize the platform if necessary, but I don't think it will be needed.

Ah yeah that's true, I'm 6'3'' so I'm sure I'd be the one bumping my knees.

The pedestals are six sided and from flat to flat measure 7 inches in diameter. Here's what it looks like:

 

[T_Chan]

You got the right idea. Smaller boxes are the trick. Ideally you want two pieces of hardwood, maybe 12x12 with bolt holes already drilled. Add two pieces of vertical wood at the ends. You can screw the two sided box to the underside of the table by drilling some deep countersunk holes in the vertical pieces, or via pocket holes. The vertical pieces should also be glued to the hardwood piece for extra rigidity.

The box only needs 2 sides. This makes it easier to access the nuts if you want to remove the legs without unscrewing the box from the underside of the table.

 

[Mr. Cheese]

You got the right idea. Smaller boxes are the trick. Ideally you want two pieces of hardwood, maybe 12x12 with bolt holes already drilled. Add two pieces of vertical wood at the ends. You can screw the two sided box to the underside of the table by drilling some deep countersunk holes in the vertical pieces, or via pocket holes. The vertical pieces should also be glued to the hardwood piece for extra rigidity.

The box only needs 2 sides. This makes it easier to access the nuts if you want to remove the legs without unscrewing the box from the underside of the table.

Thanks for the advice Tony. So if I'm understanding this is what it would essentially look like?

 

[lnlver]

I would have each one of these consist of two 12" square pieces of wood with four 2" x 2" x 1.5" glued at each corner. Secure it to the table and pedestals with bolts and nuts using an adjustable wrench; you'll have lots of room to work the wrench this way.

In addition to gluing the 2" x 2" pieces to the 12" squares, use at least two wood screws - one from the top and one from the bottom - to strengthen the connection at each corner.

 

[T_Chan]

Yep you got it. I would actually go with 1" thick if possible. The box will be under stress so you want to make sure it's sturdy. So you will also want to use a nice hard, dense wood.

You'll also want to drill pilot holes for any screws. Hard woods tend to split near the edges.

 

[mummel]

Is it possible to put these pull out trays on a fold up table?

 

[Mr. Cheese]

I would have each one of these consist of two 12" square pieces of wood with four 2" x 2" x 1.5" glued at each corner. Secure it to the table and pedestals with bolts and nuts using an adjustable wrench; you'll have lots of room to work the wrench this way.

In addition to gluing the 2" x 2" pieces to the 12" squares, use at least two wood screws - one from the top and one from the bottom - to strengthen the connection at each corner.

Thanks for the advice Invler, So basically it would be similar to what my little picture shows that Tony suggested but I'd put another 12x12 piece on top and instead of a single boards running along the two ends I'd have four 2x2x1.5 "columns" (one in each corner) essentially?

Yep you got it. I would actually go with 1" thick if possible. The box will be under stress so you want to make sure it's sturdy. So you will also want to use a nice hard, dense wood.

You'll also want to drill pilot holes for any screws. Hard woods tend to split near the edges.

Sounds good, thanks for the advice Tony!

 

[lnlver]

Do NOT use plywood or MDF for the 12" squares. I would use oak (or similar wood) boards glued together for these; much, much stronger. If you make these 1" thick, then your 'columns' would be 1" high, but I think you could even leave them at 1.5" since the extra .5" should be negligible.

Each support will consist of 6 pieces; 2-12" x 12" x .75" for the base and top and 4-2" x 2" x 1.5" supports in each corner. Hopefully, you have access to a jointer/planer and clamps. Size the drill bit for screw pilot holes so you get a nice tight fit when you screw them in. You will also want to clamp each of the corners after gluing up.

Hey Cheese - are you going to WCCB next week? If so, I could fabricate these for you and bring them along with me on Saturday. Let me know.

 

[Mr. Cheese]

Do NOT use plywood or MDF for the 12" squares. I would use oak (or similar wood) boards glued together for these; much, much stronger. If you make these 1" thick, then your 'columns' would be 1" high, but I think you could even leave them at 1.5" since the extra .5" should be negligible.

Each support will consist of 6 pieces; 2-12" x 12" x .75" for the base and top and 4-2" x 2" x 1.5" supports in each corner. Hopefully, you have access to a jointer/planer and clamps. Size the drill bit for screw pilot holes so you get a nice tight fit when you screw them in. You will also want to clamp each of the corners after gluing up.

Hey Cheese - are you going to WCCB next week? If so, I could fabricate these for you and bring them along with me on Saturday. Let me know.

Your way sounds like it would be really nice. I don't have access to any woodworking tools other then a my brother in laws jig saw and a router I'm going to rent to cut the oval ends of the table.

Its not in the cards for me to go to anymore meetups this year but Forrest is (@inca911 ). If you didn't mind fabricating these I'd certainly be willing to pay you whatever you thought was fair. Forrest said he doesn't mind picking them up for me at WCB

 

[inca911]

Yep, I'm your huckleberry! Dan, send me a text reminder next Saturday so we don't get forget to do the transfer....

 

[Mr. Cheese]

@lnlver brought up a good point that the pedestals are probably too close together with the current stiffener support.

Currently the pedestals are only 23.5 inches from each other.

Table is a 46x86

@T_Chan: Do you think I need to get a longer center stiffener to push the pedestals further apart? lnlver suggested 33 inches for the stiffener length would probably be good.

 

[BGinGA]

I'd say so..... typically want the distance between support centers to be roughly one-third to one-half the length of the supported table (or somewhere between 29"-43"). Splitting the difference puts it at 36".

 

[T_Chan]

I usually put the center pedestals at the center of the radius of the curves, so in your case 23" in from the ends. I calculate that you would want the center of your peds to be 40" apart. I don't know how wide your peds are but you can measure them and then do the mathz.

BGinGA's description is also a great approach. Mine's just a rule I use to calculate my ped positions.

 

[Mr. Cheese]

Thanks guys! It's great having such a helpful community here to stop me from making avoidable mistakes!

 

[GenghisKhan]

So what did you do about the stiffener? Did you have a longer one made? Is it easy to do or change? I just found a table with nice pedestals and claw feet, but the 2 are definitely too close together.

 

[Jambine]

You got the right idea. Smaller boxes are the trick. Ideally you want two pieces of hardwood, maybe 12x12 with bolt holes already drilled. Add two pieces of vertical wood at the ends. You can screw the two sided box to the underside of the table by drilling some deep countersunk holes in the vertical pieces, or via pocket holes. The vertical pieces should also be glued to the hardwood piece for extra rigidity.

The box only needs 2 sides. This makes it easier to access the nuts if you want to remove the legs without unscrewing the box from the underside of the table.

That is exactly what I did on my table with dining table pedestals

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/media/1619_24_02_07_1_36_11.4035/