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The electric disappearing table [message #243396] Thu, 13 March 2014 21:08 Go to previous message
kerry pinkerton is currently offline  kerry pinkerton   United States
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
Karma:
Senior Member
Some time back I contacted Kelvin Deitz regarding his fold out table. He was generous enough to send me some design info. After looking at his, I went a similar but different way because I wanted to fabricate it to fit under a bed/couch and needed different geometry than Kelvins.

Eventually I got the geometry figured out and previously posted photos.

As I was in the midst of the thrash to finish the interior changes before GMCMI Montgomery, it came to me that it would be really cool if it was power operated. Just what I needed, another project when I was already short of time. Shocked

Photos are here: http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/table/p53634-table-foldup-table.html

Here is the bed...all innocent looking...

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6475/Internals_0031.jpg

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6475/Internals_0031.jpg

Then there is this sneaky little switch in a really ugly hole down about knee height.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/table/p53631-table-foldup-table.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6475/Internals_0022.jpg

Then, over a period of 3 minutes (waaay too slow, I need to go with a faster gear motor) the table rises up.

=http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/table/p53634-table-foldup-table.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6475/Internals_0031.jpg

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/table/p53640-table-foldup-table.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6475/Internals_0052.jpg

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/table/p53646-table-foldup-table.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6475/Internals_0071.jpg

TA DA! If it's just the two of us, we can eat on it like this. But if we want more room it opens up to twice the size. With the upholstery cover on the bed and the back cushions, it's quite comfortable and the perfect height. MUCH steadier than our TV trays and more steady and larger than the fold out table that came in the coach.

The binder clip, is a simple way to keep the two halves of the table together. In this photo, I had already flipped the handles out. Normally they lay over against the table.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/table/p53649-table-foldup-table.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6475/Internals_008.jpg

These temporary braces are inserted to help hold the leaf steady instead of just depending on the piano hinge.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/table/p53652-table-foldup-table.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6475/Internals_009.jpg

All opened out. Two people can sit on one couch and two on the other.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/table/p53655-table-foldup-table.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6475/Internals_010.jpg

And here is the motor and stuff. It's the guts from an 12V electric scissor jack with limit switches to stop it in both directions. It's an enable and forget it system.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/table/p53658-table-foldup-table.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6475/Internals_011.jpg

Just ran out of time to find and install a faster motor. Thirty second run time would be a good target speed. Three minutes is a bit too long although I expect we will get used to it because you don't have to do anything once you hit the switch. It's fully automatic.

I've also purchased some aluminum honeycomb sheet that will probably get formica surfaces and wooden edges ultimately. The 1/2" plywood works for the test trip. The jack gearmotor has plenty of power to lift the wood.

Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L

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