MAME Table: Leg Extensions {Stage 1}

 

Post Overview:

This post covers the method used to extend the legs (the creation of the 'power leg' is covered in another blog entry).

Introduction:

This post details how the legs where extended to gain extra height, the mistakes (and corrections) made during the process and some backgound into the taken actions.

The actual core table build was performed over three days with different 'stages' being performed in-between one another.  Sometimes improvements/ideas only came at the end of the day and therefore were only implemented a day later.  In the meantime, other work had occured, so the photo ordering was out of sync with a staged/step overview.  To solve this readability and sync problem, the post-build the photos have been logically grouped into build stages/steps and information provided where the described step was an afterthought.  Links to the full photo set for this build stage are also provided, but they contain no context information and thus are best reviewed after reading the blog entry.

The blog entry closes with post-build thoughts and where possible, suggested 'next time' improvement ideas.

 

Leg Extensions: 

Overview/Background: The legs were extended as the table seemed a little too short, with a feeling of being hunched over while sat in a playing position.

In the photo (1) is a standard leg. The hole is pre-drilled and goes into the pre-drilled underside of the table. 

Leg details

(2) is the 'foot' end of a standard leg. It has a solid end-piece with no holes, the plan is to discarded this piece [this plan changes].

(3) is the 'extension' piece and measures 25cm.  It is the top end of a standard leg, thus has an existing pre-drilled hole and is the 'other end' of number two (they are normally joined).

(4) Same as number one and shown for size comparison to the extension. The foot end of this piece (i.e. that shown in number two) will be drilled, countersunk and screwed into number three's pre-drilled hole.  The existing hole (i.e. that shown in number one) will be used as IKEA intended, to connect it to the table.  Enough explanation, down to business.......

Being cut to size

All the extensions (number three, above) were make to a 25cm 15cm size because, well honestly, just because they were made to a 15cm size.......It looked about the right amount to add to the legs to get the table at a seated, playing level height. {POST BUILD UPDATE} While the extra height was ok for playing, there wasn't room of the power connector in the power leg. Hence the size details have been changed.

Centers Marked

These are the bottoms of number four (above): the centers have been marked ready to drill.... failure will soon occur.

Wood drill with countersink attachment

Wood drill-bit with countersink attachment - which will allows the two pieces to sit flush.

Bottom of number four

The first number four, all ready for the center hole drill  <failure brews>..................
















The countersunk area has been shaded (bottom left leg) so the effect of the tool can be seen.

Also shown, failure....... have you spotted it? Me neither, until a little later in the build process. We'll return to this photo later.


















Here we see the extensions being added to the main legs; number three being added to number four.  Failure can be seen in the first picture.... spotted it yet?

Number three (with double ended screw)

The failure revealed: whilst the center of the legs were indeed clearly marked, the holes weren't drilled in the marked places.  Take another look at the countersunk holes, the bottom right hole is clearly off center.  In fact, only one leg was ok........

Off Center

To the bin with you......

Bye Bye drunken legs...... An extra set of legs was free from table 3 (the top, monitor layer of the overall table), so it wasn't really an issue to correctly re-drill the holes in a new set of legs.  It really was a school boy error.
However, these 'drunken legs' would be retrieved from the bin and used on day two.......






....... welcome to day two :)
The legs are hollow ("A", some of "B"), but normally they have a solid foot ("C").  Having sawn off the top sections to make the extensions, the hollow area was visible ("A" and some of "B").  I therefore decided to cut out the feet from the drunken-hole legs to get a better foot and add overall strength to the legs.  This would mean trimming the edges off "C" to get the right size feet.

The feet are made of a two-ply wood; the foot ("C") was rough looking on one side, whereas the flip side was smooth ("B").  Therefore, the better looking "B" side would be used for three of the legs (not the 'power leg').












Trimming the edges off "C".......
















..... "C" cut-down ready for the foot to be pushed out.  No nails were needed to hold the foot into place; the foot just needed tapping into place and was a snug fit.  The finished'ish foot is shown above in "B".

 

Stage Review/'Next Time' Thoughts:

Overall this build stage went ok and at thus far I wouldn't change the design.  It remains to be seen if the overall table height is ok.  {POST BUILD UPDATE} As noted the height of the table was ok, but there wasn't enough room for the power connector within the power leg.

If more/less height is required the legs can be easily extended by simply buying another (£3) table.  The off center hole problem was a silly mistake, but no harm done and ultimately the drunken legs were provisioned in the making of the solid feet. 

The additon of the solid feet was just an idea on the morning of day two, really, they should have been included from the start (had it been thought about).  The construction of the 'power leg' was also conducted on Day Two, but details of that build stage will be posted later on another blog entry.

Links to photo set:

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