As always, I trust you, my fellow Bit-Techers, when it comes time to ask for help. I'm looking to make a table. In the area of 8 feet long and 2 feet wide. The catch is that I'm looking for something portable. Not pocket-sized, but something that can fit in the trunk of a car and be carried by 1 or 2 people. I looked around online for plans, but with little success. My thinking was to get a sheet of 3/8" or 1/2" MDF. Cut it into four sections, each 2' x 2'. Attach the four together so that they hinge out. Then, under it, I'm thinking a pair of 2x4s to give it some support. The two areas that are giving me some problems are -Keeping the sections level while still having hinges -Finding some method of making sturdy legs. Now, I'm looking for something lightweight and sturdy. By sturdy, I mean that the thing will stay together, not that it will be strong. There will be hardly any weight on it, so that's why I think I can get away with a thin top. I'm thinking of using hinges, but drilling aligned holes of a set size, and taking small sections of copper pipe and sliding them in there. Here's a preliminary blueprint. I'd like some input, if any of you have suggestions. It's pretty self explanatory. The solid black circles are hinges, the hollow circles are holes where pegs would slide. Holes would be a shade larger than 1/2" so that a 1/2" copper pipe could fit snugly. Pipe would be cut into 8" or so sections, with holes through one end and a lanyard to remove it, and a soft mallet to put it in. It would fold into four sections, and the legs would fold as well. Questions? Advice?
I'd make it to that form, however have little locking sections in between that you could just slide in to make it stand upright. Say make the top an inch thick (2x.5 boards), but have 1/4 over the locking pegs in the frame.
Hm... my troop had something along these basic lines when I was in the Scouts. I think what they did was take three sheets of plywood (although I don't see why MDF couldn't work) and a couple little support blocks, and basically cut out little bits so things could just interlock. It was more of a picnic table than anything else though, and by the sounds of it, you don't need the side benches. I think the plans you have should work fairly well, provided you don't do a half-arsed job putting it together. Just watch out for the legs, as it looks like you'll either end up with a really low table or have them sticking way out when it's folded up. And watch out when doing the bottom hinges, as you don't want screws poking through the top.
Look round DIY stores for wallpapering tables. We have some at home, one person can carry them, they have carry handles and are easy to setup.
Wallpaper tables tend to have only one hinge and unless you spend a bit the B&Q ones tend to be a bit wobbly. As to the legs on your design why not have round legs with a thread at the top and then screw/unscrew to attach/detach. that will stop them from being to small with the other folds in your design
instead of hinges you could use some rails (drawer rails?) and make the sections slide into each other. if you use hinges, thy to find a system where all the hinges is one the underside of the table. make two main sections, and two sections about as long as the combined thickness of the main sections. that way you can sort of "roll" the table together. as for legs, you could drill long holes into the long side of the table, and put the table legs inside the holes. The legs will then have threads on one end, and a threaded hole on the other. when you assemble the table, you just screw together as many leg pieces as you need. instead of wood you could use carbon fiber (expensive!) or fiber glass. you could also use aluminum. (a bit expensive, but compact and light.)
What you could do is get two sets of loops, mounted on either side of a join, then thread a long bolt through them and screw it together.
Duh! Can't believe I didn't think of round threaded legs, especially since I built my speaker stands out of them. Just throw some flanges on the bottom and use the same size (30") pipes that I did before. That takes care of the legs. I could probably manage it as a single hinge in the middle, which solves a lot of problems. Alright, here it is. Still the same 2'x8' 1/2" MDF. Chopped in half right along the middle. Running along each side is a 2x4, laid flat. At the center, there will be a sturdy door hinge connecting the opposite side. Then, either mounted to the table, or mounted into the 2x4s but recessed (so it can fold flat) will be the flanges for the pipes. On one side will be a pair of handles, or some sort of large strap thing to carry it. At the ends, there will be a locking clasp to hold it closed. I want to try it with four legs at first, but if it bows in the middle, I could add a pair of legs there. OTOH, if I go for six legs, I would be able to mount the hinges on the top, and possibly even do away with the 2x4s. The advantage to having hinges on the top or a tri-hinging thing is that when folded, the tabletop won't be visible. I like to be discreet when transporting or storing tables, and the paint job that the surface is gonna get won't be discreet at all. Remember, this table will be supporting barely any weight, and the middle won't really be used at all. There's only gonna be objects on the last foot and a half on either side. The middle is only used for bouncing. Yes, it's a ping pong table. A narrow one, with no net.
