'Telescopic' table leg - hardware or suitable tubing?

[tinnews]

I want to make an adjustable height table, one with a single central leg. To be more specific I want a 'two heights' table, 34cm to bottom of table top and 68cm to bottom of table top.

Does anyone know if there is standard hardware available for this sort of thing or do I need to make it myself?

Since it's (almost exactly) a 2:1 step down it can't be done with a single pair of concentric tubes. I'm thinking maybe one constructs the table with a 34cm tubular leg that fits over a foot and then one makes a 34cm extension which is inserted to make the 68cm version.

Or simply two legs, one 34cm and the other 68cm and you use one or the other. All this then needs is a thing like a giant wardrobe tube holder on the underside of the table and on the floor (It can be fixed permanently to the floor).

That's probably the bit I need to find/make, a short piece of tube with a flange that will fit snugly over an easily obtained size of tubing. My guess would be that it needs to be 10cm or so diameter.

Any ideas for suppliers and/or what such a thing is called?

[Owain]

If the leg doesn't have to be too thin, i.e. a column would suffice, you could use a XXXXX concertina support similar to that used on old washing dryers.

chandlers or caravan suppliers probably have table-leg-to-floor interface plates. Oh yes:

bingo, here's a telescopic leg

[newshound]

One of your issues is going to be the bending moment. In other words, how wide is the table, what load will it see, and what is the maximum offset of the load? That will determine the strength required in your "giant wardrobe tube holder".

Presumably there is a very good reason for needing a single central leg? One of the standard ways to construct a variable height table is with a scissors mechanism: think ironing table or industrial scissors lifting platform.

If you can remove the table when you change the height, the arrangement you describe doesn't sound too difficult. But you need to know the loads before you can specify the tube. If the loads and bending moments are not too high, you might think about using plastic waste fittings, for example. How steady does the table need to be?

I'm assuming it is free-standing; you don't have an adjacent wall you can use to improve stability?

Much more information needed!

[tinnews]

I think that would be too bulky (and probably wobbly)

table leg base" and the "Island Table Leg", no prices though which is a bit worrying!

Excellent, thank you, and the prices are far from silly.

a bit expensive that one!

[tinnews]

Yes, stability is an issue.

It's a small boat galley table. Seating on three sides and the fourth side faces the galley itself. Thus there can't really be legs at the corners. A central leg is pretty standard on these tables.

Yes, adjusting the height is to enable the table top to drop down to seat height so the whole thing becomes a bed. Doesn't actually need support in the middle when lowered as the table top rests on an inset in the edge of the seats.

Not for this one (another we have does use the wall plus a slim leg).

The existing table works OK except that removing the table top to convert to a bed involves undoing eight screws which is somewhat laborious (especially at bed time).

[Tim+]

You have a boat and you think that's expensive? ;-)

Tim

[Adam Aglionby]

Ikea has a couple of tele-legs not sure if would be rigid enough though

[Owain]

If it was for a *yacht* it would go up and down by telepathically- controlled hydraulics and have three 0s on the end...

Owain

[newshound]

OK. In that case Owain's linked item looks good; not cheap, but there is quite a lot of engineering in it. Note that when dropped, it protrudes below the "floor". It's good that you don't need the same stability in the lowered position. If I were DIY-ing I think I would look at a single removable leg. Perhaps you could get stability for the leg by having the mounting boss on the hull, with the leg supported in a (small) clearance hole in the deck. Your only problem then would be making the leg - table fitting sufficiently rigid.

[Tim+]

If it's not needed in the lowered position, what's wrong with a simple removable leg that you stow somewhere?

Tim

[Huge]

IKEA do (or at least, did) telescopic legs. I have them on my IKEA desk. I've been meaning to raise it an inch or so for several years.

[tinnews]

Absolutely fine, but I still need the hardware to make a rigid connection between the removable leg and both the floor and the table top.

[Tim+]

Caravan tables just have a tapered socket top and bottom (IIRC) for the table leg to fit into.

What's wrong with something like this?

[tinnews]

That's exactly the same as a previous reply took me to (from a different supplier). Are the two end pieces actually tapered sockets?

[Tim+]

>> That's exactly the same as a previous reply took me to (from a

IIRC, the top when mounted on the leg doesn't swivel so I think there must be a slight taper.

Tim