Camping Table Plans?

[HerHusband]

I would like to build a small table to take car camping (not backpacking). Something approximately 16" wide x 12" deep x 16" high. It needs to fold or knockdown easily so I can stow it in the car.

It should be cheap and simple to build and assemble. Otherwise, I might as well just buy a commercial camp table.

It will just be used as a place to set a camp stove, and maybe a plate or something.

Before I bother designing my own table, I'm curious if anyone here already has plans for a small table like this?

Thanks,

Anthony Watson

[woodchucker]

I have a table like that, it rolls up. You could do the same of all wood and some canvas strapping.

Interested? I'll take a pic.

[Sonny]

Why not just make a folding seat/stool? Essentially the same thing.

Sonny

[Keith Nuttle]

My father made a table/stool for the same purpose. He made a wooden top and attached to rods. The rods connected to two X's. One side of the top was attached to on side of the two X's There was another rod in the other X's side.

When folded the X;s collapsed against the top. To open you lifted the top, and the side of the X's with the rod fit into a slot in the bottom of the top.

If you think about it you can see it better.

He used it for many years, and I believe it was sold when Mom gave up the house.

[SteveB]

I made one, that I still have. Made it out of metal, tho. Hollow tubing. Made it specifically to hold a 3 burner Coleman stove and a small Weber grill. A little space was left over. Design your table for what you are going to use on top of it, and you won't be out trying to find "stuff" that fits on top in any semblance of order.

Steve

[Puckdropper]

HerHusband wrote in news:XnsA313A1EFCFD55herhusband@78.46.70.116:

I've seen designs where turned legs have a screw thread on top. The table would then have some sort of metal insert that the screws would thread in to.

You can use hangar bolts (wood thread on one side, machine thread on the other) for the legs. As for the metal insert, that will take some looking around. Insert nuts or a nut and some epoxy would be a place to start.

You may need to gently splay the legs out 5 degrees or so, but I don't know for sure. I wouldn't imagine a camp stove would be too heavy... but a human is. (Something that size would be easy to use as a step stool or seat.)

I'd probably figure out some way to make the legs store with the table, so the entire thing can be taken as one unit.

Puckdropper

[dadiOH]

Piece of plywood, four lengths of 3/4 or 1" dowel. Drill holes in ply for dowels but not all the way through.

If the legs are too wobbly use a 1x2 or 2x2 to frame or corner to thicken so the hole is deeper.

If still too wobbly, insert legs, drill a 1/4" hole from top down into the legs but drill it slightly off center; remove legs, glue in dowel. Now you can insert legs, twist them and they will cam tightly into their socket.

[Sonny]

"T" nuts? Used in many cases for hanger bolt and similar applications. Lots of T nut use on upholstered pieces and, of coruse, they come in various sizes.

Sonny

[HerHusband]

I was thinking something similar, maybe with T-nuts in the table, and hanger bolts screwed into the legs. Then I could just screw the legs in to setup the table. Of course, I would have to figure out a way to stow the loose parts.

Heck, I'm almost thinking of edging a simple piece of plywood and setting it on top of our cooler. It would be the right height, and would protect the cooler from any heat the stove might put off. Still, it would be nice to leave the cooler separate so we could still get into it.

Thanks,

Anthony Watson

[Puckdropper]

Sonny wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I prefer insert nuts for most places T-nuts are used:

T-nuts are prone to fall out as the wood fibers start compressing, while insert nuts work more like a screw and are much less likely to fall out.

Insert nuts do have a tendency to back out with the screw if tightened too tightly. For a portable table, though, there's no need to turn the leg past snug.

Puckdropper

[Puckdropper]

HerHusband wrote in news:XnsA3146432AD33Cherhusband@78.46.70.116:

If you put an apron under the table, then you could install some extra hardware in the apron and screw the legs into that. The legs would be oriented parallel to the table top rather than perpendicular to it.

A little extra thought and you could use some of the under-table space for things like a firestick or flash light & batteries. Maybe a little table cloth for that table. (If it's not broken, it doesn't have enough features yet!)

Puckdropper

[clare]

With a t-nut samdwiched between 2 layers of wood it is virtually impossible for it to work loose or come out.

[dadiOH]

Shock cord on the bottom.

[clare]

Someplace I have plans to make a table like that out of a single sheet of 1/2" plywood. It knocks down and stores flat and uses NO fasteners, and NO glue.

[Roy]

Watch the line wrap....

[HerHusband]

Yep, I already did the Google searches...

I don't care for the "X" leg designs that look like the old TV trays. :)

Something like this one would be nice, except the height would be lower unless I made the table wide enough to accomodate longer legs:

I'm not expecting to use this much, so I don't really want to invest a lot of time, effort, or expense on it.

I'm still tossing around a few ideas. Thanks for the feedback!

Anthony Watson

[Roy]

We've been using the X leg "rendezvous" tables since the late 70's, and I still have a couple I bought back then. I made up bottom shelves with cleats that fit across the stringers and hold the shelves in place. Turned out more useful than I thought. I made one out of Ipe from a scrap pallet that really does look nice, but weighs a ton. Been using that since about 88. Good luck in your search. Post pics when you make what you want. Might be something I want to use myself.

BTW, I have a small folding camp grill that is very similar to the type of table in your picture. My grill is much smaller though at about 6 inches square.

Regards, Roy

[HerHusband]

Roy,

After looking at a number of different options, I think I'm going to build a knockdown style table. Mainly because I already have several pieces of scrap plywood sitting around, and won't need to buy any kind of hardware for it (hinges, T-nuts, or whatever).

I drew up some crude plans and am heading out to the shop this afternoon to see how it works out. If all goes as planned, it will knock down to five small plywood panels. I will post pics when I get it finished.

Thanks,

Anthony Watson

[HerHusband]

Roy,

Here is what I ended up building:

I made it from scrap plywood cutoffs and leftover finishing materials, so it didn't cost me anything to build it.

I'm very happy with the way it turned out.

Anthony Watson

[woodchucker]

Nice job.