Folding Work Tables and Storage Bracket

I like my workbench. It's solid, functional, and mobile. Unfortunately, while I'm working on projects, it's often half covered with tools and materials, and I don't use it as effectively as I should. To augment it, I have two folding cafeteria tables, the kind with a laminated particle board top and a steel apron and legs. One is five feet long, the other six. 

The cafeteria tables work okay for me, but they have a few drawbacks. They’re a bit heavy, particularly the six-footer. I store them in the back of a storage room adjacent to the garage, so they’re not convenient to access. (I keep the six-footer behind my plywood scraps, so it’s really inconvenient to use.) They have different heights, meaning I can't put them side-by-side to form a larger surface, and they’re on the low side (29-30”).

Earlier this year, I ran across an old Woodsmith folding worktable design that looked interesting. That table is about 60" long, 22” wide, and 30” high, with a weight around 15 lbs. That’s smaller and lower than I wanted, so I decided to build two larger, taller tables based on the design. I also built a wall-mounted storage bracket to enable me to store the tables in the garage where they are close at hand. 

 

My tables are 72” long, 27 3/4" wide, and 35” tall. When closed, they’re about 5 1/4" thick, so they don’t project much into the garage (not far enough to interfere with getting into my wife’s car from the passenger side). Their height roughly matches that of my workbench and table saw on its rolling stand. That means I can use them like extensions to my bench, and as a makeshift table saw outfeed table (until I build a dedicated flip-up one). I can also place them side-by-side to form one large surface. 

  

 

Each table weighs about 44 lbs., which is heavier than I’d like, but not too bad given their increased height and utility. (In comparison, my five-foot cafeteria table weighs 45 lbs., and my six-footer is about 55 lbs.) 

 

The tables are made from sassafras and pine lumber and 1/4" oak plywood. The top is plywood with a sassafras frame. A top that thin might seem flimsy, but it sits on a lattice of “I-beams” made of pine frames with a plywood core, and the assembly is very stiff. The legs are sassafras with  plywood X-braces. 

 

This lumber mix is a bit unusual. Using pine instead of sassafras would have reduced weight, but the pine is so soft I was reluctant to use it for the tabletop frame and legs, fearing they would not hold up over time. I chose sassafras as the best compromise between weight, strength, and cost. I chose oak plywood because it was the sturdiest of the 1/4" options at my local big box stores. I can’t say I’m crazy about this wood combination’s appearance. The tables look like oak furniture from the 80s, but they’re work tables, so appearance wasn’t a priority. 

 

I built the tables and wall bracket back in February and have used them for a few projects. I like their size and height. They’re stable and plenty strong for my needs. Storing them right where I need them is a huge benefit. To use a table, I just flip up a spring-loaded arm on top of the bracket and lift the table out. 

 

But there was one thing I disliked. There was no way to lock the table’s legs in their open position. When I started to set up a table, the legs just dangled uselessly. I had to set one side down, shift the table toward the other side, and then drop the legs on that side. If I needed to shift the table a foot or two, I had to lift one end and drag it to its new position. 

 

I don’t think the original design addressed this problem, so I devised my own solution: a flip-up panel on each side that presses against the rear of the top rail of the leg assembly and keeps it from closing. These leg lock panels are held in place with magnets, so they don’t accidentally flip open. They are also secured with magnets when the table is stored. 

 

 

This project was somewhat complex, so I’ll post the details in a blog series. I also uploaded the SketchUp models for the table and storage bracket to 3D Warehouse. (As is usual for my models, use Scenes > My Scenes to navigate.)