Pivot bolts cut to length.  Ends filed to take off the sharp. These should work well.

They fit well in a 7/32" diameter hole with a chamfered top.   Found my basement drill press table is not perpendicular to the drill chuck front to back.  Before I drill the critical holes in the table legs I've got to either switch to my garage drill press and verify it is square to the spindle, or somehow shim the table in the basement drill press. 

4D

Decided I cut the top to final size today.  Every other part is the right length/width/thickness and rough shape, so getting the top to size and ready for connection holes and edge detail is important.  Thought I'd double check dimensions before doing any cutting and was glad I did.  I'd written the width of the top in a blog post I'm working on.  19.25" I predicted.  I know the top width has to match the inner leg frame width.  I have the stretcher and inner legs all loosely assembled so I checked how wide it was.  19 + 9/16".  No idea where that discrepancy crept in, but I had enough rough width in the top blank to cut it to match the actual width of the inner frame.  All is well.   No parts were damaged or resized in the making of this post. 

4D

Double checked the thickness of the legs and found them 1/64" wider than the 7/8" they should have been. Took them all out to my drum sander and brought them all down to 7/8" wide. That accounted for 1/32" of width of the inner leg frame.  Next I put a clamp across the frame to make sure it was snug and gained another 1/32" of width.   So a total of 1/16" gained left the frame 19.5" wide.   Took my top to my little jointer and joined 1/32" off each end so it would match the frame width.  Trick for jointing end grain is to feed one end in 1" or so, then reversing the board to joint across with no break-out as the tail end has had already been cut. Shallow pass cleaned of all evidence of the table saw cuts.

Still 1/4" wider than I first estimated, but frame and top are still the same width.   

Next comes drilling the holes for the pivot bolts and the binding bolts.   Precision required. Both sides need to match.  I might have to use my CNC as the dimensions to the holes from ether end of the legs is a decimal fraction and I don't have a tape measure with a mark that precise.    

4D

Today was hole day.  Got all the holes needed for the pivot holes done.  2 holes through the outside legs, one hole 5/8" deep in the inner legs and one hole 5/8" deep in the back corners of the top.  I still need to make holes and counterbores for the binding bolts.   I ordered some 18mm long which I couldn't find before which should be the right length to use through the 7/8" thick parts. Their heads will be counterbored flush.  I have some 20mm ones which are just a bit too long.  The new ones will show up Wednesday, so binding bolt holes are on my agenda for then. 

Also put a 1/8" radius roundover on the inner legs, and on the inside face of the outer legs.  Already had the bit in my Milwaukee trim router, so clamped it upside down in my bench vise and ran the legs over it.  Much easier than trying to run the router over the narrow leg edges.  

Edited April 1, 20242 yr by 4DThinker

18mm binding bolts arrived.  Thanks to the precision of my CNC I got the recesses cut for the heads and through hole for the shaft in perfect position.   Pivot bolt coves may need a little sanding down as they are snug against the binding bolt shafts and although they can be turned it could be easier. Frame stands up.  Legs can pivot but bolts don't work themselves out. 

 

Close up on left and right pivot points

I still need to cut the binding bolt holes on the back edge of the top.  A different set up on my CNC bed and different toolpaths so that'll likely happen tomorrow. 

4D

Looks good.

Stuck one of the 5mm diamond coated files in the 5mm binding bolt hole, then spun the pivot bolt with an Allen wrench.  That took off enough metal to allow the pivot bolt to spin more freely yet still be kept in place with the binding bolt.  I'm calling this a win for today.

Got the holes for the binding bolt done on the top this morning.  Took some file work to get the pivot bolts to spin easily when in place.  Bottom frame not yet glued up and details on the top not finalized yet, but it'll stand up to show off:

 

Close to the end now.  No rush as I find if I spend a few days staring at a thing my mind will eventually decide what is the best way to resolve the details. 

4D

Just an observation. Are you planning to ease the edges and corners of the top?

1 hour ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Just an observation. Are you planning to ease the edges and corners of the top?

Way back on page 3 of this thread I posted this image:

It was one idea I had at the time.  Certainly the top will get at least a rounded over front and back edge and a small chamfer around the side edges.   Which would you prefer?

4D

I think a simple round over would be the more appropriate look. Just my opinion...that +$10 might get you a small (short apparently in SB speak) plain coffee.

More of a hot cocoa fellow here, but I do appreciate your opinion. 

4D

Edited April 4, 20242 yr by 4DThinker

I do enjoy my daily morning coffee. German heritage I suppose. I don't care for SB's anything for a lot of reasons. Overpriced being just one.

The slanted side of the top needed a protruding ledge near the front edge.  Made a 3/16" wide slot for it, 1/4" deep, and a bit farther than 1/2" from the front edge.  What I think is bubinga got used to make a 17.5" long 1/2" wide and 1/4" thick strip to be the ledge. Skimmed 1/32" off both sides, 1/4" high, so it would fit in the 3/16" wide slot. 

 

I'll sand the sharp off the edges before putting a finish on it.  Still debating what to do with the front and back edges of the top. 

4D

Good addition especially if you'll be using a tablet or laptop on it.

20 minutes ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Good addition especially if you'll be using a tablet or laptop on it.

Exactly.  When the top flips over and the stand pulls through this ledge is on the bottom of the flat top where it isn't needed. 

4D

Came to the conclusion that since this isn't a table to show off something valuable or hold a lamp or look pretty next to a nice sofa or chair that simpler would be better.  Given that it might be where lunch or dinner or breakfast is eaten at that an easy to clean surface would be best.  No grooves or coves or stepped edges to wear down or be harder to clean.  So in the morning I'll round over the front and back edges and put a 1/8" radius rounded edge on the sides. 

 

Did have a thought about embedding a round ceramic coaster on the top corner of the flat side. An obvious spot to park your drink rather than on the wood surface. Flush to the surface so it wouldn't be in the way of a laptop/notebook PC or drawing tablet or card game. Might make it held in with magnets so it could be popped out to clean. The magnets would keep it in place if the table was flipped over to the slanted position.  Thinking about the mag-lock trick where a twist would release it. A twist back would lock it magnetically down tight. 

4D

Got the top's edges all done.  7/8"d round over on front and back and 1/8"r around the side edges. 

 

Used this bit in my router table for the front and back.  Used my handheld Milwaukee trim router for the sides.

Back together for a moment.   Still a bit more work to do, but close enough for another photo.

 Simple.  Still have to make slots and holes for the tension straps that'll make sure it doesn't collapse.  Have it all figured out.  Just need to do it. 

4D

Edges look very nice. Appropriate for this tables planned use IMO.

Decided I'd cut the slot for the straps today.  Using the CNC and an existing drawing of the legs I was pretty sure I had the vectors and resultant toolpaths in the right place.  Cut all the slots, then assembled the leg frame to discover the inside out outside leg slots weren't aligned as they should have been.  Not a major flaw as I can extend the slots that are too low by 1/8" or so.   I could also fill the mistaken slots and recut them where they should be.  Not even sure the straps have to be perfectly aligned on the inner and outer legs. Only that my mock-up has them aligned and they work that way. 

 

Such is the nature of dynamic designs. My mockup parts I simply measured and marked and cut using my garage router table.  They suffer an ugly wiggle on one slot thanks to what was probably me sneezing while cutting it.  The CNC cut slots are perfectly formed, but sadly suffer from another human mistake which put two of the four in the wrong place. 

I suspect I'll have some solution enacted and the straps installed and working tomorrow.   

4D