Help with Murphy Table Design

[HornBen]

Good afternoon all.

Looking for some advice please! I’m about to make a ‘Murphy Table’ out of oak. Effectively a fold down from wall kitchen dining table. I have an initial design in mind as shown in the pic attached. Couple of questions though.

1. Any recommendations for the types of hinge to use on the fold out central leg. I’d like the leg to be flush against the top when folded back up on to the wall. But obviously needs to be strong enough to take the wear and tear of supporting the table and being folded regularly.
2. In addition to this any suggestions for locking the leg in place when it is down. I have been look at various options for stays but again I’d like this to fold flush behind the leg and be invisible when on the wall.
3. For gluing up the top are there any concerns or tips for gluing the two thicker edge pieces to the central thinner piece? Planning to make the edge sections out of approx 40-45mm oak boards and the central section and leg out of 30mm boards.

I may well have some more questions as I go but these are my starter for 10!

Thanks in advnace,

Ben

 

[HornBen]

No pearls of wisdom then?

 

[Harbo]

The length of the top cannot be longer than the support as it will not close flush.

Rod

 

[ED65]

1. Door hinges will do. A piano hinge is also widely recommended for this sort of thing but fitting them perfectly is more tricky.
2. I'll hit the books and post back if there's anything useful.
3. Planning on using a spline, dowels or any other alignment aids? I don't think there's any reason it can't be done with butt joints but alignment aids would help a bit come glue-up time.

 

[ED65]

The length of the top cannot be longer than the support as it will not close flush.

Didn't you mean to say shorter?

But if the batten(s) the table attaches to are halved or just split into two the support can be longer than the table.

 

[HornBen]

The length of the top cannot be longer than the support as it will not close flush.

Rod

Thanks Rod, However I'm not 100% sure I know what you mean. The height of the support leg will be approx 750mm and will fold in to the recess in the underside of the top (top will be approv 1250mm long).

 

[HornBen]

1. Door hinges will do. A piano hinge is also widely recommended for this sort of thing but fitting them perfectly is more tricky.
2. I'll hit the books and post back if there's anything useful.
3. Planning on using a spline, dowels or any other alignment aids? I don't think there's any reason it can't be done with butt joints but alignment aids would help a bit come glue-up time.

1. Yes I was thinking of using two fairly robust door hinges with minimal 'slop'.
2. Great thanks.
3. Yes was planning on using biscuits to aid alignment on the table top - have used this successfully on table tops in the past..

Do you forsee any issues gluing up the top if I use two thicker out boards and a thinner centre board? (to create the recess for the leg).

Thanks again,

Ben

 

[Harbo]

I was misreading your drawings- the top is folded upwards, I thought it was the other way.

Rod

 

[HornBen]

I was misreading your drawings- the top is folded upwards, I thought it was the other way.

Rod

Ah okay got you....no as you say intention is to fold up against the wall..

Cheers,

Ben

 

[ED65]

Do you forsee any issues gluing up the top if I use two thicker out boards and a thinner centre board? (to create the recess for the leg).

In terms of the process I think you'll find you still need to use cross-battens as simple clamping cauls to ensure it stays dead flat.

I could find three tables or work surfaces in the books I have at hand. That's fewer than I expected to find so it's possible I missed one, but I might be thinking of something in a library book. Anyway unfortunately two of them were singularly unhelpful as they didn't use any locking mechanism :lol: The one that did simply says to use locking stays, in the isometric drawings they're a pair of basic folding stays somewhat like these.

If you don't mind how it looks it occurs to me you could omit a stay if the leg sits angled out slightly when the table is fully down.

BTW to keep the table stowed up one plan uses brass hooks and eyes, the other suggests a pair of turnbuttons mounted to the top of a cabinet the table folds up to cover.

 

[HornBen]

Do you forsee any issues gluing up the top if I use two thicker out boards and a thinner centre board? (to create the recess for the leg).

In terms of the process I think you'll find you still need to use cross-battens as simple clamping cauls to ensure it stays dead flat.

I could find three tables or work surfaces in the books I have at hand. That's fewer than I expected to find so it's possible I missed one, but I might be thinking of something in a library book. Anyway unfortunately two of them were singularly unhelpful as they didn't use any locking mechanism :lol: The one that did simply says to use locking stays, in the isometric drawings they're a pair of basic folding stays somewhat like these.

If you don't mind how it looks it occurs to me you could omit a stay if the leg sits angled out slightly when the table is fully down.

BTW to keep the table stowed up one plan uses brass hooks and eyes, the other suggests a pair of turnbuttons mounted to the top of a cabinet the table folds up to cover.

Thanks very much for digging through your books. I have looked at various options for locking the legs with stays but none of them really look the part when the table is stowed away.

Appreciate the feedback - will update you with any further developments!

 

[HornBen]

So I finally got round to rustling up a prototype of this table to look at options for the leg and locking it etc.

Thought I'd post some photos of the prototype to see if anyone has any further ideas on how to lock the leg in the down position whilst maintaining the clean lines when it is folded back up against the wall.

Any input greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

Ben