The next iteration of this table led me to consider how to make the best use of empty space. While going about solving the problem of expanding the table length, I found another fantastic solution on the internet.
Baix Moduls has an expanding table, and the table itself is the drawer. When you pull it apart, inside is a folded leaf which can be pulled to open it. Then you can pull the leaf, and it rolls along a rod and up a slide opening and lying flush with the table on its own. Here’s the video and this one shows it from the other side.
Then in SketchUp I drew these:
The main part of the table sits on a box which holds the inner leaf, leaving a ton of empty space. What to do? Fill it in with more utility. As the process went on, eventually I realized the table was too heavy to be portable, and that portability had become the least important feature for me. Which is why I’ve decided to abandon it as a feature of this project. There are some interesting solutions around the web, but I don’t want to sacrifice any of the other uses this table will have. For now I’ve put the portable gaming table into my ideas file for a future project. After making peace with this, here’s what happened next:
The box with the leaf was too boring for me, so I made it bigger until it was flush with the table. With a new tier I’ve got a whole ton of options and extra storage space. Also threw on a few cabinet doors to the corners. The next two pics are what it looks like as it opens.
It still needs some tweaking. There’s a few liberties I took with the drawing that won’t translate well to into RL (2d surfaces and such). Going to redraw it and make a parts list as I go along, then add a cabinet underneath it to serve as the base. Then I’ll add some holes and such for wiring, LEDs, and outlets, plus maybe a few of those bells/whistles I talked about last time. We’re in the home stretch. Next post will be the finished design, and then it’s on to making this a reality!
