This weekend I finished the oak edging (with box joint corners) and legs with 3 coats of wipe-on poly. The laminate came yesterday, a day early, so I laminated the top. I glued the leg tenons in the sockets which made the table even more stable. I spent some time tweeking the ratchet arms. I reamed the holes slightly so everything moves more freely. I waxed the sliding dovetail parts of the legs - they slide easily with no binding at all. I added some bungee cords to the ratchet arms which allow me to release the ratchets to lower the table. Everything works great!!!!! (Link to original thread)
Here is the finished table:
Ratchet release bungee:
Close-up of bungee/ratchet arm attachment:
To lower the table, I grab the bungee:
While still holding the bungee I lift up on the end of the table. As soon as weight is removed from the legs (and ratchet arms), the arms swing away from the leg notches and allow the table to lower. To lock the table at any height while lowering, the bungee is released and the ratchets lock in the next notch. (You don't need to hold the bungee to raise the table, just lift to desired height.)
Close-up of released ratchet:
Table in lowered position:
I'm real happy with the results of this project. :-D:-D:-D
Here is the finished table:
Ratchet release bungee:
Close-up of bungee/ratchet arm attachment:
To lower the table, I grab the bungee:
While still holding the bungee I lift up on the end of the table. As soon as weight is removed from the legs (and ratchet arms), the arms swing away from the leg notches and allow the table to lower. To lock the table at any height while lowering, the bungee is released and the ratchets lock in the next notch. (You don't need to hold the bungee to raise the table, just lift to desired height.)
Close-up of released ratchet:
Table in lowered position:
I'm real happy with the results of this project. :-D:-D:-D
