Building an ALUM camping table and need ideas for folding, telescopic legs (1 Viewer)

[alia176]

Hiya fellas,

What have you guys done for a DIY folding and telescopic legs for your DIY camping table? I was hoping to use nesting square alum tubing for adj height/telescopic legs. As far as the folding options, I see that Amazon has couple of possibilities but I'd like to see what y'all have done. Table size is 24" x 48", 1/8" thick alum folded on all four sides to about 1".

Amazon product ASIN B06VTJZHS6
Amazon product ASIN B073B28XZG

 

[george_tlc]

I have a marine ply table. I used the old folding legs of a decrepit camping table from years gone by and some scrap marine ply. A few coats of polyurethane and good to go. Then had a local canvas mob make a nice heavy duty bag for it.

Mate's $200+ table in the background. Plastic clips etc. I prefer the simplicity of mine

cheers,
george.

 

[alia176]

Thanks George. I bet I can find some legs off an old table as well!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

i just carry a folding plastic-topped 2’x4’ table, with folding telescoping legs... like this

It fits under my plywood sleep platform.

I’ve used it for cooking and eating, as well as as a workbench, for mechanical breakdowns... just add bleach, water and a scrubbrush and voila! It’s a culinary appliance again.

I realize you said you are building an alum table. Alum will be sturdier, but I doubt it will lighter, or more functional... or as cheap.

Looks like these can be had for ~$45... IIRC I paid ~$25 several years ago.

 

[alia176]

i just carry a folding plastic-topped 2’x4’ table, with folding telescoping legs... like this

View attachment 1933037

It fits under my plywood sleep platform.

View attachment 1933036
I’ve used it for cooking and eating, as well as as a workbench, for mechanical breakdowns... just add bleach, water and a scrubbrush and voila! It’s a culinary appliance again.

I realize you said you are building an alum table. Alum will be sturdier, but I doubt it will lighter, or more functional... or as cheap.

Looks like these can be had for ~$45... IIRC I paid ~$25 several years ago.

This board isn't full of people who does things due to logic But, I accept your challenge!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

This board isn't full of people who does things due to logic But, I accept your challenge!

MUD and logic...

I've built a lotta stuff over the decades... mainly to prove I could do it and do it well.

But, now that I've entered my 7th decade, I'm all about instant results... Unless it's something I can't easily buy.

Enjoy your table!!

It will definitely be more self satisfying, if you build it yourself!!

 

[alia176]

I have a very specific application for this table, hence the custom DIY approach. I have been using the table you showed, as well as others but this is my attempt at more efficiency. Seems like this is an elusive objective but it keeps me off of golf courses and titty bars

 

[Solace in Solitude]

I have a very specific application for this table, hence the custom DIY approach. I have been using the table you showed, as well as others but this is my attempt at more efficiency. Seems like this is an elusive objective but it keeps me off of golf courses and titty bars

Worth it if it keeps you off the golf course!!

 

[Jason YY]

I have a 2x4 table as shown above, it’s cheap and easy. Looking forward to seeing the aluminum table.

 

[Prairie Swamp]

Haven't done it....but what about chopping up a camera tripod for telescoping legs? But by definition you'd be cutting up two tripods

 

[Cruzerman]

So back when I was younger and used my FJ40 to camp in, space was more at a premium with the me and the wife and a 110lb dog. So what I did there was a piece of 1/2" plywood the size of the floor of the rig for the table top. It just had some holes in it where I could attach a single piece of pipe for the leg at one end. The other end bolted to a bracket I had attached to the rear of the rig. Took up next to no room and was strong and sturdy. May have to resurrect the idea. Plus the pipe leg could be used for other useful things as needed such as cheater bar.

 

[alia176]

Thank you for the ideas fellas. I managed to put together a table in the last two days out of 0.065" alum 5052 but not ready for the big reveal yet. So far, guesstimate weight is coming in at <10lb but we'll see. GF lifts it up and looks at incredulously (as if to say "are you f'ing kidding me? Is this thing gonna stay up on a windy day?)

McMaster Carr will be delivering a package that'll arrive on Wed at 10am, and we hope to hit the road by noon to run the AZBDR trail (from south to north) so it'll be close! I'm also excited to finish out the table storage location, using up yet another dead space in the 80, er, I mean "on" the 80.

Much inspiration came from @spressomon, as usual, but it's not nearly as nice as anything he builds but I can only try. I'm merely a mortal

Stay tuned......

 

[spressomon]

 

[george_tlc]

My table happens to be pretty close to the height of the patrol's tailgate (which is larger than the 80's (more a 50/50 split) and of course utilitarian steel. Anyhow, if you can made your table close to your 80's tailgate in height, you then have 2 work surfaces that mostly line up when needed and you can form an ell. Depends also on whether you have a drawer system that would knock everything off the tailgate

Anyhow, enjoy your camping trip and post up pics of your engineering marvel when you return...

cheers,
george.

 

[alia176]

My table happens to be pretty close to the height of the patrol's tailgate (which is larger than the 80's (more a 50/50 split) and of course utilitarian steel. Anyhow, if you can made your table close to your 80's tailgate in height, you then have 2 work surfaces that mostly line up when needed and you can form an ell. Depends also on whether you have a drawer system that would knock everything off the tailgate

Anyhow, enjoy your camping trip and post up pics of your engineering marvel when you return...

cheers,
george.

I love the idea of tailgate height matching but with 35s and a 4" of lift, she'd be rather high! I also thought about having one end of the table attached on the left side of the tailgate and have only two legs. Since I have a flip up table on the back of the tire swing, which is on the right so this table could be on the right. Overall, this could make for a nice kitchen island deal. Who knows, this might be ver 2.0! I do have a drawer system, BTW.

 

[alia176]

Alright, here she is, clocking in at a whopping 12 lbs. Nothing fancy but keeping with the KISS rule that @spressomon used, adjustable height achieved by 1/2"-13 bolts. After using it, I learned that I still need to run a gusset to the legs, like spresso did on his. By no means is she perfect but this was my first attempt and learned a few things. A HUGE thanks to @thegadgetguy for his TIG time on a nice Sat. This project wouldn't have been made possible w/o his TIG skills.

I rested my 60lbs Engel on it while packing for the camping trip and it did quite well. Due to the material being 0.0625", it's rather soft and dentable as you can imagine. One thought is to line the entire top with a super thin food grade cutting board material. Barring that, just a large cutting board glued to the surface on one end that can be wiped clean before usage.

Sadly, we didn't take it to the AZBDR trail over the weekend due to the storage solution not complete on time.

 

[spressomon]

FWIW, I do use my stove(s) atop my table now and then. The down heat factor, especially with the Camp Chef Ranger II stove, can be an issue...check the melting point of the plastic you are thinking about using as a laminate top...as applicable .

 

[alia176]

You make a good point Dan and perhaps I should just have a large, thin cutting board on one end only. This will allow us to put down hot pans/pots directly on the table nary a worry. Thanks.

 

[aussie75series]

steel tent poles.

 

[ravenplague]

Ive been thinking of finding a way to put a thin table like the one above underneath my roof rack. Something that could slide in and stay put.