Coffee table w/ lift top for laptop work

Gene Davis · 29 Oct 2013, 19:50

Just saw it in the flesh. Photographed the hdwe and will post later. Will go back to store for better look and measure everything. The top action, up and down, is nice, and when up, is perfect height for laptop work from couch. The store had one in a seating group, couch on long side.

Dave R · 29 Oct 2013, 19:54

Cool. Did you measure how far the top shifts horizontally. I was thinking about a coffee table with legs and aprons but there might not be enough weight to prevent it from tipping when the top is up and there's a laptop or something on it.

Vicspa · 29 Oct 2013, 20:05

Here's one from Brookstone.

Jean-Franco · 29 Oct 2013, 20:15

I drew for a friend a coffee table with a similar system but all made with wood.
Just for ideas.

mrossk · 29 Oct 2013, 22:11

FYI, Rockler sells this hardware...

Gene Davis · 30 Oct 2013, 02:54

What is interesting me as regards hardware, is the price of the complete RTA unit I was seeing today at the Farm & Fleet store, an item made by Sauder, is selling for something like $100. All the Souder stuff is discounted this week.

I cannot find the hardware anywhere online for a price close to this.

So, buy the kit (yes it is a kit with the hardware unmounted) and throw away all but the metal. Then make a nice one.

OTOH, the wooden one might be best. One could prototype it for little material expense, fine tune things, and then do the real thing.

FWIW, I have attached a pic of the hardware that comes with the RTA Souder table. Pretty beefy stuff, with a nice spreader strap running side to side to minimize wobble.

Gene Davis · 30 Oct 2013, 16:16

And it's only 99 bucks, which is a great price for the hardware PLUS a CNC-cut prototype that can be used for the hole-drill template.

Dave R · 30 Oct 2013, 16:20

Cool idea. Are you going to buy the kit?

Dave R · 30 Oct 2013, 17:55

How about something like this? Move the drawer over a bit, center it or leave it out.

solo · 30 Oct 2013, 19:57

Just saw this in my FaceBook feed.

mrossk · 31 Oct 2013, 02:48

$40.00 at Woodworkers Supply! : http://woodworker.com/coffee-table-top-lift-mechanism-lr-mssu-164-228.asp

or what looks to be a nicer unit at Lee Valley for $190 : http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=40573&cat=3,43586,43594&ap=1

Box · 31 Oct 2013, 12:26

I woke up with an addition to your table in my mind. Make the top from two pieces, put a couple of locking posts in the bottom layer and a track in the top layer and you can spin and slide the top to form a gaming table or whatever. Much more versatile, but you'd probably need to have some good weight in the base to counterbalance it at full extension.

watkins · 31 Oct 2013, 15:11

The mechanism seems to be quite inexpensive

http://www.dhgate.com/product/pop-up-coffee-table-mechanism-coffee-table/159316171.html

Regards,
Bob