Dinette Table Hung off of Compression Post

[captlloyd]

Yes, add another center pipe or tube. You can tie into the compression post for added stability, but a nice 2-1/2 or 3 inch chrome or brass tube will do the job.

[jheldatksuedu]

Originally Posted by Roy M

Take the horizontal support out to 3/4 of the total length of the table, make the bottom of the support, as deep as you feel comfortable and place the collars at the top and bottom to spread the load over the pipe, then make the web (the line between the end of the horizontal support and the lower collar, a fair curve (steeper at the base, narrower at the end of the table). Drill great big holes, or fabricate the web like a gossamer wing to keep it light and strong. I do a lot of this when making cantilever beams. Sadly, I have no pics to show for it. It's also how I will be doing my sterncastle table. It can be an extraordinarily stiff and strong structure, that looks way cool and weighs very little.

This construction would be a disaster waiting to happen, it puts the major load of a person falling on the table close to the center of the compression post, tending to pull it out of column and allow an easy compression failure of the post. That is exactly what we are trying to avoid. Even if it wasn't loaded the person could buckle the column just with his falling on the table. You are putting the major load at the weakest point of the post.

[Roy M]

Geez, it's a curious thing how having the opportunity to see one's words in print can generate such hyperbole. "Disaster waiting to happen". Good grief. It's a 1 1/2" steel pipe. The likelihood of having a 400 pound Japanese Sumo wrestler leaping from the companionway to the table is probably nil. If one is truly anxious about this level of loading, they can consider captlloyd's suggestion to add a piece of tubing outside, but really, it's 1 1/2 inch steel schedule 80. Come on........

[jheldatksuedu]

I stand corrected, my comments all were due to an envisioned thin wall stainless tube, typical of most boats. After more thought, an inch and a half in not very big diameter, skip the diving board, do worry about the sumo wrestler and maybe even ordinary Joe being tossed across the cabin. schedule 80 is thick wall but 1.5 inch is pretty small when you consider something 7 feet long. I think ordinary Joe standing on it horizontal in the middle might bend it, but let him jump once it definitely would bend.

[Boatyarddog]

A simple added fold down leg under the table to the floor will relieve any side load issues you'll have. Even a two piece leg
Compression posts if loaded will strengthen pipe or wood if loaded downwards.
No problemo.
You could also make those collars sliders, up and down, to adjust for your new folding leg support.


Sent from my iPad SV Cloud Duster

[jheldatksuedu]

I agree that loading a post in compression does increase it's ability to stand buckling side loads, not having any numbers or ever doing those calculations, I suspect it is a very small increase, also the post is not really under much load most of the time. A table leg would surely eliminate the problem, but the whole idea of the thread was to eliminate the legs. Murphy's law would say "A fold up leg will most likely not be in place when needed most." I recently have done a similar thing with my table, I don't have a compression post, the mast is keel stepped, I though about cantilevering off the mast, but put the table elsewhere. It spins on one leg firmly attached to a settee, most of the time the other end of the table is resting on a bracket on the back of the settee, but the table can find multiple homes with a removable mobile table leg supporting the free end. I normally don't need 6 seats around the table, one or 2 is fine. My reason for wanting to move the table and also eliminate legs was to open up the salon and have easier and quicker access to the bilge area under the floor boards, for access to storage and for safety. When I bought this boat, I was appalled by the lack of access to the bilge and all the wasted storage potential. Like most boats, custom or otherwise, the interior was done with a get it done and get paid approach. I still think the centered 1/3 length stiffening tube support with a triangular bracket under the table is the ticket.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

A simple added fold down leg under the table to the floor will relieve any side load issues you'll have. Even a two piece leg
Compression posts if loaded will strengthen pipe or wood if loaded downwards.
No problemo.
You could also make those collars sliders, up and down, to adjust for your new folding leg support.


Sent from my iPad SV Cloud Duster

Good idea. Just make the table fold down. My experience is that is kinda nice anyway... hate trying to slide into the setee all the time.