I am going to build a drafting table for my office and I am looking for hardware like the old antique style tables that have a turning wheel or large half circle brackets to pivot the table.
All I have found are some hidden armatures from Rockler and Woodcraft.
Has anyone else come across anything like this before?
The large diameter metal brackets could be easily made. They could be plasma cut at a local machine shop. You could check ebay for a trestle and hardware. Keep your eye out for that type of thing at a local auction. Best I can offer…
The large diameter metal brackets could be easily made. They could be plasma cut at a local machine shop. You could check ebay for a trestle and hardware. Keep your eye out for that type of thing at a local auction. Best I can offer…
Yeah, I thought of that about the cnc. Local machine shop has one and I might have to go that route. I will probably make the base out of wood. I checked ebay and you would think parts were made of gold…
I have one of those tables and don't like it… pivoting in the middle means the front lowers too far down if you need it tilted more. That is probably why you really can't find that type of table any longer, and most of the newer ones use a hinge in the front and some type of support at the back to adjust for height. I had one like that back in the day (mechanical engineer for a HVAC company) and preferred it a lot more than the one I have now. Just a thought.
Yeah, I thought of that about the cnc. Local machine shop has one and I might have to go that route. I will probably make the base out of wood. I checked ebay and you would think parts were made of gold…
lol …. those guys buy that stuff at auctions. They ask an arm and a leg for that stuff. I keep track of stuff for sale in my region at www.auctionzip.com. I've seen dealers go crazy at some auctions and at other auctions I've seen stuff go dirt cheap. You might run across your hardware at a local auction…..
I have one of those tables and don t like it… pivoting in the middle means the front lowers too far down if you need it tilted more. That is probably why you really can t find that type of table any longer, and most of the newer ones use a hinge in the front and some type of support at the back to adjust for height. I had one like that back in the day (mechanical engineer for a HVAC company) and preferred it a lot more than the one I have now. Just a thought.
Yeah, I thought of that about the cnc. Local machine shop has one and I might have to go that route. I will probably make the base out of wood. I checked ebay and you would think parts were made of gold…
- AZWoody
lol …. those guys buy that stuff at auctions. They ask an arm and a leg for that stuff. I keep track of stuff for sale in my region at www.auctionzip.com. I ve seen dealers go crazy at some auctions and at other auctions I ve seen stuff go dirt cheap. You might run across your hardware at a local auction…..
Yup, I am always checking auctions and it's ridiculous what some people will pay for things. They will overpay something that's crap but think they'll make a fortune. Usually, it's the ones who watched a tv show like American Pickers and think they need to get in on the action…
I've made about 80 drafting tables for my office. I used hollow core doors on a wood frame. To elevate the board, I used casement stays that is used for swing out windows. They are usually available at big box stores. You will need two stays per table.
I have made 3 drafting tables in my life. And used them. I built in a tilt system to tilt it up like toy see most drafting table. BUT NEVER used it once! Used them always flat. Got tired on my pencils rolling off onto the floor I guess
This got me looking at drawing tables again because I plan on building one for my daughter when she graduates design school. Looking at photos of various architect and design firms, the tables attached in front so the front height remained still or had a mechanism that allowed the front to move up and away as the back was tilted.
Thanks for all the input. That pallet wood one actually looks kind of cool. I don't actually do drafting but I have to do large harvest schedules and the sheets are A3 size and it's much more comfortable for my neck to not be hunched over a flat desk.
I do like your last 2 pics John, that is kind of the way I'm thinking of going.
Thanks for the link Loren. I like the look of those. I'm going to be using some qartersawn white oak that has a slight rustic look to them. I think something like that would accent perfect.
all tilting drafting tables should have a "lip" of 1/4 round or shoe molding at the lower end
of the table to keep your round tools such as pencils, markers, crayons, X-Acto knives, etc.
from rolling off onto the floor. you never know who will be using it besides you.
.
my main hangup is clutter…... any horizontal surface around me becomes a collect-all.
so the top would be in the up position at all times to preserve the reason for having one in the first place.
When I taught drafting before CAD my drafting tables were like John Smith pictures. You could have purchased those for almost nothing when we switched to CAD. Now they office cubicles and soft cushy chairs on wheels. Gone are the days of setting on a hard stool for an hour and half.
WM1 - I know what you mean by being pushed into a cushy cubicle.
back in the '60s, I dug a drafting chair out of a dumpster that the Navy
had tossed out. nothing wrong with it (other than the vintage hard seat).
I kept that stool until I sold it at a yard sale in 2008. I really miss it now.
all tilting drafting tables should have a "lip" of 1/4 round or shoe molding at the lower end
of the table to keep your round tools such as pencils, markers, crayons, X-Acto knives, etc.
from rolling off onto the floor. you never know who will be using it besides you.
.
my main hangup is clutter…... any horizontal surface around me becomes a collect-all.
so the top would be in the up position at all times to preserve the reason for having one in the first place.
When I taught drafting before CAD my drafting tables were like John Smith pictures. You could have purchased those for almost nothing when we switched to CAD. Now they office cubicles and soft cushy chairs on wheels. Gone are the days of setting on a hard stool for an hour and half.
I had one with a piece of metal on the front edge
with 2 L-shaped cutouts so it could be put up
to retain tools or put down out of the way.
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