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Chopped up my rear table!
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mariusstrom
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:11 pm    Post subject: Chopped up my rear table! Reply with quote

Well, we got tired of not being able to access the closet while the rear table is stowed in its travel position. Based on the other posts I've read about modifying the fridge door with a piano hinge, specifically http://www.griffco.ca/interest/vw/vwfridgemods.htm I decided to apply the same logic to my table.

Here's the final product:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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carterzest
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:23 pm    Post subject: Re: Chopped up my rear table! Reply with quote

mariusstrom wrote:
Well, we got tired of not being able to access the closet while the rear table is stowed in its travel position. Based on the other posts I've read about modifying the fridge door with a piano hinge, specifically http://www.griffco.ca/interest/vw/vwfridgemods.htm I decided to apply the same logic to my table.

Here's the final product:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
Nifty. Is the hinge pretty stout and the table still sturdy?

Have you ever tried just using your front table in the rear?
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r39o
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've seen pictures of the mirrored door modified, too. The lower part gets cut off and just fixed in place. Then the mirrored door swings over the table.
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mariusstrom
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:40 pm    Post subject: Re: Chopped up my rear table! Reply with quote

carterzest wrote:
Nifty. Is the hinge pretty stout and the table still sturdy?

Have you ever tried just using your front table in the rear?

Seems sturdy enough, but I'll probably replace a few of the screws that came with the piano hinge with some longer 1.5" screws, just to give me a little extra grab.
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mariusstrom
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

r39o wrote:
I've seen pictures of the mirrored door modified, too. The lower part gets cut off and just fixed in place. Then the mirrored door swings over the table.

Yep, I was tempted by that too, but I like the full height closet door so I can easily reach into the bottom of the closet.
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70coupyel
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 10:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice mod. So simple. Kinda cool no one has posted it before.
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nod7
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 10:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great mod and nicely executed. Looks clean. So lets talk about those kilo size bags of "White Stuff" pictured there in your closet? Is this why you need to be able to easily reach the bottom of the closet?

-nod7
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1621
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 11:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice work. Looks very clean. Reminds me of the table mod found at the same site http://www.griffco.ca/interest/vw/vwtablemod.htm. I've enjoyed his mods and replicated a few of them myself. This one is very practical. Thanks for sharing.

Also, moving the front table to the rear helps access to the closet and ease of stowing the table, but it still does not allow the closet door to swing fully.
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MootPoint
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You could probably add to the strength and stability of the hinged portion by adding the sort of sliding bars that one would find under the "drop leaf" portion of a dining room table. Yours hinges up instead of down, but that wouldn't matter. This one's from Rockler @ $9.59 for a pair:
    Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
Cool mod nonetheless.
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mariusstrom
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

1621 wrote:
Nice work. Looks very clean. Reminds me of the table mod found at the same site http://www.griffco.ca/interest/vw/vwtablemod.htm. I've enjoyed his mods and replicated a few of them myself. This one is very practical. Thanks for sharing.

Hah! You know, in all my digging around his site, I've never noticed his table mod. I'm not sure If I like the piano hinge or the card table hinge better.

nod7 wrote:
So lets talk about those kilo size bags of "White Stuff" pictured there in your closet? Is this why you need to be able to easily reach the bottom of the closet?

They're pillows, I swear. Smile Now that I have better access to the closet, I may move my pillows and linens out of the closet and actually use the closet for clothes and what-not.

MootPoint wrote:
You could probably add to the strength and stability of the hinged portion by adding the sort of sliding bars that one would find under the "drop leaf" portion of a dining room table.

Brilliant - I'll be ordering those today. I think they'll help a lot.
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MarkWard
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thread revival. I was considering a similar project. I actually am trying to shorten the table. I played around with the smaller table and leg without any luck. To the original poster, how did you cut your table? A little detail, type of saw, blade etc would be appreciated. Mark
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MootPoint
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 8:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I haven't tried cutting my table (I took it out instead since I never used it and installed an used 'fridge door in the side of the mirrored closet for access instead) but I have cut the wood+laminate for several other mods.

Hints:

• Use a table saw if you can. You will get a cleaner and straighter cut than anything you do by hand (or held in your hand). A saber saw or circular saw will work but use a good fence to get a straight cut. And no coffee before you begin.

• Whatever saw you use use a fine tooth blade. A plywood blade on a table saw/circular saw should work; a 15-20 tooth blade on a saber saw. And make sure it's a new, sharp blade.

• Pre-score the cut with a laminate knife and it should cut without tearing out little (or big) chunks of laminate. An alternative (maybe best way) is to first just touch the surface of the laminate first with the blade set to about 1/32-in or less to open the laminate for the final cut. This is really easy with a table saw.

• Cut it with the top surface up so the blade is going down through the most visible laminate and not up. This way if there is any tear-out it won't be visible when the table is in use.

• If you have any scraps of Westy laminated wood (either from some previous project or nabbed from the U-Pull) experiment first to make sure your techniques work the way you want.

That's my 2/100's of a dollar. Happy hacking!
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buildyourown
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 8:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you are trying to shorten the table, it's pretty easy to get a stock look.
The router bit used to cut the Tee for the moulding is cheap and readily available. Woodcraft or Rockler or a premium lumber yard.
Remove moulding, trim to length, add radii by hand, route Tee slot, reinstall moulding and trim to length.
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mariusstrom
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 6:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rsxsr wrote:
Thread revival. I was considering a similar project. I actually am trying to shorten the table. I played around with the smaller table and leg without any luck. To the original poster, how did you cut your table? A little detail, type of saw, blade etc would be appreciated. Mark

Just used a jig saw and a fine wood blade. Would've been better on a table with a jig to get a more perfectly straight line. Just be careful with the rubber trim around the edges - it had a tendency to clog up my blade.
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debbiej
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 9:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think that's a great idea! nice job, too.
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shizzon
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is the wood on the table flush when folded down flat?

Can you send a link of what kind of hinge you used?

thanks for the great mod idea!!!
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MarkWard
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the feed back on on blade and saw choice. I will be discarding a section of the table, so I can probably test that. I have a friend with a table saw and a band saw. I don't believe the teeth are "fine" though. Thanks again.
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BillWYellowstone
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 7:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Buy a decent finer tooth blade for your friend, donate to him for the cutting favor.
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One more islander...
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:50 am    Post subject: Re: Chopped up my rear table! Reply with quote

To remind you of another option...
carterzest wrote:
Have you ever tried just using your front table in the rear?
This works really well--and you don't run the risk of chipping your table beyond repair.

---
Kathy
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atomatom
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can you post a picture of the table down please.
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