My Multi Configuration Coffee Table Design

MulTable

This project is made from Curly Maple. Finished with Colonial Maple stain and matte PolyAcrylic. It is composed from just four parts.  A top, 2 leg panels, and a beam. Depending on how the parts are assembled the top can be one of three height. More variations possible with a T-shaped slot so the beam can slide in standing up or on it's side. A toy ramp configuration is optional. 

Ramp for Toy Cars and Trucks

I came up with this design many years back.   I've made several of them for family and friends.  This post is about making one for my ex wife who has a niece with a young son who visits often. She wants it for the ramp option specifically.  

A Lower Height when Beam is Angled

She chose curly hard maple for the table. Probably the hardest wood to process cleanly. This wood has given me grief trying to run it through my drum sander. 

The basic design can be seen here:  Multable The beam was the simplest part to make. Two strips glued together, joined flat on one side, planed uniformly thick, edges rounded over. The ends are defined with an arc.

Beam Down

The base panels are two sections glued side by side, then trimmed 14" inches wide.  The top was three sections glued side by side and trimmed 16" wide. 

Directional Emphasis

As there are no mechanical connections between the parts, the top is just resting on the sides and can be bumped or tilted from an uneven load.  To pick it up you essentially need to remove the top then move the sides and beam.  

Easy to make if you have a method to cut the holes in the sides.   Early versions  I made the holes in a few step.  Drilled through at the corners, rough cut with a jig saw. Then the edges cut smooth on my router table with precise setups of the fence and stop blocks. On this version I used my CNC to cut the holes out precisely.  Just slightly wider than the beam. The hole edges were rounded over with a 3/8" radius roundover bit in my Milwaukee trim router. 

This project is a good example of 4D furniture. It can change in configuration over time. 

Leave a message if you have questions of comments.  

4D