Making an Extending Dining Table with Butterfly Leaf

[@kevinalmeyda]

My goodness that was an intimidating build. I appreciate how you tackled it head on and powered through the hiccups. End product looks just fantastic. Well done Keaton!

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thanks Kevin! It was both a challenge and enjoyable, even though those angles made me want to pull my hair out

[@thedoublekayway]

Mannnnn! I’m gonna say this is easily your best build and video yet. Love following along as you continue to chase this endeavor. Keep it up, brother.

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thanks man!! I really appreciate it and am looking forward to your next video!

[@DCreationwoodworking]

great build keep it up greats from a fellow woodworker from the Netherlands

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thanks man!

[@Andi.Mitchell.Designs]

The algorithm fed me this video after watching your record stand!

[@DCreationwoodworking]

@ 😂 well this is a nice one as well 🤙🏼🤙🏼

[@jonashansen6391]

Patches and all, this is beautiful work.

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thank you Jonas!

[@dylanbarfieldfurniture]

Brilliant stuff. You made something that I'm sure was very complicated, look very easy. And entertaining! The table looks great as well.

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thanks Dylan! It definitely was complicated, glad you didn't see me sweat, too much at least 😂

[@onehandedmaker]

Classic design Keaton and a top notch video. Merry Christmas James

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thanks James! Merry Christmas!

[@jewdd1989]

You are brilliant! Thank you for sharing this because this is exactly an issue I have in my teeny tiny pathetic kitchen/dining room. My plan has been to build custom cabs on one wall and then attach a more permanent wall supported (mid century inspired) bench with storage and I’d thought about building my own table since the one I have just wouldn’t fit as well with a bench. Thank you!

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

That sounds like an awesome project, and a lot of work! Good luck and reach out if you need someone to ping ideas off of!

[@jewdd1989]

Thank you I really appreciate any input you’d have! It’ll be a bit before I can start but I’m really excited about the project. So reason why I want a wall mounted bench (it will have legs just because I love furniture style cabinets/storage) next to the wall of lower cabinets I also want to build is I need more kitchen gadget storage. I have too many small appliances and kitchenware and nowhere but my basement currently to store a lot of them. I’ll have to get creative with what I store in the lower cabinets (probably build custom pullouts to make it as purposeful as possible for ie I have a very heavy kitchen aid mixer I’d like to just lift up with ease). The whole purpose obviously as I’ve said is storage but another key point is my large family loves to come for dinners and play board games. Often I have to utilize two tables just to fit them all. I don’t know that my bench idea can truly seat everyone but it’d help significantly and would allow more walking room and it’d go with my 70’s house lol. I’ve built a solid hickory vanity and I made a white concrete vanity top. I’m still stalling on finishing the door and drawers (I’m a perfectionist and have to work myself up for the final steps… I hate procrastination but I’m working on it :) with this vanity I implemented half laps and bridle joints for the frame first time ever, it turned out really well but this dining room project is massive. You and other woodworkers here on YT help immensely… I’ve never taken a class, everything I’ve learned is through YT and woodworkers like yourself so thank you for what you do. I love to watch just to watch but I also learn so much and is exactly how I got started. Pls know your efforts in filming and sharing do pay off and I greatly appreciate it and any feedback is always appreciated and welcome! Take care, beautiful table! To be able to store the leaf inside is ingenious

[@To-Lo77]

Awesome work. Great commentary on each step taken & explanations. Keep up the great content. Tony - California

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thanks Tony! I appreciate that and am glad you enjoyed the video!

[@homestead_diy]

I was the first viewer. Caught it right after you released it. Amazing design.

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thanks Doug!

[@thecatsmeow3153]

Incredible work Keaton !!! 👏

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thank you!

[@thecatsmeow3153]

@ you’re welcome - John S

[@MightyMiniWorkshop]

Great build, I’m working on my first dining table! Wish me luck and hope it comes out great!

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Good luck! It'll turn out awesome!

[@davidebrescianini6227]

Simply wonderful!

[@skolrelaterat4113]

Beautiful!

[@marchuvfulz]

Yes to questions. Subscribed. Great build. Love the height-adjustable work table.

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Awesome! Thanks for joining! The bench is pretty handy for some applications. I did a video on its build too if you're interested. D But fair warning, it's definitely not the calibre of this table 🤣

[@tennisplayerjoe]

Easily earned my subscribe and thumbs up. First video I see on this channel

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thanks Joe! Happy to have you on board!

[@DuncanRenovates]

I like what you did with the mortices on the legs - good approach. Stealing! :)

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

There was some trial and error before I got that right which I didn't show. Definitely use a scrap piece to tune it in before going for it, otherwise it worked well!

[@romuald225]

Nice build and thanks a lot for the video. I wish you talked more about the sliding/moving mechanism as I prepare to build an extendable round table for my family.

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

I hear you. I glazed over that part. The important part was getting the slides parallel. I marked the center based on the center of the cog, then I lined that up with the split in the table and used spacers to set the slides away from the aprons which I knew were parallel and secured the slides to the table top.

[@eliclem9074]

Turned out great !!

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thank you!

[@danlynch1154]

Well done!

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thanks Dan!

[@stlwoodworking]

Very nice. I like it.

[@walterrider9600]

thank you very interesting

[@Andi.Mitchell.Designs]

Thank you algorithm! Got a like and sub from me. Great build.

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thanks Andi! I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@cj-ef1rp]

Did you use any clamps to hold the leafs together while dining? That can help pull the joint tight and erase the gap.

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

I had them but I realized there was no room under the table. The leaf took up the space and blocked your ability to reach there and lock/unlock them so I had to omit them. It definitely would have helped but the table does stay together pretty solidly without the locks. If I would have left off the under bevel I could have widened the base and made room for the locks but I didn't want to lose that part of the design.

[@so.many.projects]

I had an Aha Moment when I saw the oversized holes in the apron, for protection against seasonal wood movement. Such an elegant solution.

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

I like doing it that way. It feels more intentional than z- clips or figure 8 fasteners and it's a pretty easy way to do it

[@DanSvoboda-hg5mm]

thank you for the demo. hand tools for certain aspects of the job is how i work. personally, i would have done more that way. i HATE dust. like Jim Kingshott said, "Machines are noisy, dusty, and they'll 'ave your fingers off in a twinkle." one additional comment. it's a matter of taste, and maybe also economics/wood conservation. my parents' dining table was tinted solid maple, mass manufactured but of high quality. the wood was oriented opposite; crosswise. i can't help but seeing it the other way bothers me. not a criticism, just an alternative view.

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

There are some things power tools make sense for in a small one man shop. I read an article a while ago where someone equated power tools to apprentices. Back in the day we had cheap labor, and we taught those people how to do the technical parts but also had them do the ripping and flattening. Now we have power saws and planers for that to save our energy. I still use a lot of power tools but there are plenty of times hand tools make more sense and the more you use them the more often they make sense. I hear you on the board orientation. It's a matter of preference. I think having the boards run the length of the table looks better, but mostly it has to do with material use. Mass manufacturing will run them across the width because it's a more efficient use of material and therefore cheaper to produce tables that way.

[@WoodWorksKentucky]

That table is fantastic and you should be very proud of yourself! Thanks for sharing the challenges makes it real! Where did you get those alignment pins for the top/leaf? Really enjoyed your video, liked it and subscribed.

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thank you! This was a really fun build, because I find the challenges fun, well I find them fun after I've beat them but in the moment they aren't so fun. The pins I got from Rockler. They have them on their website but there's a "choose option" page where you can select from wood, plastic, or brass: www.rockler.com/table-pins-choose-type

[@nicholasmorris5362]

Can you share a link to the butterfly leaf hardware? 😊 gorgeous table!

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

A few people have asked me, silly that I left it out of the description so I added it. But here it is to make it easy for you. And thanks for commenting and watching! Glad you liked it! Extension Rail Hardware: www.rockler.com/equalizer-slides-38-wood Alignment Pins: www.rockler.com/table-pins-choose-type Soss 1/2inch Hinges: www.rockler.com/concealed-soss-hinges-satin-brass-finish

[@mattshields8349]

Where did you get the hardware for the extension mechanism? No link was in the description

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Oh, I forgot that one. I got all the hardware from Rockler. The slides, alignment pins, and hinges.

[@CalebRoach-p1h]

Great work! The only in unanswered question I still have is the location of the pivot pipe?

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Ha, you got me. I didn't film myself fumbling around with figuring that out. It was 1/3 of the way in from one table slide. That way when the leaf was in half 1/3 was on one side of the pipe and 2/3 on the other. Clearance was tight on this one because of that under bevel which pushed the apron back from the edge. If your apron was further out placement wouldn't be quite so critical.

[@CalebRoach-p1h]

@ Thats helpful thanks!

[@smfmivww]

Very beautiful table. What wood did you use?

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thank you. All black walnut, well except for the light wood for the inner parts, that was all maple.

[@bradmathews]

Thank you for this video! I am in the middle of planning a new table for my dining room and was considering butterfly leaves (yup, plural) but there was very little how-to on it. I have one question, is there a formula for where you place the hinge rod laterally?

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

I noticed there isn't much info out there on them but it's not as hard as it seems. The placement does depend on your slide placement and how much room you have inside the pocket. I had about 1/4 inch on each side so it was tight. I didn't cover this part because I wasn't sure if what I did will work for everyone, but in essence the rod landed 1/3 of the way across the table. The way I measured it was based on the width of the leaf folded and knowing it had to be basically right in the middle I put the rod in place and found the spot where there would be enough space for the short side of the leaf to pretty much butt up against the slide which I want to say was 8 inches in from the slide. To summarize the leaf was 37 inches across so folded was 18.5 and the center of the bar was 8 inches in from the slide, I think. I didn't write it down since I just make things to fit but hopefully that helps.

[@bradmathews]

@@keatonbeyerwoodworking Thanks, I think I duplicate your process for figuring it out, and the 1/3 placement at least gets me a starting point. I will probably mock the whole table up in cheap imported birch plywood, as my additional challenge will be fitting the additional leaves as the sliding mechanism get smaller. If you had only 1/4" of clearance, my confidence level on 2 (or 3) just got much lower. I guess I could do 1 butterfly leaf in the middle and do end extensions with an additional butterfly leaf in each for a total or 3.

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

@bradmathews the clearance was across the table. From a pulled apart position you should be fine. I would make three supports though for the pipe. Two on the ends and one in the middle, that way it won't sag causing alignment issues

[@awesomepie2410]

Great work! Where did you get the mechanism from? That’s been my biggest challenge - to find a quality mechanism

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Thanks! The slides, pins, and hinges were all from Rockler. I had to look around to find one that would work for this table and Rockler was the only place that had them that I could find. I think Lee Valley had some too if you're in Canada.

[@dansarfert3585]

Thumbs up! But I cant subscribe because you don't have a Sawstop or a wall of red anodized tools. 😜🤣

[@keatonbeyerwoodworking]

Haha, maybe someday I'll be lucky enough to have all the most expensive tools and alienate my audience 🤑