Tables and Chairs
 

Hey everyone,

I was wondering if anyone knew where we could find some instructions for building some very sturdy tables for eating off of and most likely dancing on. We might make it some sort of pledge activity so they can bond and work on something together, but we want to have an idea of what wee are doing. I know they sell picnic table kits, do you all know if they sell regular table kits? Something we can order and have them put together? Or are we going to have to buy everything and make it from scratch? And where can we order so decent fold up chairs? Any and all help would be appreciated.

Mark Iafrate
Phi Delta Theta NC Gamma

> tables for eating off of and most likely dancing on ...

Are you planning on both these activities happening at the same time? :)

On a more serious note, I've had to design multifunction tables for conference centers, training rooms, churches and fraternities.

The first question - do you want these to fold up, or do you have enough room to stack unfolded tables, when you need a clear room? Usually, you can stack three unfolded tables, one upright, one inverted, and a third on the inverted one (offset, to allow the bases to nest). You will need room for this configuration.

The cheapest/easy way to go is to get solid core doors, and mount your own legs. If you plan on eating (dining style), don't mount the legs where they can whack the knees. Remember, a fine tablecloth will hide the legs. Pipe flanges can be bolted to the doors, and good-looking pipe is available, for attractive legs.

If you want to dance on the tables, make sure the legs are strong, and you may even want to mount hardware to join two tables. This makes them more stable, as well as gives the dancers more room, and less likely to trip over the joint between the tables. You can also make a platform of thin plywood, with a border, that covers two tables. The dancing will scratch up the plywood, not your tables, and eliminate the tripping hazard. (Unfortunately, this platform cover is bulky, and you'll need to figure out how to store it). And, if you plan on putting lots of weight on the table, don't use adjustable or folding legs.

If you plan on using the tables in a "meeting space", you don't need a full 30 inch wide eating table, since people will sit on only one side. You can either make narrow tables (that join to form a wide surface for eating), or have part of the top fold down, creating a narrower table (and a panel for modesty).

Before you build tables, measure your doors, and make a cardboard mockup of a table design. Then see how well it goes through your doorways, around corners, and down stairs. If you can move your tables level (without rotating them) you are less likely to beat up your doorways and walls.

Good, rugged folding chairs are hard to find. Invariably, someone tries to stand on one, and get injured when the chair decides to fold.

A better bet is to get rigid, wood chairs. Get ones where the back is short enough, so when you nest one on top of another, the seats touch, and the tip of the back is not touching the floor. Chairs take a beating, but every couple of years, the pledges can sand and varnish them. Upholstered seats are nice, especially if you (or the next pledge class) can easily re-cover them.

If you are really short on storage space, drill out the cross-pieces with a forstner bit, and you can stack another row, on the first row of chairs. The glides of the top chairs fit into the cutouts of the inverted lower chairs.

Stay off of the tables.

Eat on them. Go out for parties, why tear up you own items when you can pay a third party or not have a party there anymore.

This link might be useful. Check it out http://www.ultimategamingtable.org/instructions.html

Just searched it from google because I am planning also strong folding chairs and tables for my near birthday party.

Well, just check the link I provide but the author is asking for payment :(

Just check it out if you want and hope it helps. Goodluck !

I did