Introduction: Card Table Leg Extensions

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About: Retired Tool Maker ( 1980 ) Retired Mechanical Engineer ( 2009 ) Full time Tinkerer

So it is the big Holiday Meal and you have more folks coming that the dining room table will hold. So you try to add on a card table to the end. But the legs on the card table are shorter and leaves the folks stuck at the end feeling like second class citizens. So when I was a kid my Dad made extensions from wood on his lathe. They were a bunch of work and it seemed like every table combination needed a different size.

I found a quick and easy way to make more.

I hope you can see the difference from our dining table and card table, 1.125". There is a tape measure on the right edge of the photo that might be cropped off. The 3-B Store yardstick is a shameless plug for my Grandfather General Store, that closed in 1955. I

Step 1: Materials

So here is my easier to make extensions. I use 3/4" Sch 40 PVC pipe and 1/2" Sch 40 PVC pipe. The Sch 40 is the thickness of the pipe wall and you do want it thick. Cheap, just a dollar or two for 10 feet, but scraps are everywhere.

So the larger 3/4" pipe will be the guides that go around the table legs.

The 1/2" pipe will be the extension height, for mine I need 1.125" pieces.

The outside diameter of 1/2" pipe is 0.840" and 3/4" pipe is 1.050", why is an other story.

Step 2: Out Side Guides

These are the easy parts, just cut to a convenient length, I made mine 4". They don't even need all be the same length, but they might look nicer. I'm using a stop on my Radial Arm Saw, but any saw will work, even a hand saw.

Step 3: Slitting the Inside Pipe

Now here is the neat trick. To make the 1/2" pipe fit inside the 3/4" the outside diameter of the 1/2" pipe needs to be smaller than the inside diameter of the 3/4" pipe. The easy way is to remove an 1/8" of the circumference to allow the pipe to collapse to the smaller diameter. You could cut 4 pieces to length and then try to guide them through the table saw, but is much easier to saw the bunch still together on the end. If you don't have a table saw it might be easier to do them one at a time in a vise.

Step 4: Half Way There.

Here you can see the four guides and the slit pipe for the risers.

Step 5: Cutting the Risers to Length

Again if you have a Chop Saw or a Radial Arm Saw set a stop for your length and saw away. If you only have a miter saw and box just make careful measurements and you will be fine.

Step 6: Parts Cut and Ready for De-burring

Once you have the parts cut check their sizes and that you have four of each.

Step 7: De-burring the Sharp Edges

This is a nifty tool that de-burrs the inside and outside edges. A pocket knife will do the job too. De-burred parts just feel better in your hands.

Step 8: Squeeze Small Pipe to Fit Inside Large Pipe.

Here I'm using a vise to squeeze the small pipe so it will start into the larger pipe. Pliers would do the job too.

Step 9: Finish the Squeeze.

Here I'm pushing the small pipe in the rest of the way. You could do this with a hammer or mallet.

Step 10: Finished Parts.

One right side up and three upside down. You can hardly see the slit in the smaller pipe.

Step 11: Put Them on the Ends of the Card Table Legs.

This is the finished extension on one leg. Tip the table to add the rest.

Step 12: Close the The Same Height.

This looks a little off, but the end of the dining room table sags a bit. So when the Holiday is over I will put the extensions in the closet for next time. Hope you find this an easy fix and a Happy Holiday Meal!