# Lift Top Coffee Table



## DeputyMike (Aug 16, 2008)

A friend of mine wants me to help build him a lift top coffee table. I have never seen the mechanisms that Rockler and Lee Valley sell up close, but I can't imagine them being very sturdy. Have any of you guys come up with a way to build a lift top table WITHOUT using anybody's hardware?


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Some sturdy wooden arms?


G


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## Julian the woodnut (Nov 5, 2008)

The hardware is actually quite sturdy. A friend of mine has a table that he bought with the same setup as rockler sells and it works fine. There's a reason its so expensive, because it's a complicated system that works well.


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

I can assure you, the design on the Rockler website, found here: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2318&filter=coffee%20table%20lift will be quite sturdy. The specs on the Rockler site say it is rated to 100 pounds and recommend the table top to be 20-23 pounds.

I wouldn't go trying to dance on the table with it "popped up" but it will be sufficient for most people's needs by a good margin.

That said, designing some simple wooden arms that locked into place wouldn't be too difficult, though it would require the extra step of "locking" the arms.


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## mi77915 (Jul 26, 2009)

I've had a lift top coffee table for 9 years now and it has held up great!! The lift unit is not the one that Rockler sells, I bought this coffee table already made (from a large furniture distributor).

Tom


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

I think that he wants to build this WITHOUT store bought hardware. Seems it would be a complicated job.

G


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