folding tables: correlation height v width

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Rudy Mueller
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Location: Grafton WI 53024 RMUELLERMKE@GMAIL.COM

folding tables: correlation height v width

Post by Rudy Mueller »

one occasionally sees zither tables with folding (collapsible) legs, with the legs not folding "flat" to the surface of the top. the end result is a table cumbersome and difficult to transport. on these tables, the leg assembly on one side of the table is frequently more narrow than on the other, so that the left hand and right hand leg assemblies collapse (or fold) between one another.

in this discussion the term "length" will be used to describe the dimension of the table from left to right, not (depth) from the player to the note stand. height will be the dimension from the floor to the table top surface.

it seems there might be a correlation between the length of the table and the table height, if the legs are to fold flat.

the length of the leg assembly includes the actual length of the legs, plus length added by any cross bracing, if it extends above the top of the legs.

the entire leg assembly must include the width of the side board and twice the width of the leg/cross-bracing sub-assembly. the top length must then reflect the sum of these ON EACH SIDE. if one selects wood stock of equal thickness for the side, the leg/cross-bracing assembly, and then does the same on both sides of the table, the minimum table length for the legs to fold flat under the table and between the sides will be the length of the leg assembly plus six times the thickness of the stock used. one should of course add a cm or so for assurance. for example, if it is desired to have a table 60 cm tall from the floor to the top, if the legs are 57.5 cm, and the wood stock used for the sides and the table leg/cross brace assembly is 2.5 cm, then the absolute minimum length of the table will be 57.5 + 6 x 2.5 = 72.5 cm. adding a cm or so for "play" would make the length 73+ cm

if this is done, the table should fold flat. this should apply to both the solid top as well as the "open face" style tables.

any comments??

rudy
Rudy Mueller
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Re: folding tables: correlation height v width

Post by Rudy Mueller »

hi again,

under construction here in grafton are two "open" table tops, one 68 cm where the legs "don't fit, and another 73 cm, where the legs will fold flat. pics will be posted as soon as the carpentry (not finishing) are complete, two tops, one set of legs. (#1 will end up in the dumpster).

any comments on using a strong, light wood (ex cedar) for the open style frame vs something like maple?? several years ago in our village a congregation tore down their church, and offered any of the remaining materials to the villagers...i picked up a 12 foot 10x10 cedar beam (3.5m x 25cm x 25cm), which had been used to frame the steeple...picking it up by myself, and taking it home on our radio flyer coaster wagon....the church was over 100 years old.

another question...in sound reflection, the angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence. if, in the open frame tables, the reflecting surface is at 45° to the table surface, the angle of incidence of the begleitung will vary continuously down the reflecting board. will the angle of incidence of the base also vary??? will this variation create "dead spots" of various begleitung/bass sections out there in the broadcast area???

historically, ships have run aground because of "dead spots" in the broadcast area of fog horns. hmmmm.

lots to think about. PLEASE comment.

rudy
Rudy Mueller
Posts: 603
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2011 8:33 am
Location: Grafton WI 53024 RMUELLERMKE@GMAIL.COM

Re: folding tables: correlation height v width

Post by Rudy Mueller »

table # 2 is tennessee walnut, quite hard, and the original tree must have grown on a steep hill; quite distressed. normally, if one cuts through an "s4s" (surfaced on four sides, all either 90° or "flat"), the pieces will remain "true"....but not for distressed wood.

however, this simple frame seems to have a different, better, sound to it. frame # 1 will go into re-cycling this week. regrets, no pictures as of now....however, the legs still do not fit.

rudy
Rudy Mueller
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Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2011 8:33 am
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Re: angle of incidence = angle of refliction

Post by Rudy Mueller »

hello again,

a few posts ago i questioned the angle of the "reflector" surface vis a vis the top surface of the table in open top zither tables, and received no replies (see posts above).

well, i'm about to start construction of the reflector surface of the table in progress, and not hearing any response, will set it at 45° to the top surface, but the angle will be variable to greater angles for trial. in the future i'll refer to this one (walnut, 1x3", or 25x75 mm stock) as rev 2. rev 3 is already being considered.

hope to have this at least in playable state for the next local zither sunday, march 25.

rudy
Kennethpauls
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Re: folding tables: correlation height v width

Post by Kennethpauls »

Here are some photos of a zither table my wife had constructed for me as a present. Dr. Sam Thomas at C.L.U. fabricated this in his spare time. It's made of walnut; the top folds down like a piano's to protect the instrument when not playing. Because the Perfekta is such a large instrument, the table's pretty damn big too, but it produces great deep sound to compliment.
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Rudy Mueller
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Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2011 8:33 am
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Re: folding tables: correlation height v width

Post by Rudy Mueller »

INCREDIBLE! WHAT A PIECE OF CRAFTSMANSHIP!
YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH SOME VERY KIND FRIENDS.

RUDY
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Dave
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Re: folding tables: correlation height v width

Post by Dave »

Beautiful work! The National Music Museum has a zither table in their collection that is functionally similar yours. At the following link, the three photos at the bottom of the page show the zither table in various states of configuration. Each image can be clicked on for a more detailed view.

http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/Zithers/Schwarz ... 12881.html
We do not take humor seriously enough. —Konrad Lorenz
kenbloom
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Re: folding tables: correlation height v width

Post by kenbloom »

There is a photo of me and my table on my Facebook page. It is for my perfekta zither. It is portable but rather substantial. I have found that the best quality sound and volume ist o be had using a "soft" hardwood of fairly substantial thickness. The table I play my perfekta on has top of sycamore with a mahogany strip down the middle ( to make it wide enough). The legs fold into the table for easier transport. I made this table for a different perfekta zither so the case for my zither doesn't fit inside of the table as I planned. The best sound I ever got was using a large mahogany dining room table which gave me incredible bass but was not at all practical for dragging around with you.

Ken Bloom
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