Escape Dinette Table Alternative

[TKscape]

Escape Table Alternative

We recently purchased a new 5.0 and can’t say enough good things about our experience with ETI. However, prior to our purchase I was reading about the wobbly table problem. So, having previously designed a table for a prior owned T@B 320, I decided to apply this design to the 5.0.
My only regret is that in retrospect we should have ordered the optional Springfield pedestal from ETI. Instead we ordered the standard dinette table/mount setup without the wrap-a-round seating. While the wrap-a-round seating is a nice option, since it’s just the two of us, we decided to stick with the standard seating. Plus, this allowed me to get the most flexibility out of the table design. Please see the attached Photos for construction detail and the final Product installed.

For the table design I wanted to use a double-leaf approach with a 12” lockable slider so it could be used as a 2-person dinette, a 4-person dinette, casual/coffee table, and of course as a bed in the lowered position. Also, the slider would allow full rotation, as needed. Additionally, I wanted to use solid maple for appearance and to match the maple interior of our 5.0. As one would expect, the use of solid maple and the Springfield Pedestal contributes to a significant weight increase of 19#. Current weight is 49# compared to 30# for the standard ETI table and mount.

Following is a BOM with approximate costs:
Springfield Pedestal: $320.
(2) 12”, lockable full extension drawer slides: $50.
(8) 3/4” x 6” x 36” maple boards: $160.
Misc. Home depot items: $40.
3/16” x 3/4” x 36” steel bar for leaf slide latches
1/8” x 2” aluminum for leaf slide latch retainers
(6) leaf hinges
(4) drawer pulls for leaf slide latches
Screws, polyurethane, etc.

This all adds up to a whopping $570. But, if you already have the pedestal, the table top by itself is a more reasonable $250.

Do note that the position of the pedestal mount to the floor is determined with the slide in it's front locked position so that the rear of the table top in the 2-person dinette mode is close (approx. 1 inch) to the rear wall of the trailer. This is also the recommended travel position since the sliders are locked.

For those of you who have the wrap-a-round seating, the table size and mounting will have to be modified to suit your needs.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have regarding the build process or the attached photos.

[Upfisk]

The 2 bench seats look just terrific, it really opens up the inside and makes it look larger compared to the U Shape.

[Centex]

Nice dining area setup, excellent write-up and descriptive pics, thanks for posting!

I'm opting to not have an ETI installed table, not sure yet exactly the configuration I want to build, but you've certainly added to the list of great ideas to borrow from

One question - with your 5.0 delivered sans table/mounts, how did you fasten the Springfield to the floor? Did you bolt through the shell or did you find the floor sufficiently thick/robust that you were able to use screws (not penetrating the shell) at any location of your choosing?

OT - is that the (now discontinued as a standard option) "Millcreek Axle" flooring?

[HABBERDABBER]

Thank you for your nice write up of your efforts. It appears to my eye that you have the Swiss Army Table of tables. Cool......

[sofmerc]

Very nice! rethinking the U shaped dinette now ,lol

[marsman]

Love that table design for sure. We also chose to go with the standard seating; we sat in the U shaped dinette they had in a 5TA in the lot and it felt quite constricted spacewise; FYI I'm a pretty big dude and 6'3" tall. Love my standard bench seating now. lots of jiggling around room when I'm sittin at the table!

The only thing we have noticed with our large table mounted on a Springfield pedestal is that the thumb screw lock on it does not work that well and we used to find it moved around if we were driving over a long day or rough roads so now we often stow it in the bed position if we know there'll be rough roads or a very long drive.

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

That is really nice. I like all the options you have with it.

[CoolCampingKid]

All I can say is Lagun. Many of those fancy bases take up precious feet room, IMHO. My table is smaller then original but can be moved all over with the Lagun base. Although I am not sure that it would work on a unit without the "U" shaped dinette.

[TKscape]

I checked with ETI on how to mount the Springfield pedestal and they said screwing to the 1/2" floor plywood is adequate. So that's what I did without penetrating the fiberglass shell and using the same 1/2" screws that ETI used. However, if this ever fails, I'll use bolts and nuts through the shell since there appears to be adequate spacing between the shell bottom and the water tank. I'm also going to replace the flooring in the dinette area with Millcreek Axel to cover over the holes of the ETI standard mount.

[Centex]

^^ Thank You! ^^

The more I look the more I like ... you've built a really nice arrangement there, big kudos!

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by sofmerc

Very nice! rethinking the U shaped dinette now ,lol

Yep, had the standard table in 17B, went with the U shape as it was cool looking, yet if I had to do over again would go standard; this table setup is awesome, and the Springfield for a larger/heavier table is more stable than anything else.

[Great Eggstrications]

A thing beyond beauty.

Please make one for me - I'll PM you my address and pay for shipping! I already have a Springfield installed.

[sofmerc]

Changed my mind! I was going to go with U shaped and Lagun... Will miss the Lagun but I like the opened up area more. Willing to give up legroom for it. Springfield base and standard dinette for me now. Thanx!

[LRL]

I absolutely love this and would like to spend a few weekends building such a thing, but need way more help than your description and photos provide, even though you did a great job describing and photographing (due to my inexperience). Is there any way you could give even more details re: parts and how you attached to the pedestal, etc? Probably I’m asking too much, and will fully understand a “no” answer! Thanks for sharing what you have.

[TKscape]

Originally Posted by LRL

I absolutely love this and would like to spend a few weekends building such a thing, but need way more help than your description and photos provide, even though you did a great job describing and photographing (due to my inexperience). Is there any way you could give even more details re: parts and how you attached to the pedestal, etc? Probably I’m asking too much, and will fully understand a “no” answer! Thanks for sharing what you have.

Following is more detail on how to mount the table top to the pedestal using a lockable full extension slide and the positioning rationale I used for our 5.0 with the standard two-bench dinette. As reference, please refer to the second photo of my original post showing the upside down view of the assembled top.

First of all here is a list of materials for the mount:
1. Vadania VD2053 (or comparable) full extension ball bearing 12” drawer slide.
2. For the wood rails that mount to the slider I used 3/4” solid maple left overs from building the top but any hardwood will do.
3. The inner rails that screw directly to the 1/4” pedestal mounting plate are 12” long x 2” wide while the outer rails that are attached to the table top are 12” long x 2-1/2” wide. When properly attached to the two halves of the slider, this provides 1/4” of space between the top of the pedestal mounting plate and the underside of the dinette top so the top can freely slide.
4. I used countersunk 3” screws to attach the outer rails to the table top. Be very careful with this step so the screws don’t penetrate more than 5/8” into the 3/4” table top. One could alternately use angle brackets for this attachment.

Rationale for positioning the mount an floor attachment for this 38-1/8” x 41” top.
A. I wanted the pedestal floor mount approximately centered on the dinette floor.
B. I wanted to minimize the offset but still allow rotation of the top between 2-person and 4-person configuration with the leaves extended.
C. I wanted the 2-person configuration to be about 1” from the rear wall with the slider oriented front to rear and locked. Note that with the table rotated to the 4-person configuration the slide action is left/right. This allows for sideways movement to facilitate bench seat entry and to adjust, as needed, when lowering the table to bed position.

Accounting for all these requirements resulted in a 4” offset (in other words, the mounted pedestal assembly when locked is shifted 4” towards the front of the center line of the top when in 2-person configuration).

A couple other build tips:
1) A router is a necessity for edging and a plunge attachment is helpful in cutting the leaf slide-lock grooves.
2) I used a biscuit cutter with 5 biscuits per each joint of the table top.
3) A good belt sander is needed to level the joints and rough sanding. An orbital sander is also helpful for final sanding.
4) For the finish I used 10-12 coats of wipe-on polyurethane made by thinning oil base poly with 50% mineral spirits. Many online instructions on how-to.

[LRL]

Thank you for that detailed response! Cheers.

[Tonny LR]

Beautiful dinette table alternative and an excellent detailed write up.

Tonny LR

[TKscape]

Oops! I just noticed a wrong dimension in build details. The table width is 35-1/8” (not 38-1/8”).

[Tonny LR]

May I ask for the dimension of the sub-base which the table top mounted on it with the slider.

Tonny LR

[TKscape]

The pedestal mount itself is 12” x 12” x 1/4” thick. The maple mounting rails are 3/4” thick. Plus, you need at least 1/8” clearance between each outer rail and the edge of the pedestal mount. This all adds up to a minimum sub-base dimension of approximately 12” ( the pedestal /slide mount) x 13-3/4” (12” pedestal mount + 1-1/2” for the two outer rails + 1/4” for two clearances).

Hope this is helpful. IMO the actual size of the sub-base is not all that critical as long as it is compatible with the slides, can be securely attached to the top and pedestal mounting plate and slides freely.