Lagun table bracket mod

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Chotch

Like the flexibility of rotating and swinging the table. This may be the travel position.

Hi: Chotch... Flexibility is good. Some times for travel mode we put the table down in the bed position and put a cheap tarp on the cushions and stack the outside chairs on it. I'm really liking the open floor concept too.
How about joining our Niagara wine Escape Sept 15-17 so I can have a closer look? Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Chotch]

Originally Posted by ReagentGrade

Awesome job Mark!

I have a Lagun awaiting a 5.0 TA to put it in.

Did you make that brace out of aluminum with braised joints? It looks like it. That would be a lot lighter that steel and should be plenty strong. I like the angle iron too. Is it steel or aluminum?

My only reservation on your brace is how much space it takes up. Having said that, you'll never need to reinforce it. You definitely did this "h--l for stout!"

Like you, I'll start with the 3/4 inch plywood backing and maybe angle aluminum along the top. But I'll probably go with a couple of shelf brackets like these. I think they"ll be strong enough. If not, I can replace them with something like you made.


As much as I like the Lagun's folding tables, I'll stick with the ETI's standard table for now.

I can see that were going to have a LOT of Laguns in use by this time next year!

Rich

PS I bought an extra table mount plate when I purchased my Lagun. Now I'm trying to figure out a good use for it.

Anyone have ideas on this?

This is what I did, ain't pretty but but seems ridged enough
As for your extra bracket, maybe attach to bumper for table use outside?

[Chotch]

Side view

[ReagentGrade]

Cliff,

That angled 2x4 should hold up the table jess fine! I agree with the idea about putting the extra mount on the bumper. I'm not sure if I want to move the table in and out of the trailer. Depends on how heavy it is. But I could mount a handle underneath the table to make it easier to schlep around.

Something to think about.

Rich

[Chotch]

Originally Posted by ReagentGrade

Cliff,

That angled 2x4 should hold up the table jess fine! I agree with the idea about putting the extra mount on the bumper. I'm not sure if I want to move the table in and out of the trailer. Depends on how heavy it is. But I could mount a handle underneath the table to make it easier to schlep around.

Something to think about.

Rich

The stock table is incredibly lite, think it's made from luan.
I was thinking about shelf bracing myself but came across the hurricane clips left over from past project . Hey they're already paid for....

Think I would look for a brace with a cross piece though. Hard to beat a triangle for structural strength.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by Chotch

The stock table is incredibly lite, think it's made from luan.

Are you describing the stock ETI table?

[Chotch]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Are you describing the stock ETI table?

i

Yup...

[float5]

Our ETI tables have been heavy. Maybe they are different in the new models.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by float5

Our ETI tables have been heavy. Maybe they are different in the new models.

I think "heavy" is a relative term. I find the ETI supplied table in my 2015 5.0TA to be much lighter than the tables I have had in previous RVs. I have a nephew who has offered to make me a table out of hand selected Black Walnut (he has a sawmill, solar kiln, a wide surface planer, and a variety of available trees). I would expect it would weigh 10 or more pounds than the ETI table and be far more attractive. Still, I am not sure that a visually stunning table outweighs the lighter weight of what I now have. Then again, mine is mounted on a Springfield pedestal so I do not move it around.

[cpaharley2008]

I think the fact that most of these questions are referencing either a Escape 21 or 5.0 with the "U" dinette option, then the table is smaller and lighter than the standard sized table in a standard set up in the 21 or 19 or 5.0 due to it's size differential.

[Mary F]

Maybe the standard dinette table would be light without the extra piece of plywood on the bottom (the one that attaches it to the base posts and allows it to slide from side-to-side). As ours is, I would never think of describing it as light.

[ReagentGrade]

Originally Posted by Chotch

The stock table is incredibly lite, think it's made from luan.

Cliff,

I suspect that 3/4" plywood is probably the table substrate. It's strong and relatively light.

Isn't a 5.0 TA's u-shaped dinette table about 34x34? With the cut off front corners, that's about 1/4 the area of a 4x8 sheet of plywood. A sheet of plywood is about 70 lbs. A quarter would be 17.5 lbs. Grade 12/HGP Formica is about 1/4 lbs per square foot; this adds about 2 lbs. If the edging is 1/2 lbs, that totals about 20 lbs for the table. Do you think your table is about 20 pounds?

The Lagun table mounting plate adds about 2 lbs. The vertical and horizontal arms might add 5 lbs more (when stowed on the table plate).

At 27 lbs it should be pretty easy to move around especially since the stowed arms give you something to grip. If that was to much, it would be 22 lbs without the arms (but harder to grip).

Now I need to figure out an elegant way to attach the base plate to the bumper. It'd be nice if it was easy on/easy off.

Rich

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by ReagentGrade

Isn't a 5.0 TA's u-shaped dinette table about 34x34?

35x30, though I shortened mine down to 29.5 as I did not want the corners cut big on the front side, and needed to avoid cabinetry there.

All the counter/table corners in my trailer are tight 1" radius curves.

[Chotch]

[QUOTE=ReagentGrade;197612]Cliff,

I suspect that 3/4" plywood is probably the table substrate. It's strong and relatively light.

Isn't a 5.0 TA's u-shaped dinette table about 34x34? With the cut off front corners, that's about 1/4 the area of a 4x8 sheet of plywood. A sheet of plywood is about 70 lbs. A quarter would be 17.5 lbs. Grade 12/HGP Formica is about 1/4 lbs per square foot; this adds about 2 lbs. If the edging is 1/2 lbs, that totals about 20 lbs for the table. Do you think your table is about 20 pounds?

The Lagun table mounting plate adds about 2 lbs. The vertical and horizontal arms might add 5 lbs more (when stowed on the table plate).

At 27 lbs it should be pretty easy to move around especially since the stowed arms give you something to grip. If that was to much, it would be 22 lbs without the arms (but harder to grip).

Now I need to figure out an elegant way to attach the base plate to the bumper. It'd be nice if it was easy on/easy off.

Rich[/QUO

Table with attached hardware, 15lbs
Vertical and horizontal arms, 5 lbs
Table with just Lagun plate, 10 lbs. 3/4"x 29 x 35 , I think luan plywood
All weights measured on my incredibly accurate , personally calibrated bathroom scale.

[Chotch]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

I think "heavy" is a relative term. I find the ETI supplied table in my 2015 5.0TA to be much lighter than the tables I have had in previous RVs. I have a nephew who has offered to make me a table out of hand selected Black Walnut (he has a sawmill, solar kiln, a wide surface planer, and a variety of available trees). I would expect it would weigh 10 or more pounds than the ETI table and be far more attractive. Still, I am not sure that a visually stunning table outweighs the lighter weight of what I now have. Then again, mine is mounted on a Springfield pedestal so I do not move it around.

Your Springfield pedestal could probably handle extra weight, I'd think twice about extra weight on Lagun set up. Significant mechanical advantage, or maybe disadvantage in play.

[ReagentGrade]

Cliff, that doesn't look like any plywood I've seen and the weight is way too low for plywood. Schlepping it out of the trailer when needed sounds easier and easier.

How does ETI build it so it supports someone sleeping on it?

[Chotch]

Originally Posted by ReagentGrade

Cliff, that doesn't look like any plywood I've seen and the weight is way too low for plywood. Schlepping it out of the trailer when needed sounds easier and easier.

How does ETI build it so it supports someone sleeping on it?

I expected it to heavier, but it does appear to be some type of plywood. Some have cut their tables down and they could say for sure. Do they make plywood from balsa wood?

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Chotch

I expected it to heavier, but it does appear to be some type of plywood. Some have cut their tables down and they could say for sure. Do they make plywood from balsa wood?

Hi: Chotch... BC Forest Products 5/8th. ply. What's that in mm? It's Canadian so it'll be metric and probably part of the "Softwood" dispute too!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Chotch

I expected it to heavier, but it does appear to be some type of plywood.
...
Do they make plywood from balsa wood?

Balsa plywood seems unlikely, but where weight is important people make table tops from two thin layers of plywood facing a core of wooden framework, or foam, or corrugated material.

Originally Posted by escape artist

... BC Forest Products 5/8th. ply. What's that in mm? It's Canadian so it'll be metric...

5/8 of an inch is 15.875 mm, but the nominal thickness is 15.5 mm.

[Chotch]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: e will tell... Flexibility is good. Some times for travel mode we put the table down in the bed position and put a cheap tarp on the cushions and stack the outside chairs on it. I'm really liking the open floor concept too.
How about joining our Niagara wine Escape Sept 15-17 so I can have a closer look? Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

I would think the bed position would be very stable, don't think I'd want to leave it up on the standard set up. Can you do that?

With the Lagun just loosen clamps, position, tighten clamps and you're good to go. The Springfield pedestal I guess just as easy. But I have about 7 square feet of floor space for whatever. Got to go camping to see if it works as expected.

The Niagara thing sounds interesting even if I couldn't tell a good wine from a Doctor Pepper!