New Cabin Table

[Roger Long]

My Dickenson heater installation will require a new cabin table since the old table hinged down from the shelves that have been removed. Although it was nice and big, dinner for six wasn't crowded, I won't miss it. Leaving it down in a seaway was always a worry since someone catching themselves against it could pull the hinges right apart leaving me with two big boards to figure out how to stow. Having it fold up against the shelves made them inconvenient to use.

For the new table, I am going to install a 1" S.S. stanchion between the cabin sole and the overhead with a 7/8" rail running forward from that which will be attached to the side of the head longitudinal bulkhead. The side bunks are not the same distance off centerline so it was one of those thing that worked out just right. I didn't want to compromise the integrity of the mast support by drilling or welding it and also had visions of someone falling against the table putting a side load on the column just as it was being maximally stressed in a knockdown, just when someone is most likely to fall.

http://www.rogerlongboats.com/images/CabinTable.gif

The table support rail will also serve as a guard rail to keep anyone from being thrown hard against the hot cabin heater and as an additional handrail. There are already full height stanchions at the end of each side berth. The interior may not be quite as spacious as before but it is going to be very, very secure for moving about in heavy weather and anyone thrown out of a bunk in a knockdown is not going to go nearly as far as before.

[JimConlin]

I'd think about a central section of the table, maybe 3" wide, with a trough or pockets to hold the things you'd like to leave out on a dining table. Things like condiments, napkins, maybe even silverware.

A lamp on the stanchion might be nice, too.

[Roger Long]

I'd think about a central section of the table, maybe 3" wide, with a trough or pockets to hold the things you'd like to leave out on a dining table.

I did and it was actually drawn of the version that appeared here briefly until I started working it out in detail.

The table often has to double as a nav station in my boat so I want it unobstructed from side to side. I've cut back significantly on the woodwork in the new design and the leaves now can hinge up about 30 degrees which gives the option of supporting them with chains from the overhead to angle the table on long tacks. The current arrangement also picks up an inch of aisle and leg width each side.

This could new easily be a swinging table but they don't work out well on small boats I've heard. (If anyone has solid experience to the contrary, please chime in. It would be cool.)

I plan to support the leaves with the s.s. removable table legs I have now. They are a bit of a pain from the leg room standpoint but provide good support and are quick and simple. They also have nice sharp, heavy, rectangular flanges at the upper ends and are the right length and heft for repelling boarders so I'd like to have a rational for keeping them on board:)

[paladin]

I might be able to get you a pet cat that can easily repel boarders.

[Roger Long]

I would be inclined to increase the diameter of the tube upright.

I finally got to the office were I had the stuff to run the numbers.

Yup, it needs to be stronger but I don't want to make it bigger for appearance and so I can use the nice Taco fittings.

There is a whole range of yield strengths for 304 Stainless depending on temper and work hardening during forming. I called Taco and the fellow I spoke to seemed a bit vague about what I was talking about. He said he would have engineering send me an email but I’m not holding my breath. Since the stuff is made in China, I think we can assume the lowest number, 35,000 psi.

That means that an 80 pound sideways pull on the middle of the stanchion would bend it. I can see that happening with someone falling against it in a hard roll. Deflection would be a bit over an inch. A 160 pound person would put about the same load on it sharing the load between the structural bulkhead and the stanchion. I would certainly bend everything falling out of my bunk onto the table in a knockdown.

My two current handhold stanchions, being supported up to counter height, are good for about 130 pounds of sideways load before being permanently bent. Due to their location in the galley, that’s probably good enough.

Enter this outfit: Online Metals http://www.onlinemetals.com/index.cfm

For less than 50 bucks plus shipping, they will send me a piece of A513 DOM steel tube .875 O.D. x .156 wall thickness. If I use the lighter gauge polished S.S. Taco railing with an I.D. of .902, the steel tube will slip right in with some epoxy to keep it from rattling around and an epoxy plug in each end to keep the water out. This stuff is difficult to weld and machine but I don’t have to do that. It has a yield strength of 72,000 so is good for a load of 214 pounds on the middle before taking a permanent bend. Add the 80 pounds from the S.S. tube, and the stanchion is good for 294 pounds which should take most people hanging on it in a 90 degree knockdown or some dynamic loading from a falling person.

The table rail, if increased to 1”, is only good for 134 pounds using the Taco tubing alone so I’ll probably make it the same way.

If Taco gets back to me with yield numbers significantly higher for their tubing, I’ll let you know.

[paladin]

Online Metals are good people. I use them for a lot of the metal that I use in my operation. They cut and form as needed, and machine at reasonable prices also.