Matthew Stevens, Extending dining table (Student Awards 2018)

This is an extending dining table from 8 to 10 to 12 seater. Why did I make it? The dining table was made off the back of my mum’s idea. She had been looking to buy a new dining table for the living room since the current one is almost 100 years old and is starting to fall apart. She couldn’t find the right dining table, which is where I came in. For my school project I wanted to make something a little more complex and complicated then the average project, with myself really wanting a moveable part or two. The extendable dining table was perfect for this as it suited mum’s needs as she could help show me what designs I wanted and I could enjoy making it along with the complexity of the moveable parts. The dining table consists of two main tops that are split in half in the middle, they run on top of an extendable slider like those seen in a wardrobe or a drawer (this one is a little more heavy duty). The table is made out of 100% Australian woods with the main parts such as the top, legs, and structure being Tasmanian blackwood. The table was split into different stages of production with the wood for the legs and structure arriving first. Legs were the first to be completed followed by the structure. Later the table top pieces arrived they are attached together with biscuits, this was the most time consuming as it has to be sanded back cut and dressed all together. Overall the table was probably not a good idea to take on during the final year of school, however it was a lot of fun and taught me a lot about time management. Year 12, Haileybury College, Keysborough, Vic. Teacher: Stephen Hughes

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