Widget's Grooming Table Project

[Muugi]

I have started work on a grooming table for Widget. I have put together a prototype and was looking for input (a design review of sorts). Any and all comments or suggestions are welcome.

In the prototype the table top is constructed of a piece of particle board I had lying about. In the finished product I found a nice piece of MDO (Medium Density Overlay plywood) which I will cut to the correct shape.

I plan to use a spray on rubber coating (Plast Dip) to finish the top and sides of the table to give it a durable grip surface.

The proposed dimensions of the top is 36" long by 21.5" wide. I was hoping to have my table a bit shorter but since the legs are about 30" tall the table needs to be longer than the legs in order for them to fold up underneath. The length maybe just long enough to put out some grooming supplies while grooming the dog. I was debating about the width. The width of the legs at the bottom is approximately 24.5". In order for the legs to fully fold under the table the table would need to be as wide as the legs. In my opinion, a 24-25" table top looked overwhelming. Also, it seemed a bit big for the tight quarters of a grooming area at the dog show. Thinning it down to 21.5 seemed to make it look less intrusive. The rounded corners also added to a smaller feeling.

The legs are folding table legs. Unfrotunately I could not find the legs that are meant to be folded on top of each other. Therefore, one of the legs does not fully fold flat. The legs make the table sit at 30" above the ground. I may replace the plastic covers on the end of the legs with rubber ends. 30" is a bit shorter than desired but I don't see many options for making it taller.

Girl not included. Also, I probably will not reproduce the crayon scribbles and dora the explorer stickers on the bottom of the finished table.

The finished table should weigh between 15 and 20 lbs. Total finished cost in USD should be about $32 (Legs $20, rubber spray $7, plywood $5).

[mattoleriver]

I have a 24"x36" grooming table that is larger than I care for, well, at least for a Cairn. I am the rankest of rank amateurs and the least experienced of groomers so I find it particularly difficult if I have to chase my dog all over the tabletop. My solution was to build a small platform that fits atop my grooming table and keeps my Cairn from moving around so much.

>I was hoping to have my table a bit shorter but since the legs are about 30" tall the table needs to be longer than the legs in order for them to fold up underneath.

How about shimming one leg assembly down ~1 1/2" from the bottom of the table and removing an equal amount of length from the bottom of the leg. The folded legs could then be overlapped allowing a shorter overall table length. It looks like you could gain a few inches that way but it might interfere with your plan to round the corners.

>Unfrotunately I could not find the legs that are meant to be folded on top of each other. Therefore, one of the legs does not fully fold flat.

See above

>30" is a bit shorter than desired but I don't see many options for making it taller.

Something similar to this should be reasonably easy and inexpensive to put together. http://tinyurl.com/2xagkx

Good luck

George

[Greg P]

Looks like a fun project. I would like to see your the rubberized surface. That may work out well. As for height, that all depends on the height of the groomer. My DH always had to have both her tables whacked becuase they weren't comfortable for her.

[bradl]

Crude but effective for raising the height: drop the legs into PVC pipes. They also sell both fixed and adjustable leg extenders that attach with set screws - but they are so expensive that by then you'd have paid for a pre-built "tall toy" table. Plus the extenders stick out and can prevent the legs from folding properly. I use them on my table at home, but I don't take it anywhere.

To get the legs folding flat, you could mount one end on a block (say, two inches). Fold the first set of legs down first and then the second should lay flat above that. This is assuming the folding problem is that one set of legs angles upward when folded. It looks fine in the picture, but angles can be deceiving. For instance, the weather looks terrific in that photo. Clearly that can't be Oregon in winter.