Fixing A Table To The Floor

Mon, Feb 4, 2008, 4:41pm [email protected] (abby) doth sayeth:
Hi,
I just finished a table for my daughter. Its dimensions (48"w x 17"d
x 37"h)
make it too easy to tip over for my comfort. She is in an apartment so
nailing it down is out of the question. She might put down self-sticking
flooring at some point - that offers some possibilities. Is there a
clever
means of minimizing or eliminating tip overs. <snip>

Clever? Not especially. Weight it down. Set it up against the
wall. Put outrigger feet on it. Toss it and make another one. Tell
her not to bump it. Turn it upside down and use it as a hat rack and
umbrella stand. Bungee cord it to the end of the bed. Turn it upside
down, box it in, and use it as a wastebasket. The possibilities abound.



JOAT - who does not welcome thread question e-mails..

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President - Bumper Sticker

I don't have a problem with a woman president - except for Hillary.

abby took a can of maroon spray paint on February 4, 2008 04:41 pm and wrote
the following:

> Hi,
>
> I just finished a table for my daughter. Its dimensions (48"w x 17"d
> x 37"h)
> make it too easy to tip over for my comfort. She is in an apartment
> so
> nailing it down is out of the question. She might put down
> self-sticking
> flooring at some point - that offers some possibilities. Is there a
> clever
> means of minimizing or eliminating tip overs.
>
> FWIW: Tipping over might not be that much of a problem but I am a
> worrywart.
>
More info needed, four skinny legs? Pedestal base?

--
Lits Slut #9
Life would be so much easier if we could just look at the source code.

On Feb 7, 2:39 pm, mac davis <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 10:58:33 -0800 (PST), N Hurst <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> Right.. most landlords probably consider eyebolts in the wall a decor
> >> enhancement..
>
> >> mac
>
> >> Please remove splinters before emailing
>
> >Right, but a 1/4" hole in the wall is easily patched in such a way
> >that it is unnoticeable. You don't need much to secure it, just a
> >small plastic wall anchor and an eyebolt with compatible thread size.
>
> >-Nathan
>
> I don't want to get too picky, but I spent a lot of years in property
> management..
> Anything is easy to patch when you move, but some landlords would freak if they
> came for a repair or inspection and saw anything that involved holes.. They can
> get weird that way..
> (Which is a good thing, if you're doing management)
>
> mac
>
> Please remove splinters before emailing

Well, I'm posting form the point of view of someone who is going to
patch and stuff before the landlord comes around to inspect anything.

I agree that in general it's not a good thing to punch holes in stuff
that isn't yours. I figured a wall hole in an odd and less noticeable
place would be less unacceptable than holes in the floor or something
else. :-)

-Nathan

"abby" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]=20
> Hi,
>=20
> I just finished a table for my daughter. Its dimensions (48"w x 17"d
> x 37"h)
> make it too easy to tip over for my comfort. She is in an apartment
> so
> nailing it down is out of the question. She might put down
> self-sticking
> flooring at some point - that offers some possibilities. Is there a
> clever
> means of minimizing or eliminating tip overs.

What's on the floor now?

On Feb 4, 4:52 pm, "abby" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> I just finished a table for my daughter. Its dimensions (48"w x
> >> 17"d
> >> x 37"h)
> >> make it too easy to tip over for my comfort. She is in an
> >> apartment
> >> so
> > More info needed, four skinny legs? Pedestal base?
>
> Trestle legs.
>
> Sorry about the line wraps - I still haven't gotten my mail
> formatting right.

If it has trestle legs, is it not possible to increase the spread of
the feet to stabilize the table? If not, my suggestion is that you
redesign and rebuild the table so that it is stable.

On Feb 6, 2:17 am, mac davis <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Tue, 5 Feb 2008 06:49:47 -0800 (PST), N Hurst <[email protected]> wrote:
> >On Feb 4, 4:41 pm, "abby" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> Hi,
>
> >> I just finished a table for my daughter. Its dimensions (48"w x 17"d
> >> x 37"h)
> >> make it too easy to tip over for my comfort. She is in an apartment
> >> so
> >> nailing it down is out of the question. She might put down
> >> self-sticking
> >> flooring at some point - that offers some possibilities. Is there a
> >> clever
> >> means of minimizing or eliminating tip overs.
>
> >> FWIW: Tipping over might not be that much of a problem but I am a
> >> worrywart.
>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Gary
>
> >If she is going to put it against a wall, put some eyebolts into a
> >couple of wall anchors near the top of the table and then run some zip-
> >ties through the eye of the bolt and around the leg. If the legs are
> >too far in, then just mount some smaller eyebolts in the table top and
> >run the zip-tie through those. I used a similar setup to keep my 15
> >month old from pulling the Christmas tree down a few months back, so
> >it should be plenty for your needs.
>
> >-Nathan
>
> Right.. most landlords probably consider eyebolts in the wall a decor
> enhancement..
>
> mac
>
> Please remove splinters before emailing

Right, but a 1/4" hole in the wall is easily patched in such a way
that it is unnoticeable. You don't need much to secure it, just a
small plastic wall anchor and an eyebolt with compatible thread size.

-Nathan

On Feb 4, 4:41 pm, "abby" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I just finished a table for my daughter. Its dimensions (48"w x 17"d
> x 37"h)
> make it too easy to tip over for my comfort. She is in an apartment
> so
> nailing it down is out of the question. She might put down
> self-sticking
> flooring at some point - that offers some possibilities. Is there a
> clever
> means of minimizing or eliminating tip overs.
>
> FWIW: Tipping over might not be that much of a problem but I am a
> worrywart.
>
> Thanks,
> Gary

If she is going to put it against a wall, put some eyebolts into a
couple of wall anchors near the top of the table and then run some zip-
ties through the eye of the bolt and around the leg. If the legs are
too far in, then just mount some smaller eyebolts in the table top and
run the zip-tie through those. I used a similar setup to keep my 15
month old from pulling the Christmas tree down a few months back, so
it should be plenty for your needs.

-Nathan

On Feb 4, 4:41=A0pm, "abby" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I just finished a table for my daughter. =A0Its dimensions (48"w x 17"d
> x 37"h)
> make it too easy to tip over for my comfort. =A0She is in an apartment
> so
> nailing it down is out of the question. =A0She might put down
> self-sticking
> flooring at some point - that offers some possibilities. =A0Is there a
> clever
> means of minimizing or eliminating tip overs.
>
> FWIW: Tipping over might not be that much of a problem but I am a
> worrywart.
>
> Thanks,
> Gary

Take a couple of boards finished to match the table and fasten them to
the bottom of the legs like skis

On Feb 4, 4:41=A0pm, "abby" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I just finished a table for my daughter. =A0Its dimensions (48"w x 17"d
> x 37"h)
> make it too easy to tip over for my comfort. =A0She is in an apartment
> so
> nailing it down is out of the question. =A0She might put down
> self-sticking
> flooring at some point - that offers some possibilities. =A0Is there a
> clever
> means of minimizing or eliminating tip overs.

I can't think of the name of the piece of hardware, but a slick way to
do it would be to use baluster attachments. It's a circular piece of
steel about an inch in diameter, with a slot cut into the middle.
You drill a hole in the bottom of your baluster that's the same
diameter, and as deep as the steel is thick. Then you bore a deeper
hole with a little bit smaller diameter bit, to allow for clearance
for the lag bolt, which comes next...

What you do now is screw a lag bolt into the floor where you want the
baluster (or leg, in your case). Then you slip the leg over the hole,
and shove it sideways so the head of the bolt pulls the steel fastener
to the floor - the inside of the slot is beveled so the further over
you push the leg, the tighter it gets to the floor. They've got 'em
for newel posts and even oval ones for picture frames and the like. I
like these round ones because you just need the right sized forstner
bit to cut the mortise.

If this sounds like something you'd do, let me know and I'll see about
getting you 4 of them.
JP
(use mwskaneateles at adelphia dot net)

abby wrote:
>> Turn it upside down....
>> Fasten a 48" x 48" sheet of 3/4" ply.....
>> Flip back over..
>> It's now nailed to a small floor....
>
> Johnny Carson was right.
>
> Comedy is not easy! :-)

Steve Martin was right too--it's not pretty either.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Jay Pique wrote:
> On Feb 4, 4:41 pm, "abby" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I just finished a table for my daughter. Its dimensions (48"w x
>> 17"d
>> x 37"h)
>> make it too easy to tip over for my comfort. She is in an apartment
>> so
>> nailing it down is out of the question. She might put down
>> self-sticking
>> flooring at some point - that offers some possibilities. Is there a
>> clever
>> means of minimizing or eliminating tip overs.
>
> I can't think of the name of the piece of hardware, but a slick way
> to
> do it would be to use baluster attachments. It's a circular piece
> of
> steel about an inch in diameter, with a slot cut into the middle.
> You drill a hole in the bottom of your baluster that's the same
> diameter, and as deep as the steel is thick. Then you bore a
> deeper
> hole with a little bit smaller diameter bit, to allow for clearance
> for the lag bolt, which comes next...
>
> What you do now is screw a lag bolt into the floor where you want
> the
> baluster (or leg, in your case).

Most landlords get shirty if you screw lag bolts into their floors.

> Then you slip the leg over the hole,
> and shove it sideways so the head of the bolt pulls the steel
> fastener
> to the floor - the inside of the slot is beveled so the further over
> you push the leg, the tighter it gets to the floor. They've got 'em
> for newel posts and even oval ones for picture frames and the like.
> I
> like these round ones because you just need the right sized forstner
> bit to cut the mortise.
>
> If this sounds like something you'd do, let me know and I'll see
> about
> getting you 4 of them.
> JP
> (use mwskaneateles at adelphia dot net)

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

On Mon, 4 Feb 2008 16:41:23 -0500, "abby" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I just finished a table for my daughter. Its dimensions (48"w x 17"d
>x 37"h)
>make it too easy to tip over for my comfort. She is in an apartment
>so
>nailing it down is out of the question. She might put down
>self-sticking
>flooring at some point - that offers some possibilities. Is there a
>clever
>means of minimizing or eliminating tip overs.
>
>FWIW: Tipping over might not be that much of a problem but I am a
>worrywart.
>
>Thanks,
>Gary
Turn it upside down....
Fasten a 48" x 48" sheet of 3/4" ply.....
Flip back over..
It's now nailed to a small floor....


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:40:22 GMT, "George" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"abby" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>> Turn it upside down....
>>> Fasten a 48" x 48" sheet of 3/4" ply.....
>>> Flip back over.. It's now nailed to a small floor....
>>
>> Johnny Carson was right.
>> Comedy is not easy! :-)
>>
>>
>
>Comedy? Can you come up with an easier non-invasive, easily-reversable way
>of doing it? Extend the ply beyond the footprint as it should be so the
>chair she's in helps stabilize even more. If you're a picky type, put
>flooring on the plywood or carpet it. When she's capable, unscrew and make
>it the cat's playpen.

Thanks, George... It seemed like a good fit, with a 48" long but very narrow
table..
I'm not sure why folks took it as a joke, other than my rep as a smart ass..

As an ex-property manager, I thought it was an easy way to make the table more
stable and not piss off the landlord..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 10:58:33 -0800 (PST), N Hurst <[email protected]> wrote:


>> Right.. most landlords probably consider eyebolts in the wall a decor
>> enhancement..
>>
>> mac
>>
>> Please remove splinters before emailing
>
>Right, but a 1/4" hole in the wall is easily patched in such a way
>that it is unnoticeable. You don't need much to secure it, just a
>small plastic wall anchor and an eyebolt with compatible thread size.
>
>-Nathan

I don't want to get too picky, but I spent a lot of years in property
management..
Anything is easy to patch when you move, but some landlords would freak if they
came for a repair or inspection and saw anything that involved holes.. They can
get weird that way..
(Which is a good thing, if you're doing management)


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

>> I just finished a table for my daughter. Its dimensions (48"w x
>> 17"d
>> x 37"h)
>> make it too easy to tip over for my comfort. She is in an
>> apartment
>> so

> More info needed, four skinny legs? Pedestal base?

Trestle legs.

Sorry about the line wraps - I still haven't gotten my mail
formatting right.

On Tue, 5 Feb 2008 06:49:47 -0800 (PST), N Hurst <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Feb 4, 4:41 pm, "abby" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I just finished a table for my daughter. Its dimensions (48"w x 17"d
>> x 37"h)
>> make it too easy to tip over for my comfort. She is in an apartment
>> so
>> nailing it down is out of the question. She might put down
>> self-sticking
>> flooring at some point - that offers some possibilities. Is there a
>> clever
>> means of minimizing or eliminating tip overs.
>>
>> FWIW: Tipping over might not be that much of a problem but I am a
>> worrywart.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Gary
>
>If she is going to put it against a wall, put some eyebolts into a
>couple of wall anchors near the top of the table and then run some zip-
>ties through the eye of the bolt and around the leg. If the legs are
>too far in, then just mount some smaller eyebolts in the table top and
>run the zip-tie through those. I used a similar setup to keep my 15
>month old from pulling the Christmas tree down a few months back, so
>it should be plenty for your needs.
>
>-Nathan

Right.. most landlords probably consider eyebolts in the wall a decor
enhancement..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"abby" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>> Turn it upside down....
>> Fasten a 48" x 48" sheet of 3/4" ply.....
>> Flip back over.. It's now nailed to a small floor....
>
> Johnny Carson was right.
> Comedy is not easy! :-)
>
>

Comedy? Can you come up with an easier non-invasive, easily-reversable way
of doing it? Extend the ply beyond the footprint as it should be so the
chair she's in helps stabilize even more. If you're a picky type, put
flooring on the plywood or carpet it. When she's capable, unscrew and make
it the cat's playpen.

> Turn it upside down....
> Fasten a 48" x 48" sheet of 3/4" ply.....
> Flip back over..
> It's now nailed to a small floor....

Johnny Carson was right.

Comedy is not easy! :-)

Gary