Casie has done a great job keeping her Esty shop — ModApple.net — up to date and in order, but the changing light was making photography tough. Plus, we were using the dining room, which meant that — on shooting days — our house looked like an antique shop.
I had wanted to use the garage as a storage and "processing" space for her and it dawned on me that it'd make a nice shooting space, too. Even without flash, the light in there is pretty good and we just needed a space to do it. Enter Ikea.
With two inexpensive Ikea tabletops and a pair of odd Sweedish hinges we found in the shelving section, we were able to fashion a folding table. And, as luck would have it, the spacing between the standards in the garage door where the perfect size to house the "background" tabletop.
The shopping list:
- 2 Ikea Vika Amon table tops matching in size (we used a white one and a walnut one)
- 2 Ikea Ekby Riset adjustable shelving beackets (hinges)
- 2 fender washers, 2 machine bolts, 2 wingnuts (to replace the Ikea hex-head nut)
- 2 Ikea Ekby Lerberg brackets (to support the weight of the table when down — the keyhole design of these make them easily removable when the table is not in use)
Because of the left/right nature of the hinges, I needed to replace the Ikea bolt with a flat-head phillips M5 screw (27cents at Ace) so that they would fit snuggly against the tabletop. Presently, I have wingnuts on the bolts to loosen/tighten, but I've discovered that — while the hinges and their "teeth" are strong — they aren't strong enough to support the weight, so I'll add a fender washer between them to keep them from biting (which is how the hinges were made to work) and add a simple swing-out brace to brace the table when it's down or add some strapping (think: top bunk on a sailboat). I'll add more pictures when I do.
So, now — for maybe $45 — we have a collapsable shooting table… and a clean dining room.
I still don’t understand HOW you made it, and with what. Would it be possible to see actual step by step type of directions. For example, a supply list. Step 1, etc. Thank you.
Also, how do I find the beginning of your story? I find this fascinating. I own a 1961 home complete with cast iron tub and pink bathroom. I am only the fourth owner, and actually only the third family to live here in 50 years (the previous owners were the daughters of the second owner). Thanks for sharing your story!
Hi Dodie: I just updated the post — I hope the list helps. As for the beginning, you could go backwards (page by page) or you could click “Archives” on the right and go back to June 2007.
Wow, I’m surprised these brackets hold this piece of wood! Have you had any issues since installing it? Ikea’s website says these are only suppose to hold 20-22 lbs… so I suppose creating a shelf to load w/books wouldn’t be advisable.
I love the look of it though!
The hinges themselves are use mainly as pivots more than load-bearing elements… we’ve since added support under the shelf itself. presently, it’s a sawhorse, but will eventually be replaced with a cord from the top of one board to the lip of the other — think: drawbridge.