FOLDING LEG STAYS - WHERE CAN I GET THEM?

[TEAMYAKIMA]

I have started a similar topic on another rail forum and not really got the info I need, so I'll try here .............

 

I have 48 inch long hinged folding legs on my layout which can simply flap around and I am looking for stays which will hold them reasonably rigid.

 

Stays for kitchen cupboards, flaps etc are generally too small, too short ....

 

I want to use the type of stay which I have seen on trestle tables , ones that lock

 

Anyone know where I can get them please?

[Ray H]

Can't help with the stay's but a friend has a hinged wooden diagonal brace between leg and underside of the baseboard.

 

The brace folds inside the leg when the leg is in the closed/up under the baseboard position and the brace drops down (diagonally) when the leg is supporting the layout. He then has a small metal plate that is screwed to one part of the brace (on the opposite side to the hinge) that he swings round to screw into a hole in the other half to make the brace rigid.

 

I would have thought that some form of flat cupboard hook would avoid the need for the screw/plate.

 

Hope that helps.

[Pete 75C]

I've used these in the past - they do lock and work really well on my 4' x 2' portable boards:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-Hardware-Table-Brace-Tools/dp/B000KKXGYM/ref=sr_1_1?m=A3EFJ5AUMBUHGR&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1376553860&sr=1-1&keywords=folding+leg+brace

 

Made by Stanley, good quality and reasonably cheap.

Pete.

[Talltim]

They look good, I assume you get a pair in a pack? Do you need two for a joined pair of legs of can you get away with one?

[TEAMYAKIMA]

Hello Pete

 

Thanks for that

 

That Stanley item is the sort of thing I'm looking for but from what I can see it's only about 10 inches (200mm)  long which means it only comes down the leg 7 inches, remember my legs are 48 inches long ..... my boards are 5ft x 3ft and so they are quite substantial and so I really wanted that kind of design but longer

 

Also I have 14 sets of legs - 14 x £8.52 is a lot for leg braces  - two per set of legs

 

Also that's from the USA .... I had hoped to find them in the UK but  have failed.... anyone know where I can get them in the UK  ... and longer if possible

[Pete 75C]

Apologies for that link if it's a US not UK link. I got mine a couple of years ago from Screwfix (they don't seem to do them anymore) but definitely the same Stanly product. I had assumed the Amazon link was UK-based. I agree they're not too long but my boards are only 4' x2' with 36" legs and I get away with one pair per board (1 brace per leg). To just keep the legs from wanting to fold back up they're ideal. Surely somebody in the UK must supply something similar!!! Would it be worth butchering a cheap B&Q type folding paste table? From memory they have similar braces. Pete.

[trisonic]

That link that Pete put up was to Amazon UK  - the prices were in sterling............

 

Best, Pete.

[Bristol_Rich]

Wallpaper Pasting Table leg mechanisms?

[Pete 75C]

Thanks Pete - I thought it was...

 

Below is a link to the cheapest paste table Homebase stock: you appear to get 4 leg stays per table. Might be worth a look.

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=027611

 

Pete.

[raymw]

The paste table stays that i have are simply round rods, about 6mm diameter with the ends bent at right angles that push into holes in the legs. No use for what you want. it would be trivial to make stays out of wood and hinges, if you've made the rest of the boards and legs.

 

Ray

[Jol Wilkinson]

For legs that long I think that you need something fairly substantial. I would suggest that timber bracing, as shown in the attached photo would be what to aim for.

 

The "triangulating" braces are held by 6 mm bolts and  wing-nuts. They are left attached to the legs when the layout is broken down. The whole set up is very solid when assembled.

 

 

[Katier]

Surely two piece of timber and 3 hinges is the time-proven way to go? (as used on trestle tables for decades)

[Pete 75C]

I agree that making leg stays yourself is probably the best way to go and they can be custom-made to your exact requirements. However, let's not assume everyone knows a countersink bit from a jigsaw blade.

[alant]

For legs that long I think that you need something fairly substantial. I would suggest that timber bracing, as shown in the attached photo would be what to aim for.

 

The "triangulating" braces are held by 6 mm bolts and  wing-nuts. They are left attached to the legs when the layout is broken down. The whole set up is very solid when assembled.

 

I use an almost identical method for bracing from layout to the legs and then use small clamps to attach an angled cross piece between the legs across the width of the baseboard.

[jamie92208]

There was a topic about this some time ago which shows how to make them.  have fun,

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/54444-self-locking-baseboard-legs/

 

Jamie