Free Plan: Folding Card Table
A 1912 folding table on hardware-store brass pivots — flat in the closet, up in thirty seconds.
Free download. No signup required.
- Full 1912 cut list
- Brass-rod pivot system explained
- Folds flat for storage
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Build two, like the 1912 author said
The folding card table plan is yours to keep. If you like having the next project drawn up before the sawdust settles, take a look at the Ted's Woodworking plan library.
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Most furniture claims floor space forever. This table folds flat and leans in a closet until game night.
The 1912 Popular Mechanics design solves folding without specialty hardware: the four oak legs pivot on 3/16-inch brass rods, guided by copper washers. Every piece of that mechanism still comes from an ordinary hardware store today.
The plan keeps the original construction and adds two practical updates: a 1/4-inch plywood top instead of the original cardboard, and notes on edging, felt, and leg pads.
Project at a Glance
- Difficulty
- Beginner to intermediate
- Main materials
- Oak legs and edging, poplar/basswood frame, 1/4-inch plywood top, brass rod, copper washers
- Top size
- 29-1/4 inches square
- Build time
- A weekend
- Tools needed
- Saw, drill with 3/16-inch metal bit, hacksaw, clamps, sandpaper
- Source
- Popular Mechanics, 1912 (public domain)
Before you cut the brass:
Cut all four pivot rods to exactly the same length, and let the copper washers spin free instead of clamping them tight. If one pivot sits different from the rest, the legs fold unevenly and the table never lies flat against the closet wall.
The 1912 author makes an unusual recommendation: build two at once, because the material for the second table costs barely more than for the first. That is how these old plan books thought — not one project, but a shop that keeps producing.
If that mindset appeals to you, one plan is a start. A library is a habit.
Recommended Next Step
Your next project is already drawn up
Ted's Woodworking is a library of 16,000 woodworking plans with cut lists, measurements, and step-by-step instructions — from small weekend builds like this table to full furniture projects.
It fits builders who finish one project and want the next one waiting. If you only ever wanted this card table, the plan above is all you need.
Ted's Woodworking
16,000 woodworking plans with cut lists and step-by-step instructions.
Disclosure: I may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It doesn't cost you extra.
Start with the card table plan
Download the folding card table plan and build at your own pace. The plan is yours whether or not the library ends up on your bench.