Admittedly, I more of a gear head than a fine furniture conniseur, but I find the mechanically-expanding Capstan tables from English furniture makers Fletcher Burwell-Taylor to be the coolest furniture ever made. They’re offered in three standard sizes of 2.2, 2.5, and 3 meters.
The tables operate with a stainless steel mechanism that raises the underlying leaves and star-shaped center from within the table to mate up with the leaves that form the table’s smaller-diameter top. Once expanded, the larger top is 73% bigger than the smaller top it replaces.
The company says they can make the table in any wood species and finish. All are custom-made for the buyer and cost tens of thousands of pounds. Aluminum honeycomb construction keeps the table’s weight (almost 500 pounds) to a minimum and keeps the parts aligned and the mechanism working with changes in temperature and humidity. Watch the video to see one in action.
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Yes. this is an amazing table.
Might I suggest the author check out the wonderful publication, "Fine Woodworking?" I seem to recall this table being a back-cover maybe 15 years back.
(Of course, I'm a bit of a contrarian. I was more impressed by a shop table FWW detailed about the same time, made of countless 2x4's and pipe clamps. THAT table could clamp your work in nearly every circumstance!)