Carpenters: Can this be done?

[Mad Mike]

I used to have a lot of trade show cabinetry made, it was common for the fabricators to laminate formica over the finished item which hide fasteners. Use a very hot iron to soften the glue one end then gently peel back the formica -- I'll bet you see fasteners hidden in there. Tgat might not make it easy to separate as it's probably glued too, but it might be a start and if you can remove the mechanical fasteners you might be able to break the glue joints cleanly. Just a thought.

 

[Trials]

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View attachment 41493

My read of this diagram is that the table top is spec'd as laminate over "Baltic" which I would imagine is Baltic Birch plywood not particle board.
Your table is 5 place settings wide so my first 2 cuts would be 25.2" in from each end corner. You could get away with 2 cuts.
The aluminum I would use is 4"x4" square tube with a .25" wall thickness, you can buy it in lengths up to ~21 feet.
Two table support spans of that extrude bolted in place with furniture fasteners bolts and I bet you could dance on it.

... don't try and cut it anywhere near the corners, it was built with those to be the strongest parts and may contain metal fasteners. Would not surprise me if the 2 end pieces are particle board. Use a stud finder to see if there is any metal in there before you cut.

 

[Ash]

You could cut the current legs/sides off flush with the central support rib, leaving you with a sturdy, albeit thick, tabletop. Then bolt folding legs to the underside of the tabletop. If it's really just particleboard, you might want to bolt the legs to largish metal plates, and then glue&screw those plates to the underside of the tabletop to distribute the load better.

 

[Trials]

What's the (per table) budget for this project?

 

[Pistachio Nuts]

I used to have a lot of trade show cabinetry made, it was common for the fabricators to laminate formica over the finished item which hide fasteners. Use a very hot iron to soften the glue one end then gently peel back the formica -- I'll bet you see fasteners hidden in there. Tgat might not make it easy to separate as it's probably glued too, but it might be a start and if you can remove the mechanical fasteners you might be able to break the glue joints cleanly. Just a thought.

That would explain a lot! Thx for the insight. Maybe something to consider!

My read of this diagram is that the table top is spec'd as laminate over "Baltic" which I would imagine is Baltic Birch plywood not particle board.
Your table is 5 place settings wide so my first 2 cuts would be 25.2" in from each end corner. You could get away with 2 cuts.
The aluminum I would use is 4"x4" square tube with a .25" wall thickness, you can buy it in lengths up to ~21 feet.
Two table support spans of that extrude bolted in place with furniture fasteners bolts and I bet you could dance on it.

... don't try and cut it anywhere near the corners, it was built with those to be the strongest parts and may contain metal fasteners. Would not surprise me if the 2 end pieces are particle board. Use a stud finder to see if there is any metal in there before you cut.

I'm pretty sure it's particle board. The underside got wet from the rain and some of the edges are now swollen and warped (still useable, though).

What's the (per table) budget for this project?

Hmmm...depends on the solution. Now that I think about it, disassembling them will likely lead to more issues. Right now they're stored on the second floor balcony–just 15 feet away. If we tore them down, it would be stored on the ground floor, outdoor shed. Imagine having to carry everything down and back up a flight of stairs, then having to navigate through a narrow dining space and even narrower kitchen... Sounds like a headache!

 

[beverage]

If we tore them down, it would be stored on the ground floor, outdoor shed. Imagine having to carry everything down and back up a flight of stairs, then having to navigate through a narrow dining space and even narrower kitchen... Sounds like a headache!

Is this is for commercial/restaurant use? Your initial photo looks like perhaps it is. You don't want to be carting these tables or parts from an outside shed through your kitchen area. My wife's a Public Health Inspector. Unless you have documented cleaning procedures, that kind of cross contamination would get you at least a warning. And do you have pest control in your shed? Who wants mouse feces on their tabletop carted through the kitchen? Even your balcony arrangement seems dodgy.

 

[Pistachio Nuts]

Is this is for commercial/restaurant use? Your initial photo looks like perhaps it is. You don't want to be carting these tables or parts from an outside shed through your kitchen area. My wife's a Public Health Inspector. Unless you have documented cleaning procedures, that kind of cross contamination would get you at least a warning. And do you have pest control in your shed? Who wants mouse feces on their tabletop carted through the kitchen? Even your balcony arrangement seems dodgy.

Pictures are when I saw them before deciding to get them. Will be using them for different events I organize. Now the challenge is to find a better way to tear these puppies down, because they're so big!

 

[Trials]

.... Now the challenge is to find a better way to tear these puppies down, because they're so big!

Should take about 10 minutes to jig it up and chop it into 3 pieces

Is the re-assembly that will be the challenge.