Expert: Eileen Cronk - 3/22/2008

Question
Hi Eileen,
I have a single pedestal round oak table which pulls apart in the middle for an optional 2 leafs (oval). The table will barely pull apart. It currently has one leaf in the table, but the pedestal base is not centered with the leaf in. I can not put the second leaf in, or if I take out the 1 leaf I can not close the table to make it round. The antique table has wooden sliders, was custom made overseas 9 years ago. Are there any solutions to this? Thanks.  

Answer
Hi Gregory.
Nice to hear from you.
One thing only is wrong here.
The sliders are not functioning as they should.
One side is sticking.
Part of the sliders has expanded from moisture or shrunk from lack of it. Some sliders are made up of 3 sections on each side, some only two on each side.
If I had this table in my shop I would remove the sliders (easy)
and see where the sticking problem is happening.
Because the wood came from a different country, I feel that what the sliders are doing now will not change so the fix is identify the problem area, then correct it.
I feel this will need to be done by thinning out the area where the wood is sticking.
I do not feel some of the old fixes like waxing will work here.
And if you do not feel qualified to do this or lack the tools, any wood shop will correct this.
Good Luck
Regards
Eileen