Caldwell [un]Stable Table

S

stagpanther

New member
I bought and it's very well made, except for one drawback--it is anything but stable--because the main tube and table top are secured by one screw--which basically creates two pivot points. Why caldwell didn't simply install two extra screw clamps for each attachment I will never know--it would make an OK product a truly great one. Unfortunately I don't have the tools necessary to screw and tap the extra holes--anyone else come up with a solution to make the table something less of an oxymoron?
 
Made my own from 1 1/8th" car decking and 1 1/4" black pipe. extremely steady and portable.

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Stagpanther,

There do seem to be at least two designs:

Here

and

Here

Can you post a photo of the underside to the single screw thing you are describing becomes apparent?

Also, what is the diameter of the tubing with the screw in it?
 
The first one you have linked is the "Stable Table Lite"; a different product--the one I have is the one I have linked to the youtube video I liked to above--and in your second link.
 
Sorry, I missed seeing you had the link up.

It looks to me like you are referring to the screw with the knob on it that attaches the top to the post. I see no reason you couldn't treat the female tubing on the top like you were fitting an M9 slide to center a barrel. This is done by using a small hammer and a punch to peening the mouth of the female part in three places until they just start to make contact with the post. It'll mark the paint job, but it should take most of the play out. You can touch up the paint.
 
Unclenick said:
Stagpanther,

There do seem to be at least two designs:

Here

and

Here

Can you post a photo of the underside to the single screw thing you are describing becomes apparent?

Also, what is the diameter of the tubing with the screw in it?
Click to expand...

I like that first one! Don't care for the second one. Thing about those table's like that is lack of support. Look'e like no support at all on the front of the table then that looks like one that swivels around. That means loose joint's. How loose? No clue but time will only make them looser. Notice the first is solid to the ground and only joint's that move are the top of the leg's. They will probably loosen up in time too but I'd think not near as fast as the swivel table. The swivel table may be a lot better for moving around like shooting sage rats. To gain one function you need to compromise on another. I'd tried my table the first time with smaller top of 3/4" plywood and 3/4" legs, wasn't very stable. Thin leg's wobbled around to much and plywood just wasn't heavy enough.
 
My dad made a table very similar to the one Don_Fisher shows when I was 10 or so. All of the commonly advertised commercial benches I have been able to sit behind are less comfortable and seem awkward as they have little or no alteration in positioning the rifle. The Caldwell stable table is an exception as the table can be pivoted relative to the seat so you can get some left/ right offset. But trials in a store did show that it tended to have some "mobility" that I didn't like and getting the table/seat relationships for height and distance always wanted a bit more "up/down" or "closer/farther" than was possible. I am pretty close to average height so finding a comfortable adjustment seems like a reasonable request.
 
How loose? No clue but time will only make them looser.
Click to expand...
That's a fact.

I was thinking about drilling out the tubes and adding extra lock screws, although I might not have enough thickness in the tube wall to adequately tap the holes.
 
My father owns one.

As a point of reference to summarize my opinion...

He doesn't understand why my brothers, and/or I shoot off-hand when he has the "table" around.

It's like sitting on a water balloon, hoping that it doesn't "pop".
 
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