After my wife clutters, er, I mean, places lots of nice, decorative objects on top of my end table, there is no place left for my drink. That’s what motivated me to add a pair of pullout wings. The wings are just hardwood quarter-circles that open from the side of the table when needed. Each wing consists of two parts: the side cutout and the wing itself. The wing mounts to the side cutout, which pivots on a 3/8-in.-dia. dowel. Use care when locating and drilling the dowel hole for the side cutout in the apron. The wing should open smoothly. To open, push the doweled end with your finger, then pull the other end of the wing until it’s fully open. When closed, the gaps should be nearly invisible. I recommend making a mockup that you can use as a pattern. Remember to leave extra room above the top of the drawer for the wings.

Drawing by Jim Richey.

Drawing by Jim Richey.

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