The first key to the table was to be able to make long poles out of short poles.  This was accomplished by using  steel threaded inserts such as those shown here. The threaded inserts that pound into the end of the 3/4" aluminum tubing are from   Superior Components.   They wedge irreversibly into the end of the tube and have a  1/4-20 thread inside.

By using a short piece of 1/4-20 threaded rod, two pieces of tubing can be joined as shown here.  Additionally, by drilling 1/4" holes through the tubing, bolts through the holes could be screwed into the threaded inserts thus joining the tubing at right angles as shown below. Thus, a simple frame of tubing is constructed in about five minutes.

The second key step was figuring out how to transport a top that was large enough to be useful.   The top is made from two 17" square pieces of 1/4" tempered masonite which was coated with polyurethane  to waterproof it.  Through holes in the masonite, the two pieces are bolted onto the frame to form a light, but sturdy, table that can stand up to a rainstorm.  The assembled table has a 17"x34" top. The masonite squares have a hole in the center by which they are bolted to the inside of the top of the rocker box during transport.  There was enough room above the masonite to also include the tubing for the table, but in my desperation to decrease the weight of the final box, I packed the tubes in my suitcase.

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