The hardware is available from specialty hardware and woodworking stores . The name of this special type of hinge is a "lid stay" or "flap stay", or "lid support" .
See a variety of different kinds here:
Specialty Cabinet Supplies - Lid Stays
and here:
Rufkahr's Lid Supports
This kind available from Rufkahr's is called the X-70200/05Z Lift Up Ratchet Support.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTBTZw7tyCE6EJuneD3Hq5_4l1fddNQbyuJ0VKV37cpbPBCKlU32ROMnreCzCxFdb6ndumBTekSfNbkSdFzvLLjxH2oqVMw-hj18bw3oHmFLauC_HF12tOuKiZz-v65cKgS2sGEbx8Jcj/s800/Lift%20Up%20Ratchet%20Support.jpg)
Another kind of table support used is a Pneumatic Spring Stay :
![](https://www.rufkahrs.com/shelbe/sgs800med.gif)
![](https://www.rufkahrs.com/shelbe/sgs800a.gif)
In these photographs you can see how the Lift Up Ratchet Support is used to make a portable animation table , similar to this one : Portable Animation Table Plans, but with the lift up supports.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HGgUHCHfn7XUrXzIiNCm4AbdSgm_k3GbeF4J74Za1ZV4ridu_TGDeieHTw3hyphenhyphen3VCzw6R6TmTgVUs6CbFuM8XzuQFsvFCnBnu8a1uiy-yDx5xUAGR6ugsd5mkhnKs66IXpCLlwiAlfekn/s400/briefcase_table_hardware.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ppkbrPaDJ_KJM5DdGNKM3xCgLZSvsMKS_KvhDCNZlza0cCIsTPZMpR5bVXjKTtO4JJ02GwJk22PjMLwZanKOVETYFVuruw5L4Ga3x7CNILT_Y83TthAvbTCCEqwPxK0H2LaZwnFwDdJH/s400/table_hardware.jpg)
In the following photograph of animator Børge Ring's animation table you can see the Pneumatic Spring Stay used to hold the table top at the proper angle:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMe9jxXE8KDZ3VX4J6pzbGxZL27LejoH4r84BGOjMIrmggfCnd7pjw-iX1UODGTiqSMfW9S9Giq1pJAx3PqjHU11FmlbpjdACZ8nTSDaUh1hXMiSehdUi-BkERS-gRNBB9WILbmqFBz2H/s400/Borge_Ring_animating.jpg)