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started a welding table

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by hudsonhawk, Jul 28, 2008.

  1. Jul 28, 2008
    hudsonhawk

    hudsonhawk Well-Known Member

    North Texas...
    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2005
    Messages:
    1,937
    Started working on a welding table. I picked up some 3x3x.25 angle and some 3" square tube for a case of beer.
    I made the top and bottom shelf frames from the 3 inch angle. They measure 30x48 inches each. I will use the 3 inch square tube for the legs. I haven't decided what height to make the table yet. I picked up 4 heavy duty caster wheels at a local swap meet for $12. So far I am less then $40 total for the project.

    I will probably have the top cut out of 3/8 or 1/2 inch plate. That will be the expensive part of this build.

    No pics yet. Its been too hot in the garage to spend the extra time to take them. 102 here today.
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2008
  2. Jul 29, 2008
    Posimoto

    Posimoto Hopeless JEEP Addict

    Minden, Nevada
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2003
    Messages:
    4,538
    102 is plenty warm. I don't blame ya for not being enthusiastic about going out to work on it. I went to a steel yard in Reno and found the perfect piece for my welding table top in their scrap bin. I was told that steel scrap has gone up threefold in the last 6 months.
     
  3. Jul 29, 2008
    mb82

    mb82 I feel great!

    Charlottesville Va
    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2003
    Messages:
    2,706
    Nice. I would like to see the table been thinking about building one myself.
     
  4. Aug 2, 2008
    BigBill

    BigBill New Member

    ct
    Joined:
    Dec 24, 2004
    Messages:
    20
    The height is up to my waist on the Acorn cast iron welding tables. When i was working i had two 5'x8' tables leveled together. Right now looking at my desk its pretty close to the same height. You need it low so you can lean over it to weld in the center of the table.

    I been thinking of making my own welding table too using 3"x2" x 1/2" thick angle inbetween 4"x4" x 1/2 and 6"x6" x 1/2 angles too. A 4'x5' table would be perfect for fabing anything. I was also thinking of a hole for using the cutting torch too a 12" x 12" open space would be ok.
     
  5. Aug 31, 2008
    MHaver

    MHaver When people get bored

    Boyne City, Michigan
    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2008
    Messages:
    44
    I built myself a welding table using 4" c-channel that was left over from odd jobs at work. It measures 36" high, 88" long and 40" wide. iused a 48" x 96" piece of 3/8" HRS for the top and 2"x2" 1/8" wall square tubing for a shelf 10" from the ground. The frame isn't too heavy, but the top takes four guys to move. No casters on it yet, but have heavy duty 7" casters similar to the ones we place on tooling carts for car manufactorers. I wanted a heavy futy table so you could put anything on it without worring if it would fall apart. The material of the frame was all free, and the top was a trade for some welding work at the local college.
     
  6. Aug 31, 2008
    sammy

    sammy Coca-Cola?

    Albuquerque, NM
    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2007
    Messages:
    1,577
    The welding table my dad made uses grate for the top. For the most part it's the best, until you need to clamp something to it. Then I lift a piece of 1/2" plate and set it on there for a better top.
     
  7. Sep 1, 2008
    Ggg

    Ggg Member

    NW. IL
    Joined:
    May 15, 2008
    Messages:
    130
    By no means do I claim to know it all on this subject but rather here is some of my input based on experience and previous mistakes.
    For a welding table I would use 1/2" plate as a minimum. Make the plate about 3" wider and longer than the frame, or weld the plate directly to the legs, but inset the legs by the same 3". This will allow for clamping things down to the top from the edges. Another option for a top is to get an old platten. It has a lot of holes in it for clamping. I have a 1" thick HRS top on mine. I also used some very large bolts 1 1/4" dia. coarse thread as leveling adjusters. When I need to move the table I screw them up till the wheels come in contact.
    For a cutting table you usually don't need a solid top but rather slats or mesh of some sort to allow slag to pass through. My cutting table also has a trough so I can fill it with a few inches of water to catch hot slag.
     
  8. Oct 4, 2008
    hudsonhawk

    hudsonhawk Well-Known Member

    North Texas...
    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2005
    Messages:
    1,937
    Finally go around to wokring onthe table some more. I have the structure finished and am cleaning it up for paint before I get the top plate. It is standing on its end in this picture.

    Pleas no comments on the welds. They are not pretty but they are solid. R)

    [​IMG]

    This is one of the wheels I am using.

    [​IMG]

    I cut the tube so that It will fit flush with the outside and give more area to weld it to the angle.

    [​IMG]
     
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