Suggestions on building new heavy workbenches.

[Strouty]

I am getting ready to build two identical workbenches. I have two steel tops, 30"x120"x1.5" thick. I want to use 4"x4" tube for legs with 3"x3" for horizontal braces. I have figured I will need 6 legs. My main questions before I order the steel for the legs/ framework are:

How thick should the legs be, 3/16" or 1/4"?

How tall should I make them?

Should the top be attached to a framework or should I weld the legs directly to the tops itself?

Any other thoughts would be welcome. I don't have to order the steel until next monday.

They are tucked away under a bunch of stuff waiting for me.

 

[bimmer1980]

I don't think you'll have an issue with either 3/16" or 1/4" for wall thickness. Unless you are loading them up to an extreme point....

I would also recommend a complete tube frame to support the top and bottom of the tube legs. Then you can either just run short tack welds to hold the table top to the tube frame or drill and tap mouning holes. You will be able to controll the squareness and plumb of the legs and stretchers easier as well.

I personnelly think it is poor practice to weld tube legs directly to the bottom of a table surface plate. You could also use angle iron for the top stretchers and then simply drill and tap to mount the table top.

I would also recommend leaving a 1-1/2" to 2"+ perimeter available on the table top for ease of clamping during fabrication projects.

The height of the tube legs will vary based on your requirements. I'm taller, so I like a table top to be a bit higher. Are you putting casters under the table? How about foot levelers? Pad on the bottom of the tube?

Typically the height of the table should be about where your wrist is when you stand next to the table. Sometimes the recommed being able to put your palm flat on the table top. This may put you somewhere in the area of 36" to 42", depending on your preference.

Also, if you plan to be working with larger assemblies on the table, you may want it lower so that the workpiece is at your ideal level.

In some respects, it would be easier to add height on a table than to cut the legs on something of that size.

Best of luck!

 

[Jack Olsen]

Brad's advice is all good. The biggest trick is going to be maneuvering those 2,040-lb tops into position and then moving the assembled benches. Even with 3/16 4" square tubing, you could park a truck on the table and be fine, assuming you can weld.

Were the tops free? I'm having a hard time getting my head around any actual use that would benefit from steel of that thickness. Please post pictures when you're done, since you'll be the undisputed champion of 20' of (awesome) bench overkill.

 

[Steevo]

2" thick steel plate?
Those would weigh about 2000# each.

 

[Strouty]

I may be lying, they may be 1.5" but no smaller than that. I was working on a job site and there were two 5'x10' plates laying in the way. The prime contractor said he was getting sick of moving them I offered to buy them, but the job was government. Once we were done our end, he offered to load them on my trailer for a 6 pack of beer. Needless to say I got him a 30 pack. My friend has one plate and we cut this one down the middle for my benches. I wish I had kept both, but hindsight is always 20/20. I will post some pics as progress starts.

 

[Strouty]

I don't think you'll have an issue with either 3/16" or 1/4" for wall thickness. Unless you are loading them up to an extreme point....

I would also recommend a complete tube frame to support the top and bottom of the tube legs. Then you can either just run short tack welds to hold the table top to the tube frame or drill and tap mouning holes. You will be able to controll the squareness and plumb of the legs and stretchers easier as well.

I have seen some other designs and will be making a frame. It will essentially be two "u" shapes so I can roll some cabinets under them.

I personnelly think it is poor practice to weld tube legs directly to the bottom of a table surface plate. You could also use angle iron for the top stretchers and then simply drill and tap to mount the table top.

I would also recommend leaving a 1-1/2" to 2"+ perimeter available on the table top for ease of clamping during fabrication projects.


Good thoughts. I will play with some of my clamps to see what works well.

The height of the tube legs will vary based on your requirements. I'm taller, so I like a table top to be a bit higher. Are you putting casters under the table? How about foot levelers? Pad on the bottom of the tube?

I think if I weld a tab on the bottom of the leg, I can have an adjustable offset threaded dohickey to level it up.

Typically the height of the table should be about where your wrist is when you stand next to the table. Sometimes the recommed being able to put your palm flat on the table top. This may put you somewhere in the area of 36" to 42", depending on your preference.

I have some gladiator benches and I may model the new ones after those.

Also, if you plan to be working with larger assemblies on the table, you may want it lower so that the workpiece is at your ideal level.

In some respects, it would be easier to add height on a table than to cut the legs on something of that size.

Best of luck!

Thanks for the input

 

[lionsgarage]

Remember to bolt the tops on. Drill and tap blind holes if you can. Use the edges also to attach. welding will distort, yes even thick stuff, someone put 1" tacks across the middle of my 3'x10' welding fab bench and those 4 welds lifted the middle an eighth inch!
On another note I have been looking for press plattens from a plywood press. Approx 5x10 surface ground about 2" thick but drilled for steam heat saves weight.

 

[Strouty]

Remember to bolt the tops on. Drill and tap blind holes if you can. Use the edges also to attach. welding will distort, yes even thick stuff, someone put 1" tacks across the middle of my 3'x10' welding fab bench and those 4 welds lifted the middle an eighth inch!
On another note I have been looking for press plattens from a plywood press. Approx 5x10 surface ground about 2" thick but drilled for steam heat saves weight.

Good point on the bolting. I will have to change the chuck in my mag drill or I guess I could drill all the way through the top and just grind the bolt smooth on the top.

 

[metal1313]

this makes me want to buy the road plates i saw on cl..but no room for a decent table and no way to move a 1000lbs of steel around if only it were a smaller peice

 

[Strouty]

this makes me want to buy the road plates i saw on cl..but no room for a decent table and no way to move a 1000lbs of steel around if only it were a smaller peice

Unless they are new, you may find them to be warped. I have a forklift and a pallet jack to move them around once completed. I have a lot of heavy tables, some I had before my forklift or pallet jack and it was a pain to move them, so I understand what you mean.

 

[Silver6.0]

One thing i'd like to add. I see a lot of benches on here with the base support so close to the outside edge of the top plate. I would build the base at least 6" inside the top plate on all sides. The reason is for clamping your pieces. I know one member mentioned 1 1/2" -2" but if you use 3" square tube then your vicegrips or clamps will have to go around 3" square tube on the bottom and still try to clamp the piece if its deeper than 2". And even then your losing 3" of clamp because of the 3x3 tube.

Chances are your throat on the clamp or vicegrip wont be able to clamp correctly once they tighten on the 3x3.

Then you mention the "C" design which is a way around that issue. But your clamps might hit your cabinets. With 1 1/2" thick top you could easily get away with the "C", tops with 1/4 or 3/8 would probably dip over time with hammering and heavy welding without the front support.

 

[jdsac]

This isn't mine, but I've seen this done before. Use cut down pallet rack-
if you need to use more legs, just get shorter load beams. After you assemble them, use bolts through the connection where the beam goes through the rack. Available in many depths
Plenty strong. They support a lot of weight when they are in a warehouse 16' tall fully loaded.
Best of all, used rack is cheap. Look for tall uprites, when you cut them down, you can use the cutoff to make more legs- there usually isn't much difference in price between tall & short uprites.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/tls/3369086303.html

 

[Strouty]

This isn't mine, but I've seen this done before. Use cut down pallet rack-
if you need to use more legs, just get shorter load beams. After you assemble them, use bolts through the connection where the beam goes through the rack. Available in many depths
Plenty strong. They support a lot of weight when they are in a warehouse 16' tall fully loaded.
Best of all, used rack is cheap. Look for tall uprites, when you cut them down, you can use the cutoff to make more legs- there usually isn't much difference in price between tall & short uprites.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/tls/3369086303.html

That is a great idea, thanks for posting it.

 

[jdsac]

This is aprox what used rack can be had for. Sometimes even less.


http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bfd/3372393621.html

 

[Strouty]

Well, I had a GJ member PM me about some really cool cast iron bench legs he had. I ended up driving to Vermont and picking up 6 of them, so I should be good. The legs were very rugged and designed perfectly for my tops. I may have to tie the legs together, but I won't know until I get them mounted all up and see if they have side loading issues. I will take photos of the project, but due to surgery I won't be really updating until January. This GJ member would not take any money for them, since they were given to him. I am not sure about naming him, don't want others to bug him about free stuff! I will let him post here if he wants to claim the generosity. Now I have to find a way to pay back the favor by helping someone else out!

 

[PCO6]

... Use cut down pallet rack ...

That's what I did. Very strong, straight, square, etc. and very easy to put together (took about 30 min.) or take apart if I have to. Mine is 30" D x 120" L x 36" H. A 2" thick metal top is a LOT of weight. The legs on mine are about 7' apart so that would lesssen the span and probably make it possible.

Another good thing about using pallet rack is that the area below the bench top is totally open making storage very easy.

Here's mine. I have since changed things up a bit. I now have a 2 drawer letter size file cabinet under the bench at each end which is great for power tools, fluids / additives, etc. Three standard size roller cabinets (w/o casters) and 2 file cabinets fit perfectly. They also allow for storage of some flat items on top and out of sight.

 

[kazlx]

I definitely want to see this. I would definitely bolt the top down. My top is only 5/8" thick and that's what I plan on doing....especially now that I have a way to drill it.

 

[Strouty]

So as my unlucky luck would have it, the cast legs are too short by about four inches. I am investigating making some spacers, but I would rather keep them as is. I have another steel plate that could use them, then I have two wooden tops that could use these legs to make them cooler. I will have time to think about everything since I am having surgery tomorrow on my right arm. I will post updates after Christmas.

 

[tkonetzke]

Cast legs attached to bottom of 4" tube frame? Or was it to short with the frame figured in?

 

[Strouty]

Cast legs attached to bottom of 4" tube frame? Or was it to short with the frame figured in?

I need to roll carts under the table and I am afraid if I space them up there could be issues without making really heavy duty spacers. I will have to play with it a bit. The original plan was two "U" shapes, so I could wheel two carts under the bench. Currently I have two gladiator wooden top benches and they can fit three of the gladiator roll around cabinets under them. If I can't fit the cabinets under the benches, then I have to find a place to put them.

 

[Zick]

So as my unlucky luck would have it, the cast legs are too short by about four inches. I am investigating making some spacers, but I would rather keep them as is. I have another steel plate that could use them, then I have two wooden tops that could use these legs to make them cooler. I will have time to think about everything since I am having surgery tomorrow on my right arm. I will post updates after Christmas.

Plan on making it mobile? Put some heavy duty casters under it?