4" Sq Tube 1/4" wall strength question

[Thumper68]

Funny you assume that I've never been in a "real" fab shop or maybe even have my own fab table (I have an Acorn BTW as well as smaller general use tables).

The point you're missing is relevance and application. The OP isn't doing "real" fab work by his own admission. Just because he has a 2" thick slab doesn't make it make sense. I'd rather see someone who actually has a need for one make use of it instead of letting mother nature wreak havoc on it.

Still that is no reason to sell off a good top, who knows now that he is getting a good table he may start to fab more?

For me I made do with the floor and a 27x48x1/4 for years and my weldments suffered.

Having the right tools can cause you to learn new skills.

I want a mill and lathe, I haven't run either for over 25 years and have no skills in that area (Yet) but I have the will to learn new skills.
By your statement I should not get those tools since I have no real need or ability with them right now.

Sometimes having the right tools and equipment open new things up for you to try and learn.

 

[IndyGarage]

Your 4" square 1/4" wall steel tube legs will be plenty 'strong'.

Four 4" x 1/4" wall legs, ignoring buckling and bending and fatigue, can hold up approximately 375,000 lbs. Your 1000 lb plate top is nothing.

(4^2 - 3.5^2) x 25,000 psi yield strength x 4 legs = 375,000 lb total load capacity to yield

Oh, and some 2" thick plate 2' x 5' should weight about 'only' 815 lbs. 24" x 60" x 2" x 0.283 lb/in3 = 815 lbs. Even lighter than you originally thought!

You beat me to the calculation. And 25K yield is pretty conservative.

So It'll probably be enough unless he plans to build Navy battleships on it.

 

[csp]

By your statement I should not get those tools since I have no real need or ability with them right now.

You read waaayyyy too much into my statements. Somehow I don't think you'd let a mill or a lathe sit outside in the weather just because you want to learn how to use them in the future.

 

[jimgood]

You read waaayyyy too much into my statements. Somehow I don't think you'd let a mill or a lathe sit outside in the weather just because you want to learn how to use them in the future.

Not to pile on but a $60 2' x 5' slab of steel is a far cry from a mill and lathe.

I think the OP will a) make good use of it and b) probably slather something on it to protect it enough from the weather.

I'd almost give my left nut to have a slab like that and I only tinker around making **** for my own use. But I would much prefer to have a solid surface like that to my current Miller table that's NOT flat or my feeble attempts to throw together other level surfaces that help make welding things on the same plane more (or less) successful.

 

[nine4gmc]

Nine,
I just posted up a welding/fab table that I put together over the summer. It is not nearly as heavy or quite as large, but still gets the job done on a smaller scale.
My $.37 per pound table...
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5225288#post5225288

I'm at $0.085, just under 9 cents per pound right now but that's just plate and four legs, I still need to dig out some metal for the bracing and that may add to the cost.

Not to pile on but a $60 2' x 5' slab of steel is a far cry from a mill and lathe.

I think the OP will a) make good use of it and b) probably slather something on it to protect it enough from the weather.

I'd almost give my left nut to have a slab like that and I only tinker around making **** for my own use. But I would much prefer to have a solid surface like that to my current Miller table that's NOT flat or my feeble attempts to throw together other level surfaces that help make welding things on the same plane more (or less) successful.

Jimgood, I posted a wanted ad in CL for a 1/2" minimum thickness 2'x4' plate asking all the scrappers to keep an eye out. I had several calls, everything from 5/16" up but none were worth pursuing until the owner of this slab called. He said it had been beside his barn for years and that he'd take $80 cash and he could load it for me with his tractor. Only problem is he was about an hour and a half drive one way. I told him I was interested but it would be a while before I could get over there. Fast forward a few months, I picked up a Delta planer at a garage sale for $60 in like new condition. I listed it for $120 and a guy called from the same town the guy lived in with the plate steel. We worked out a deal that he would buy the plate steel and deliver it for the planer. DONE. The guy got a planer for $80(cost of steel) and I got the 2" plate for $60(cost of planer). Had to use the HF 2 ton engine hoist to pick it out his truck, cautiously. This thing is scary heavy, one mistake could be potentially fatal.

Post a wanted ad, mention scrappers.

 

[csp]

Not to pile on but a $60 2' x 5' slab of steel is a far cry from a mill and lathe.

No worries. You bring this back to my original point though that the slab is worth multiples of the $60 the OP paid for it.

That was the main reason why I think it's something worthy of selling. It never did have a thing to do with expanding skills or capabilities or whatever else was extrapolated.

It was also just an idea/suggestion, not a directive.