Alternative sources for benchtops

[4t64rd]

I need to make a good heavy table for welding, and I was just wondering if anybody had any alternative sources for thick, flat steel for a top.

i.e. something I could look for that I could salvage the steel from, like a piece of heavy equipment that has a big heavy bed. I can't afford to plop down a major chunk of change at the steel supply place.

We could also turn this into a thread for finding other types of benchtops, like wood and stainless.

 

[Morrisman]

I need to make a good heavy table for welding, and I was just wondering if anybody had any alternative sources for thick, flat steel for a top.

i.e. something I could look for that I could salvage the steel from, like a piece of heavy equipment that has a big heavy bed. I can't afford to plop down a major chunk of change at the steel supply place.

We could also turn this into a thread for finding other types of benchtops, like wood and stainless.

I shall be going to the local scrap yard when the time comes to make mine. I've seen large chunks in there several times. if he don't have one he'll probably know where a guy can score a piece of 1/2" plate at a good price.

A shipyard would be another place if you are anywhere near one.

For a plain heavy wood top I used a piece of old kitchen work surface in my last garage. It is some sort of particle board 1 /14" thick, with a laminated surface, pretty tough and dense for hammering on. It tended to blister if I got a bit close with my cutting torch though It's also not too expensive to buy new, if you don't have an old piece laying about.

 

[toolfreak]

I work on heavy equipment and I can say that you don't want the steel that they cut out of the beds of the off road trucks or and out of the bowl on a scraper. Alot of companies don't replace them until there are holes in them or are wore to the point they are paper thin. Even if you could find a piece that is fairly thick it would be wore uneven and in my opinion not very good for a welding table. As Morrisman said go to the local scrapyard and they should have what you are looking for and alot cheaper than your local supply shop. You might have to take a wire wheel to get the rust off but not a big deal.

 

[ralfs56]

For a heavy wood bench top, I'm using lengths of bowling alley, from an alley that was closed and being gutted. Be forewarned, it's full of nails.
The first 18ft of a lane is hard maple, the remaining 40 ft is pine, so you've got a choice as far as hardness.

 

[bmwpower]

I used a heavy solid core plain wood door for my last benchtop. Not as tough as maple though.

How much is steel from a local supply house though? Is it really that much? I have no idea of the steel prices for plate steel.

 

[toolfreak]

I priced a 4'x8'x1/2" plate about a month ago and I think it was around $300. I didn't need or want that much but by time they cut it it's almost as much the way the guy talked.

 

[jimvannoy]

I got 3 large steel doors that were on electrical service panels in a building being demolished. 2 are about 2'x8' and 1 is 3'x8' about 1/8" thick. They made perfect bench tops. Also got a whole lot of heavy duty shelving and flooring. All free. The building use to be a Firestone Service Center. It also happened that I use to work at it back in the early 80's.

 

[screwTheMan]

I just visited a really cool place this weekend... It's a shop that builds race cars and works on cars. But the coolest part is they're government funded and take in "at risk" teenagers to teach them how to weld and do body work.

ANYWAY , whilst I was touring the facility they had a tabletop in their sheet metal area that was made of 2"x4"s pressed together and sitting on their short side with all-thread holding them all together (think butcher block). I thought it was a pretty good idea for a beefy low buck work surface.

 

[bmwpower]

ANYWAY , whilst I was touring the facility they had a tabletop in their sheet metal area that was made of 2"x4"s pressed together and sitting on their short side with all-thread holding them all together (think butcher block). I thought it was a pretty good idea for a beefy low buck work surface.

I like that idea. How many all-threads did they have going thru the top?

 

[cloud]

The Lowe's plans utilize the 2x4 sandwich method as well: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=Build/Workbench.html

Looks interesting, I've considered it for my upcoming build, but haven't decided on final plans yet.

 

[SKINNER]

Don't mean to brag...but I scored 2200lbs of steel from a local welding outfit for $150. 2200lbs=

-3/8" x 20' x 24" (2 lighter weight corner benches)
-1/2" x 7' x 4'
-1/2" x 6' x 3' (welding table)
-7/16" x 2' x 4'
-1/2" x 2' x 5'
-5/8" x 30" x 5'

 

[Morrisman]

Don't mean to brag...but I scored 2200lbs of steel from a local welding outfit for $150. 2200lbs=

-3/8" x 20' x 24" (2 lighter weight corner benches)
-1/2" x 7' x 4'
-1/2" x 6' x 3' (welding table)
-7/16" x 2' x 4'
-1/2" x 2' x 5'
-5/8" x 30" x 5'

Now that is a good deal! I'd like a dead flat 1/2" thick bench top to tack thing to when fabricating projects. Mounted (countersunk screws) on heavy wood so it is solid and can be hammered without ringing like a bell and taking your ear drums out.

 

[stupidjet]

i know nothing about welding, thuse why i ask....when you tack something to a table, how do you get it off so the table is smoothand perfect again? doesnt the weld deform the origilan tabkle?

 

[PAToyota]

Tacking won't put enough heat to warp the table - provided you're talking a fairly thick panel for the tabletop. You can break a tack loose by hitting the part with a hammer. Then just use the grinder every now and then to clean up the tabletop.

 

[wreckerboy]

I used those Lowe's plans ( http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=Build/Workbench.html ) when I built my workbench a few years ago. The only changes I made were to the height (added four inches because I am 6'2") and turned the bottom supports into an additional shelf.

It's a nice solid workbench, but it weighs a blinking ****** ton. That 2*4 is solid and heavy!

 

[Ign]

I'd have to agree w the scrap yard comments. Right now my local one charges .20/lb. It still adds up, but much cheaper than buying new. I just got 1300lbs of floor grating (which could also work nicely for a cut table), so it was about $260.

In fact back in the yard they have a very heavy duty table, I keep meaning to go back and get it. 1/2" plate top with I-beam for legs.

 

[atch]

I just visited a really cool place this weekend... It's a shop that builds race cars and works on cars. But the coolest part is they're government funded and take in "at risk" teenagers to teach them how to weld and do body work.

ANYWAY , whilst I was touring the facility they had a tabletop in their sheet metal area that was made of 2"x4"s pressed together and sitting on their short side with all-thread holding them all together (think butcher block). I thought it was a pretty good idea for a beefy low buck work surface.

about 20 years ago my brother built an all wood bench. i made the top for him just the way you described. in addition to the all-thread (which i placed about 16" o.c.; probably waaaay overkill) i glued every board together using tite-bond wood glue. then on the two "faces" or long edges, i glued another 2x4 so that the all-thread doesn't show. i countersunk the all-thread to allow for this. then we took the top, which was quite heavy, to a factory where i knew the plant manager and we ran the whole top through a planer that was big enough. this left the working surface perfectly flat and smooth. then he built the legs and lower shelf and flipped the whole thing over. the top is about 30" wide. this bench is still holding up just fine.

ok, so i've rambled on about a woodworking bench.

i made my welding table out of one of the covers from a 1,000 ton chiller; used to make cold water for use in building air conditioning systems. it's about 30" x 36" and an inch thick. it's really heavy and really strong and really flat. i can clamp or tack to it with excellent results. i got this piece of steel for free when a building was having two of these chillers replaced with new ones. if i would have had any way to handle or transport it i would have gotten one of the end covers to make a welding table out of. they were about 48" in diameter and about 3" thick.

 

[Flathead Youngin']

i was at a college auction.....i picked up two steel, fire-rated doors 3x7' for $10.......i already have a small welding table.....but these would be great......

of course you can't really clamp your ground to the door but it would be a nice, solid flat surface...

besides, they still had the hinges on them which gave me the idea to mount them to the wall and make legs that fold......could fold it up out of the way when not in use...

I need to make a good heavy table for welding, and I was just wondering if anybody had any alternative sources for thick, flat steel for a top.

i.e. something I could look for that I could salvage the steel from, like a piece of heavy equipment that has a big heavy bed. I can't afford to plop down a major chunk of change at the steel supply place.

We could also turn this into a thread for finding other types of benchtops, like wood and stainless.

 

[Gummi Bear]

I have a solid core door on 2 cheap base cabinets with drawers for a workbench. It was cheap, offered some storage, and is pretty tough (old pine).

Putting a 1/8" or so top on it is the plan when I get a bigger shop. I'll also wrap the edges of the door, so it's completely enclosed.

I'll just let it lay over the door, and be sure that it's cut tight.



My welding table is ~36x48 and 32" tall. It's got a 1/8" top on it that is 36x36, leaving the last foot or so open. I do plan to put a 1/4" or heavier top on it when I get a chance, and also build a small enclosed cabinet to keep my magnets in (and keep the grinding dust off of them) as well as a few other 'attatchments' for things like the MIG gun and whatnot.