building a bench

[Threadkiller]

Hey everyone. I just closed on my first house this past week. And now I now have a pretty big garage that I want to have a work shop in. I want to build a workbench strong enough to mount a vise on and one that I can weld on. I have a welder and all the tools to build one, its just getting the metal. My question is where does everyone get their metal from? Every time I price out metal online its like ~$400 and thats kind of too much for me to spend right now. Am I missing something? or is that just how much it costs everyone to build their benches?

I want a 30"x60" 12 gauge steel top
4 48" 2"x2"x1/4 steel square tube
2 60" 1"x1"x1/8" angle iron to hold the table top which will most likely be wood with the steel top over it
and 2 3"x60" Flat bar for leg stability

This is just a quick rough idea of what Id want. I want it to be strong I have a92# vise that ill be mounting to it also

If anyone could direct me one way or another that would be great and really appreciated. As of right now I have kind of scrapped the idea of building one due to cost which really stinks because I love welding and want to build my own. I have been looking on craigslist at used work benches which is always an option.

 

[darkk]

Try a local metal shop or the local scrap/recycler...

 

[Steevo]

I built a steel-framed, steel-topped workbench.
See thread here:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=126086

I paid almost $400 for the frame steel, and then almost $400 more for the tops.

 

[deter]

go to 16ga for the top (with plywood backup)
use .120 wall sq tube for legs or even 2x2x.125 angle

or make a smaller welding table that will create less waste (like 24" x 48")

I personally have a 30" x 8' wood bench made from 2x4s and osb. when I weld on it I just toss a piece of scrap steel sheet down

 

[wnstwolf]

Welcome TK
I just went through this about two weeks back. Not sure of your location but as mentioned go find your local steel supplier. What I had in mind to build was altered after I saw what they had to offer as far as "drops" or the end of previously cut lengths. Instead of 3" cut pipe for legs I ended up with 3" angle at abut 1/8 the cost of my initial idea. Top ended up being 3/8" A bit heavy but I now have a very solid bench! Added the draws and since added some old card catalog draws between them to hold welding rod that I will never use!

[/IMG]

 

[PCO6]

If you can pick up some scrap pieces of pallet rack they make a great foundation for a bench. I got mine for free. I had to add a top which is for the most part is 2"x10"'s laid flat on top of the horizantal rack peices. I got lucky with the steel top (about $75) but I would have put on a wood top if necessary. Here's mine which is about 10' long by 30" deep ...

 

[bgarrett]

Added the draws and since added some old card catalog draws between them to hold welding rod that I will never use!

I had some difficulty understanding this. Do you mean 'drawers'?

edit: I found this on google

Usually used by African-Americans and pronounced "draws". Will Smith in the Fresh Prince had a pair of lucky draws. A common phrase is to "pull up yo draws"

 

[5lima30]

The only additional suggestion I would make is 60" length is pretty short for a work bench. I would suggest going at least 72" and better yet 84" for the length. Down the road you will not regret this! The additional length will be a relatively small amount of additional $$ in the grand scheme of things. JMHO.

 

[Falcon67]

Just look under metal suppliers in the local yellow pages. Take a big trailer, steel is sold in 24' joints. They will usually do one cut for free. Cut a joint in half and it's still 12'. It's a hell of a lot cheaper at the supplier than at any place else. They may have cut pieces of bar and tube already, but that's iffy usually. For the top, take a look at what cut offs they may have in 1/4, 3/8, etc. You might get lucky. An 8' x 30" cut of thick plate will not be cheap and will weigh a bunch so figure that in. I would be more prone to build a good flat frame with a lot of 1" square tube under bracing and just use a 3/16 or 1/4 top.

I built the base for my mill/drill - this was maybe $45 worth of steel - 24' of 14 ga 2", 12' of 2" 11 ga, 24' of 1" 14 ga:

I picked this up for $50 at an auction - 16 ga top, 30" x 60"

 

[wnstwolf]

Thanks BG fat fingers type too quick. Usually us New Englandaas drop the "r's" not the E's and the R's... Yeah no one like plumbers crack so keep them draws pulled up high!