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Heavy work table

Thumper68

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I have a client who is a contractor, however he does not weld, he does however have a shop where stuff gets done. He asked me to build him a metal work table heavy enough that he could "Pound the **** out of stuff".

He is also a long time friend so I am going all out for him.

His list of requirements:
1) Strong and heavy
2) able to take abuse
3) won't move to much when using the vise I sold him (6 inch Bulldog)
4) 38" high
5)castors
6) around 32x60"
7)storage shelf

With that info I designed a table that meets all the requirements, I was thinking 1/2" or 5/8" steel for the top, when I stopped by my steel guys place he had both and talking $$ I decided on the 4x8 sheet of half inch sheared to size for $500 as we were talking he pointed out a pile of 1" 4x8 that he got back after 1 use and told me I could have that for $525, personally I thought it was a no brainer and told him I would take the 1" more on that later.

So a few days ago I picked up my order 1 4x8x1" plate, 2 2 1/2" 3/16 wall Square tube 24' long and 2 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x angle 20 feet long everything else I need for the build I have.

The first order of business was to create a cut list and break down the tube the Jepson dry cut saw made short work of that.

Next up was cutting the 1" plate, my plasma cutter is not capable of that so I had to come up with something else, after reading a bunch of reviews I decided that a Milwaukee 8" metal cutting circular saw was the ticket and it worked well even if it was beyond what Milwaukee says it will do.
The plate all cut out.
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Then it was fixturing and welding.

I wanted this table to be everything it could be so it is designed with 10 places to use receiver type mounts 3 on each side and 2 on each end.

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Once that was done and cool, I marked out the mounting holes in the top, I was planning on free handing the drilling but I remembered that I had this old Craftsman drill mount sitting back on a shelf, I have had it for many years and have never used it for anything, A few modifications and the Milwaukee Hole shooter fit and I wouldn't have to worry about keeping the drill square to the top.

Worlds most ghetto mag drill.

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Thumper68

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Keeping up with the theme of Heavy work table I started on the leg assemblies, once again 2 1/2" square tube.
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Thats it for now, I burned up my counter sink on the first hole so ordered a new one from Amazon and will finish the countersinks when that gets here Tuesday.

Tomorrow will be attaching the legs adding a few gussets and hopefully paint for the base the top will be left bare steel.
 

firworks

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Looks like it's going to be a nice heavy work table. Funny though it's still gonna be a little whimpy compared to that monstrosity you are building it on. That's a seriously thick top.
 
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Thumper68

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Looks like it's going to be a nice heavy work table. Funny though it's still gonna be a little whimpy compared to that monstrosity you are building it on. That's a seriously thick top.

:lol: my table is the main reason he wanted one for himself, he saw mine and decided that he needed one kinda like it, the dimensions are close but mine is 2" thick, his base has more steel in it but still will only be around 500 pounds mine comes in somewhere around 1300.
 
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Thumper68

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I didn't know those little Milwaukee saws could handle 1".

Very cool!

that milwakee is one amazing saw, didn't think saws could do that ....

nice table too !

No they are rated for 3/4" but I figure that they always over build them a bit and I found a few reviews where they cut 1" even 1 1/2" so I figured I would give it a shot.

Not much progress today, feeling a bit lazy and it is Sunday after all so we just messed around a bit, cut some gussets out of some 3/8 bar stock and got the leg assemblies tacked into position. Other than that My son and his buddies and I just hung out in the shop and talked, going to be heading back into town in a bit to drop off the sons friends and then have dinner with the wife and my son and I will come back out and be ready for tomorrow.
 

Strouty

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My cordless M28 saw could cut that, but it would take a few batteries.

Looks good for sure, getting good use out of that table of yours!
 
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Thumper68

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How many minutes per inch?

Honestly I don't know for sure, while actually cutting it moves along very well, but then per the instructions I gave it several cool down periods, so in the 1" the 96" cut took about an hour the other cuts I pushed the saw harder and it went quicker.

My cordless M28 saw could cut that, but it would take a few batteries.

Looks good for sure, getting good use out of that table of yours!

Yeah I was nice to use the table for what I designed it for, the frame came out real flat after dressing the welds, when the video comes out you can see that even with it well tacked and clamped for the first full welds it warped a bit about an 1/8" over the length, but I was able to use the clamps and pull it back for welding the 2nd side and it then stayed flat. There is no way I could have done that on my old welding table.
 

Strouty

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I have seen the pictures of the materials you have to make one and I think your wish will come true.



I cut my best piece in half. Wish I hadn't done that, live and learn. Might end up with an acorn table, not ready yet. I just feel my large table is not thick enough to work the way it should.
 
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Thumper68

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I cut my best piece in half. Wish I hadn't done that, live and learn. Might end up with an acorn table, not ready yet. I just feel my large table is not thick enough to work the way it should.

If I were you I would take a few of those lista cabinets and some 2 1/2" tube and make a base and then use the thick plate to make a stronghand style top, lots of enclosed storage with a super heavy duty top.

I finished up the video review of the Milwaukee saw last night and thought I would share it here as well as in the thread I started for just the saw.

 
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Thumper68

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Ok, so I guess my next question, why the odd dimension of 32" ? Why not just make it 36" (3') ? Does it have to fit in a certain area he have plans for it... like your table ?

I'm not really certain on the size other than the fact that he likes my table and it is 31x62 so it might have been arbitrary.

I like mine at its size I can easily reach across it to grab a tool or make a tack weld, any wider and that becomes a pain.
 

NUTTSGT

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I'm not really certain on the size other than the fact that he likes my table and it is 31x62 so it might have been arbitrary.

I like mine at its size I can easily reach across it to grab a tool or make a tack weld, any wider and that becomes a pain.

Ahh, that makes sense. Thank you sir.
 
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Thumper68

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Nice !!
How much is that gonna weigh?

I figure and this is a rough est. between 500 and 600 pounds, I should actually sit down and figure it out.

I had to flip the base with the legs attached several times today and while doable it was not something I would want to do more than necessary.

Sorry no pictures of todays progress but I got a few things done, the legs are fully welded and I added the caster plate and the frame for the lower shelf.

Then I cut out the brackets for the feet and spent a while at the mill finishing those up, a little match grinding tomorrow and those will be ready to weld on, after that it is just paint and cutting the 1/4" tread plate for the bottom shelf.

And before anyone asks I'm using 1/4" tread plate (Diamond plate) because I have it, got a bunch at auction a few years back.
 
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Thumper68

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Figured I would update this before bed then I realized that I left the SD card in the shop so I was going to wait until tomorrow and then had to run out to the wifes car to get something for her and so you guys get a update.

I match ground the feet brackets, if you don't know match grinding if were you clamp all the like parts together and grind them all at once so that they all come out the same.

The feet are made up of some 3/4-10 bolts welded to some rounds of steel, then they are threaded into coupling nuts which are in turn welded to the brackets. Then the brackets were welded to the frame, I spent a bit of time deciding how to place the brackets, in the end I decided to attach them at a 45* angle to the legs, IMO this gave me the best look.

Unfortunately the card with all the pics got corrupted and all I have for you now is this one pic of the base sitting upside down on the saw horses getting painted, don't worry I will get more pics of the details and final paint tomorrow (Later today).

You can see in this pic that the feet brackets have a bit of Art Deco influence, even though this is a table whos function is to be beat on I still wanted it to look good.

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cmandp

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Did you have any pictures of making the feet? I like the nice arc and the three holes in them.
 
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Thumper68

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Did you have any pictures of making the feet? I like the nice arc and the three holes in them.

No I don't have any pictures, they were on the the corrupted card but I do have video Be a few weeks before the video of the build is ready though.
 
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Thumper68

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Well it's all done but the delivery which will happen tomorrow night. Like I said in the OP this is for a client who is also a friend so I figured that I would fab up a few extras for him.

I also cut the bottom shelf today, I am really starting to love that Milwaukee saw, cut the tread plate like butter.

First off here are a few pics of the base all painted and ready to go.

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Here are the extras I made, a mount for the vise I sold him a few months back and then 2 mounts that he can attach a board to and then hold what ever he wants, a grinder or a saw etc...

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No pics with it all together yet, I really did not feel like moving that 1" plate anymore then I have to, tomorrow night when it gets delivered I will get a few pics of it.
 

matt_i

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32 x 60 x 1 x .283 lbs/cu-in. = 543 lbs in the top. There's probably a tabulated value for the 2" sq x 3/16" box tube per linear foot.

Looks very nice so far. I like the look of that Milwaukee saw :) I think I need one of those....
 
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Thumper68

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32 x 60 x 1 x .283 lbs/cu-in. = 543 lbs in the top. There's probably a tabulated value for the 2" sq x 3/16" box tube per linear foot.

Looks very nice so far. I like the look of that Milwaukee saw :) I think I need one of those....

Thanks for the math,

Approx 206 pounds in the frame and the tread plate is around 60 pounds

For everything else figure 50 pounds that includes casters and the feet brackets, weld material and nuts bolts etc...

Top 543
frame 206
tread plate 60
extras 50


Right around 860 pounds, I think that will work to keep his vise from moving to much.
 
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Thumper68

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As much as I would like to I can't add any new pics to this thread, do to the clients work schedule we delivered the table later then I was hoping for and I set the camera up to take some video intending the take pics after we had the table all set up, it was starting to get dark and the mosquitoes were starting to get bad and I forgot.

The video will be out in a few weeks and you can all see the final product then.
 
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