I beam Welding/jig/work Table

[mustange70]

Posting up my plans a build of my welding table. Also hoping to get a few ideas too.

Anyway long story short, my plans of finding a blanchard ground table top from anything has been taking forever, and through all my searching I've stumbled across a bunch of decently sized i-beams. I ended up getting 4 11' long 12" tall x 7" wide 3/8" thick I beams from an old dismantled steel framed building. My plan is to line these beams up flange to flange (width wise), weld them together on the top flange, and run two beams perpendicular to the top beams underneath and weld the top beams to these two beams, and have myself a nice super strong (and heavy) table.

Size wise it will be 28" wide (using 4 beams side by side, I can't go much wider than this due to lack of shop space), by 8' long. On the underside of the top beams. The legs will have leveling feet consisting of 1.5" diax 14" long studs welded into 3 ton jackstands for 12" of adjustability, I will also have casters that only touch ground when the leveling feet are raised fully. For the top of the table, for now I'll just use the top flange of the beams, but I'll eventually add an additional 3/8-1/2" plate to the top when funds allow. The plans are to also have some receiver tube added in through the top and else ware for attachments & jigs, and I will add holes with welded on nuts for clamping purposes as I need them.

All in all this will be simple & extremely stiff/strong. Thickness of the top plate isn't ideal at the moment, but I will address that later on. Another benefit of the ibeam, is that I will have built in storage between the web's .

The beams:

https://scontent-ord1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t31.0-8/11947799_10156057996050282_7259981616146971535_o.jpg

https://scontent-ord1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t31.0-8/12038727_10156057996045282_3356661428252101140_o.jpg

https://scontent-ord1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t31.0-8/12045455_10156057996030282_3577041956796615961_o.jpg

Tacked & ready to weld:

https://scontent-ord1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfl1/v/t1.0-9/11986989_10156005997430282_3858192310650646797_n.jpg?oh=9defdbf0cc069f73f396af5fd786a244&oe=5698B71B

https://scontent-ord1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlf1/v/t1.0-9/11988533_10156005997365282_1702793821603141520_n.jpg?oh=80106ce003a3b5a9df39e607050c4958&oe=56635349

There was a fair bit of twist in the beams that i had to deal with, but I managed, its still not perfect, but I will continue to work on it (ie grind away, or have it actually machined flat, we will see)

And the semi finished product (still have some work to finish on the legs, the casters, receiver tubes and misc. holes to drill for things like a vice, the crane, etc):

https://scontent-ord1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/11149508_10156009870670282_6832930713408628644_n.jpg?oh=b3ebdda0412263336b7bba30839572ed&oe=5697A988

https://scontent-ord1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/11988715_10156009870720282_7935521850609227696_n.jpg?oh=3124b6bc17b0bfd29f0017df610bb0d1&oe=56AA5B44

https://scontent-ord1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/12036487_10156045618975282_7740822144572533700_n.jpg?oh=b1951e09edf3dde2cffe75c2b8b917f8&oe=5669A856

One thing to note because I know guys will complain about it, is the outriggers on the end, they are there to allow me to extend the size/shape of the table to suit my needs. I have 2 extra pieces of that same i beam that I can bolt up to those outriggers in any number of arrangements. Yes they are knee catchers, but for they aren't in use they will be facing the wall out of the way.

 

[jhn9840]

That is a very stout welding table. I like it. Any idea how much it weighs?

jhn9840
John

 

[mustange70]

28lb/foot for the beam, there is ~38' of beam in that table, so 1064 lbs. Kind of a chunky ****** isn't it? Oh and i still have the top plate I want to add to it.

Seriously though, this is what I wanted, something with mass that i can put stuff on and reef on it and not have it move, vibrate, whatever, on me. I'll be building axles for my megatruck on it (9ton planetary diffs that weight 1000lbs debraked), i'll be an building atv off it, etc.

 

[richeyc2000]

That's a hefty table alright.Thought mine had a bit of weight . Looks great. Can't wait to see your further mods to it. Nice job.

 

[Thumper68]

Looks real good, Just about heavy enough to do some real work.

 

[catalytic]

Whoa... and I thought my tools were stout... the mil grade bridge they are building near me that they designed for Abrams tanks to drive on is not built that tough... what exactly are you planning on putting on there?

 

[joe49]

Great re-purposing.

 

[mustange70]

Whoa... and I thought my tools were stout... the mil grade bridge they are building near me that they designed for Abrams tanks to drive on is not built that tough... what exactly are you planning on putting on there?

https://scontent-ord1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/10704062_10154611349560282_8981017142407858905_n.jpg?oh=9183dd21f2b09c0fae38b6a6f4c3d07b&oe=56A5D79A

Those are the front axles from the trucks that transport the abrams tanks . they are for my race truck and are the first project to be built on the table, and I will likely use the table as a chassis table to build the frame/chassis for the race truck as well.

Honesty when I started this, I was hoping for beams at least half this size, but as i said in the first post I came across a good deal ($200 and a case of beer for delivery) that I couldn't pass up.

 

[ilovevocs]

What kind of race truck are you building?

Cool table, nice work.

 

[mustange70]

Tough truck/mud truck type of rig. I guess you can call it a smaller mega truck build. Its a 96' ford ranger 800hp 400 ford, toploader 4 speed, nv 271 transfer case, king coilovers, 4 link, 4 wheel hydraulic steering, full roll cage, I'm having to retain the factory frame but it will be heavily modified. Tires are tbd, but in the 42-48" range.

 

[ilovevocs]

That's awesome. I was thrown by the axles as I default to desert / CORR trucks when I think of race trucks. Any chance for a build thread on the truck?

 

[mustange70]

Yeah I can toss a thread up on here, I don't have a lot to show at the moment. I'm hoping to get started on these axles after the Canadian turkey day weekend.

 

[dr_clyde]

I would throw a plate over it versus trying to flatten the existing top. There isn't much metal there to grind away.

 

[bgarrett]

Where do you live? Thats a lot of houses crammed close together. Dont they complain about your shop noise?

 

[mustange70]

I would throw a plate over it versus trying to flatten the existing top. There isn't much metal there to grind away.

There's enough to get it flat, and then I would toss a plate on top of that, effectively giving me a machined top at all time.

Where do you live? Thats a lot of houses crammed close together. Dont they complain about your shop noise?

Yup, its the only thing I do not like about my area which is in north east part of Calgary AB. Shop noise is minimal providing i keep the doors closed. My garage is heavily insulated partly for this and partly for the cold winters.

 

[LX-Markham]

Very very nice! Love the jib-crane!

much more heavy duty than the table I have planned. Had a similar concept using side-by-side channels instead of i-beams for the top.

 

[plow]

Subscribed.

 

[fourjeepin]

I like the idea of the jack stands to allow for height adjustment. Very clever.

 

[mustange70]

Yeah I was going to build some, but I thought I'd check the local princess auto (harbor freight equivalent for us Canadians) for cheap stands, and picked up 4 for $60, as while there isn't a lot of material in these, the time saved was well worth it. The other thing is I was able to save the stand portion and latch for future use on another project, and I'm thinking of using them for axle stands on the table.

Jib crane is going on a 2" reciever, and I'll put a reciever tube on the table, makes it easier to remove/deal with. My dad has a similar setup on the farm and I've always loved it, super handy for me since I'm almost always by myself.

 

[ilovevocs]

I'm almost always by myself.

Seems like allot of us work this way. I've found the a-frame, my engine hoist, chains, and straps are more consistent than relying on a friends.

Most the guys I know around me are happy watching football and drinking beer, they pay people to do everything around the house other than change a light bulb. Don't maintain their own vehicles, heck they use their garages for..... get this..... parking in. My neighbor two doors down paid someone $150.00 to pick up his garden tractor, take it to their shop, change the oil and sharpen the blades.

When he got the mower back he sent a rod through the block. I offered to get him a short block at cost and help him repair it. The tractor was a 5 years old cub cadet with a kohler in it. He junked it and bought a new one. Crazy.

 

[sqznby]

Not what I was expecting but the outcome is very cool.
Stout, hah, that's an understatement.
Great idea with the jib crane to.

I like it.

 

[mustange70]

Thanks guys, anyway I've been using the new bench, been working out great, here's why I built it as heavy as I did as well as leaving those extensions on it. Those are the Meritor 9 ton planetary diffs, the housing in the pictures weighs over 600lbs.

https://scontent-ord1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpl1/v/t1.0-9/11222225_10156154280605282_804977704291928326_n.jpg?oh=476f2ed2b6ddc8f03816422be0e4f71b&oe=56D01A82

Anyway I decided to build a separate chassis jig for my ranger build, called the guy that I bought the original beams from and he had a pair of 8"x5.5" x 3/8 thick H beams available for cheap, so I swung by and picked them up, suckers were long (15' each), it was a good thing I yanked the seats out of the centurion lol.

So anyway cleaned the garage and got to setting up the beams, I was going to cut them down and us the cut offs for the cross beams, which would be flush mounted with the main beams. But after some measuring, and determining the wheelbase of the ranger, I decided to do things a touch different as you'll see in the pictures.

I've gotten it all squared and leveled out, just left it for the night, I'll double check the measurements tomorrow and weld it out , cut those tabs off, put the castors on and slide it under the ranger.

 

[mustange70]

Forgot to say, I would've ran the cross beams standing up right (stronger this way too), but it would've been too tall with casters (about an extra foot and a half), as I want to be able to drop this nice a low for the cage work.

 

[Kensgarage]

How much warpage did you create welding those flanges solid ?

 

[mustange70]

Didn't have any. Beveled the ends, kept the welds small and jumped around a lot. The twist in the beam was a bigger problem.

 

[Kensgarage]

Good job. Most just strike up let it eat and wonder why everything goes to hell..........

 

[mustange70]

You nailed it, to many folks just go, and not enough take a step back and slow down to go faster. Also been playing around with this stuff long enough to know better, add to the fact that I'm a Certified Welding Engineering Technologist, which basically means i'm supposed to know a thing or two about how much metal will shrink when cooling, especially this type of weld.

 

[mustange70]

Got the chassis jig welded out and the castors on, still measure true & level, and rolls nice and easy. Measures 17" high from the floor to the top face of the beam.

https://scontent-ord1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xta1/v/t1.0-9/1486891_10156180654790282_3563526195494218402_n.jpg?oh=2ca7a1e17a07f56627cf6e6da3eb11a4&oe=56C01E9A

https://scontent-ord1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/12065870_10156180654840282_2913598499661129664_n.jpg?oh=5a19a52670d6859d21efc559a98c0df9&oe=56B8F687

 

[mustange70]

Thought I'd bump this back up. Attached is a picture of partly why this table is built as heavy as it is, plus having that jib crane bolted down is really, really handy. btw, that housing is ~500lbs.

 

[pepi]

Thought I'd bump this back up. Attached is a picture of partly why this table is built as heavy as it is, plus having that jib crane bolted down is really, really handy. btw, that housing is ~500lbs.

So you put that baby on a diet or scraped a load of crud off, reads like it lost a ~100lbs. some where?

Good idea on the jib btw..

 

[mustange70]

I'm a little confused with what your asking? The axle housing I had hanging off the jib is at least 500lbs.

 

[PhantomEB]

He got a lot of I beams kicking around? I want to build a trolley crane in my shop for engine pulls etc. Span the width of 24'!

 

[mustange70]

Dunno if he has anything left, if he does it'll be on kijiji. Don't remember him having anything that long though, but you could always weld a few beams together.