Mastercraft welding table at Menards

[Onefastgsx]

Does anyone have any experience with the mastercraft welding table? I am looking to replace my small, portable welding table and these seem pretty decent for the cost.
I have a large table in my shop that I do most of my building on. But I have a small, fold-up table that I use when I need to have a surface to work on next to a project that doesnt fit in my garage. It is flimsy and I am constantly having issues trying to find ways to clamp parts to it to weld up.
This Masterforce table has the anchor holes for clamps and hold-downs for parts. And the clamps and accessories for it seem to be pretty cheap as well.
Just wondering what your opinions on it were?

 

[Spencer Was Here]

I didnt notice this yet in my local store. Is it available online only, or have you seen them in stores?

 

[Onefastgsx]

Yes, they are at my store in the welding section. The clamps are what caught my attention, then I noticed the tables kind of buried on the bottom shelf

 

[pcfithian]

Re: Masterforce welding table at Menards

Here's what I did with mine, made a cart base to hold the table, argon tank, and TIG welder. Makes a nice compact and mobile workspace for welding, only an electrical connection needed. Bottom sheet is 16 gauge, mid shelf sheet is 22 gauge and supported by the wire rack underneath.

With the caster base I made, the weld table is at the same height as my workbench, 36 inches. Harbor Freight Quick Release Bar Clamps work great in these holes. Just cut off the fixed end and drop in, they lock when tilted.

 

[Hammer1963]

Even though I have a couple of tables similar, this is something I need to check out. The accessories are pretty cool.

 

[pcfithian]

Re: Masterforce welding table at Menards

I found the Masterforce hold down clamps did not work very well, one broke. I returned the 2 that I purchased at Menards. I did purchase a Masterforce Bench Dog kit and an In-Line Toggle clamp to go with the table, they work well.

Note the table height is low, 29 3/4". Mounting it on the caster base I made brings it up to 36" and makes it mobile. I used casters that came with my HF Yukon storage cabinets shown in the background, I mounted those on a fixed base so I didn't need the casters.

 

[Showkey]

This is an older thread .......new current price on the table is $120 - 11%

 

[macgee]

I wish we had Menards in Calif.

But they can ship them and total cost including shipping is $125.

They also sell a smaller 26"x19" top with free shipping for $63. Which may not be too bad?

https://www.menards.com/main/tools/welders-accessories/masterforce-trade-26-x-19-steel-welding-tabletop/65262/p-1465414107876.htm


Nevermind for Calif.:

"Due to recent changes in Proposition 65 this product is restricted from being sold to the state where your shipping address is located. Please remove this item from your cart."

WTF

 

[pcfithian]

Made up a base and cabinet with drawers to use one of these for a new 9x19 lathe. Rated for 1,000 lbs

 

[Jayman17]

@pcfithian Nice work on this stand, that base is real slick looking.

 

[pcfithian]

Thanks! Cart base is made from 1x3 pine, 1/2" plywood, and 4x4 Douglas Fir post. Coating is a clear epoxy pour over latex paint on the wood.

Drawers have a poured epoxy bottom for durability.

I used these feet to keep the posts off of the concrete floor and enable leveling

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09B2F13BR?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[isb cornbinder]

For comparison, a person should check out FIREBALL TOOLS. Jason makes some well thought out fixture tables. If I was younger and had the space, I would buy one of Jason's fixture tables and a box of accessories, just to enjoy the well thought out system as art. .
I built a hydraulic dual purpose lift table. It worked really well for servicing my motorcycle. I have used it to help unload my truck. I bought a half sheet of 10 gauge cold-rolled to place on the lift table for a flat surface work area. While on hydraulic cylinder was more than adequate, I installed two cylinders to slow the lift speed.

 

[ching0n]

I wish we had Menards in Calif.

But they can ship them and total cost including shipping is $125.

They also sell a smaller 26"x19" top with free shipping for $63. Which may not be too bad?

https://www.menards.com/main/tools/...el-welding-tabletop/65262/p-1465414107876.htm


Nevermind for Calif.:

"Due to recent changes in Proposition 65 this product is restricted from being sold to the state where your shipping address is located. Please remove this item from your cart."

WTF

That smaller table top is intriguing since you could make a bigger one w/a few of them. What I wonder about the dimples on the holes is how much strength the add against buckling of the sheet metal....it's like a built in bushing so maybe stronger than those 4mm table tops w/o the extra heft?

 

[Beerhippie]

Isn't that gold color cadmium plating? Who wants to weld on cadmium?

https://www.osha.gov/cadmium

 

[PBCampbell]

It's Zinc Dichromate according to the description. I'd think Cadmium would be hella expensive, lol.

 

[Beerhippie]

It's Zinc Dichromate according to the description. I'd think Cadmium would be hella expensive, lol.

Where I come from, we generally don't weld on zinc, either. I strip galvy steel to bare steel with phos acid before welding. Dichromate isn't something I want to vaporize and breath, either.

Seems like a really bad decision for a welding table. I know you're not supposed to actually weld the table, but poop occurs.

Cadmium plating is pretty common on tools. It's electroplated, so there isn't much of it. Lots of WWII stuff was cadmium plated as zinc was a "strategic metal" (as a component of brass).

 

[PBCampbell]

I thought the same about any type of Zinc on a welding table as well as it seems awful thin. The smaller table is stated at 2mm thickness, so I'd guess the larger is as well.

 

[ching0n]

Where I come from, we generally don't weld on zinc, either. I strip galvy steel to bare steel with phos acid before welding. Dichromate isn't something I want to vaporize and breath, either.

Seems like a really bad decision for a welding table. I know you're not supposed to actually weld the table, but poop occurs.

Cadmium plating is pretty common on tools. It's electroplated, so there isn't much of it. Lots of WWII stuff was cadmium plated as zinc was a "strategic metal" (as a component of brass).

you shouldn't weld on fixture tables anyway. I know people like to tack pieces onto tables, but that'd be a junk steel table top for that purpose. Getting metal fume fever is sucky but not the end of the world. I haven't seen cadmium plated tools in a long *** time, there's hardware that's cadmium plated but most people confuse it w/other electroplating that has the same patina.

HCL/muriatic is my go-to for stripping plating (pool or plumbing sections) though I wouldn't stress too much over it, There's a million of foldable welding tables w/zinc chromate plating in people's garages.

 

[Beerhippie]

you shouldn't weld on fixture tables anyway. I know people like to tack pieces onto tables, but that'd be a junk steel table top for that purpose. Getting metal fume fever is sucky but not the end of the world. I haven't seen cadmium plated tools in a long *** time, there's hardware that's cadmium plated but most people confuse it w/other electroplating that has the same patina.

HCL/muriatic is my go-to for stripping plating (pool or plumbing sections) though I wouldn't stress too much over it, There's a million of foldable welding tables w/zinc chromate plating in people's garages.

What would the point of a fixture table be if you can't at least tack weld on it? Not that I have one....

 

[Wamsutta]

Mastercraft is way out of my league. I can't afford that stuff.

 

[ching0n]

What would the point of a fixture table be if you can't at least tack weld on it? Not that I have one....

you use fancy fixture fences and clamps. It's what the holes are for. Proper fixture tables have very flat surfaces (not saying this one is but it's attempting to) sometimes w/special anti-spatter coatings so welding on them ruins both of those features. the menards uses some very chunky 3/4 hardware which I think is common w/woodworking systems and likely intentional for dual compatibility.






A decent review of the 'budget' options:

 

[ching0n]

Mastercraft is way out of my league. I can't afford that stuff.

that plate was more than that table

 

[pcfithian]

Ended up with a new Grizzly G0602 10x22 lathe, table setup works great

 

[MightyE]

Just purchased one of these China made junk heaps. Yes, JUNK HEAP. Upon opening, half washers were missing. Then, following instructions, I ran screw "UP" through the table and finger tightened locknuts. When I went to tighten, no way to get to phillips head to hold/tighten. That's on my dumb_ss. Then, attached all parts and Masterforce clamp. Also junk. Failed within 5 minutes. Table was designed for "small people", had to extend and place on rollers. Overall, this is total junk and I now understand why it was on "CLOSEOUT". I was in a hurry, saw the red sticker and thought it would fit our shop nicely. I was dead wrong. All these rave reviews have to be from once a year, 6 inch stitch welders. We use welders weekly and this was just one of my worst all time buys. I am not wasting my time posting pics. But trust me. This is JUNK x 10. It is not worthy of saw horse status!

 

[finn]

Just purchased one of these China made junk heaps. Yes, JUNK HEAP. Upon opening, half washers were missing. Then, following instructions, I ran screw "UP" through the table and finger tightened locknuts. When I went to tighten, no way to get to phillips head to hold/tighten. That's on my dumb_ss. Then, attached all parts and Masterforce clamp. Also junk. Failed within 5 minutes. Table was designed for "small people", had to extend and place on rollers. Overall, this is total junk and I now understand why it was on "CLOSEOUT". I was in a hurry, saw the red sticker and thought it would fit our shop nicely. I was dead wrong. All these rave reviews have to be from once a year, 6 inch stitch welders. We use welders weekly and this was just one of my worst all time buys. I am not wasting my time posting pics. But trust me. This is JUNK x 10. It is not worthy of saw horse status!

You’re correct. You’re not the target market for these inexpensive home hobbiest tables. They’re sold under dozens of labels for use in home garages and shops fo use by hobbiests and other casual users. They’re light, easily portable, and don’t require a lot of space, not exactly the features you’re looking for in a commercial setting with unlimited space and regular heavy use and abuse.

I picked up a Vevor variation for my small garage in Az. Do I love it? In a word, no. It’s thin and light. you really can’t hammer on it or even mount a decent vice to the edge, but it can be easily moved out of the way, and at least gives me something to weld on that won’t catch fire and burn the attached garage and house down.