Metal layout station ideas.....?

[Badasssapper67]

Wondering what you guys do for your metal layout workspace? Do you do your layout in one area and weld and fab in other areas?
Or perhaps you keep all your layout tools in a small tool box right by your welding table?
I need a good place to do some layouts and dont have anywhere to keep everything in order. Im talking about protracors, calipers, radius paterns, etc. I dont want them getting all nasty from sitting out but also dont want them on the other side of the shop.

 

[cvairwerks]

Depends on what I'm working on. Small aluminum sheet goods get done on a soft topped table. Small thin steel and it's just on the bench. Critical small stuff gets done on a surface plate with marking gauges. Heavy iron gets done on saw horses or the floor.

 

[matt_i]

These days its sawhorses and 3/4 plywood or folding-leg tables. In a perfect world it would be a bench that was walk-around with access on all 4 sides but I don't see it happening unless I hit the lotto.

I keep precision tools in a gerstner box.

I keep two semi-precision squares (the PEC style ones that aren't uber expensive like a Starrett or B&S) on the welding bench for messing with fit-ups, alignment and "tacking strategy".

My best advice is to grind outside or somewhere else in the shop. That's what makes the worst hole in the state of cleanliness if you asked me.

 

[bullnerd]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBRV8CdAk2B/?taken-by=hesterfab

 

[dr_clyde]

Depends on what I'm laying out. If its small enough, I do my layout on the surface plate in the machine shop area.

Otherwise I just layout the work right on the welding table.

I take care to not leave precision tools where they can be damaged by the welding or grinding.

 

[BD1]

When needed I made a short pedestal with round plate to set on top. This keeps them off the table and still handy. It's like those raised frames the pizza places use to set on table to elevate pizza.