my new to me welding table

[meatness]

I picked up a torch set and a welding table today. I have been looking to build a table for a while and started pricing materials. Had a budget in mind and was looking around to get ideas for a design. I don't have any machinist buddies and nobody is giving me free steel so with that and having a working man's budget I was looking at a 1/2 steel top and some square tube for receivers. Then I stumbled upon a table on craigslist that could work. I picked it up mainly for the thickness of the table itself and the very reasonable price. For what I got the table I would have just been able to buy the top for what I had in mind, and that would have been at remnant prices.

The top is 1.25" thick, and the legs are very overbuild. It is more of a sit at height of 30" which I may or may not like. I am willing to give it a try. It is a bit narrow too for laying out anything too big on but is a space saver. The first step is to clean up the top. Right now I am using an angle grinder with a flap sanding disc on it at 120 grit. This is a little slow going but it's getting clean.

I would like to find some casters to put under it so that it can be easily rolled into the middle of the shop when needed. All in all I am stoked, not the perfect welding table in my mind but not a bad one either.

 

[RivennHewn]

Looks like brute.

Show a pic of the feet. Are those set up for adjustment?

 

[dr_clyde]

That's a pretty cool find. Good size for general work.

 

[meatness]

Yeah the feet do adjust, interesting set up. I am thinking I could put some heavy duty casters under the feet and keep the adjustment.

 

[APEowner]

Nice! But, won't stuff fall off of it with bolted to the wall like that?

 

[meatness]

I don't know how gravity works in your shop, but east is down in mine....

Sorry for not flipping the images.

 

[1953mercury]

That's a nice find. Pretty easy to make it any height that you want. Mike

 

[zkling]

Would be a real nice table for sitting tig work. Add a rolling chair and you will have a productive setup. I'd start with a coat of paint stripper insted of trying to flap disk that entire surface. If not paint stripper, at least a cup brush.

 

[BD1]

Very nice ! Just add wheels to increase height. Some prefer a 30" height to a 36".

 

[56vette461]

Love it. Great find. it might be possible to add wheels for mobility and still have them adjustable so the table sets flat on the floor off the wheels when in position.

Looking forward to some pictures as you make progress

 

[e30bradley]

looks like a nice table! Once I have the money I'm going to build a welding table and put my butcher block bench up for sale.

 

[meatness]

Got most of the paint off of the top with an 80 grit flapper. Lots of work but I shy away from using chemicals on a table that I am going to light on fire and sit over. I am tempted to stop here but I also would like to know if anyone has any ideas to taking about a 16th off the surface and get everything perfectly flat.

What I know is very little, but i read that I might be able to take the surface to have it ground. This sounds expensive to me? Other than that idea and sitting with a large block and some sandpaper (be done in 2016!) I have no idea how I would go about it.

 

[strelnik]

I picked up a torch set and a welding table today. I have been looking to build a table for a while and started pricing materials. Had a budget in mind and was looking around to get ideas for a design. I don't have any machinist buddies and nobody is giving me free steel so with that and having a working man's budget I was looking at a 1/2 steel top and some square tube for receivers. Then I stumbled upon a table on craigslist that could work. I picked it up mainly for the thickness of the table itself and the very reasonable price. For what I got the table I would have just been able to buy the top for what I had in mind, and that would have been at remnant prices.

The top is 1.25" thick, and the legs are very overbuild. It is more of a sit at height of 30" which I may or may not like. I am willing to give it a try. It is a bit narrow too for laying out anything too big on but is a space saver. The first step is to clean up the top. Right now I am using an angle grinder with a flap sanding disc on it at 120 grit. This is a little slow going but it's getting clean.

I would like to find some casters to put under it so that it can be easily rolled into the middle of the shop when needed. All in all I am stoked, not the perfect welding table in my mind but not a bad one either.

Great Table!
Have you thought of putting a n arrangement where wheels are on a crossbar and can simply be screwed up to bring the table off the legs and rolling on the casters?

 

[zmotorsports]

Damn, that thing looks pretty heavy duty.

Nice score.

Mine is heavy as well but not nearly as heavy as yours. I would recommend some locking casters as once they are locked it makes for a very solid table to work on. I have tugged and pulled on things clamped to the table during fabrication and the table has stayed put.

Mike.

 

[meatness]

Great Table!
Have you thought of putting a n arrangement where wheels are on a crossbar and can simply be screwed up to bring the table off the legs and rolling on the casters?

This is a great idea! I am also thinking about bolting so square stock to each end of the table for receivers. I really like the idea of having a clean surface to work on but having the ability to through a vise or tool up on the table quickly to work with.

 

[meatness]

Damn, that thing looks pretty heavy duty.

Nice score.

Mine is heavy as well but not nearly as heavy as yours. I would recommend some locking casters as once they are locked it makes for a very solid table to work on. I have tugged and pulled on things clamped to the table during fabrication and the table has stayed put.

Mike.

Mike,

Would you be able to point me in the direction of the casters you used? I know these things can get very pricey.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike,

Would you be able to point me in the direction of the casters you used? I know these things can get very pricey.

These are the ones I used.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007TYQNVA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

They roll smooth, support 600 lbs./each and lock very solidly.
Here is a picture of my welding table, the casters may be hard to see.

Mike.

 

[saceone]

^^that's a very nice looking shop/setup


I like the OP's table too, that thing is thicker than a diabetic black lady waiting in line at a chinese buffet

 

[dr_clyde]

What I know is very little, but i read that I might be able to take the surface to have it ground. This sounds expensive to me? Other than that idea and sitting with a large block and some sandpaper (be done in 2016!) I have no idea how I would go about it.[/QUOTE]

Table like that, maybe a couple hundred bucks on a big Blanchard or Mattison, and it'll be way flatter than most guys need.

 

[sberry]

You got a deal, enjoy it and resist the temptation to throw hundreds at it. You don't need it "flat" There is enough flat area to do one off general fit ups.

 

[meatness]

You got a deal, enjoy it and resist the temptation to throw hundreds at it. You don't need it "flat" There is enough flat area to do one off general fit ups.

I think this is very sound advice. I am going to just be happy with what it is as far as the surface goes, clean it up a little more and use it. Time to learn how to cut with a torch....

 

[sberry]

I see a lot of fuss about this on the net and never in the real world. I will grant that there are specialists that can use or need that type of thing but in 35 yrs in the fab biz never really did and still don't. The real work is done with a square and a tape measure.
The only hi end tables I ran across were piled with junk, too big and in the way and were usually the result of a brain fart by a company owner in an inspired moment at an auction.
I know one now would gladly get rid of it, taking up shop space but has too much n to it to toss the thing outside the door.
There benches are double duty multi functional in small shops and while they have some nice workmanship much of it will go un used and become a pain down the road. Slots and holes are a place for dirt and any spills to go thru, rounds roll thru slots and they take special clamps aint good for much else.

How big is that thing???? My ideal is 2 benches, a smaller one for a vise and a simple flat for fab. Too big is as much a problem as is too small. About 3x5 or so, a guy can reach across to get the tape measure and you can walk around without packing lunch.
I agree gitchew a torch.

 

[j p smith]

Nice table! There is a nice set up using small hydraulic jacks to push the wheels in contact with the floor for moving the table around. I am pretty sure it is in the workbench thread.

 

[sberry]

Nice table! There is a nice set up using small hydraulic jacks to push the wheels in contact with the floor for moving the table around. I am pretty sure it is in the workbench thread.

This comes up a lot and there are some good ideas and as always there are other factors but depending on how far and how often,,, I like 2 fixed rear wheels and use the shelf brace on the other end either a floor jack. The ideal is a pallet jack, set a couple 6x6 on it and pick it from the shelf and not need any wheels. In the cases with this bench and others here they are heavy enough that they would be great even without being bolted down.
It is a downside of the tubing receiver especially on wheels. Makes the vise a lever and overhung vs sitting over a post. It isn't that they couldn't have invented some system a long time ago it just that master trades people found out what was ideal and practical to mount a vise.

 

[sberry]

I got a cobble job I call the tool bench. About 2x4 with the vise on a corner fixed to the floor and I will do about anything to it. My neighbor came by with a prototype brake and its still on there and we use it and its got a bench top drill press on the thing. Its not the same as "the bench" and we call it the "vise" .
BRB,,, biz,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[sberry]

Ok a couple pics. In a smaller shop where it all had to shrink would need to have the tool box along the wall as well as the bench with vise.
Its the second best to this where there is a big overhead door to the left not in pic but to allow for pull in work next to the welding fab bay, in fact can come at it from 2 directions but,,, this whole layout is hard to beat.

 

[sberry]

Wilton should be innovative and create another base offering for the new crew that has a 2 inch bar.
There is a downside to a super thick table in that it is a bit more difficult to drill and tap. In a thinner plate,, and maybe thick too one can drill a slight oversize and install a bolt square but either bolt/nut or threaded and capscrew,,, 3 simple holes to mount a vise.

 

[meatness]

Some good ideas, thanks guys! I think being able to move the table easily will be too useful to ignore, so I will be looking into that when I get a chance. I want to clean up the edges and create some kinda of tool racks at least so that everything has a place.

The surface is 72.25" x 22.25" Puts the top right around 600 lbs.With the legs I would put it over 750lbs all together.

 

[Macrosloth]

Perfectly flat would be expensive...

Maybe spray a coat of guide coat on it, and use a straight bar with sand paper to identify any crazy high spots...

 

[meatness]

Today I took a small bed to a beat up craftsman 6" metal lathe and some spray adhesive. I glued some 60 grit alum oxide sand paper to the way and painted a guide coat on the table. Basically using the lathe bed as a really big heavy sanding block. Then went from corner to corner at a 45 degree of the table sanding the guide coat. Lots of little pits and the like, but overall fairly flat. I cleaned it up and put it in it's home. It is ready for service for now. I do need to move the fishing gear to the back shed away from the fire and maybe give myself a little more space to the wall.

Later I will rearrange things and get it out in the open. I have to get some of these bike projects done to make space. Never enough space some may say. Although it has been proven that you can limit yourself with discipline. I am working on that.....

 

[sberry]

That looks really good, nothing wrong with it.

 

[zmotorsports]

I see a lot of fuss about this on the net and never in the real world. I will grant that there are specialists that can use or need that type of thing but in 35 yrs in the fab biz never really did and still don't. The real work is done with a square and a tape measure.
The only hi end tables I ran across were piled with junk, too big and in the way and were usually the result of a brain fart by a company owner in an inspired moment at an auction.
I know one now would gladly get rid of it, taking up shop space but has too much n to it to toss the thing outside the door.
There benches are double duty multi functional in small shops and while they have some nice workmanship much of it will go un used and become a pain down the road. Slots and holes are a place for dirt and any spills to go thru, rounds roll thru slots and they take special clamps aint good for much else.

I pretty much feel the same way. When I built my shop in 1995 I wanted a welding table but was too poor from the cost of building the shop. I drooled over some of the special welding tables that were commercially available. Strong hand makes a nice one but if you aren't using it for fabrication 100% of the time, it really doesn't make sense with all of the locating holes for fixturing.

I built mine about 15+ years ago and it has had the $hit used out of it ever since. I do a lot of fabrication work, however, I also do just as much general mechanic work and in a small shop like you mentioned I need the workspace to do double duty, not just fabricating.

My welding table is 30"x50" and works great as both a welding table as well as a solid table for performing mechanical repairs. It is solid and yet can be rolled around with somewhat ease. When building transmissions I move it across from one of my built in workbenches. This allows me to dissassemble the transmission, turn around and place the parts on my welding table for dissaembly and inspection. It allows me to keep from having to stack parts as one bench which isn't quite large enough. It also allows me to be more proficient because I merely have to turn around rather than walk across the shop wall to my other built in workbench on the other side of my toolbox.

When performing general mechanical repairs on gearboxes or weldments of some sort it is nice to be able to walk 360 degrees around the welding table.

When I was fabricating sand quad chassis, I would set up my chassis fixture right on the welding table and level it on the surface and construct the chassis right on the welding table as it was near my welders and I had 360 degree access around it. Once the chassis was constructed I would place it on one of my motorcycle lifts and begine fabricating suspension components and other components on the welding table. I have some smaller plates that I drill/tap holes for fixturing on and just place them on my welding table when needed.

On a couple of larger production runs on components for customers, I would tack weld a quick make-shift fixture directly to the welding table and then knock the tack welds off and use a flap disk to smooth out when completed. I know that may not sound "ideal" to some but in the real world you have to think on the fly and to tack weld a make shift fixture to the welding table is quick, cheap and easy to get on with completing the actual job. Once that job is done and out the door, smooth the surface of the welding table off and you are ready to move on and don't have a lot of wasted time involved with making some intricate welding fixture. Now I have made some very detailed and nicely machined fixtures but those are generally on items I see myself fabricating over a long term and want to be able to duplicate them exactly.

Mike.

 

[drivesitfar]

Meatness: i saw that bench on Craigslist and thought it would make a great bench for outside with a huge old vise on it. while i was thinking about how to move it by myself it sold and looks like it found a great new home.

here's a couple pictures of a bench i'm thinking of building with some plate i have so you can see how you might be able to move that beast of yours around your shop. you might need to take the legs off and take them to a welder to weld on the cross bars, or have a friend over with his tools to make this happen.

if it gets to be to big or heavy to deal with just PM me and maybe i'll have a spot for it or a trade in mind.

good luck

 

[j p smith]

Thanks drivesitfar! That is the bench I was thinking of.

 

[drivesitfar]

JP: you are welcome. i'm thinking of adding a couple more crossbars for clamps sort of like this other welding bench that has a little different way to move the bench around. you would have to manually turn the 4 leg screws in to get it on it's casters.

 

[zmotorsports]

I highly recommend having a bar or a place to hang clamps. I have one on the long side to hang all of my "C" clamps and one on the narrow side to hang my Vise-grip style clamps. They are ALWAYS within easy reach and no need to search or walk across the shop to get them.

If possible, I also recommend overhanging the top, or recessing a shelf, however you choose to do so for storage. The reason I say overhang is because when sitting down TIG welding you want to have adequate room for your knees so they are not crammed into the underside of the welding table. I have mine where it is very comfortable when sitting down. There is a lot of wasted space under a bench if not utilized. I also recommend placing things underneath that are not necessarily in boxes as boxes can collect swarf, metal shavings, grinding dust. I use it to store a couple of large items that I don't use as often so I can merely blow the dust off onto the floor and then sweep up. Makes for a clean and tidy welding table and eleviates any wasted space.

Unless of course you are one of those guys with a 80'x120' warehouse type of shop and have plenty of space. (read jealous)

Mike.

 

[tarbellb]

A better, cheaper caster solution. 5" wheel w/ 325# rating, see link.

These are full locking swivel casters, if your not familiar they lock both the wheel AND the 360 swiveling action. Making them very close to a foot and not a caster when locked.

I have used these exclusively on many projects. Super soft, great rolling action, and full locking.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400246540598?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Nice table!

 

[meatness]

Thanks for all of the feedback guys.

drivesitfar Thank you for the pictures, I have seen that table before but it has been a while. I like the set up and think it is a great idea. I could easily weld it up here so it's got me thinking....
It's great that you are local, I know there are a few of us up here. If the table stops working out I will let you know

ztmotorsports I do plan on making some kinda of tool rail. I was also thinking of making a storage spot for my chop saw underneath. Although it is kinda a heavy tool to be lifting out from under a table. I don't have too many clamps yet, it is still something I am sorely lacking. Hopefully I can get this remedied soon. I also only have one small angle grinder. Well I have two but years ago lost the nut on one of them in one of my moves and it is all but useless. Too bad too because it is basically new. I keep telling myself I will find another nut for it but every time I search around I can't find it. That concludes the story of my missing nut.

tarbellb Thank you very much for the caster link, those look like a very good option. I like that they lock both directions. I haven't decided what I want to do yet about the wheels. I am leaning towards the simple solution of just mounting them to a cross brace at a height that lowering the feet will make them touch the ground. There is plenty of adjustment in the feet to do this. It isn't as fancy and the bottle jack method but a lot more cost effective and saves space on the side of the table.

J P Smith Thanks for the suggestion too. I do really like that design. It seems to me that it is for a taller table though. Because the table is only 30" high, I would be taking up most of the space on the ends with a way to life it up on it's wheels.

 

[drivesitfar]

Meatness: sounds like you have a good plan and looking forward to seeing your welding table when you make the modifications.

 

[zkling]

Today I took a small bed to a beat up craftsman 6" metal lathe and some spray adhesive. I glued some 60 grit alum oxide sand paper to the way and painted a guide coat on the table. Basically using the lathe bed as a really big heavy sanding block. Then went from corner to corner at a 45 degree of the table sanding the guide coat. Lots of little pits and the like, but overall fairly flat. I cleaned it up and put it in it's home. It is ready for service for now. I do need to move the fishing gear to the back shed away from the fire and maybe give myself a little more space to the wall.

Later I will rearrange things and get it out in the open. I have to get some of these bike projects done to make space. Never enough space some may say. Although it has been proven that you can limit yourself with discipline. I am working on that.....

Really nice setup. How did you move the table?