My Take on The Ultimate Welding Table

[andrewmacc]

I understand what the op did, I really do and its a thing of beauty but my only point is forworn copiers that all their dreams wont be realized. I think its neat and the op is entitles to have some plate sent out to get lazor cut, but I will disagree about it being a money making proposition other than psychological, doesn't make it less real to some extent but for general work a 5K bench probably wont pay the owner back.

Entirely disagreed.
Time is money.
We had about 7 heavy fab tables at the shop. Thankfully it was non-critical stuff, excavator equipment, but obviously you keep it as square as possible. Having a table like that would have prevented just about all of the tables being welded all over with tabs and whatnot to hold the items in place on the table. With large overhangs over the legs, just about none of them were still level and straight.
I find there are two key elements to a smoothly running shop beyond just the people and the welding equipment themselves:
- a good, flat shop floor is invaluable.
- a good, flat, level table is worth its weight in gold.


And with any shop that needs space, a table like that can be used for multiple jigs that can be located through the drilled holes. Our shop had enough room that we had separate jig tables for items like excavator cab guards. Not all shops do.

 

[sberry]

This is the part that's interesting... Its what everyone thinks about the table that counts and to some extent what the builder thinks but him not so much.

I say this with all respect, its a fine job of a dream table and I don't know exactly what the OP does, looks like a shop similar to mine with a machine shop spin. I have built a few tools too, bought some, bought some features I didn't use.

Its the same thing,,, does a guy get a woodie over a new wrench set. What I write isn't about his moral compass but something I know from my own experience and study and a lot of it from here,,, what does the forward view appear to be and looking back what were the results?

I have done it most ways, got laid on a shop bench, slummed threw the skid row of shops for years, worked in machine, sign and dozens of steel fab shops, seen a lot of used equipment, ran a service truck to garages, worked off the corner of a lot of benches. Lots of shop footprints.

I looked at the ants in the farm and had my fair share of,,, should have done that a long time ago moments and most of them are super fundamental and allowed to remain fluid and didn't have a contingency plan for every "what if".

Yes, there is a theme among my threads,,, steal some practical ideas. This idea is great for the op and great for Boeing, great for a few specialists and maybe even hurt production in a small shop. (This is not toward the OP but a generalization.)

 

[dr_clyde]

My job entails a lot of different facets, some of it precision, some of it quick and dirty. My primary customer is a brewery, and I build a lot if large stainless steel weldments for them. My precision work entails aircraft parts. Landing gear, chassis frames, fuel components, ect. I have some walk in work, and I do a variety of sheetmetal and manual machine work.

I have worked in racing fabrication, off road suspension fabrication, industrial sheetmetal, aircraft manufacturing, machining, custom car fab, you get the idea. I grew up on a farm. I have used a lot of welding tables in a lot of shops.

Like I said, my table design isn't for everyone. I built it to do what I need it to do. BTW, it wasn't very expensive. I'm in this thing for about $2400, and a couple evenings of fabrication. A store bought BuildPro table 38"x78" is $3400 from northern tool! And it's a smaller table!

 

[sberry]

2400 isn't bad and a couple days work, that's cool. I figured you had a mainline that might be fussy and it carries over.

 

[Bunchgrass]

Time is money.
.

No - time is time and one thing you own from the get go and get to decide how to spend. If it was money, none of us would be on posting on GJ.

 

[sberry]

I agree. I have to decide if its cheaper to do nothing or go to work.

 

[Richard D]

I built a high-tech fab table:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=225206
I've hardly even used it yet and already love it. Anyone with the time and money that is on the fence on building one of these custom tables, go for it! You won't regret it.

 

[blackhawkdriver]

Now thats a table. looks like you could coud park a bus that thing. Nice work.

 

[spooler41]

I've been in the fabrication world for a good 30 years before I retired. I almost hate to say this,but a great deal of my best work was done on 4x8 plywood benches, some times as many as 4 of them pushed together. I've worked off plenty of steel benches and a lot
of things I've built were started and finished on concrete floors. Different projects,
different work surfaces. Many times one needs to adapt to the area or job at hand.

..........................Jack

 

[ilovevocs]

Nice table OP, thanks for sharing.

 

[dr_clyde]

So I had some time to work on some of my own stuff lately, so I did some tweaks to my welding table.

First thing I did was add some plywood lower shelves. That way I had a spot to put random fab stuff like angle blocks and jigs.


IMG_2086 by jacobb14, on Flickr


IMG_2085 by jacobb14, on Flickr

This also allowed me to put a lateral file there to store stuff like gloves and abrasives.


IMG_2094 by jacobb14, on Flickr


IMG_2095 by jacobb14, on Flickr

I also made a clamp rack for one end. I plan to build another for the other end for my 11SP vise grips.


IMG_2088 by jacobb14, on Flickr

 

[dr_clyde]

I also made a mount for my Wilton vise. Finally.


IMG_2090 by jacobb14, on Flickr


IMG_2091 by jacobb14, on Flickr

 

[Tripp P.]

That is one sweet table. Very nice job. I know who to go to for larger jobs.

 

[sasquatch12]

dr clyde, i have that same vise that you have posted the pic of, and yes it is from Poland, and i believe the brand is Bison, that what appears on mine. A real nice vise, love it.

 

[NASTYZEN]

Nice table. You'll be enjoying that for a long time. Well worth the effort.

 

[Mattty]

That is a great table. how do the clamps latch in the holes?
Thanks Matt

 

[dr_clyde]

The clamps are held by friction. The hole is slightly larger, so the clamp drops in when its straight on, but when pressure is applied, it tilts it to the side and it holds fast.

 

[LG63]

The clamps are held by friction. The hole is slightly larger, so the clamp drops in when its straight on, but when pressure is applied, it tilts it to the side and it holds fast.

I've toyed with this idea but just adding holes when/where I need them as projects come up. The table I'm working with is only 3/8" thick. Do you think this would be too thin for the pin the properly "wedge" in the hole?

 

[dr_clyde]

3/8 would probably work fine. It may be pushing it, but I've only had experience with 1/2" and thicker. The clamps are only $15 or so, so if it doesn't work you're not out much.

 

[LG63]

Thanks, where did you find the clamps for $15?

 

[dr_clyde]

I got them from my welding supply, Purity Cylinder Gases.

 

[56rpm]

Very nice build on the table. Your high standards are obvious in the pics. I always enjoy stories where guys build their own stuff, be it tables, tools, shops or vehicles. I hope your shop stays busy Clyde.

Bob

 

[56vette461]

I just stumbled onto your thread. I really like your table set up and the reasoning behind your build. I have an old machinist parts roller cart that is just under 36" x 60" with upper and lower oil soaked plywood shelves. It is heading to the pressure washer and then will be transformed into my home shop welding table.

I have been watching a local shop with their strong hand table and I like the concept, just not the price. So the mag drill and I have a date this spring for drilling some well spaced holes for the various hold downs and clamps. I've done a lot of fine woodworking projects over the years and appreciate the precision needed for joints and layout work.

I want to incorporate some of your ideals into my bench, so don't pat pending the damn thing on me. I don't mind stealing the idea, I just don't want to wear a mask while I'm doing it. I will be making tables and furniture that are combinations of metal and exotic wood finishes. I'll probably have to name the table after you.

Take care and keep up the great thread with some of your projects.

 

[dr_clyde]

Copy away, sir. Ideas are meant to be shared and expanded on.

 

[bulletpruf]

Very nice! Just found this. Lots of great ideas.

 

[alpinewhite]

Copy away, sir. Ideas are meant to be shared and expanded on.

This kind of attitude is why GJ is great.

 

[bobx]

very nice table. thank you for posting.

 

[Whiskeymike]

It doesn't matter for this table, but one thing I'd like to point out is that with the design where the top frame portion is welded to the side of the legs, there is a large shear stress on those welds. You have enough welding area that it will hold (easily), and the legs will still be taking some of the top's weight directly, but in general, you want to avoid this scenario and put the top on top of the legs. Keeping the stresses off the welds is always a good thing.

Can you guys comment on this statement? I'm starting on my table this weekend and trying to figure out how the tube should be oriented.

Is this statement saying that the plate should rest on the vertical tube completely and put no load on the horizontal rails?

Or is it commenting on the horizontal tube being butted up against the vertical tube in an overlapping way?

I was planning on just bringing the horizontal tube into the corner vertical posts like I see the majority of tables. But not sure what to make of this.

 

[dr_clyde]

Can you guys comment on this statement? I'm starting on my table this weekend and trying to figure out how the tube should be oriented.

Is this statement saying that the plate should rest on the vertical tube completely and put no load on the horizontal rails?

Or is it commenting on the horizontal tube being butted up against the vertical tube in an overlapping way?

I was planning on just bringing the horizontal tube into the corner vertical posts like I see the majority of tables. But not sure what to make of this.

I woudnt sweat it. What he was referring to was a horizontal member taking the load with absolutely no support from the vertical members, putting all the stress on the welds alone.

In my table, the legs and horizontals share the load. If a weld was to shear, the leg would hold the load, but the horizontals do support the center by through welds.

If you wanted the legs to support the load more than the horizontals, you would fab a frame and then rest the frame atop the legs, versus the horizontals butting into the side of the leg. This shifts the load through the tube, not a weld.

If your welds are made to code, shouldn't be an issue. Even if they're not, it still wouldn't matter for a table.

 

[st@rk]

Stunning table - I aim to have something similar one day!

What height is the top finished surface from the floor and why did you pick that height?

Thanks!

 

[dr_clyde]

Stunning table - I aim to have something similar one day!

What height is the top finished surface from the floor and why did you pick that height?

Thanks!

Thanks for the kind words.

The top is 34" off the floor. I chose that height based on a friends table that I liked.

 

[st@rk]

Thanks - I was thinking around 900mm for myself so approximately 35 inches.

 

[saceone]

OP is Jack Bauer , everything makes sense now !awesome table

 

[sailah]

That table is sweet. I've used the strong hand and they are nice but that is a whole lot nicer.

I used to teach the waterjet at tech shop and that would be a simple part to cut. Lots of cut time though especially when you run a clean up around the perimeter to square it up but it's def worth it.

I have autodesk inventor and can whip up a cut file with any spacing anybody wants. Takes just a minute.

 

[sailah]

A buddy on another site asked me to help draw up a table top in CAD to his design. He had it plasma cut, came out pretty nice. He had one side for stronghold clamps and the other for miller x clamps.




Frame built

Sailah's handy work being cut out

Table top on

Couple random pics of the school fab shop

 

[saceone]

That's a pretty versatile top

 

[fnieto]

Excellent work dr_clyde,
I've been in the fab/machine gig for 33+ years and appreciate your endeavors.
I know how much time it takes for proper set up both in machining and fabrication.
From you privious postings, you are a professional who demonstrates quality work. This table will make you money no doubt.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Hey Clyde, how about a 10 year update on the table of holding up and any mods since built ?

The lateral files, how are the slides holding up with grinding grit ?

 

[dr_clyde]

Hey Clyde, how about a 10 year update on the table of holding up and any mods since built ?

The lateral files, how are the slides holding up with grinding grit ?

So, I sold this table a few years after I built it and made a “better” one. I sold it to my former employer, and they’re still using it.

I did a build thread on it.

Heavy Duty Welding/Layout Table Build, MK II

My old "Ultimate Welding Table" has served me splendidly. It has been an essential fixture in my shop, and I consider it to be one of my most useful and effective fab tools. However the time has come for its replacement to be fabricated. I sold it to my neighbor after he got some welding...

www.garagejournal.com

This table still sees regular use daily in my shop, holding up just fine. I also use my Acorn platen in tandem with it, I typically will level them to one another so I can do large weldments.

I still have the lateral files under the table, no issues with grinding grit.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I did not read all of the posts. So, if I missed someone . I think you need to look at the fixture table Jason at Fireball Tools offers. This guy is a genius.
https://fireballtool.com/
Adam Booth is finishing one of Jason's Made in USA hard Tail Vises on You Tube, as we speak. It is a quality video by a top of the line machinist on a superior product.
I would like to have one of Jason's fixture tables. I can afford it. BUT I am too old, now. It is a shame that good stuff and old age crash, like this. Maybe.........?
If you see this, Jason, I love what you do. You are me 40 years ago.