My welding table

[Tom Sestito]

Hi Everyone, 1st post here. Thought I would show you a welding/fabricating table I just finished.

I don't know how to weld and I want to learn how to make things out of metal so I bought myself a welder for Christmas and after finding out that wood is not the best surface upon which to weld, I thought it would be a good experience for me to make a rolling table. I could use it to store the welder and work on at the same time.

Anyway, please let me know what you think! I'm going to use it for awhile to see how I like it and might add in a receiver hitch for a vice later on!

Just don't look too close at the welds

 

[Ret Nailbender]

Very nice. I hope I can build one half as good as yours. What is the size of your welder?

 

[1/2 Cup]

Tom Sestito, that's one fantastic welding table..

Personally I am not a big fan of hitches ( all though they have their place ) I much prefer bolting a vise straight to the bench.

Yours is a great idea to work with it for a while

Regards

 

[Farmall450]

Looks really good for a beginner's project. Welcome to the club.

 

[gearhead1]

Nice work! Welcome to Garage Journal. If you want to work with metal, you came to the right place.

I am just the opposite, I’ve worked with metal for many years, I want to get into wood working.

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

Nice welder! How do you like it? I just bought 215 as well however I haven’t even had a chance to fire it up yet

Oh by the way I am jealous of your table as well! nice work

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tom Sestito]

Thank you for the comments everyone. I've been lurking here for quite awhile and I really like the atmosphere.

I do very much like the welder, but as I said I don't really know how to use it yet. I like that for me as a hobbyist I can just set the metal thickness and it sets the general parameters.

I am taking a welding/machining class once a week after work at a local vocational high school so that will help with my metalworking skills.

I'm a cabinetmaker by trade - although I'm in the office now so making things is a hobby rather than work - and I'm looking to merge metalwork in with my hobby and make some cool things.

 

[matt_i]

Hi, Tom, that's a very nice clean design.

If I could add one observation, it doesn't look like the gas bottle has any restraint at the bottom. I would try to either roll a ring of thin material, approximate with a square, or else cut 4 short pieces of angle iron that you could weld to touch the quadrants of the circle. The gas bottle looks stable there while sitting. Well done to integrate the chain...but it looks like if the table was rolled it could tilt to the side and possibly be a problem.

PS: you also need to spend time and energy acquiring lots of clamps

 

[Tom Sestito]

Hi, Tom, that's a very nice clean design.

If I could add one observation, it doesn't look like the gas bottle has any restraint at the bottom. I would try to either roll a ring of thin material, approximate with a square, or else cut 4 short pieces of angle iron that you could weld to touch the quadrants of the circle. The gas bottle looks stable there while sitting. Well done to integrate the chain...but it looks like if the table was rolled it could tilt to the side and possibly be a problem.

PS: you also need to spend time and energy acquiring lots of clamps

Thanks Matt - good point about the bottom. I probably should do something there to secure it a little better.

I've been using my woodworking clamps to complete this project and they are now all dirty I guess I'll need clamps for metal AND wood

 

[NUTTSGT]

As your first welding project, there's definitely no shame in that project. Well done.

Since you are a cabinet maker by trade, I'd suggest building a removable wood top for the table to double as a rolling work bench while doing cabinet stuff.

Welcome to GJ.

 

[sqznby]

Great first post and awesome job on the table. Nicely done

What height is the table top and how thick is it?

 

[pepi]

Just asking, do you have to remove the welder to change wire?

 

[sqznby]

Just asking, do you have to remove the welder to change wire?

No. The machine opens up on the side.

 

[Tom Sestito]

Great first post and awesome job on the table. Nicely done

What height is the table top and how thick is it?

Thank you!

The table top is ⅜" thick. It's just shy of 36" high - I made it to match the height of my Festool MFT and another table I have in my shop.

Regarding changing the wire - I planned it so I can open the side of the welder to get at the wire, but I might need a magnet to hold the lid open while I change wire. If it doesn't work well or is inconvenient, then I can put it lower.

I wanted to keep the welder up high, because doing so might keep some dirt out of the machine. Metalworking for me is messy as heck because now the only tool I have to cut metal is a grinder. I'm slowly going to add some metal working tools to my collection

Earlier on someone asked about the welder - it is a Miller Multimatic 215.

 

[Richard D]

I recommend going to the pawn shop(or craigslist)and getting two Milwaukee Port-A-Bands, mount one like this:
http://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-V10-Portaband-Table-_p_64.html
or this:
http://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-V40-Portaband-Table_p_63.html

Also, I recommend having four 4-1/2" grinders, mounted with solid grinding disk, tiger disk, thin cut-off disk, and wire wheel. It is a major hassle having to keep changing wheels.

That will get you well on your way, the rest can come later.

 

[BD1]

Nice job! Weldingweb is a great site if you are interested.
http://weldingweb.com/forum.php

 

[sberry]

I agree, super nice job. While you may lack true welding skills the fabrication isn't a problem. That is super good with lots of stuff right for a first, for a welding table of its type. The only immediate thing I might be tempted to add is continue the expanded metal shelf. I like a place to toss so much stuff when I want to clear the top, set hammers, wire brushes etc. The top is really right for this type of thing, good size, good thickness.

 

[Mpmckenzie]

I like it - better than mine!
A good welding/fab table is really useful and making it yourself should give you tremendous satisfaction. Well done.
Mark

 

[Tom Sestito]

I agree, super nice job. While you may lack true welding skills the fabrication isn't a problem. That is super good with lots of stuff right for a first, for a welding table of its type. The only immediate thing I might be tempted to add is continue the expanded metal shelf. I like a place to toss so much stuff when I want to clear the top, set hammers, wire brushes etc. The top is really right for this type of thing, good size, good thickness.

Thank you! Ya, I agree. I’ve been messing around in my garage the last few days making room and reshuffling other equipment to accommodate the table.
I used the 3” u channel at the bottom because I had it on hand and it’s heavy, but I think I’ll need a place to store misc hand tools, like you mention.

Maybe i should just a tool box to the bottom as well once my slush fund recovers from the welder and the table.

 

[Tom Sestito]

I like it - better than mine!
A good welding/fab table is really useful and making it yourself should give you tremendous satisfaction. Well done.
Mark

Well, I don’t know - yours is really nice too! That top must have been heavy to slug around.

 

[Mpmckenzie]

You are so right about the top - it all got very pre-historic trying to lift that from a pallet onto the frame!! I suspect you speak from experience.

 

[sberry]

A box on the bottom would work too.

 

[pepi]

No. The machine opens up on the side.

I realize that, but you still must hold the side panel open as you install the real, feed the wire into the stinger and adjust the drag.

Unless that Miller has a sprung door now, that would be news to me

Thinking down the line you'll be wanting to upgrade that cylindrical.

I can also tell you this, a welder is a great tool. If you enjoy metal working, building or repairing, having a welder on a dedicated cart. Is a more versatile setup.

Rock on

 

[quadrcr87]

With a background in cabinet making it could be a good challenge for you to make yourself a steel cabinet for the bottom shelf. Good place to store your helmet and other welding supplies.

 

[Tom Sestito]

With a background in cabinet making it could be a good challenge for you to make yourself a steel cabinet for the bottom shelf. Good place to store your helmet and other welding supplies.

Great idea, I didn't think of that! This is what I will do

 

[Tom Sestito]

I realize that, but you still must hold the side panel open as you install the real, feed the wire into the stinger and adjust the drag.

Unless that Miller has a sprung door now, that would be news to me

Thinking down the line you'll be wanting to upgrade that cylindrical.

I can also tell you this, a welder is a great tool. If you enjoy metal working, building or repairing, having a welder on a dedicated cart. Is a more versatile setup.

Rock on

I think I'll just use a magnet to hold the lid open when I change wire.

What is it about the cylinder that might need upgrading? The size?

 

[AMCguy]

"I don't know how to weld"

Well you could have fooled me. That is a damn fine looking table.

Glenn