Practical welding flooring

[Lelandwelds]

I do a lot of welding. The only floor I've ever really liked was crushed rock fines. I am thinking some I beam permanent saw horses, tables, and a vise all the same height. I want to connect each with a below ground rebar.

I want a sealed concrete pad for wrenching and woodworking. I want overhead air with about six drops for entire shop. I like the compressor in its own shack. Pipe oxyfuel to two places.

I am leaning toward a single space about 24 x 60 with a sliding barn door on each end and a man door on one side.

Comments?

 

[TractorJeff]

Yeah, 24 is to narrow!
I wouldn't connect anything above the concrete to the rebar below as you may find locations to not be conducive to project at hand. Sawhorses need to be movable and the table may ultimately be in the wrong spot!

 

[Lelandwelds]

Most things I work on are only eight foot wide. I weld mostly on beams, fence, or towers. And the occasional trailer or BBQ smoker. A rebar grounding stap below the dirt (actually rock dust and chat) means I dont need to keep moving a ground clamp around. Rock dust isn't hurt from torch work and metal casting. If it gets too bad I can scalp it with a Bobcat and dump it. If something needs moving, I can dig it out.

I am the lousiest painter you could meet. I dont mechanic much beyond oil changes on anything after 1970. I use a shipping container for storage.

I need concrete for woodworking and maybe my dad's endmill . I would love a Monarch or South Bend lathe. I need a clean space for computer work and small engines.

I am worried about having such things all in one room. But I hate to clutter up a narrow building with partition walls.

 

[kwschumm]

I did some computer work for a company that did shot peening. The computers in their shop would last about a week before metal dust took them out. Just sayin. Unlikely that you will have as much metal dust to deal with as they did but if it's there it will be a problem eventually.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Welding and knife making means lots of grinding. The VFD goes in a NEMA box. Pc building goes on the other end of the building. When I learn to build my CNC, it'll be Arduino in a box.

But, yes, I am concerned. Did you have a solution?

 

[kwschumm]

Welding and knife making means lots of grinding. The VFD goes in a NEMA box. Pc building goes on the other end of the building. When I learn to build my CNC, it'll be Arduino in a box.

But, yes, I am concerned. Did you have a solution?

The solution implemented was to relocate the computers to a room with separate ventilation, extend sensor, control and computer cabling and use industrial sealed keyboards with sealed touch screen monitors.

 

[Lelandwelds]

I have thought about a prettier than usual pole barn for the hotwork , a 24 x 24 ish two car garage for wrenching, and a partition in a cargo container for PC building and reloading .

The downside of this is duplicating air compressor and tools. Also, some things like chain hoists, floor jacks, torches, etc. cant be moved easily or at all. I dont want so many out buildings that people start calling my place a "compound".

A positive is I can easily allow limited access to just specific areas. It will be easier to enforce " everything in its place". Security will be better without the tools to destroy any lock so handy. It would be easier to epoxy the floor or AC an area if I limit square footage. Easier to finance if I break it up.

I've never had a clean slate before. Exciting stuff.

 

[LXCam]

Don't even consider rebar if this is the route you're dead set on going with. Spend the money and install a ground grid using at least 2/0 cable with all the connection points exothermically welded. Relying on a steel system that is not properly incased in concrete that will in short order corrode at every connection point is seriously putting you and anyone around you in danger or being electrocuted. All it takes is that one time you or someone else becomes a better return path and you're fucked.

 

[bad_idea]

I work in a Fab shop. Welding heavy structural members all day long for ships. Our shop floor is concrete (6" or 8", I don't remember) coated in clear epoxy. We've been in this building 10 years and the floor still looks good. As far as grounding, we weld a piece of 2x1/4 flat bar from one item to another flat across the floor. Easy to cut off and move if needed.

 

[Armorpoxy]

A good floor for lots of welding would be to use our Nanoseal densifier and combo teflon/siloxane sealer. Since this penetrates it won't be affected by welding.

Please email us directly for info. Thank you.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Dead set is a little strong. Ive spent every penny on the new house. It will take a bit to pay outright for a garage. Ive got much of the material but the taxman charges a percentage of the finished buildings estimated cost for an almost building I cant use. And, they estimate on the high side.

Rebar connecting saw horses isnt much different from laying handrail across them. I've built boat docks and buildings in the rain. Its only 19 or 40 volts under load and 40 or 80 open circuit volts. It's also DC. Gravel above grade and inside stays pretty dry.

I have 700 sq ft of back porch that needs a lithium densifier. I thought silane was surface only. The concrete wont hold up.

In a fab shop like yours, you probably have bandsaws, ironworkers, and a plasma table. I use oxyfuel and cast/ forge metal. Its not the welding. It's the torch slag and dropping something hot that my tongs cant pick up. I spent years spalling concrete and dragging around floor protection or lugging metal to a water table. It adds up.

Plus I am cheap. Concrete is expensive and the appraisal district taxes dirt floors far, far less. (Cargo containers arent taxed at all because they are mobile.)

This is helpful. What do you think about the size? 24 x 60 ish

 

[bad_idea]

Fair enough, we do most of our cutting with ironworkers, bandsaws, and a plasma table. The area around the torch table is pretty rough.

I think the size is useable, but 32x48 maybe more better. Based solely on opinion, no prior experience.

 

[Lelandwelds]

You may be right.

24 ft is the width of a two car garage. Thats worked OK over the years if I keep clutter at bay.
60 ft is what I need to lock up a truck with a gooseneck.

I measured the site with my favorite measuring wheel. It would be a cast iron biotch to get that trailer in or out. Too many expensive-to-relocate things in the way.

If I break it up two separate buildings, it fits my site better. A 24 x 24 2 car garage with epoxy floor and minimal tools . And, a dumbwaiter to store the wife's holiday decorations in the attic. A 32 x 48 workshop with 1/2 densified concrete and half rock dust for hot work, woodworking, and my clumsy machining attempts.

One man door and two roll ups for the garage. One mandoor and two sliding barn doors for the shop.

 

[revamped]

Check out my build. Lots of rethinking to get where it is. Composite loop air system and compressor in the stairs. Reloading area up high and opposite corner from welding and dirt production.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Ugh!! Your build made me admit it's too soon after building my house. I'm not ready! I am glad I am broke!!

Well, maybe not that last but I am glad I am not in a hurry. My needs are simple: keep the rain off me and keep my **** from sprouting legs. I need to start a thread about thieving SOB.