Prepping shop and self for first shot at a project

[jproaster]

Final stages of finishing my small workshop...and I want to get ready for my first project- which I thought some time back would be moto related.

Anyhow, I want to build metal framed cabinets with black laminate countertops for my coffeeshop. I like the look of black metal framing with cabinet grade plywood color stained gunstock as walls. There will be hopefully four or five pieces made; probably 4' long pieces.

I'm learning to weld using the stick method starting this week.

So, since this is my first shop, I do not have the tools necessary to do the job. Within a week or so, I should have a working air compressor (quincy qt54); though I still need tools. I'm investigating a saw- portable band or dry saw are tops right now. And unless Ed loans me the stick welder, I'll have to look at that too. Mig welding "seems" a snap in youtube vids. But I'm starting with stick on purpose.

I would like to have your suggestions for the metal you'd use for the cabinets- which will have four feet and the internal floor 4 or 5" inches from the shop floor.

I have some time. Need to learn, get some tools and know the exact dimensions of my pieces. But I want to get as much understanding as possible as soon as possible.

Thanks for your help.

John

 

[jproaster]

Walls are osb and floor is Advantech.

 

[sberry]

Why do you want to use sticks?

 

[jproaster]

Just want to learn to weld - either sticks or oxy/acet. Then I hope to make a decision to go mig or tig.

 

[PugetDude]

MIG is easier to learn. If you're really going to put your first welds into something that is going to be on public display, you'll also want to buy easy grind wire and a good grinder.

 

[jproaster]

Assuming a table would be convenient in the middle of the room...and I don't have a welding table, what is a suitable replacement for fabbing the tubing?

Open to ideas.

 

[bimmer1980]

Since you are just starting out, I would just get a harbor freight weld table. Or even just a chunk of plate steel (1/4" or thicker) and set on two saw horses.

As you work on the process of learning, you just need time to work at it.

Once you are a little better, you can cut steel and fab up a real weld table.

But focus your energy on learning how to weld. I would highly recommend a class or two... it will save a fair bit of hassle and frustration...

Youtubers can make it look easy, but trust me, it takes a fair bit of practice to build the steady hand and the skills to make it look nice, as well as strong. Especially stick.... MIG is deceptively easier, but it does still take a fair bit of skill to make welds that will actually work.

Don't underestimate this task... however, you do need to start somewhere!

 

[PugetDude]

Assuming a table would be convenient in the middle of the room...and I don't have a welding table, what is a suitable replacement for fabbing the tubing?

Open to ideas.

Before I had a weld table, I used sawhorses and an old solid core door. Stiff, stable and cheap. Get some C or F clamps, grind the outside corner off a small framing square, maybe splurge on a corner clamp and you'll be good to go.
You have to ground the work, not the table, but you can certainly start with this. You're going to be doing short, intermittent welding so burn-through won't be a big issue if you keep an eye on things. Keep a spray bottle and fire extinguisher handy...

 

[Marctrees]

I needed to make a number of frames all the same..

Put a 4x8 piece of Hardieboard smooth material, laid it on a sturdy flat table..

Made very accurate layout w Sharpie on the Hardieboard..

Just laid my pieces on the template and tacked.

That tabletop lasted me for many projects.

The tabletop being non conductive works for me, but I'm not a production Pro.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Does nobody else weld on Hardieboard because of needing to clamp to work allatime ?

I never found it inconvenient, but maybe I don't know better.

Marc

 

[astroracer]

The top of my main jig table is two layers of particle board, glued and screwed together from the bottom for stiffness. The top has a layer of melamine on it.

I have tacked and welded together a few frames on it with no ill effects. The melamine is easy to do layout work on and can be cleaned with any regular surface cleaner.
Mark

 

[astroracer]

For the OP I would suggest making your cabinet frames out of 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 1/8th wall angle iron. Easy to work with and easy to weld. Build the carcasses for your cabinets then clad them with the angle to get your look.
Mark

 

[speed bump]

Since this sounds like a project where you don't know enough to know what you don't know I'll throw out a couple of recommendations.

Unless you know you are going to be doing more fab work in the future I would just get a cheap to decent 4.5/5 angle grinder for cutting material at this stage. No sense spending a couple hundred dollars on a tool that you don't even know enough to know if you will use it after this project (and you will need a grinder anyway).

If appearance matters I wouldn't go stick. SMAW may be more difficult because you have to move in 3 dimensions but unless you want to spend several days just sitting and burning rod (quite possibly incorrectly if you don't have an instructor) MIG is the way to go. Remember unless your just trying to be a maker Kardashian the goal is to join metal together in an acceptable fashion.

I would second the recommendation to use 1/8" angle iron in whatever size looks right on your project.

 

[matt_i]

Definitely recommend mig on thin sheet-metal-y stuff.

I'd save the stick welding for serious structural stuff. Think agricultural-duty. Let's just throw out 1/4" thickness and greater to put a number on it.

 

[APEowner]

Unless you're planning on getting into heavy equipment or structural steel stick is probably the least useful welding method to learn. It also has few skills that translate to the other processes. Gas welding translates nicely to TIG and MIG is just easy. I have the capability and equipment to use all three and the MIG machine is the one that gets used the most, followed by TIG and then gas welding. It's been at least three decades since I used the stick welder.

For the cabinets I like to use 1" square tubing with either 0.060" or 0.120" wall depending on the loads. Skins can be screwed directly into the frame with self drilling/self tapping screws.