Small but reasonable size for welding table top?

[keith204]

I’m in a 2 car garage, and my focus is woodworking, so I’m thinking through plans for a welding table that I can wheel out to the driveway, and wheel around the garage as a portable surface to set tools and supplies while in woodworking mode.

You probably want to know what I plan on welding on this top. Mostly, I plan on doing small things like custom brackets or custom tools. But, occasionally a base for a coffee or end table.

Is something like 16x24 too small?

If I weld something larger like a base for a coffee table, is it reasonable to think that I could tack it together on the concrete floor, then do the rest of the welding with the work piece spanning the welding table top (for the side I’m welding) and some sawhorses on the other side? Or, is my lack of expertise leading me in the direction of doing stupid things?

 

[sberry]

It's kind of small and a bench doesn't need to be just for welding. In a small shop it can do shared duty. Some saw horses and a chunk of plate is a good idea as any too.

 

[WhoWhatNow]

I would suggest:

https://www.harborfreight.com/adjustable-steel-welding-table-61369.html

It is pretty well constructed and can be kept folded up when not in use.

If you are only doing the occasional large item the concrete floor will work fine.

 

[RWorth]

I just had a thought, you can generally find old Craftsman or Delta cast iron table saws on Craigslist for 50 bux from time to time, that top would make a nice welding table.

 

[Boilerhouse]

For outside welding, I sometimes use a piece of steel grating (24 x 30?) between two Workmates. When done, everything folds/stacks for storage.

 

[CraigStu]

I have a 24x24 table I made from salvage steel. It works fine for what I do. I think your 16 inches might be a little small especially for balancing a coffee table base.

 

[LXCam]

My hydraulic lift table acted as my welding table for a long time. When I needed to do something long and keep it flat I just clamped 2x or 3x angle to it with supports and it did just fine.

 

[Greeny]

I would suggest:

https://www.harborfreight.com/adjustable-steel-welding-table-61369.html

It is pretty well constructed and can be kept folded up when not in use.

If you are only doing the occasional large item the concrete floor will work fine.

I have two of these, they work well. I clamp them together for a larger surface. I also ended up using them for much more than welding, I have a job site table saw and these work great for that. There's a raisable "lip" that makes a great stop so the saw doesn't have to be clamped down.

 

[Shootinok]

I just had a thought, you can generally find old Craftsman or Delta cast iron table saws on Craigslist for 50 bux from time to time, that top would make a nice welding table.

That's what I have. Granted, I am brand new to this welding game too, but it is serving my needs. When I need bigger things supported I use sawhorses or something else.

 

[chinboys]

i have purchased products from https://weldtables.com/ that meet my use and purpose.
and have wheels for moving around.

Please take a look and they sometimes have specials\deals,

 

[Falcon67]

I have the HF table and it works good. Folds up out of the way also. Cut a piece of plywood and tack some 1x2s around the edge for a top and it turns into a small work bench. I have a big 3x5 steel top bench that can be used for larger things, but it's not even close to flat. I would like to top that with maybe 3/16 steel.

 

[ratdoggy]

I have the HF table and it works good. Folds up out of the way also. Cut a piece of plywood and tack some 1x2s around the edge for a top and it turns into a small work bench. I have a big 3x5 steel top bench that can be used for larger things, but it's not even close to flat. I would like to top that with maybe 3/16 steel.

I have the HF one too...Not bad for the money. I also have a cart that got brought to recycling yard I manage. It was well made and has a 24"X36" top of 1/8" steel on it and of course.....I grabbed it for myself

 

[MoonRise]

Get two of the Harbor Freight welding tables. You can do a lot with just one of the tables, with two you can do even more. Maybe not working on track hoe buckets or CAT dozer blades, but you can still do a lot with two of the H-F welding tables. Foldable if you need/want to sort of tuck them away, decently sturdy for what they are. About $60 or so 'on sale' with a coupon. Check www.hfqpdb.com (HF coupon database).

And working down on a concrete floor *****. BTDT.

 

[K13]

I have the Strong Hands version (they were the original sellers of this design) of the HF welding table and hands down it was one of the best tool purchases I have ever made.

 

[Ign]

3’x4’ would be my minimum

 

[lilredex]

You can do many projects with very little. The first picture is what I usually use. Yesterday I repaired my pallet buster and used an 8 X 8" plate clamped on to the top of my third hand helper (third Picture). The pallet buster needed a complete overhaul as the 1" pipe pivot was crushed through very hard work at the hands of my wife.

I have never felt the need for something larger.

 

[larry_g]

View media item 77446
Above is one way to deal with a small welding table. I used adjustable stands to hold this arch for setup and welding. I also use vise stands for holding and fixturing if necessary. Your imagination is the limiting factor on setting up and holding for welding .

View media item 51083
For final welding one loop was clamped to the workbench and plumbed. The second loop was clamped to the first and squared with it and cross pieces welded in.


More pictures in my linking to album, https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=4150&page=3

lg
no neat sig line

 

[keith204]

Wow. There are lots of clever ideas in here. Apparently during the time they were flowing in, I was also making progress on mine. Quick notes: yeah that HF table looks really lucrative. Nice usage of the table saw.

I found a piece of 1/4" "scrap" at a yard that was 54" x 48". A bit rusty but quite flat. It was 0.20 per pound, as well as a bunch of other things. I cut it down to 32" x 48" so it fits perfect over the top of a table I built several years ago and was about to burn. It rolls nicely behind my band saw. I raised it up on some holey 2.5" square stuff I got from the scrap yard as well. That should keep heat far away from the wood surface and allow for decent clamping all around.

All cleaned up, I'm quite happy and this was a quick project.

Thanks for your advice here and on the other thread that inspired me to just get out and go to the scrap yard to see what they have.

 

[machine_punk]

Mine is about that small and I use it for about the same reasons as the OP.

1/4" x 4" slatted top. Tapped the slats and bolted to angle iron from below.

Kev

 

[CraigStu]

Keith that is nicely done.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Here's my welding table.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43628


I also have a vise mounted on a stand that I can slide out to the middle of the floor for small jobs.

 

[ishiboo]

IMO as an inexperienced welder, I can sometimes use all the help I can get. Leaning over something to weld it on the ground, with the concrete sucking up the heat and your body often blocking some of the light you need is a recipe for bad results. Get it up and off the ground, even if you have to weld on a sacrificial piece of wood.

I have the HF table I use for small things. When I have something bigger, I bought a machine work table from Zoro back in the 30% off days which has a large top... 3/16" or 1/4" but good enough for what I do with it.