Small drop-leaf welding/cutting table

[flingwing1969]

I got all the material for this project from FreeCycle, except the tires/wheels, which I removed from one of my four handtrucks (the one I got for $3 at a yard/moving sale). I have a large welding table that can handle 4x8 or larger sheets, but this is the one I use most often. Since I weld/cut outside for the most part, and because my driveway is covered in asphalt grindings, big wheels are a must for pushing this thing around. I had an old set of trailer fenders laying around, so I put those over the rear tires to keep the slag from damaging the tires.

The drop leaves hinge via round pipe in square tubing, just short of an interference fit and they "lock" in the up position via a pipe run side to side through square tubing, simple and effective. I haven't really used the drop leaves yet, but it's nice to know that I can make the table larger if I want to.

I'm getting old and I find a nice light helps my beads to go down better, so I welded a bracket on for a little shop light.

I still have to fab up a bottom shelf of open stock, probably expanded steel, a small storage rack so slide miscl stock into, put on a few hooks and a couple of grinder hangers, and put in a removable slag hopper, but I've been using it a lot and I don't know how I lived without it.

 

[bacpacker]

Nice!

 

[Sureshot]

Good job and the price makes it that much sweeter.

 

[flingwing1969]

Thank you - I do like free!

 

[OccupantRJ]

Great mobile work table. Now you can add a couple pieces of square tubing underneath the leg end, with a pair of slide-out handles to wheel it around like a wheel barrow! Or maybe a pair of handles that swing down out of the way. Don't you just love people finding more work for you?

 

[flingwing1969]

I bent some pipe into a handle, it slides into the square tubing on the table top and is thus out of the way. I haven't had a chance to take a photo of that. I made the handle in three pieces, two bent 3/4 inch pipe and a section of 1" joining them together. It made fabrication easier since I can slide one into the square tubing, slide on the 1", then slip the other side into the 1" and then into its square tubing. Friction holds it in place as I wheel it about and it works like a charm!

 

[flingwing1969]

Here's some photos of what I tried to describe with words. Pictures are better. I've also included a photo of the table's bones.

 

[flingwing1969]

Great mobile work table. Now you can add a couple pieces of square tubing underneath the leg end, with a pair of slide-out handles to wheel it around like a wheel barrow! Or maybe a pair of handles that swing down out of the way. Don't you just love people finding more work for you?

And yes, I do like it when I get suggestions for improving a project - always welcome, thank you.

 

[rowbow41]

That is a good looking table! Observation from my point of my point of view. Since the side leafs stick quite a ways, it looks like that there is a danger of overloading them. This could cause the table to tip over.

 

[bad_idea]

i am in process of building a similiar table, but completely different..... same concept of the drop leaf sides, but diff materials. (2) pieces of 10" channel welded together to make a top 4' wide x 20" deep x 3/4" thick. 3x3x1/4 angle for legs. drop down leafs tbd... (probably 1x1x1/4 angle frame w/ 1/4" plate top). again building with what is laying around. very nice looking table there.

i dont really understand your hinges for the leaves tho, could you post a pic or two of those for me? thanks again.

 

[taumac]

I like the idea I gonna build one similiar it will have a 20 x 40 stell plate table with a folding back of same size. The drop back is a window security bar made of 3/4 inch square tubing i got.

 

[flingwing1969]

That is a good looking table! Observation from my point of my point of view. Since the side leafs stick quite a ways, it looks like that there is a danger of overloading them. This could cause the table to tip over.

I thought that too until I tested it. It is really quite stable with the leaves out. I don't expect to use them very often anyway, I can do quite a bit with this unit in its compact configuration and I have a very large table for really big work. Just nice to have options.

Thanks for your kind works, BTW.

 

[flingwing1969]

i am in process of building a similiar table, but completely different..... same concept of the drop leaf sides, but diff materials. (2) pieces of 10" channel welded together to make a top 4' wide x 20" deep x 3/4" thick. 3x3x1/4 angle for legs. drop down leafs tbd... (probably 1x1x1/4 angle frame w/ 1/4" plate top). again building with what is laying around. very nice looking table there.

i dont really understand your hinges for the leaves tho, could you post a pic or two of those for me? thanks again.

I'll take a couple of photos tomorrow. Very simple really , round pipe in square tubing rolls nicely and is very simple, very strong, and very cheap!

 

[flingwing1969]

I like the idea I gonna build one similiar it will have a 20 x 40 stell plate table with a folding back of same size. The drop back is a window security bar made of 3/4 inch square tubing i got.

Sounds great! I like the size as well - nice to have something that tucks away.

 

[machine_punk]

I think the wheels and fenders are brilliant! Whoulda' thunk it?

I have a similar woodworking bench with the wheelbarrow-type wheels...
View media item 10265

 

[flingwing1969]

I'll take a couple of photos tomorrow. Very simple really , round pipe in square tubing rolls nicely and is very simple, very strong, and very cheap!

Oops, that round-in-square was the hinge on my tractor's hood mounted equipment platform I was thinking of. The hinges on this unit are actual hinges from an old roll-up garage door I had in my "just-in-case" box - photo below, better to come. I've attached a photo of my tractor's platform that shows the hinge set up - it hinges up so I can open the hood.

 

[flingwing1969]

I think the wheels and fenders are brilliant! Whoulda' thunk it?

I have a similar woodworking bench with the wheelbarrow-type wheels...
View media item 10265

Thank you. Nice work on the wheels for the workbench, simply pick up one end and wheel it where you want too - clever.

 

[Mmfh]

Hey I've got to ask, the part of the table where the grate is, what is that for? Is there a particular use for that area of the table that I'm missing?

I'm not a full time fabricator but I do have some fun with it, Please tell me what cool idea I have missed all these years!

Mm

 

[flingwing1969]

Hey I've got to ask, the part of the table where the grate is, what is that for? Is there a particular use for that area of the table that I'm missing?

I'm not a full time fabricator but I do have some fun with it, Please tell me what cool idea I have missed all these years!

Mm

That is the area where I do my plasma or oxy/ace cutting. I can cut across the bars and, because of their small cross section, they are relatively undamaged by the cut. The spaces between the bars permit slag to blast through into my future slag hopper (which also will protect my crotch from slag damage).

 

[bad_idea]

no one likes a slag damaged crotch.

 

[machine_punk]

I really hate it when my crotch gets damaged with slag.

Just sayin'

 

[flingwing1969]

no one likes a slag damaged crotch.

I was flame cutting one day on another table, just a quick job so who needs his leather bib, right? Anyway, when I was done and was walking back to the house my bride told me my zipper was down - I went to zip up and found that the metal zipper had three teeth missing on it - about as close as I ever want to get!

 

[uhohjim]

I really hate it when my crotch gets damaged with slag.

Just sayin'

I would have to agree with this sentiment LOL