Starting Metal Working Table
- Thread starter ddawg16
- Start date
popcorn-guy
Active member
Looks like a good start.
My suggestion would be to build a proper frame for it. I've seen too many good pieces of plate turned into marginal tables by welding whatever small scrap was at hand to the underside of the plate, almost as an afterthought.
This is what I consider a proper frame:
I see that you have some feet on the table that look like round pads. Do they allow you to slide the table, on say a concrete floor, easily? I have a roll top desk that weighs it seems a ton. A mill wright told me to build pads for it so that it would slide over just about any surface, otherwise wheels or smaller feet of different styles would just dig in. I subsequently built the pads with hardwoods sized to fit inside the pedestals and carry the plywood pads that I secured UHMW plastic to. I think the letters are in the right order
. It has allowed me slide that heavy ****** by myself when needed. My thought would be to make feet that were larger than the legs and milled so that the UHMW would fit inside the legs and be captured and allow one to easily slide a big table such as this easily over just about any floor. Anyone use this type of method? UHMW is slicker than snot on a greased mossy log and it would not mark up a decent floor. A consideration for those with the pretty floors in their garages.
tyrell2004
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2009
- Messages
- 116
My Shopsmith has this\ retractable caster set up; works pretty good. Maybe get some inspiration from them. Can't take pic (it's in storage).
Seen other solutions on wood working forums too, but I like the simple ones you guys have shared.
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/pl_casters.htm
Seen other solutions on wood working forums too, but I like the simple ones you guys have shared.
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/pl_casters.htm
MFortie
Well-known member
Dang! I like that pneumatic tire idea! I just picked up a 24"x30"x1.25" piece of plate that I'm planning to make a 'beat it' table with.
Receiver on the bottom like suggested and pneumatic tires are two good tips from this thread!
Thanks,
Mark
Receiver on the bottom like suggested and pneumatic tires are two good tips from this thread!
Thanks,
Mark
I just had a 'chat' with a guy about this topic....another suggestion...
Fixed wheels.....and feet that have a crank that lets you crank them down against the floor. A variation is the foot operated feet that has a toggle that locks them down....I believe you can buy them from McMaster Carr or Grainger. I'm going to do some searching.
Fixed wheels.....and feet that have a crank that lets you crank them down against the floor. A variation is the foot operated feet that has a toggle that locks them down....I believe you can buy them from McMaster Carr or Grainger. I'm going to do some searching.
KarlsGarage
Member
Wow, I have picked up several ideas from this thread...
Receiver "hitch" with a "big *** vice" for the 4x6 workbench I have (made out of 4x4 framing with caster wheels w/locks) will allow me to get it out of the way most of the time. Also now thinking about a small welding table (2x2ish) with a receiver "hitch" to put it where the vice would go.
Grinder on a receiver "hitch". What more could I mount on the workbench?
The wheels on my workbench don't become an issue when locked because the whole unit must weigh 600lbs with all the **** that is loaded on it. Never had a problem with it moving when the wheels are locked.
As for the pneumatic tire solution, what a great idea. I have a set of hard wheels on my table saw that I put on a frame that I built around the base of it. When you lift one end of the saw, the wheels touch down and you can roll it around.
Receiver "hitch" with a "big *** vice" for the 4x6 workbench I have (made out of 4x4 framing with caster wheels w/locks) will allow me to get it out of the way most of the time. Also now thinking about a small welding table (2x2ish) with a receiver "hitch" to put it where the vice would go.
Grinder on a receiver "hitch". What more could I mount on the workbench?
The wheels on my workbench don't become an issue when locked because the whole unit must weigh 600lbs with all the **** that is loaded on it. Never had a problem with it moving when the wheels are locked.
As for the pneumatic tire solution, what a great idea. I have a set of hard wheels on my table saw that I put on a frame that I built around the base of it. When you lift one end of the saw, the wheels touch down and you can roll it around.
gatorgrizz27
Member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2010
- Messages
- 10
Just another simple idea I came up with for wheels on a smaller table, found a pic of basically how it would work. Think of it like a wheelbarrow:
1. Build the table as normal, sitting on regular legs on the floor.
2. Take 2 regular casters without swivels or pivots and weld them with the bases vertically to the same outside face of two legs. The casters barely touch the ground and are not bearing any weight.
3. Add a handle on the opposite outside legs from the casters.
Its sturdy but lets you roll it like a wheelbarrow, assuming you can pick up a bit less than half the weight of the table, wouldn't work for anything large.
1. Build the table as normal, sitting on regular legs on the floor.
2. Take 2 regular casters without swivels or pivots and weld them with the bases vertically to the same outside face of two legs. The casters barely touch the ground and are not bearing any weight.
3. Add a handle on the opposite outside legs from the casters.
Its sturdy but lets you roll it like a wheelbarrow, assuming you can pick up a bit less than half the weight of the table, wouldn't work for anything large.
Make your table with casters and attach 4 of these to the sides.
http://www.harborfreight.com/automo...0-lb-capacity-drop-leg-trailer-jack-3961.html
Would allow for different table heights for different situations. You could also get the ones with wheels on them but they dont look as sturdy. http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/trailer-jacks.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/automo...0-lb-capacity-drop-leg-trailer-jack-3961.html
Would allow for different table heights for different situations. You could also get the ones with wheels on them but they dont look as sturdy. http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/trailer-jacks.html
Griff93
Well-known member
For using the receiver setup for a vise, etc, drill and tap one side and the bottom of your receiver tube.Then after you pin in what you want to use, you can just tighten two bolts that are in the side/bottom which will force the insert into the corner of the receiver tube. This would keep it form wiggling around all over the place. I'm planning on eventually doing this with my welding table. I'm thinking I might use two bolts on each of the two sides that I drill and tap. You could also use a transfer punch and locate these holes on the insert. Then you could drill a small dimple into the tube to act as a way to retain it in addition to the pin if you're worried about it coming out.
24x24 really isn't a very big work surface.
A vise is going to take up a good portion of it...
A piece of railroad rail or an old anvil (NOT a new cast-steel splinter shedder) would be a good addition to the other part of the table.
As for work height, blacksmiths used to tailor the work height of their anvils so that when their hammer was resting on top of the anvil (at the bottom of their hammer blow), their elbow was at a 90-degree angle. Guys who made a living hammering 12 hours a day quickly figured out what the optimal work surface height was!
For wheels, you could put two heavy-duty casters at the back of the legs, just off the ground, and a handle at the front as you said.
Also, for feet, I'd look at some heavy-duty machine pads. You want something rubber under the legs of your hammering table, or you'll chip up your shop floor.
-Brad
A vise is going to take up a good portion of it...
A piece of railroad rail or an old anvil (NOT a new cast-steel splinter shedder) would be a good addition to the other part of the table.
As for work height, blacksmiths used to tailor the work height of their anvils so that when their hammer was resting on top of the anvil (at the bottom of their hammer blow), their elbow was at a 90-degree angle. Guys who made a living hammering 12 hours a day quickly figured out what the optimal work surface height was!
For wheels, you could put two heavy-duty casters at the back of the legs, just off the ground, and a handle at the front as you said.
Also, for feet, I'd look at some heavy-duty machine pads. You want something rubber under the legs of your hammering table, or you'll chip up your shop floor.
-Brad
Heavy Metal Doctor
Well-known member
Here's the last one I built about 3 years ago - roughy 44" x 30" withe a 3/8" thick top and 3 x 3/8" angle frame. I put the angle frame together with flanges out to make the edge strong while still easy to clamp to. I'm not too concerned about the floor, so I just welded in 3/4 nuts inside the bottom corners of the legs and put bolts in them w/ heads down for feet. This allows adjustment to make it good and solid on uneven floors whereever it gets moved too. A quick paint job made it look decent, too.
