Table bracing

[Blackbyrd]

Anyone ever attempt to stiffen up one of those stainless tables with the tubed legs?

I'm starting tk get into heavier work with my camaro resto and I'm noticing this table is a bit wobbly when cutting or beating on things in the vice. I've considered a more heavy duty table just to start with, but feel I could build an alternative for a lot less money, but is it overkill? And getting the metal is a challenge (no truck)

So are there options to brace this style table? The legs slip fit into holes under the top surface, and are tension fit in with set screws. The shelf works the same way, and the casters slip into the hollow legs and have a rubber compression sleeve holding them in. Obviously room for improvement.

 

[GeoBruin]

I think you're limited by your material gauge and your connection types but otherwise, a significant source of flex is coming from the fact that your shelf is pretty high off the ground, leaving some long(ish) unsupported legs. Adding bracing (or another shelf) closer to the ground would probably help some, though it could compromise the way you currently have things stored underneath. Even adding lower crossmembers along the back and on the sides and leaving the front open would be an improvement, but attaching all four corners would be the surest way to stiffen things up.

The other biggest thing of course is diagonal bracing. You've got a bunch of rectangles that are allowed to rack because the connections are not solid. Adding diagonal members anywhere/everywhere will add a lot of rigidity. How were you planning on fastening your bracing? If you have limeted/no stainless welding capability the easiest way might be to us either allthread or cable with turnbuckes and either tap the tube cunnectors for bolts/hooks or use rivnuts if it's not thick enough to tap.

 

[Garcky]

Hmm...looks like that vise weighs more than the table. Not really, but I don't think that table is really designed for how you're using it. Diagonal bracing could stiffen it up, but would interfere with access to the shelves to some degree.

Tough requirements you have there. Portability with the capability of handling jobs that need a vise like that. I'm not sure that's really possible, frankly.

 

[Blackbyrd]

I kind of figured this might be the response id get haha. I agree I'm not using the table as intended, I did a reshuffle last year, that table was previously sandwiched between 2 large toolbox's and against the wall. so I didn't notice the issues at that time though admitted the table was more light weight then what it replaced.'

I do have access to a welder, but its not setup for stainless, Though I'm sure it could do it. what about trying to keep the form factor but replacing the legs and shelving with something more rigid? like a galvanized pipe either threaded together with unions or welded? and something more solid to mount the casters to? I think they don't help in this case either since they basically slip fit into the end of the legs?

 

[RTM]

From this distance, that looks like a restaurant food prep table, as others have said, well underbuilt for what you want. The diagonal bracing would be the easiest quick fix, drill and tap, or drill through, the legs to attach on 3 sides so as to not lose access to your floor storage. Firming up the attachment from the legs to the top might also help. How close is the tolerance between the leg and the socket, can your shim it, weld it, add another set screw at 90° or 2 at 120° to reduce any wobble that might come from there?

Also, removing the casters, and putting feet, or even better sled feet to increase contact with the floor, will reduce another wobble point.

As a woodworker, we add weight when a bench moves to much. A standard technique is to beef up a thin top by gluing and/ or screwing more wood underneath, add heavy things (cabinets, tools etc) to a shelf to get some beef. Not sure if your legs can support much more weight, don't know, but a piece of butcher block top secured under the top can reduce flex there, just bolt your vice through the butcher block too.

Here is a wimpy bench beefed up with a heavy lower structure (MDF for weight), and beefy connections between the legs and lots of floor contact. Often people will infill the area between the aprons, or between the dog holes to make it move less.




And here is a cabinet under my main bench, full of a few hundred pounds of tools, before and after

 

[Garcky]

I kind of figured this might be the response id get haha. I agree I'm not using the table as intended, I did a reshuffle last year, that table was previously sandwiched between 2 large toolbox's and against the wall. so I didn't notice the issues at that time though admitted the table was more light weight then what it replaced.'

I do have access to a welder, but its not setup for stainless, Though I'm sure it could do it. what about trying to keep the form factor but replacing the legs and shelving with something more rigid? like a galvanized pipe either threaded together with unions or welded? and something more solid to mount the casters to? I think they don't help in this case either since they basically slip fit into the end of the legs?

Well, It's a really nice-looking work table, for sure. You might think about triangle corner brace hardware. That might help you brace that table up significantly. Just do a google image search for heavy duty triangle brace and you'll see the kind I'm thinking of. They're available in several sizes and thicknesses:

 

[mmggdd]

"X" bracing. Fasten upper x to table and lower x to legs as far down as possible. Flat bar, pipe, wood etc for material and you choice of fastening method.

 

[Blackbyrd]

Thanks for all the feedback! I was hoping for an option that wouldn't block access too both sides.

Got somethings to think on.