Welding Table build--go with Certiflat or custom?

[Goldhawg]

OK you fab gurus. I want a workshop table for my new shop area, and I'd like it at least 3' X 5' and I decided I might as well have it be my welding table too. So I'm looking at this certiflat table

and maybe pairing two of them together. But this will go about $1k (but way better than stronghand table). Alternative is to build my own from scratch. something like this one:

As everyone, I'd like to build the best bang for the buck. But thinking thru all the great ideas of what could be useful is not my strong suit. Is there any consensus on what the best medium or larger welding table plan is? If I don't go with the certiflat, I'd love to copy either a plan or a very detailed build from the Web. I wonder how long it would take to build something like this:

Ok, so I'm open to recco's and thoughts.

 

[sberry]

What is it you are trying to do. Build a decoration or a working bench.

 

[Goldhawg]

What is it you are trying to do. Build a decoration or a working bench.

This is a shop area, I will do minor fabrication and welding on the table. Anything related to car stuff that I need to weld. Where it will sit in the shop will also be a table to have any project on it (whether welding or not) so I want a pretty decent sized area, although 4 X 8 probably way overkill (and very heavy).

 

[Toofast28]

I like the one with all the holes, seen a few where guys make their own and thread every hole (and have plugs for everyone not in use) so you can clamp anywhere to it with the right clamps. Takes a cnc lathe I'd assume. Very cool though. But I'd always put it in quality casters with locks. Do it once, do it right.

 

[BD1]

Here's one I did with a friend on WELDINGWEB. 3 x 5 too.
If the pictures don't show, you may have to join.


http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?430711-Small-3%92-x-5%92-rolling-welding-table&highlight=

 

[DougWil]

I would look at what you can find in thick plate 3/4" or thicker.
Scrapyards, rem piles etc.... then build the table.

Do you really need it ground flat?
Sure that looks nifty, but what are you building that requires those tolerances?

Mine is 4x8 hot rolled 3/4" plate, a scrapyard find and was a new discard.
I mounted it on a rigid tube steel frame and bolted the top to it shimming for flatness, so I wouldn't get welding warpage.
Sits on 4 heavy duty adjustable feet and is leveled with a precision level.

I don't move it because it will no longer be flat on a un-flat concrete floor.

One day I will take a mag drill and drill and tap 1/2-13tpi holes on a 4" grid, but I haven't yet.

 

[csp]

Takes a cnc lathe I'd assume.

A lathe is for machining items that can be spun/rotated.

Drilled and tapped all of my clamping holes with a mag drill. No CNC required to layout the holes.

Could be done with a hand drill and manual tapping as well if one was so inclined.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

I did a mash up of both. Check my sig for the link.

 

[tarbellb]

If you dont need the accuracy of Certiflat then maybe a homebrew is the best option.

Personally I think the "slate" style table offers the best bang for buck. Get the thickest top you can afford. The frame work under does not have to be that bulky, think 3/16" wall in 2"x2" range. Put it on casters and call it a day.

If you need a solid top to work on grab a piece of MDF or even a sheet of 1/4" plate to put on top when needed.

But one thing is for sure..... just build it.

 

[brownbagg]

my top is a manhole cover

 

[Goldhawg]

For a hobbyist, how beneficial would it be to rent the mag drill ($95/day) and drill out the holes everywhere to mount fixtures? For those that formerly didn't have a top like that, and then did it, were you happy you did for the extra work?

 

[OccupantRJ]

My table is 1/2 HR plate with 3" pipe legs. Underneath the top is framed out with 3" angle. The top itself is 4 feet by 8 feet. There is a overhang all around to allow clamping. Two Columbian vises mounted on it. I have run across metal cabinets with drawers over the years and welded them underneath the table, and have a horizontal hanger rod under one side for clamps. A file cabinet and craftsman tool cabinet are also under the table for welding accessories. This setup has worked very well for me over the years, although after I retire I do plan to drill and tap a few holes in it for additional clamping. Sometimes simple is better. Too big of a table will become a catch all unless a person is very diciplined. Ask me how I know. Mine can be seen in the lower left of the pic while I was installing a ceiling. There is a smoke extraction hood over one end of the table.

 

[sberry]

I am a career fabricator. I never wished I had slots or holes and when I saw an unusual table it was always a collect all. Most big benches seemed to be procured by well intentioned company owners and never fit, after a while they are trying to get rid of it.

 

[sberry]

You mention best bang for the buck. This is why I chime in. If you said, I want a bunch of expensive useless features you will never use then a slat bench and holes are for you. If you want practical then a solid plate, 3x5 or so and 1/4 to 1/2 with overhang and shelf under is the ticket and doesn't cost a grand.

 

[sberry]

This fancy bench is the rage of the hobby crowd. This disregards some specialist. Many are talented, lots came up on their own but on occasion we will get Ironworker pass thru here that has been around and the description of what makes it fit and work is surprisingly similar to mine.

 

[Farrier]

I agree with other have have previously said. You're spending excess money that really isn't applicable to your needs. You'll be happier in the long run buying a 1/2" or 3/4" plate, build your own base and use the extra money you saved to buy other tools to add to your cache.

 

[sqznby]

The third option is the better of the bunch.
Here's his build thread
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=193399

For a smaller table holes may not be necessary, larger tables may benefit from the holes needing the clamping capabilities. This is all dependent on what you'll be fabricating.
Another option would be lay out a few holes in certain areas of the plate instead of a pattern across the entire table top.

 

[dr_clyde]

Personally I'd rather make my own table than buy one. The certiflat thing is nifty engineering but I can't see it being my cup of tea. Too thin, too many holes, nowhere near stable enough for me.

That said, I love the 5/8" drop in fixture tooling. It's fast, strong, inexpensive and just works really great. I have holes drilled 12" on center and it covers 99% of my clamping needs.

I have a fabrication and machining job shop, and I do a large variety of work on my table. The tooling and holes has never been a hindrance, only a benefit.

I recommend a solid slab table with a grid of drilled holes. Minimum 1/2" thick. No casters, they only piss you off. Small tables can be moved with dollies and a jack.

I have hitch receivers under mine. Super handy. If you build one, I recommend it. I ordered mine surface ground. Nice and flat, but not needed for the home shop.

 

[WhoWhatNow]

For a hobbyist, how beneficial would it be to rent the mag drill ($95/day) and drill out the holes everywhere to mount fixtures? For those that formerly didn't have a top like that, and then did it, were you happy you did for the extra work?

This is exactly what I did. My table is 1/2 "x 3' x 3' plate. It isn't perfectly flat but I picked a good piece when I went to my steel supplier and it's good enough for hobbyist work. I rented a mag drill and drilled a pattern of 1/2-13 taped holes. I picked up a box of set screws from McMaster Carr to close the holes when not in use. I use a cheap import mill clamp set to clamp anywhere on the table. I have since bought my own mag drill and combined with the 1/2" thick top I have a ton of flexibility to clamp and drill whatever I need on the table.

I do like the look of those fancy tables, but for a hobbyist like me it just isn't worth it.

 

[tarbellb]

You mention best bang for the buck. This is why I chime in. If you said, I want a bunch of expensive useless features you will never use then a slat bench and holes are for you. If you want practical then a solid plate, 3x5 or so and 1/4 to 1/2 with overhang and shelf under is the ticket and doesn't cost a grand.

Cmon sberry... there is a reason they exist. They work. Without holes or slats you cant clamp on 80% of the table. So now you are either moving the piece to clamp or tack welding and grinding, both are a waste of time and money.

Other features are definitely a luxury, adjustable heights, built in air, receiver tubes, etc... but being able to clamp on a WELDING bench is critical.

Now a general work bench, then just build a solid top and legs. If you are sberry then it doesnt even need to flat.

btw flat bar is as cheap or cheaper then solid plate, making it cheaper to build.

 

[sberry]

I always have to ask,,, how many benches different tables, shops a guy has worked in. A couple of the best were simple plate on a couple heavy sawhorses. Yes a guy may need to move on occasion but while all this seems great the avg guy runs out of general fab work in a hurry. Its about like miter with a chop saw, he does a job or 2 and then from there on out its not so much use, find out you really don't spend the day or 2 every week on it.
I discount the dr on this, he is a specialist with full shop. I am a generalist more like most here would face, all the work is very sporadic, the bench is used constantly as a bench for everything, don't want all the dirt thru it, grinding dust or anything spilled dripping to the shelf under or tools rolling thru it all, cant set a piece of soapstone on a slotted table.
Reason I can say this is been there done that, seen how much they get used and most extreme features are at the expense of basics. I seen some real dandys. Some where it really cost them a lot of money before, during and after and never did work correctly.

 

[sberry]

And, mine are not really flat, I have some flat space in a couple places but would shim or eye anything that needed to be critical, its so extremely rare totally not a concern. Location is everything. Mine could use a new top, was all scrap when I moved it in, worked well enough it never got replaced.

 

[sberry]

I cant even remember the last time I welded a half clamp down and since I am the designer don't back myself in a corner. 99% of clamping to a bench like this in a small garage is 2 simple pieces or piece to piece. The small user doesn't need a single specialty clamp, all the investment can go to common C and Vise grip that get used 1000's of times and hundreds of ways.

 

[sberry]

One time I built 2 or 300 benches for a factory. We won the contract due to a couple simple design features that sold the job especially when they sat side by side. But nothing for the whole plant wasn't built on bench over horses and a couple small sections of plate we jig up which then used the common clamp to hold it for welding if it needed it.
I gang cut and sheared it at the warehouse sometimes 10 sticks at a time in the saw.
That unlike the hobby type was more sensitive for time but a perfect table would not have helped. it may have hurt due to the fact we may have got wrapped up with it vs tacking some clips to a plate we stood up against the wall when not needed and a man could flip it up when we made up assemblies, all squared, tossed in and welded.
As a matter of fact we had it down to the point there really wasn't tacking but really welded out as we went.
I could leave a note and my helper could build 3 of them in a morning.

 

[sberry]

Here is a job, didn't have to clamp a single thing to the bench.

 

[sberry]

Once a guy had some slots I am sure he would try to find a way to utilize them if possible. I agree wouldn't mess with adjustable height either and would keep the receiver tube idea applied to when and where and I don't have any.
First the vise is fixes with its bolts, not much of a reach for me to remove a bolt and I did copy the idea on service truck where the idea was an ok, one, could have been bolted also.
This obviously folds up. Once it was mounted I never needed to move it. Would have saved a little weight and fab to simply bolt on.

 

[sberry]

The one thing I would be fussy with is keeping any obstruction out of the overhang.

 

[Duker]

Personally I'd rather make my own table than buy one. The certiflat thing is nifty engineering but I can't see it being my cup of tea. Too thin, too many holes, nowhere near stable enough for me.

That said, I love the 5/8" drop in fixture tooling....I recommend a solid slab table with a grid of drilled holes.

I have hitch receivers under mine. Super handy. If you build one, I recommend it. I ordered mine surface ground. Nice and flat, but not needed for the home shop.

Since I saw my table posted I will throw in my two cents and also paraphrase Dr. Clyde's comments... I built my table to accommodate all of the things I wanted to have but also taking into account my space considerations. The only things I have changed is to drill 5/8" holes for clamping options and add another hitch receiver so I could mount my portable band saw. When I build a new shop I will have space for a dedicated Blanchard ground fabrication table that will have a solid top drilled for 5/8" holes and a solid base (no casters) because I won't need to move it to build other projects like I do now.

While I think those certi-flat tables are neat my table does multiple things in my shop so I needed a table where I could pound the living day lights out of something without moving (when I make those "rare" mistakes and need to "adjust" a design! ) so I needed a little beefier table and table top.

I would recommend building your own as I learned a lot about how to deal with metal movement etc. and I got exactly what I wanted and needed.

 

[Muggzy]

... I would recommend building your own as I learned a lot about how to deal with metal movement etc. and I got exactly what I wanted and needed.

I don't think you want to "learn" about metal movement on a what will literally be the foundation of every welding project you do for years to come.
As mentioned earlier, the certififlat table "Is a great piece of engineering" it's got the holes Cnc cut and the design is such the the "thinner" steel is probably as rigid as a top 2x as thick. I watched the nearly 1/2 hour video on that thing (made by someone who clearly wasn't an engineer) and was very impressed. If I had the room, I'd have bought one today. Just my humble opinion.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[kkroger]

I like a peg board like Stronghand or Bluco or what have you, I don't like the cost, I grew up using a hot rolled plate table with strong legs that was plumb and level but not necessarily flat, but I would tack weld little bits of square stock or round stock or angle to it in places to clamp stuff to for welding. or making a one off jig for a railing or stair. when done either knock em off with a hammer or cut the tacks with a cutoff wheel and grind smooth...

 

[Duker]

I don't think you want to "learn" about metal movement on a what will literally be the foundation of every welding project you do for years to come.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

lol I think you read a whole lot more into that comment than I intended but that said, I would rather learn on my table than something where a structural failure could lead to a more consequential issue.

 

[Beemer533]

I just finished (mostly) a 2x4 Certiflat table. It went together very well and didn't take long. My biggest change will be to swap out the wheels for some leveling feet.

I will agree that it isn't the most heavy duty table, you certainly don't want to be pounding away on it. But all I needed was a small welding and fabrication table and it fits the bill quite well for my small Tig projects.

If I had the space and the time (and $$$) I would have loved to put together a 900 lb table with a 3/4 inch top (something like Duker's table, which is one of my favorite table builds), but that isn't really what I needed. ..

I could not have built from scratch a similar table for the same money I paid for the certiflat, so for me it was the way to go.

Besides, since I got my Tig a few months ago I've been welding on a chunk of cement board on one of my benches... anything will be an improvement!

 

[sberry]

Since I saw my table posted I will throw in my two cents and also paraphrase Dr. Clyde's comments... I built my table to accommodate all of the things I wanted to have but also taking into account my space considerations. The only things I have changed is to drill 5/8" holes for clamping options and add another hitch receiver so I could mount my portable band saw. When I build a new shop I will have space for a dedicated Blanchard ground fabrication table that will have a solid top drilled for 5/8" holes and a solid base (no casters) because I won't need to move it to build other projects like I do now.

While I think those certi-flat tables are neat my table does multiple things in my shop so I needed a table where I could pound the living day lights out of something without moving (when I make those "rare" mistakes and need to "adjust" a design! ) so I needed a little beefier table and table top.

I would recommend building your own as I learned a lot about how to deal with metal movement etc. and I got exactly what I wanted and needed.

Like I mentioned, all the rage of the hobby crowd.

 

[aczr2k]

I have no holes in mine Sberry...I hate picking bolts and stuff up off the floor. Hope mine isn't a hobby table, its a true farm table.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=315905

 

[HammerMechanic]

And, mine are not really flat, I have some flat space in a couple places but would shim or eye anything that needed to be critical, its so extremely rare totally not a concern. Location is everything. Mine could use a new top, was all scrap when I moved it in, worked well enough it never got replaced.

I love this line. I typically EYE anything that has to be critical as well.

 

[Richard D]

I have to dis-agree with Sberry. For my usage, the table I built, ripped off the Stronghand idea of slats, but without the holes, works great. No fancy clamps, although I built it so I could use them someday if I wanted to. I like being able to slide the c-clamps in between all over the table; I always hated welding **** to the table, breaking it off later and grinding away the tacks. I have trays that slide under to catch grinding grit and any tools that may fall in between, though I don't use a lot of small hand tools on the fab table.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=225206

 

[kazlx]

I wouldn't go back to using a table that wasn't ground flat. Is it mandatory? No. But it makes your life that much easier. Like someone else stated, if it's really a tool you are going to use all the time, why not build or get what you need? Bluco and those other guys are all wrong. They just need to sell their customers some pipe and a big ol' oxy cut piec o' steel....

 

[inline6]

first time poster, long time reader...

I went with the certiflat tables, multiple reasons, space, time, flexible work space...

I just needed to revamp my work area, wanted a smaller welding table. Went with a fabblock...

Then decided I needed a new work bench and started down the road searching. I ended up with 2 of the certiflat tables. Overall I have a 4x6 work area, or larger by just spreading the tables farther apart.

All in all in my corner of a garage they work great. All the same height, on casters, clamping what ever where ever has made working on projects super easy. I also just swing the table around to weld on the opposite side if needed.

Overall my permanent shop area is about 7/9. I move shop area to a garage stall to do actual work. The casters make this a very simple proposition.

Some pics




Expanded metal for a lower shelf


Side note, my shop is at least an hour or two to the nearest place to buy material. So having everything show up pre engineered in a box was super helpful.

Just my situation, they have been working well. Not affiliated with them, just found them while randomly searching all over for some ideas for tables. YMMV

 

[ffshu]

Good luck with your build. I built something similar to Dukers but to fit my needs. Check out my build thread.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Like I mentioned, all the rage of the hobby crowd.

Yup
I look at all those and think...hahah...very pretty but super light duty. A requirement for a real table for me is it must be heavier then hell and take a 6,000 lb load...just cause.

Scored a new sheet of 3/4" HR and made these 2 benches:

Top on my "EPIQ Workbench" is bolted down so no warpage.

And this is my "welding table"... mag-drilled a 6" Grid of holes which I have yet to tap 1/2-13....when I get a chance or need it I will...

Both have fixed legs, both are setup to be moved via pallet jack, I shim when needed. But for my style of fab work, they are excellent. Being able to tack pieces right to the table to work on is WAY handier then a grid with funky clamps. That stuff looks good for hobby guys who want to look cool.
I can freight my tables to my hearts content with no worry.