Welding table - flat top or slotted?

[8mpg]

Been wanting to build a welding table forever and finally going to do it. The plan has always been 4x8 1/2" hot rolled plate (pickled and oiled really) but saw some videos and a link here about the tables that are built using 6" flat bar. I dont do a ton of fab work but wanted somewhere to break down an engine, welding, fabbing, etc. A general purpose bench.

Now I dont know which would be better. A sheet of 1/2" steel is expensive. I was at a scrap yard the other day that had a bunch of 4' long 3/4" bar stock that would be relatively cheap. Any suggestions?

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Maybe split it up half and half. I really like being able to jig/clamp on a table top, but there are times a solid top is nice. My old welding table was a solid top and I was constantly tac welding parts to it, my current one is a certiflat and it saves me a ton of time on setups.

 

[sberry]

With 1/2 plain, 3 or 4 inch overhang and can always drill a hole in it if needed. Most benches in a small shopb are multi purpose and for small 1 or 2 part projects 99 percent of the time, I work on a vise a lot too.
Hi weld on my bench, it is the welding bench but it is the bench for 3/4 of the other jobs too. I dont want dirt thru it, spills either and being the e signer i really work most clamp work along the edge.
I can reach it with an air hose but like electric outlets, ideally a cutting box on the end. Mine is a cobble job, it works well enough that i never made a better top. 42 wide 60 long. i would make a couple minor changes with a new 1/2 too and a couple minor dies and holes in one end. It's all so minor, wouldn't make me any more money or save work, I don't care enough to fix it.
I can't even remember the last time i welded a clamp to it. But thousands of little scars on it.

 

[txvwnut]

Mines solid as it is a multi purpose bench. If I need to jig something up I’ll tack parts to the table top then clean the tacks off with my angle grinder and a flap wheel.

 

[sberry]

That is one of the things I used to find myself doing that early in my career. As I mention, can't even remember the last time i did it. It's like grinding in tight places, very little anymore, don't paint myself in to the corner.

 

[8mpg]

Thanks guys... I'll probably start with a flat table and if I need to in the future, I can always build a slotted table.

 

[FallibleFlyer]

I built mine as three 12" wide pieces with gaps for clamps. Works well, but even with two gaps I still have stuff falling in the time. I don't think I would change it, but it does get to be annoying if its your only bench and your screwdriver decides to jump under and hide...

 

[larry_g]

Don't discount that you can drill and tap a few holes into the top for using hold downs or bolting down angle plates that can then be C-clamped to.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[FallibleFlyer]

Don't discount that you can drill and tap a few holes into the top for using hold downs or bolting down angle plates that can then be C-clamped to.

lg
no neat sig line

Solid suggestion. Also worth adding to my previous statement. Vast majority of my clamps still go on the outside edge of the table, not the center gaps.

 

[tarmy]

I’ll leave these right here...

Don’t buy cheap castors....and yes...I stole most of the ideas from here and Welding Web...great forum too...

 

[tarbellb]

Dont forget you can always just keep a piece of MDF cut to the same size as your table and use it for a solid top, you can bang on it, cut into it, and easy/cheap to replace.


Having worked with both a slotted (my build https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=308477) and a solid/with holes, I would say the hole version is the best.

While the slotted offers a lot of benefits, the hold top offers the same plus offers more solid surface material and doesnt catch cords and hoses nearly as much.

Slotted is a more economical way to build clamping into a table, but the newer "tab and slot" tables are getting very affordable to build.

Good luck, keep us posted.