Welding Table - Out of my mind?

[kvanderploeg]

Well, I bought a welding table with a vise attached on eBay. Table top looked to be 1/4" and was 42"x72" and 42" tall. A little larger than I wanted, but I figured I could likely cut it down, pawn if off, or sell it for scrap. I had no idea what the vise was, but it looked mid-large and sturdy. I got the bid on this for $100 and it was a local pickup only.

I drove up today to get the table, and the confusion started right away. Turns out they scrapped the table (and likely the vise too). This place apparently buys equipment from closed factories, warehouses, etc. to either scrap or resell. Anyway, long story short I pony up another $100 and come home with this instead:

Table is 33" tall and 36"x36". The top plate is 2.5" thick! Legs and top supports are 1/4" angle.

Vise is an Athol 614. I don't know much about it, but I had heard the Athol name before. Pulled this one off a pallet of about 6 vises. Jaws looked pretty clean and overall good shape.

So, am I crazy to even take this thing home with a 2" top? I'm betting the whole thing is over 800lbs. Guess I'm going to have to round up the neighbors to get it off the truck, then payment with beer!

Kent

 

[brownbagg]

i report them to ebay as fraud. even if it was scrap as mistake they should gave you back your money, gas and time or gave you another free, not a bait and switch deal.

 

[mad57]

Looks fine to me obviously you ok with $200 for it i say good deal anyway **** happens mistakes are made move on.

 

[Zrexxer]

How are ya planning on snatching that little jewel out of your pickup? If that top is 2" thick and 3 feet square, it weighs about 735 lbs by itself!

p.s. the vise is the real find there, an Athol in that kind of shape is hard enough to find, but that vise will be with you the rest of your life should you choose to keep it that long.

 

[blazemaster83]

I would say that is not a bad deal for $200 for both items. It would make a nice welding table, and would be solid for when you are really wrenching on your vise. Get 3-4 buddies to help you get it out of the truck, or an engine hoist. I recently picked up a 6-700lb t-slot tabletop, and moved it into my garage and onto a metal frame with 2 friends, and two 4x4's as ramps. Nice table!

 

[MoonRise]

Wow. 36x36 x 2inch think steel plate is about 734 lbs all by itself.

Yeah, that will be 'solid' and not really go anywhere. Including when you try to go and pick it up!

For $200 you did well. If you are happy with it, that is.

 

[Steevo]

Sweet deal.
The scrap value is more than what you paid.
I hope you own a forklift, because any time you want to move it, you will need one.

 

[djjsr]

Is that a granite table? If so, you got a hell of a deal and DON"T use it as a workbench.

 

[bad_idea]

2" plate is 80 lbs per sq ft. 9 sq ft should be 720 lbs. don't hurt yourself or your friends. either a engine hoist or a chainfall. put a 4x4 post across a couple rafters in the garage, wrap a strap around it to hang the fall from, weld a pad eye to the table top, lift, pull truck out, lower. that table is easily 900 lbs. welds some wheels on one side and lift the other side with a floor jack to move the table around. there are a couple threads on here of people doing that.

that is a nice welding table for the price! i would love to run across something like that. nice score.

 

[ibedayank]

your nicer than me I would have said I already paid for now either i get a table and vice or you get reported for fraud... and would have called the cops then and there!!!!

 

[NUTTSGT]

I would have walked from the deal. They screwed up and I would have not ponied up more cash.

 

[dittle fart around]

Nice table, I'm sure you couldn't build for what you paid.

 

[bad_idea]

after reading everyone's posts about fraud and abuse, i had to reread your op. i think it was an honest enough mistake. if they were willing to refund your money from the get go then they were legit enough. if then you decided to go for this deal instead, no harm done. you got a damn fine deal for $200, what is everyone complaining about?

p.s. i KNOW you couldn't have built that for $200 dollars. around here scrap steel sells for $.50 a lb. to buy the metal used would cost around $450 dollars. then you have to factor the cost of welding supplies. the price for scrap steel to sell was $.09 last time i sold some about 2 months ago. you figure easily 800 lbs, that would be $72 worth of scrap metal. that vise should be worth around $50-150 depending on who you ask. damn fine deal all the way around.

drill and tap the corner of that top and mount that vise down solid w/ grade 8 fasteners. good times.

 

[kvanderploeg]

Thanks for all the comments and compliments, guys. I went and rented an engine hoist and we got it safely out of the truck and into the garage. Best $40 I ever spent! And, I measured wrong the first time around (in the dark shop). Top is actually 2.5", so ~917lbs for the top alone. I think their mistake was honest enough and they were willing to refund and were very apologetic. Given the look of this shop, it's not surprising that things got misplaced and scrapped.

Kent

 

[ibedayank]

its why there are LABELS
They F-ed up their job to make it right
OMHO you should have gotten that table for what you already paid...not your fault they screwed up
read ebay rules...that is a binding contract


and they wouldnt scrap a saleable welding table and vice for pennies on the pound
most likey was sold to somebody local

 

[kvanderploeg]

I've been through the eBay dispute process before. In the end, if I would have fought it, I would have been refunded my money and still had no table and no vise and been out the gas and time for my drive up and back. They'd get a negative feedback and move on. Using their screw up in my favor, I feel I was able to get a better table and a better vise for much less than market value. Is it a perfect scenario? No. Am I happy enough with it? Absolutely!

Kent

 

[jdub63]

Where is this company/Ebayer located? I could use a table and vise like that for $200.

 

[robert1]

awesome table. you did great

 

[kvanderploeg]

Where is this company/Ebayer located? I could use a table and vise like that for $200.

Deep in a seedy side street of Chicago.

Kent

 

[nmk_61802]

Care to post sellers Ebay ID? I may consider a run to Chicago if the deal would be right.

 

[kvanderploeg]

Haven't been around here long, so I hope this isn't against GJ policy.

http://stores.ebay.com/tovar53

Kent

 

[SweetD]

That vise is sweet. Athol, MA was at one time (like much of New England) an important manufacturing center. Starrett Manufacturing is still located in Athol (although they manufacture globally as well), and there is a rich history there:

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/LS-Starrett-Company-Company-History.html

Athol vises are pretty rare, and yours looks to be in great shape. Congrats on a great overall deal. The vise alone is worth over $100 in my opinion.

Dave

 

[930dreamer]

Very nice score, that stuff happens, no harm no foul.