Welding table/ workbench build

[derek_m]

Yep, another welding table thread. Thought I would share what I've been working on.

I previously had a chassis table that has been getting in the way for a while now, so I decided to replace it with a smaller, mobile welding table that would double as a workbench. It'll be 4'x6', 40" high. Either 3/8" or 1/2" plate top. Going to build it, use it for a few months, make any necessary tweaks then have it blasted and painted.

Pic 1: Frame tacked together (built upside down). The used steel is from an old hockey rink.

Pic 2: Welded up. legs capped, tabs for bolting top on added, started adding shelves.

Pic 3: Shelves done, casters on.

Pic 4: Added a clamp rack.

Next up is adding receivers on each side and leveling feet. Undecided on if I want to add an electrical outlet or just a hook to hang an extension cord. Leaning towards just a hook to keep it simple.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Looks great! What's your plan for attaching the top to the table surface?

I've been using an extension cord reel from the ceiling for a long time, for angle grinders and whatnot on my welding table, and have been thinking about switching to an outlet box that's attached to the welding table. Feels like that would reduce the number of cables on the ground to trip over.

 

[sberry]

Sometimes you have no choice with cords. Drop downs are in the way too. An outlet for grinder on each side is good especially if you have shelf under. If the bench is close enough to the wall and a little extra cord I can reach and set the tools behind. The very best is an outlet in the floor the bench can be plugged in to.

 

[derek_m]

glthfj60, i have 4 tabs in the frame that will be through bolted with countersunk bolts in the plate top. you can see one of them in the picture below.

sberry, yes that is what i'm thinking with one or two outlets underneath. i don't fully understand if there are grounding issues with doing this while welding, which has me thinking of just making an extension cord with a 4 gang box instead. i see people do it all the time but have also heard of some people having problems.

i got two receivers welded in today, one on each side and made a mount for one of my vises (US made craftsman 5"). i opted to use a pin with these so i can use my truck if i need something more secure, with a weldnut and t-bolt on the bottom to tighten it up. since this table will be out in the middle of my garage and not attached to a wall or floor, having the option of mounting in my truck hitch will make it alot easier when i need extra leverage on something (IE, removing spider on a snowmobile clutch).

 

[1/2 Cup]

derek_m great work

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Bad *** man.

 

[sberry]

A table should be grounded. The issue is can the welder work ground,, or the current inadvertently use the electric ground as a pathway. Not really a problem with single bench, welder chassis not sitting on the bench.

 

[Measure2x]

I really like how you attached the hitch for the vice. Instead of just schloopping it on, it is countersunk. I'm building my own table right now and am definitely going to incorporate that idea.

-Will

I have a website: www.measuretwiceplans.com

 

[derek_m]

Thanks guys. Interesting point about the electrical outlets... I have zero intentions of ever locating a welder on the table, it'll always be on a separate cart.

I switched things up the other night and started making a stand for my bench grinder, but will be working on the table some more tonight.

 

[derek_m]

some misc. updates:
mounts made for my parker vise, vertical adapter, reed pipe vise. also added a hook for elec. cord, welding helmet, or whatever else i decided to use it for.
excuse the jetboat parts on the table, have alot of projects going right now.

 

[derek_m]

Little bit of an update. After using the table for a while I decided the casters were a bad idea, so I cut them off and welded some plate and nut for levelers. Solid and level.

Also cleaned up and painted one of my vises, CaseIH "Power Red" is the color. Paint seems to chip easily in the usual areas, hopefully it holds up decently with use.

Next up is ordering a 1/2" plate top for the table. I plan to radius the corners, not sure what I want to do for a grid of 5/8" holes. It will either be a small section, ~1/3 of top with 6" spacing or no holes at all.

 

[sberry]

In my own case I have interconnected benches, hooked to a steel building and several welders work grounded to it. I electrically grounded it to the steel that works as the welding work ground and fed it gfci with 2 wire.
Reason being is that it prevents the ground wire of any tool sitting on it to be used for welding current. This isn't such an issue with a single table and stand alone work grounds for welding. Wire feeds don't seem to like loops anyway and I do move the ground with the work for them but do use it with some stick and plasma cutting.
In our kind oof shops,,, likely general, in mine too the bench is the "bench" and use it for a lot of things. I might have had an overhang on one end with some holes or slots for bending with nothing under but I wait till I need something to penetrate the top.
I understand some shops have a need for constant fixturing but all that is so rare for me I will cross it when it comes or I cant clamp conventionally,,, which again is rare due to the fact we are the designers and can work around it. I had a minor oil leak on it from a chain saw last week and a week before I spilled a coffee on it. Sweeping dust off is a problem also.
Your 1/2 top is ideal, heavy enough, not so thick it eats up clamps and often similar to the thickness of piece to piece clamping in this work. One of these days I am going to sketch the ideal top for home/hobby/maintenance/welding table.
I understand getting rid of the casters. If I wanted to move it might have 2 fixed steel wheels on one end and a bracket to use a floor jack on the other. This would let it set on the floor. If there was a particular spot to set it all the time might rig a peg in to a hole in the floor or even a way to drop or install a bolt.
My ideal is another small bench can be reached with vise and grinder type stuff, for true fab work like a plain top with no obstruction. Your size looks ideal. Only way I want something larger is if there was a diet of specialty work but even then might tend to make extension or additional type things which might be even easier to work around.

 

[derek_m]

Thought I should update this. I removed the hook on the side and added two more receivers so there's one at each corner. Also I got the laser cut steel plate for it. 4' x 6' x 1/2" A36 plate. Corners have a 1" radius, grid of 5/8" holes over 1/3 of the plate, 6" spacing. Countersunk bolts at each corner to hold it down. I had to use the tractor to flip it over when transferring hole locations from the mounting tabs. Ignore my lack of protection on the lift straps at the edge of the plate with cardboard or something... didn't think about it then but everything survived.

I've been using it for a while now and I'm very happy with how it turned out. This summer I'll have the frame sandblasted and either powder or painted, then will clean up the plate top.

 

[yetibiker]

Nice looking table. I’m here to chime in about the outlets on the table and second the idea about GFCI protected three-prong outlets fed with only hot and neutral. Welding current absolutely loves to travel along equipment ground wires and melt the insulation and terminals. It is a tale as old as time. As an electrician, I used to get that service call a lot at some of the local fab shops. The shiny spiral of melty on the #16awg 120vac cord bears witness. Sometimes it melts the welder’s 480v plug around the ground terminal. Sometimes people report getting shocked. Those problems go away when you dump the equipment ground in favor of a GFCI.


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