What thickness Steel for Welding table top?

[wnstwolf]

All things being equal what would you go with? I have the base made up that, good bad or indifferent, is 34" deep x 6' long. The frame is reinforced across the top to help stiffen a thinner top. I can get a 1/4" piece for $75 bucks. Seemed too thin. I am not looking to make this thing non-moveable but do it right the first time. Any input would be appreciated..

Currently using an old commercial kitchen stainless steel top that is just too nice and too thing for this abuse..

 

[Az Scooter]

In my opinion, quarter inch is fine, unless you are doing some serious welding. I have 10 gauge on top of a piece of 3/4 pressed wood for my table, because my welding is light stuff. Contrary to popular opinion, I have had no problems with that thin a piece of metal, or the wood getting burned while I was welding. Since it fits so well, there is no oxygen for the wood to burn.
Like I said, just my opinion, and experience.

 

[jeffk14]

I'd say that 1/4" would be a minimum and $75 for a piece that big sounds like a good price. If you plan to bang on it much, 3/8" might be better. Much thicker than that and it's gonna get real heavy real fast.

 

[ydna]

it depends what you are working on. What are you building on there? How many hours a week will you be beating on it?

 

[ydna]

And $75 for a 3'x6' sheet of 1/4 plate is a great deal. About 42c a lb, I can't buy it for that! More like 57c/lb at the moment.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Take a straight edge with you, depending on how they cut it, some times it will be warped from the cut. Tell them you want it flat enough to weld on. Your frame can take some warp out of a piece but the better it is to begin with the happier you will be. I'm using 1/4" 4'x8' on a 2"x4" 11 gauge tube frame. Flat to begin with and just a few 1" welds to hold it to the frame. Later if need be I can shim to straighten it if it becomes necessary. Some of the shears will put a curve in the off cut piece, so if you get the cutoff piece it's curved.

 

[Buckgnarly]

I went with 1/2, and would not go any less. Do it once, do it right.

I can beat on mine and have, and it has stood up. If you plan on using it for more than welding, like beating, then go thicker. Otherwise 1/4 is good for welding.

 

[wnstwolf]

Buck how did you move that piece around. they will put it on the truck but what does a 1/2 sheet weigh?

 

[Buckgnarly]

Buck how did you move that piece around. they will put it on the truck but what does a 1/2 sheet weigh?

IIRC, it was about 250lbs, the sheet was 4' x 3'. The mill loaded it using a gantry crane, myself and one other guy unloaded it. I have a build on here if you want to see pics. The table is on some big metal casters I got from Northern Tool.

Here it is...

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=135748


And I will agree with the post below me, I probably would go 3/4 knowing what I know now.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

My Dad's table is 1" thick...I wouldnt go any less then 3/4" myself...I've got a 1" thick piece up home as well for my table once I can get it down here. Needless to say you can bang on it with zero spring. Which is great. Of course steel was alot cheaper 20 years ago.

If all you need is a welding table to weld things on, use 1/4" sheet and weld some 2" Angle under it...brace it good. For just welding, large flat area is important.

 

[EvilWelder]

The thicker the better, no matter what you use there will come a day when you will wish it was thicker.

 

[EvilWelder]

Buck how did you move that piece around. they will put it on the truck but what does a 1/2 sheet weigh?

1/2" steel weighs 20.4 pounds per square foot. If you can remember that 1/4" steel weighs 10.2 pounds per square foot, you can use that as a reference and figure the weight of most things.

 

[ydna]

My Dad's table is 1" thick...I wouldnt go any less then 3/4" myself...I've got a 1" thick piece up home as well for my table once I can get it down here. Needless to say you can bang on it with zero spring. Which is great. Of course steel was alot cheaper 20 years ago.

If all you need is a welding table to weld things on, use 1/4" sheet and weld some 2" Angle under it...brace it good. For just welding, large flat area is important.

Might be a bit much for home use. I only use 1/2 and 3/4 at the shop. Thats a structural shop. Takes years and years to wear the plates out.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Might be a bit much for home use. I only use 1/2 and 3/4 at the shop. Thats a structural shop. Takes years and years to wear the plates out.

Very true...but then again, most if not all of the stuff I have is "a bit much for home use"

 

[Turbo900rr]

The thicker the better, no matter what you use there will come a day when you will wish it was thicker.

Til the day you move....lol

 

[ranger302]

I have 2 peices of 1/8" stacked and it holds up ok. I wish it was thicker.

 

[wnstwolf]

Holy **** 1" that would be 600 pounds. My Pic-up would become my new welding bench cause I could never get it off!

I will see what 3/8 stock they have. I believe I was getting a good deal on the 1/4 due to a cut piece he had on hands.. Thanks will let you know with picks on result..

 

[R-132 Fan]

My welding table is two 4' X 8' sheets of 1/4" iron. I built the frame out of 3" square and 3" round steel tubing. The top is bolted together at one corner with the bolts that hold the vise in place.
I have the top welded to the frame in a few places with one inch long welds here and there. I also have the edges of the two sheets welded together in a few places. It has held up well. If you try to weld everything together you will end up with a warped top. The top is so heavy that it isn't necessary to have more then a few good solid welds.
I'll admit that while I unloaded the plates by myself, later on I used a front end loader to move them around and place them onto the table frame.

 

[ydna]

3/8 will be lots for home use.

15lb's a sq ft, I'd expect a plate like that to cost $160 plus whatever he charges to handle it.

I'm actually getting something similar for my garage at home. I'm going with 1/4.

 

[92GreenYJ]

I was planning to use 3/16" myself when I build mine. I've used that for most of the armor and bumpers on my Jeep and it's held up great. I figured as long as I make the frame nice and beefy with lots of supports for the top it should be plenty

 

[ctb]

Basic rule of thumb is to find a top for a good price then build a base to suit.
That being said I picked up a sheet of 1.5 x2 meter 1/4" steel for 25 Euros (about 30 bucks) unused miscut from a scrapyard. Haven't scrounged the steel for a base yet but it will have 1/4" angle iron around under the edge of the sheet to prevent warping.
If I could have found a thicker sheet for a good price I would have gone with that but price dictates policy and even sitting on a pair of small wooden tables it's a joy to weld on.

 

[EvilWelder]

Til the day you move....lol

I have a crane

 

[sberry]

1/4 is suffecient for home shop.