Workbench Steel Top Question

[got2boostit2]

Looking to add 3/8" thick steel top to a section of the workbench I built. Any thoughts? Will this be thick enough if I have cylinder heads on it. It will be supported by the wooden top already on the bench.

Local metal shop says $90 to cut 3/8" by 24" by 36" section. Price sounds reasonable to me.

Will be in the middle of this bench

 

[Hephaestus29]

If you don't have a torch I guess you might have to pay that. If they are going to shear it that might be a bit high, unless they are going to torch it or use plasma etc.

 

[Tig Master]

1/8" is more than adequate with that wood under it..You could put cylinder heads on that all day long and easier to obtain and much cheaper and easier to fabricate.Mine is 1/8" and has seen 100's of heads.

T

 

[akdiesel]

I agree with Tig Master on the 1/8". I have a steel top that is 12 gauge and it works fine for heavy loads. It is also backed with wood and unistrut framing.

 

[csp]

You could put cylinder heads directly on top of the wood that's there, so any thickness of steel would work.

Or maybe I don't understand what the cylinder heads have to do with the steel. It's an odd question.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

Probably worried that manipulating the cylinder heads on the steel top might dimple the work surface if it's not thick / supported well enough.

 

[got2boostit2]

Probably worried that manipulating the cylinder heads on the steel top might dimple the work surface if it's not thick / supported well enough.

^^This^^, I want the surface to be thick enough to support heavy items like cylinder heads, crank, rods, etc and those pesky 2.5l Subaru blocks I plan to play around with and to me 1/8" thick won't cut it. I had a 352 Ford engine from a 1960 T-bird and those cylinder heads in my mind would have truely dimpled the top of the work surface. I forgot how heavy real metal engines actually were back in the day, between that and the intake manifold. I needed therapy after that one. We will see when I stop over to the metal shop. Thanks for the input.

 

[Journaler]

1/8" is pretty thick for your application. The metal is actually not going to be supporting much, as the weight would be transferred to the wood sublayer.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,... With the wood backer like that, 3/8" plate will support the Whole damn motor...

 

[got2boostit2]

Ayuh,... With the wood backer like that, 3/8" plate will support the Whole damn motor...

Good, that is my goal. And I pick things up and beat them down.......quite a bit.

 

[rogsmart]

3/8" is definitely overbuilt for the application you have in mind. But then who said there's anything wrong with being wayyyyy overbuilt. It's practically an American tradition. : )

 

[got2boostit2]

So once I get a welder it then becomes the top of my small welding table. So the overbuilt top gets recycled. I'm a visual kind of guy, when I see 3/8" steel Friday or Monday I may agree with you guys. <G>

 

[Journaler]

3/8 might be too thin for a welding table, depending on if you plan on tacking directly to it or not.

 

[WarnerSteel]

If you don't have a torch I guess you might have to pay that. If they are going to shear it that might be a bit high, unless they are going to torch it or use plasma etc.

If I'm reading this right, you're saying you believe the price should be higher if the piece is torch cut over sheared. While its true that more labor is involved in torch cutting, at my shop in Indy, I give a little discount if I have to torch a piece to size. I feel bad giving someone a rough edge that they have to take home and clean up over a nice sheared edge, so I give them a break. Our shear only goes to 1/4" capacity, so on a plate of this size we would have to use the torch. For what its worth, in Indy, that piece would be $66.00.

 

[Boiler]

I'd go with sheared 1/4". If relatively tight backed it could support thousands of pounds. They are right, 1/8th would laugh at your heads. Even if it only had crossmember supports.

 

[Steevo]

I wouldn't waste a 3/8" thick steel top on a wood bench. The only reason for such thick steel is to resist extreme heat and to maintain flatness for assembly projects such as welding.

I don't think I'd do a lot of welding on a wood-framed bench anyway, so a 12ga sheet steel top would be more than enough.
I used a top such as this on the bench I built for my lathe:

And also on my workbench top:

 

[justanengineer]

^^This^^, I want the surface to be thick enough to support heavy items like cylinder heads, crank, rods, etc

For precision engine components, I would use a wood top so as to avoid damaging said components. We have solid steel benchtops at work and are forever laying wood, cardboard, or oil absorbent pads down to protect parts. PITA.

 

[Falcon67]

My porting bench for heads at the old shop was a formica clad display shelf about 1" thick. Never got damaged. I build a lot of transmissions and engines on 3/4 plywood without issues. 1/8" steel would be more than plenty.

 

[GRX]

Speaking as one who has worked a lot of cylinder heads over the years, I'd have to agree that 10-12 gauge will be adequate. You have wood support underneath. Just be realistic & don't go throwing your castings up on the bench and you'll be fine. Even 3/8" steel could dimple under those conditions.
What is on my work bench? Sheet aluminum. With a couple old aluminum road signs under high work areas. Fully dressed Pontiac v-8 = no problem.

 

[got2boostit2]

All good input and appreciate you folks taking time to educate me. If the top were to be recycled for any welding, it would have steel legs and no wood backing. Just thinking well in the future. Like I stated, things could change once I lay eyes on product the steel shop. Also, that bench is 8' long, I want 3' metal covered, and some dimension wood covered and plan to have carpet and nylon coverings to interchange for special projects. May even have an additional backlit glass top on another little bench for that room. Rambling ideas here.

 

[got2boostit2]

So ended up with a 1/4" thick sheet. Will post images once taken over to shop. Again, thanks for all of the input.