Welding and fixture tables.... was getting ready to order this one but

[Milacron]

before doing so, thought it prudent to ask if there are even nicer alternatives in this size range ?




US167322: System 16 Workstation with "Set A" Including 2.8'x4' (32"x48 – Siegmund Welding Tables USA (An Official Division of Quantum Machinery)

 

[DDoug]

before doing so, thought it prudent to ask if there are even nicer alternatives in this size range ?


View attachment 349134

US167322: System 16 Workstation with "Set A" Including 2.8'x4' (32"x48 – Siegmund Welding Tables USA (An Official Division of Quantum Machinery)

I followed the link to find out how thick of a top, but the incessant pop ups, and chat starting made me leave.
I kept clicking "close window" to no avail.

Back to the OP, what doo you want to doo with it ?

 

[Rob F.]

I followed the link to find out how thick of a top

Here is that info from the site:
PERFORATED 2.8' x 4' (32" X 48") PLATE
Through-Hardened X8.7 Tool Steel + Plasma Nitrided and BAR-Coated
16mm (5/8") Diameter Boreholes on Surface
2" x 2" Center to Center Borehole Grid Distance
7/16" to 1/2" Approximate Material Thickness

 

[lucky7]

What is x8.7 tool steel?

Prefer cast iron for weld table. I use an old layout table from a friend’s shop downsize. Have seen folks adapt a t-slot mill or small HBM table. Prob not what the OP wants but works well for me.

L7

 

[TKassoc]

I've never used the tiny System 16 stuff but I've had two large System 28 tables and lots of clamps/angles/stops from them for years. No complaints, everything works as it should. Bluco is supposed to be slightly better quality but I can't see it making much difference Basic Workstations | Bluco Corp - Welding Tables

The setup you linked is going to be very limiting. One of the best features of the bigger stuff is the ability to hang angle brackets off the side and put an entire joint in free air. The clamps set shown is only enough to fixture a single corner joint.

 

[metalmaster1]

ArcFlat Modular Fixture Weld Table | Langmuir Systems

 

[Scruffy887]

I have bought a number of tops from this seller on ebay. I look for the castings with 4 machined edges. Bought a pair of nice 1800 pounders a few years ago. Machine scrapper. Loads of working used machine parts.
12" x 24.50" x 4" Steel Weld T-Slot Table Cast iron Layout Plate Fixture Jig | eBay

 

[plastikdreams]

Looks nice, but why would you want a tool steel top for welding? Even worse why would you want it coated? Sounds like a bunch of useless fluff.

 

[Arc-On]

Seigmund makes a nice table. Not the best, but not the worst. I personally would get a small Weldsale cast iron platen before I went with the Seigmund, but they are an order of magnitude more money and weight. But, they're REALLY nice for doing any kind of frame welding or 3D weldments. Just welding widgets on the table or in a self contained fixture you really don't need or want the tables fixturing. If you need to make a dozen sets of table legs or something, it is very nice to be able to set up clamps and stops.

Welding and fixture tables are pretty personal tools, it all depends on the work you're doing, the people using it, and if the table is strictly dedicated for welding or if it has to play multiple roles. I wouldn't want a fixture table as an assembly bench, but if space is a huge premium, it may need to play multiple roles.

We have two main welding tables in my shop, a 48" x 120" home built and a 96" x 60" Acorn platen table. We have smaller mobile tables, but those two are where the bulk of our work gets done at.

The Acorn is by far the most useful for fabrication work, the fixturing and holes make it a snap to set up stops, clamps, jigs and fences. The downside is the holes make it darn near impossible to work on small parts. On the table I built I drilled some 5/8" holes 12" on center to use some Strong Hand drop in clamps. It works fine. If I could only keep one, it would be the Acorn, by a mile. I've considered making a cover plate for it when doing runs of small parts.

I would also say the fancy steel and the coatings are pretty much marketing wank. You don't want or need any of that, it doesn't help in any meaningful way, but it looks nice and sounds nice. A36 blanchard ground makes about the best welding surface I can think of for general work. Cast iron is nice too. Stainless is not very good, it has issues with spatter sticking and you need a second mortgage right now to get one anyway. If I'm doing sanitary welding or something, I can put down a sheet or SS or aluminum. I really like aluminum for a welding table, but really only suitable for TIG work on small stuff. It damages too easily for structural shapes.

 

[Fish On]

I've got two of these (same System 16 that you're looking at) but the block table format, rather than the mobile workstation.
US168125.X7 System 16 3'x4' Imperial (Inch) Welding Table Bundle 2022 – Siegmund Welding Tables USA (An Official Division of Quantum Machinery)

Can't say enough good things about them. Quality is second to none (on par with Bluco, from what I can tell), even on their 'little' series 16 systems. Without knowing your uses, I'll submit the unsolicited advise (that you're always fond of) that the 3x4 block package with accessories is a much better dollar value than what you've got linked, and a lot more useful (I use the holes in the side of the table quite often). But, if the workstation is best for your needs, I doubt you'll beat the Siegmund stuff for quality.

 

[jamscal]

That's going to be a great workstation but as others have mentioned the sides are the key to a fixture/welding table.

We have a Siegmund 28 system 4x8 Imperial.

I knew going in it would be awesome but it was really a game-changer for some of the stuff we build; it's really versatile.

 

[Bondo]

Nothing beats a 1" thick plate

Fully customizable
Cut to size
Plenty of meat to grind on

 

[rbent]

I had a Stronghand table at a prior job, which is the knockoff? of siegmund . For fab work I really liked it, and with a decent tooling package it was really handy for layout and welding but it wasn't the best table for repair or 'heat & beat to fit' work. Just not sturdy enough. I had the uncoated table and splatter was always an issue. A friend had one with the nitride coated platens like you are looking at and they held up great to MIG splatter and was really nice to clean back up, no splatter stuck to it.

 

[M. Moore]

I am not sure if Forster makes a table that size but they are the best table as far as I can tell. Mine is 1meter by 2meter and it is very versatile. It was almost like hiring another person. I can now do as much work per year as when I had an employee. The setups are fast and so accurate, I don't even check a four sided assembly for square anymore, it is just square.

 

[BT Fabrication]

ive got a local rep here in canada that imports them from germany. they are pretty sweet tables when you get the full sized ones. those tiny tables work but are really small and limiting on size you can do, but is still $3000 or so. the big ones are 10K and up. but ive seen them all in person at his place, If i could afford the sigmond tables id go the bigger ones and not really bother with that smaller one ever.
but i like tables in a 3 ft by 6-7 ft length.
a 32x48 table is small and the top is really thin on those.

 

[BT Fabrication]

Looks nice, but why would you want a tool steel top for welding? Even worse why would you want it coated? Sounds like a bunch of useless fluff.

mild steel deforms the clamp holes and the clamps slowly slip out over time.
the coating prevents weld spatter from sticking.

 

[Boynextdoor]

32''x48'' is a good dimension. How do you want to use it? It's suitable for stick welders like these and more

 

[metalmagpie]

That table looks low to me. Look how the guy is bent over. That would kill me after a couple of hours. Plus, they are trying to hide how low it is. On a page full of specifications they left out table height. Lame.

I am sorry, but I can not suggest a better. For that kind of money you could buy an old planer and get a superflat uber rigid cast iron table with lots of tee slots for clamping. Scrap the rest of the planer and get a good chunk of your money back.

I have a fixed welding table now, but for years I used a piece of 3/8" plate set on a 55 gallon drum. It made a fine little welding table. It was pretty flat but if I needed it dead flat I could always shim things. When I was done welding I leaned the plate against a wall and turned the drum upside down and just let them be out in the Seattle rain year after year. Every so often I'd knock the rust off the plate and then wipe down the plate with boiled linseed oil. After a few years it stopped rusting. That table has been in continuous use since the '80s and many many projects have been built on it. My total cost in it was zero, not counting the linseed oil and rags.

metalmagpie

 

[DDoug]

That table looks low to me. Look how the guy is bent over. That would kill me after a couple of hours. Plus, they are trying to hide how low it is. On a page full of specifications they left out table height. Lame.

I am sorry, but I can not suggest a better. For that kind of money you could buy an old planer and get a superflat uber rigid cast iron table with lots of tee slots for clamping. Scrap the rest of the planer and get a good chunk of your money back.

I have a fixed welding table now, but for years I used a piece of 3/8" plate set on a 55 gallon drum. It made a fine little welding table. It was pretty flat but if I needed it dead flat I could always shim things. When I was done welding I leaned the plate against a wall and turned the drum upside down and just let them be out in the Seattle rain year after year. Every so often I'd knock the rust off the plate and then wipe down the plate with boiled linseed oil. After a few years it stopped rusting. That table has been in continuous use since the '80s and many many projects have been built on it. My total cost in it was zero, not counting the linseed oil and rags.

metalmagpie

I have done the same, however, you doo get what you pay for.

 

[Whetstone]

I don’t know how anyone could compare these to an acorn or t slot table, the only similarities are they are both flat. After that there is about 100 years of improvement.

I have a 1m x 1m and 1.5m x 3m Bluco with a fairly complete tooling package and just love them both. The best part of the Bluco and Siegmund tables are commonly overlooked and that is the ability to layout and measure right on the table with the precision shims and stops. You can quickly and accurately lay out to +\- 0.5mm.

Not knowing your exact needs for the table I’d either look at the more expensive “3D” tables with sides or step down to a Build Pro.

Just like with machining the tooling package is what make or brakes the set up. If your not willing to also invest in a complete tooling package ($$$) the value of the higher end German tables reduces. I think Siegmund just came out with an imperial based table which would be very nice state side. We build everything in imperial measurements and are constantly converting to metric which is annoying but our CAD system drawings make that easy.


I think Bluco are a little more expensive than Siegmund but you can call up Bluco and speak with a person who will make a recommendation based on your needs.