Welding tables

ztarum · Sep 18, 2005

I'd like to set up a small area in my workshop for welding. Anyone know a good source for a small welding table. I know that Northern Tool has one, so I'll probably get that unless I find something better.

hello113 · Sep 18, 2005

ting, magic wand of Forum Fairy made it happen
the ting was my insert breaking!

ya have a welder make u a table

Mebfab · Sep 18, 2005

I didnt get to be the first post. But at least I am the first response.

Build your own welding table. Scrounge around the scrap yard for a piece of 3/4" plate and tube/ channel/etc to make legs out of.

Build stingers between the legs such that a pallet jack can be rolled beneath it and pumped up. That way you can move the table around. Much better than casters. If you use casters, even locking ones if you use the table for bending or just mount a good vice and beat on it the stupid thing will move around.

I mounted my Hossfeld bender onto a piece of 1" plate about 3'x5' with heavy I beam holding it off the floor. I can stand on the plate to bend or if I have to be further away on the floor it is generally heavy enough not to move. I can also use the pallet jack to move outside for bending long pieces and roll under the stairs when not in use.

Mebfab · Sep 18, 2005

Damnit someone beat me to it.

ztarum · Sep 18, 2005

Let me clarify a bit. I just got an oxy-acetylene rig, but it has been many years since I have done any welding. I also lack the means to trasport 3/4" plate, or other heavy raw materials (My car is a Honda Civic). What I really want is something I can buy, so I have a place to practice. Once I get brushed up I might be for taking on some bigger projects, but for now I just want a place to work so I can get back up to speed.

scphantm · Sep 19, 2005

if your using oxy/act, go to home depot, lowes, or a fireplace store and buy some fire-bricks. just take the table you have now and lay the brick on it and weld on the brick. that will work for a while at least. even better if you do build a table say out of a sheet of 10 gauge or 3/8 plate or such, the heat from the oxy rig will distort the metal on your table a good bit. putting the firebrick down will eliminate that.

muleworks · Sep 19, 2005

You might try auctions or machinary pimps, they go very cheap for the big sturdy tables, I am sure they would deliver for a little change. If not rent a home depot, lowes truck. You could always get a welding/machine shop build one. I think you will be displeased with the northern tool one, it looks a little light. If you can't weld one, just bolt it up.
Chris

jkilroy · Sep 19, 2005

3/4 plate, while it would make a GREAT welding table, is hardly required. And since you have said you want a small table then there isn't much chance you will be putting items of multiple tons on it. Most of the steel shops in my area will deliver for a nominal fee.

If you find a shop that will shear or cut the top, more the better. Have them cut it to size and deliver it with all of your stick stock and get with it.

Wild West · Sep 19, 2005

In my first shop I made my table from a piece of 1-1/2" thk. hot rolled plate cut 36" x 72" with 2" rad. corners. I then had it blanchard ground for flatness. I uses 5" dia. pipe for the legs with 1" bolts for levelers. The only problem was that the surface of the table was so nice I hated to tack weld to it or beat on it which is why you want a thick top in the first place.

NOW, I have a piece of 7/8" thk. x 32" x 58" hot rolled that I got from my local scrap yard and put it on top of an existing welding table which was 24" x 48". I have my post vise attached to it as well as a rail underneath for holding all of my clamps. I also have mounts underneat for hanging my grinders and hammers.

Jim
www.pivotlok.com

tattoomike68 · Sep 19, 2005

the welding table I like is 1-1/2" plate on big pipe legs, bolted to the floor and has a mean vice on the corner.

we did have a table on rollers but it sucked, you would go to put parts on it and end up chasing the table around the shop, plus it was tough to weld on a wiggly table.

flimsy tables suck for welding.

JL Sargent · Sep 19, 2005

Hey Richard R. where are you? Its time for us to talk acorn platens again. I have two of these and they make great welding tables. Check out the tooling they sell for it too!

http://www.acorniron.com/products/platen.html

Another table idea is to make the top out of spaced 1/4" angle iron. That way you can clamp anywhere on the table.

AaronHG · Sep 19, 2005

Although not as stout as some of the tables mentioned above, I built mine on a 2x7' steel cart, the kind with cast iron wheels and heavy frame and bed. Top is 3/16 with angle iron on schedule 40 legs. One end of the top unbolts revealing a grated box for torch cutting. Big vice on other end. I have machine levelers to get it off the wheels if needed. Stock and tools go beneath. I would have used 3/8 or 1/2" for the top if I had it lying around. The wheels are needed so I roll it out side for nastier work, away from the machines in my little garage.

dman · Sep 19, 2005

OK my table is 4inch,Just kidding,I found someone throwing out a drafting table,put a 1/2 inch plate on top.We have a full range of applications here from a shipyard to a table you can roll into the corner.I think you need the later and since this will be a good project you will have to get to know your local scrap dealer(especially the drunk guy) where you can get smoking deals from.

Dave A · Sep 19, 2005

This thread is just about like the one in the general forum from about six months ago. Some of the members want a SERIOUS welding table, that will withstand just about anything. Tops of 1/2" plate as a minimum up to over 1". These are HEAVY DUTY and just plain heavy and very difficult to move to another location.

Then there are those of us who just want a fairly sturdy metal topped table for light duty welding, occasional fabrication and all around shop work. For those of us in that frame of mind, a top of 1/4" to 3/8" plate, bolted to a channel frame will work just fine. Easy to roll around, as they are on casters and can be taken apart if we need to move them.

Two schools of thought for different needs.

wippin' boy · Sep 19, 2005

I'm a pretty bad skimmer but did anybody mention leaving about a third of the top open with a piece of sheet metal angled to the side so when your playing with the cutty thing you don't get fire in your boots. I'm right handed so my "fire hole" is on the right side and my vice is on the left...did i ever mention my first "tool" i got with my own money (paper route age 11) was a propane touch. used it to burn just about everything that would hold still....and some that didn't... things that did move had to have at least 6 legs to qualify as combustable.

JL Sargent · Sep 19, 2005

You rang?

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=011172

JL Sargent · Sep 19, 2005

When you're using a table made from 1" plate and you find after a time that you have bent/warped the plate thats when you know its time to move on up to a platen.

matt_isserstedt · Sep 20, 2005

Vise...remove the hard steel serrated jaws that ruin your work, and replace them with a piece of copper square/rectangular bar (buy a 1 foot piece from McMaster).

Counterbore holes for socket head screws in the appropriate places. Attach ground clamp to the base of the table or the swivel-post on the vise.

Best move I've made...tip from an old toolmaker now retired. They will not melt or stick nor scar your pretty work.

-Matt

JL Sargent · Sep 20, 2005

Matt, only thing with that is if you run welding current through the screw it could arch to the nut or vise and damage it. I ground the vise jaw to prevent that from happening. I wish you continued good luck however.

Wild West · Sep 20, 2005

Vise...remove the hard steel serrated jaws that ruin your work, and replace them with a piece of copper square/rectangular bar

Good advise! I just recieved last week a new Wilton C-0 I bought off of ebay and the first thing I did was take the stock jaws off and replace them with 3/4 x 1 naval brass jaws. I have a new C-2 coming Thursday and I have a 1 x 2 piece of copper and I will do the same for that one too.

Jim
www.pivotlok.com

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