Welding table, what do I need?

westend

Audiopile
Since I have my welder finally wired up, the first project I had in mind was to build a small table or bench to work on for welding projects. I actually have a pretty clear idea on what I'm going to use to make this with, relying on some stuff I have stockpiled around here: a set of bench legs (maybe Gov't issue, I have a pipeline), some angle iron, two pieces of sheet steel that match the dimensions of the leg set, some casters, and I am mounting a cast iron vise on the top.

Anyone have any ideas about some must-have items or other I should include?
 
Mine is 4'x8' . A must is LEVEL and thick top. Have warped a table top or 2 . It's Also nice to be able to weld right to the table........also a place to hang the old grinder!
 
I concure.. nice thick steel top... I've warped a few thin ones myself.

The last table I built, I also built a rack under the table that held the welder and the bottle.. everything in one place.
 
Mine is 4'x8' . A must is LEVEL and thick top. Have warped a table top or 2 . It's Also nice to be able to weld right to the table........also a place to hang the old grinder!
Unfortunately, I don't have the space for a 4 x 8. Yeah, tacking to the table definitely is an advantage. I am going to have to mull that one over. Good one one on the grinder holder, that is going to be a must have.

I concure.. nice thick steel top... I've warped a few thin ones myself.

The last table I built, I also built a rack under the table that held the welder and the bottle.. everything in one place.
I could probably get away with putting the Lincoln buzz-box on the bottom shelf but I think I'll leave it free-standing for now. I am thinking of putting my bolt bins under the top. They would fit and it gets them out of my way.

I've built a few metal working benchs and most of them incorporate a piece of sheet metal over plywood. I also edge-wrapped the top edge with a piece of angle iron. I don't recall any of them warping. For this one, I was thinking of sheet metal alone, attached entirely on the outside edge and attached to a solid brace across the middle. I think you guys may be right, though, a thick plate top is probably going to hold it's shape better than just sheet tin.

Tomorrow, I'll throw up some pictures and maybe start roughing out the pieces. Thanks for the advice so far.
 
I weld pieces to my table tops to use as jigs when welding and bending.. the plywood underneath the steel would burn... I also put lots of cross braces in the underside and welded to the top. Something indestructible when beating and bending
 
The thicker the top the better. I have limited space in my garage as well, so my welding bench does duty as an all purpose workbench. I found a 30x50 piece of 1" plate for free. Wasn't exactly flat or smooth so I had it machined to within .030 of flat for $80. Well worth the time and expense.

I prefer no or minimal bracing as it gets in the way of clamps. Of course with a thinner top you'll need some bracing, just consider the size and location beforehand.

A good sturdy welding bench can be a PITA to construct and move if you need to, but it's worth it in the long run.
 
1" machined plate? Now that would be the workbench top to have, nothing could break the back of that. I am probably going to go with a thicker top than planned. I don't necesarily work with large pieces that need to be mil-spec, more of a stick-a-magnet-on-it and give it a look process. Even so, a 1/4" plate should hold up well and I think that's what's going on.
I'll still use the sheet steel I have for a shelf and, maybe some drawer bottoms. I might make a couple of crude slide out drawers to hold small tools, marking and measuring gear, and the other sundry metal working stuff. I have a small cabinet for holding rod so I wouldn't have to build out a space for them but might make an area to store a few when working on a project. I'm still thinking about what kind of deal to build to hold a 4" right hand grinder. Maybe a small four sided box a little bigger that the grinder? Snap, I have just the thing, in stock.
Tomorrow, if it isn't another day of deluge, I'll be able to tack something together.
 
OK, made some progress, today. Pictured is one of the leg set pair. I decided to grind the rivets off the top angle support and attach it to the legs in the same relationship as the bottom shelf angle support. This will alow mre to keep the top to the same narrow dimension as the rest of the bench. Also, easier to find an offcut of this size at the Surplus metal merchants. The other piece of good news is that I fixed my Porta-band and that is cutting like a champ. I had forgotten what a good, fast cut it can deliver to small stock. I had a small bend in one of the angle pieces but the "Professor" took care of that.

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Basic frame is done except for the cross braces that support the top and bottom shelf. Those will be welded into the frame but the basic frame and pieces can be unbolted for transportation.

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Looking good, but I hope you don't find it too light for what you need. I don't know what kind of things you work with and weld.

I usually do a lot of bending on the table, but I also work with pretty thick bar. Just to me, that metal looks like pretty thin gauge. I built 4 different welding tables, and they always got heavier. I always used square tube.

One other thing I'd suggest would be to maybe weld the joints instead of bolts?
 
Yeah, I've built some pretty heavy benches, too. Installed some 50' of 3/8" custom rolled bench tops in a shop, at one time. Those were heavy. Truth is, I don't plan to do any real heavy work on this one. I'm thinking more of a push-it-around tool and small pieces holder than an actual metal-working table. If/when I ever get that new garage built, Ill be thinking more towards a larger work surface.

After I get the cross bracing and various reinforcements in this, I'm thinking there wont be a need to weld up the bolted pieces. If I can separate the top off the frame and separate the uprights, it would be easy to break down and transport. I maybe coming full circle, back to road-crew welder, lol.

Picked up a top, today:

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It's 3/16" AR400 plate, should do the job.
 
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I'm going to try to get some more windshield time in, today. :yes: The heat and humidity are oppressive so the work on this is going to be slow. :sigh:I have cut the bottom shelf steel to size and need to cut and install the braces for that and the top. Additionally, I need to install a couple of pieces of thick angle underneath the vise location so I can through-bolt that into something rigid. I'll have the bench on it's side for a couple of reasons so I'll also check the fitment of some casters I have on hand.

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The Aluminum box channel is going to be overkill for this kind of affair, but the small 4" grinder fits perfect in it.

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At least got the cross braces tacked in. I will fill weld from the bottom so I have a smooth mounting surface for the top and then it is off to the Paint and Finish Dept.. Don't know what I have in stock but, IIRC, there were a few cans of camo green paint in the locker. I kind of like the army green.

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It's 3/16" AR400 plate, should do the job.

Come on Lance. I can't believe you went with anything less than AR500. :D Just kidding of course. The 3/16" AR400 should hold up just fine for your needs.

We used to shear 1/8" AR500 for the McNelius garbage trucks. They use it to line the sides of the trucks. I was told a 357 Magnum won't pierce through that thin of a sheet. Pretty amazing stuff.

I made some nice hangers for the 4" grinders at work. Just some light 14ga about 5" wide that's bent up at a 90 1" from the edge and then up about 3". The 3" edge has a half circle cut out of it where you can hook the back edge of the guard to hang the grinder

I like being able to keep tools at a hands reach away without being in the way on top of the bench.

My favorite welding table at work has a 5'x10'x1" top plate. The nice thing about it is you can hit it with a sledge hammer as much as you want and never bend or hurt it. :tresbon:
 
Come on Lance. I can't believe you went with anything less than AR500. :D Just kidding of course. The 3/16" AR400 should hold up just fine for your needs.

We used to shear 1/8" AR500 for the McNelius garbage trucks. They use it to line the sides of the trucks. I was told a 357 Magnum won't pierce through that thin of a sheet. Pretty amazing stuff.

I made some nice hangers for the 4" grinders at work. Just some light 14ga about 5" wide that's bent up at a 90 1" from the edge and then up about 3". The 3" edge has a half circle cut out of it where you can hook the back edge of the guard to hang the grinder

I like being able to keep tools at a hands reach away without being in the way on top of the bench.

My favorite welding table at work has a 5'x10'x1" top plate. The nice thing about it is you can hit it with a sledge hammer as much as you want and never bend or hurt it. :tresbon:
Well, I grabbed what ever looked close to what I needed from behind the shear and loaded it up. It was too stinking hot to get fussy. I probably should have grabbed the depleted uranium tank-steel.:D
I'm still thinking on the grinder holder. Your design would bring it closer to the working area. I was going to bolt that aluminum box piece under the top somewhere but I might also build a couple of small drawrers and it would get a litlle crowded with all the froo-fah down there.
 
Getting close guys, stay with me...first picture shows the angle iron reinforcement for mounting the vise:

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Pretty much a done deal:

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Next few steps will be fabbing the DD1000 grinder holder, the drawers, and a few other doo-dads I thought of (like lead holder).
 
Really looking good.. looks like it's begging for you to start using it now..

Thanks,Simi, that's what I was thinking.
I need to gather some more metal to fab drawers and accessories. Fortunately, my Father-in-law (since passed) was a blacksmith (don't know what else to label him) and accumulated quite a stockpile of steel. I will be making a trip over there to see if I can find what I need.

The workbench has been moved into the garage and the bolt bins installed on the bottom shelf. James, your idea about throwing the welder under the bench has me thinking. Unfortunately, there is not enough clearance, vertically. If I lowered the bottom shelf by 2", I could just squeeze the welder onto the shelf. It's not a mission-critical task so I will use one of my few Super-powers, the power of Procrastination, to see me through for a bit. Thanks for that idea, though, I'll probably pursue that in the future.

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When I made my table, I put 1.5" heavy wall (I think this was the size) square tube on each corner of the table and then made a 3/8" X 8" flatbar base with a heavy wall 1.25" square tube welded to the center and mounted the vise to that. I can then move the vise wherever I want. Also made an adapter to use it in the stake pockets of the 550's flat bed!:D
 
When I made my table, I put 1.5" heavy wall (I think this was the size) square tube on each corner of the table and then made a 3/8" X 8" flatbar base with a heavy wall 1.25" square tube welded to the center and mounted the vise to that. I can then move the vise wherever I want. Also made an adapter to use it in the stake pockets of the 550's flat bed!:D
Very cool idea, a vise-receiver type of deal. :thmbsp:
Actually, I'm just happy to finally have the vise mounted, I've been clamping and bolting it to various boards and tables for a few years. It seems to work well in it's new happy home.

Since I positioned the table, I've aded a back slpash on the wall and a couple of shelves. The garage is looking better than it has.:smoke:
 
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