Welding Table

[Shawn]

So I scored a piece of 3'x6'x3/8" steel that I plan to make a welding table out of. My question is, is there some reason that I can't think of, that I would need to make a frame for the plate? Seems to me, that I could just weld some legs and add some supports and be done with it...


Thoughts?

 

[Hickey]

So I scored a piece of 3'x6'x3/8" steel that I plan to make a welding table out of. My question is, is there some reason that I can't think of, that I would need to make a frame for the plate? Seems to me, that I could just weld some legs and add some supports and be done with it...


Thoughts?

My last job had one that was 3/8" top. For a frame, they just clamped 2 or 3" angle iron to the bottom to help keep it flat. Great table. You could really pound on it and it wouldn't move.

 

[grinch]

One reason..... Even 3/8 will bend if you hit it with a BFH and there is no frame to help support it.... Yeah I know its a welding table but if you tack somthing to it and want to use a hammer to break the weld instead of grinding it could cause probs.... Ide say go with a little angle iron also... Its cheep insurance in the long run....

 

[Shawn]

I like the idea of using angle iron. Warping could be another reason also.

 

[spectra]

Yes make a angle frame for it. I have a fab shop and all tables are 3/4 plate with 4x4 1/4 angle frames. After a while these even warp and bend. The 3/8 plate will bend if hit on enough so try to support it with something if you can not get any angle. The good thing about the angle is if you need to clamp something to it it is only 5/8 thick in your application.

 

[Hickey]

The good thing about the angle is if you need to clamp something to it it is only 5/8 thick in your application.

That is the other thing I really liked about the table we had at work. Really nice for clamping. Another thing you could do is punch holes in the surface of the table, so you could bolt fixtures/jigs to it.

 

[Shawn]

Ok,

Now we have the top figured out, how about the legs. I like how Carl (I think it was Carl) built the one at RockLogic. He used trailer jack crankers with wheels so that the table could be leveled out with ease. How about cross braces, shelves, etc?