welding table!

[r97]

so i'm planning to build a welding table soon and thought i would toss some ideas around. i'm building it for a few reasons:
1. tired of hauling all the tools in and out of the basement to the garage.
2. the bench grinder isn't bolted down and moves all over the place when you use it.
3. nothing to clamp stuff to for using the angle grinder.
4. i don't have anywhere level where i clamp stuff too (welding magnets don't work on garage floor )

heres some pics of what i have in mind!

its got a:
vise.
bench grinder w/ shelf.
various hooks for angle grinder, cutting disks, welding mask, ect.
casters.
2ft x 4ft x 3/8" table top (assuming i can get one for a good price).
extensions cord w/ three outlets for grinder, welder, ect.
3" lip around edges for clamps.
and a stool!
i also put in a shielding gas bottle, but i wont be using one.
table height about 3ft
mix of 1" 14ga sq tube, and 2" either 16ga, or 14ga sq tubing.
angled shelf under table for easy access to welder controls.

i don't plan on putting slots in the table, or drilling a bunch of holes, or tacking everything to it (i will already have a ton of flux core splatter to clean up..) i plan to use clamps around the edges, and buy some magnets for the middle.

anyway, like i said this isn't happening now, but hopefully soon! as you may have realized i'm pretty much trying to give this table as many bells and whistles as i can (or as my wallet can, i'll see how much of this i can afford).

as always any comments, suggestions, or ideas for more stuff to add to it are welcome!

 

[Doc Sprocket]

I'd suggest a length of angle or square along one long side, and another set at exactly 90*, probably on the angle grinder side of the table. That way you have an instant straightedge, and an instant right angle. Makes things quick and easy when fabbing things. Line 'em up against the fence(s), hit the clamps, bang! Guaranteed accurate, and quick.

 

[r97]

thats a good idea!
like this right? i was thinking making it bolt on would be better so i could remove it for big projects.

does anyone else have welding tables? home made? i'm just looking to gather as many cool features as possible.

 

[fowler]

ours is a very simple one with 4 40cm box legs welded to a 2.5 (i inch) thick top of 1.5metres by 4 metres
it is very useful as a work bence as it will hold engines or anything heavy without effot

but it is huge and u wouldnt have the ability to move it, we needed our 140hp articulated
front end loader to put in place

regardless what im trying to say is u will kick your self later if u make it only to your current requirements and in the future u want to go bigger

these things should last forever, ours was purchased second hand and we've had it for 30 yrs

 

[Bluethunder3320]

mine is some heavy, HEAVY angle welded to a folding chair. it aint neat but its perfect. that way i can weld on it and grind it up and it will still look the same.

 

[kibble]

I like the idea! I had thought about setting up a bench for welding purposes, but something portable would be extremely useful.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

I had (no longer have) a big honking table. One interesting thing I had rigged was a swing down mount for the bench vise. Locked up in position, it would sit flush with the top of the table on one end. For large projects, I could unlock it, and swivel the vise down and away from the tabletop. You could do that with the bench grinder, too.

 

[fowler]

that quite clever
iv seen it on tradies utes

was it as stable as a direct mount(just out of intrest)

 

[r97]

yea, well the main idea here is to have a portable welding table i could load all my tools on to, so if i want to do something i just need to wheel this out, and plug it in!

toystory, i was trying to think of a good way of doing something like that, but i thought if i can get the bench grinder at a reasonable height it wouldn't be too much trouble to loosen 2 bolts. of course if i plan on removing the bench grinder it might be worth extending the table over the edge there to make room for clamps.

do you guys think this table is strong enough? is it too small? should i allow for more places to put clamps?


i can get it into the 3d were house if you guys want to see it in 3d.

 

[redsox985]

I think it's a bit small. Our one at school is 3'x5' and welding a go kart frame on there was pushing its limits. This thing also doesn't move though. I would make a welder/tool cart and not a welding table. That way you could take your tools anywhere.

 

[r97]

well i would still need a table for clamping stuff too and i figured, why not put all the tools on it, weight it down a bit, i think a cart would just be more stuff to move around don't you? and i would still need to make a stand for the bench grinder.

i'm not planning to build a kart on this table, if i built a kart again i would build it in sections on the table, then weld them together on the floor. 3ft x 5ft seems huge! i was thinking like 3ftx4ft max, not to mention how much a 5ftx3ft piece of 3/8" plate would cost!

EDIT: just looked at the sketchup again, maybe 3ft x 5ft would be a better idea.... have to price out the metal for that.

 

[r97]

heres a quick sketch,

 

[freakboy]

The one we have in my dads work is 5 wide by about 10 long and quarter inch plate one end has vises on it and things like cleaners and hardware on it. Bench grinders mounted on a stand. it would be much better mounting the grinder to a stand vs. the table. Also get a welding cart.. much better then having the welder mounted in the table unless you have 2 welders. That way you can roll it to the other side of the garage or to a freinds house if he needs something welded..

 

[r97]

i just measured things out, 2ft x 4ft seems to be about right, if i wanted it any bigger i would make it 3ft x 4ft.
why is it better for the bench grinder to go on a stand instead of on a shelf off the table? i also don't really have anywhere to put a bench grinder in the garage.
i would think i could roll a table with welder to the other side of the garage just as easily as a cart. don't you?
also, i would need to take the welder off the cart if i brought it to a friends house, i don't see it being much harder to take the welder off the table.

try measuring out 2ft by 4ft on your table, thats what i did, i think either 2ft or 3ft by 4ft will be a good amount, i suppose if the 3/8" plate isn't too expensive i could make it bigger.

 

[freakboy]

my welding cart is mabey 3 foot long and 1 foot wide. and its nice and low much easyer then hauling a big table around. And if you have the bench grinder down because of a big project and you need to use it.. well your kinda sol arent you? a grinder on its own stand in the corner of the garage or a side wall would be perfect. use a old truck wheel and a peice of pipe and a peice of quarter inch plate for a mount and in 20 minuets you are done.

 

[r97]

well i still think it would be very easy to push the table around (most i would push it would be about 10ft), but i suppose for the large projects it would be a pain with the bench grinder, if i can find a good spot for it, i will think about building a stand for it, or i could also simply mount the bench grinder lower so it doesn't interfere with stuff on the table, but i can't put it too low, hmmm......

 

[redsox985]

How about thinner plate, say 1/4"? Also, bolting the grinder to a fold down table extension would let you flip it up and lock it in place to grind, then fold down to weld something larger. OR put your grinder and vise on one end and just designate that end as "taken" by the grinder and vise.

 

[r97]

i like the idea of having the bench grinder fold down.

toystory, do you have a quick little sketch of your old setup? i can guess how it would work, but i would like to see what you did.

i currently can't get 1/4" for a good price, my local steel yard stocks "surplus and used steel" which looks like perfectly good stuff that could just see a bit of the wire brush. heres what they currently have,
http://www.midcitysteel.com/paguiar/Web-Site%20Used%20&%20Surplus%20Plate.pdf

EDIT: lol, they also have some 48" dia, 1" wall pipe!

 

[redsox985]

How about that 3" plate then weld the 48" pipe to it and call it "heavy as s*** modern art".

 

[Doc Sprocket]

toystory, do you have a quick little sketch of your old setup? i can guess how it would work, but i would like to see what you did.

I could probably put something together, gimme a little time.