Weld table idea

[Tebbsjeep]

What are your thoughts on using truck box/knaack box as a welding table? It would be on casters, store the welders/tools when not in use, lockable, and I would have another plate on top with a slight overhang to put my ground clamp on. I'm thinking about doing this because I don't have a garage, and lugging everything up from my basement sucks. With the box being lockable, and I can chain it to my patio, I would feel better about leaving my tools outside. It's not as fancy as a certi-flat table, but I think it'd work.

 

[Kevin B.]

Immediately after setting up a project on the table you will find that you need something you left in the box. Every time.

The idea of lockable outside storage is good, but I wouldn't use it to double as a table.

 

[Tebbsjeep]

Good point and that would be frustrating. That would only be a major inconvenience if it was a big project though. For small stuff, I don't think it'd bother me that much. Space is a limiting factor too.

 

[Tonkaman]

The height of the box may be an issue as well. Most boxes we have at work aren’t s good height as a bench. The small ones might be fixed with some big casters?

 

[Caleb]

I was thinking about the height too. I’ve got a nice big one at my cabin, even with some big casters, I still think it’s be too low. You could build a subframe that it all sits on.

 

[Tebbsjeep]

I currently weld at ground level, so any increase in height will be great. I'm looking at one right now that is about 3ft high. So not ideal but better than nothing.

 

[SnwMnkys]

Buy one of these and throw it in the job box when your done.

 

[Tebbsjeep]

So I switched directions. I picked up some short 4ft long x 30in high pallet racking uprights, and I'll put a plate on top of those. Then I'll either build a lock box for underneath or find a used one and bolt it in. I'll put it all on 4 swivel casters. It should end up about 36-40 inches tall, which I think should be fine. Then the question is how wide should it be? At that height, how wide does it need to be to not be tippy?

 

[Gravy]

I've got an old butcher counter with a fat piece of plate steel on top. The drawers are super sturdy.
It's quite deep and great for working on multiple projects at once and I don't have any qualms about tossing a tcase or motorcycle motor up on it, then wiping it down and tig welding too.

 

[Tebbsjeep]

I finally got around to working on this. The thin metal on the pallet racking sucks to weld. The plate on top isn't crazy thick but it'll have a framework underneath it. It's no certi-flat table, but it'll work for my needs.

 

[crosbike]

Looks good and if it works for your application then awesome job.