Welding/Fab Tables

[Rock Taco]

So I have been wanting to build a fab table for a while.

I have a pretty good idea on the size I need it to be to work in my 2 car garage and still be able to fit everything else.

I wanted to get a little input on what you guys have and what you would do differently from what you have.

Here is one I like the design on and the over all utility of. I would definitely add some casters to it.



So post up your ideas and some pictures of what you have now.

 

[I Lean]

Compared to that one, I'd definitely make both the top and the legs thicker/sturdier. There's nothing wrong with having a nice heavy table--heavy feels more stable and solid when beating on it.

Mine is nothing special, but it has a 5/8" top, so I like that part of it. I don't have slots for clamps, but I'm not afraid of welding temporary fixtures to the top and grinding them off later. Plus I can sweep the crap off the top without all of it falling on the floor. (only a lot of it...not all of it)

 

[skippy]

My main table is 1/2" thick and when you are wailing on it it still feels like its not thick enough, as soon as I have more space I am going to make a full 3/4" thick table thats drilled and tapped on a 4" grid so I can bolt fixtures and down and what not.

 

[Rock Taco]

I was thinking a 3/8" top and reinforcement for the legs on the bottom. Im not sure about the slots just yet.

 

[skippy]

I have another table that is about 30" deep and 7 feet long with a 3/8 top and it works ok but you have to make sure you are over the top of a leg when you are pounding on stuff or it just rattles the whole table I ould go thicker also if you do weld stuff to a 3/8 table too much heat and it will warp pretty easily depending on how big your table is

 

[Rock Taco]

Sounds like I need to go thicker than I originally thought.

 

[brandonlmb]

My bench top is 1" ar400 and is 3x7.... A friend of mine built it for me with some of the scrap metal that was around his shop.
needless to say I had to torch out holes for my vise and benchtop grinder.

 

[STAG]

I would like one, but no room right now.

 

[UNSTUCK]

My main table is 1/2" thick and when you are wailing on it it still feels like its not thick enough, as soon as I have more space I am going to make a full 3/4" thick table thats drilled and tapped on a 4" grid so I can bolt fixtures and down and what not.

I can see lots of dirt and slag sticking to the threads of your tapped holes. Might drive you crazy. I built a few clamps that were made out of 1" plate. Welded a nut to the side of it that a bolt can go through to clamp down your project. Then, like Carl said, tack the clamp to the table where you want it. Then just hammer the clamp off and grind off any left overs. It has worked great.

 

[skippy]

I can see lots of dirt and slag sticking to the threads of your tapped holes. Might drive you crazy. I built a few clamps that were made out of 1" plate. Welded a nut to the side of it that a bolt can go through to clamp down your project. Then, like Carl said, tack the clamp to the table where you want it. Then just hammer the clamp off and grind off any left overs. It has worked great.

I can run a tap or blow nozzle through the hole if it gets plugged up, I weld stuff to my table now and I think this is a better way to go, If I need to weld something to the table I will bolt a plate to the table and then weld to that. I will probably face the entire table prior to drilling and tapping it to make sure it perfectly flat

 

[UFAB]

We got a table that is 1.5" thick plate 4ft x 10ft A36 material. Made the back tires of the fork lift come off the ground moving.

Properly making a substructure and skinning with .125 or .250" is perfect.

 

[carsonc1974]

I can see lots of dirt and slag sticking to the threads of your tapped holes. Might drive you crazy. I built a few clamps that were made out of 1" plate. Welded a nut to the side of it that a bolt can go through to clamp down your project. Then, like Carl said, tack the clamp to the table where you want it. Then just hammer the clamp off and grind off any left overs. It has worked great.

We used to use similar tables when we where building jigs and fixtures. He is 100% correct in saying that keeping the holes clean is a huge pain on an everyday work bench. I would definitely go for slots rather then tapped holes for the kind of work we do. When would build fixtures on them, then move them to a regular work bench to help keep the other tables clean. We even went as far as to keep them covered to keep junk off of them

I dont know if you have checked the price on having plate drilled, tapped and blanchard ground yet, but im sure it will blow your mind, i know it blew mine

 

[Rock Taco]

So here is what I came up with for now. I'm sure the more I use it the more it will change.

 

[bryson]

Looks nice! What thickness did you end up using for the top?

 

[Rock Taco]

Thanks, Its 1/2"

 

[frieed]

My main welding/beating table is 24"x30" with a 3/4" cast iron top and 2-1/2" pipe legs that I got from my grandfather. I'm pretty sure it was originally a type-setting table for old style lead type for newspapers. I'd like to add a 1/2" steel plate to it that extends 6" all around because the top has support ridges underneath and they are always in the way when clamping. I also use my 2'x4' table with a plywood top quite a bit for welding as well. My vice is mounted to that via a 2" hitch receiver tube

 

[sixstringsteve]

Troy, is there anything you would change if you were to do it again? I'm getting close to putting the legs on mine and I'm still undecided about how I want to do it.

 

[Rock Taco]

Im not totally done with it just yet. I'm gonna mount my vise via a receiver hitch. I only put the one cross bar underneath in the middle so I can scoot under it on my stool if i wanted to. Once I get some more time using it I'm sure it will evolve.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I like that idea.