Lightweight welding table?

--Am in need of a table maybe 24" on a side but wanted to do something other than a slab of steel. I'm thinking of building a 'torsion box' like woodworkers use to lay out large stuff precisely. This would consist of interlocking slotted ribs at right angles, 'skinned' with thin sheets of steel. Has anyone done something like this? The goal is to wind up with something that's light enough to be moved around without a crane and a cart.

Reply to
steamer
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I made a mini welding table that I hold in a vise when in use. Just a sheet of steel and a piece of angle welded to the middle. The vise holds this angle and thus holds the mini table.

As a matter of fact, it is good for a lot of projects.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus16714

That's a good idea. Thanks.

Tom

Reply to
Tom M

Just get together the things you will use on the table........ vise ........ clamps .......... shelf underneath ........... whatever ....... and then start working on it like a puzzle. In my experience the third model usually starts to get to where I wanted to be.

Welding tables are strictly a personal preference. I like a 4' x 10', but then I do a lot of wrought iron. (ornamental metal, not the real stuff) It comes in handy for a lot of other things where I want to put something big or long on it, but is bulky when I just want to work on something small. At those times, I'd like to have one on rollers that I could put a short stool next to and work on the piece.

Like I say, just look at it as a puzzle. Take some pictures, so we can see how you're doing, and maybe steal a couple of ideas. ;-)

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

Not sure what you are doing, but a couple things I use for various projects are roller stands, and an accordion style roller conveyor.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Not sure what you are doing, but a couple things I use for various projects are roller stands, and an accordion style roller conveyor.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Steel saw horses made from 1" square tube, and 3/4" MDF. I have worked in many shops that had to build large things but didn't want permanent tables.

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I made stacks of folding steel sawhorses. Line them up, lay steel tube across the tops, and lay 3/4" MDF sheets across the tubes. I have used this to make enormous tables that were dead flat, and level, and could be dismantled in 30 minutes.

MDF makes a great light duty welding table. It is dead flat, cheap as dirt, easy to screw together, and doesn't burn worth a damn. I used small 4" squares of sheet steel to protect the MDF wherever I was welding.

Plus you can screw jigging blocks anywhere you need, or cut holes for clamping.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

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