making a welding bench?

I would go heavier on the legs - at least 2x2 11gauge...

My welding table is 1/2 inch thick., 3'X4.5'. This top was got at the local metal scrap yard--they happened to have this piece on the day I went for my table top. For legs, I used 3" diamater sched 40 pipe I had laying around. I used no under-table or leg bracing. This setup is plenty strong: there is no table sag nor leg-wobble. (At the outset, I was not sure if it would work this way. But I reckoned that if the legs broke off or something else went wrong in use, I could always fix it stronger afterward.) I did not want anything underneath. This way I can clamp to the table and (except near where the legs are placed) there is no interference with clamping from anything projecting underneath.

I don't have a vice mounted on this table and it is, thus, completely open for me to move weldments around as needed. I have another bench for this. If I did not, though, I'd put the vice on the welding table.

My table is not on wheels. I have a small shop and a sturdy and clampable wheel set-up would be an advantage to me. Maybe I'll do that in the future.

Of course you'll build your table the way you want. My advice is to just be thoughtful in advance to how you are going to be clamping stuff to your table.

Best, David Todtman

Personally...Id not go with anything thinner than 1/4" and 3/8" is far better. 1/2" is great.

1/8" acts like simple sheetmetal with pieces that size

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire. Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us) off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the shit out of you for torturing the cat." Gunner

I would love to go as big as 1/2", but have you priced this stuff out lately? It is rediculously expensive.. At least over here it is... a peice 32"x84" of 3/8" steel is 350$ here.

I mean, I just spent 2 grand on my welder, I can't afford to build an expensive table like that. Although I would love to. Maybe I'll check with my local wrecking yards as well, and see if I can find an old slab... Thanks,

Quarter inch plate weighs close to ten pounds a square foot. I get your

3/8th plate to be 263 pounds. I can't believe plate would be over a dollar a pound. Keep looking at scrap yards. I favour steel horses with a 1/2 inch plate or heavier on top but you need access to a forklift or overhead crane so it is not practical at home. I don't bother with a welding table at home. I use the concrete floor and wooden horses.. Randy

I made a table using "cat walk" grating

I welded a scrap 6x6 angle iron on one end and a piece of 3x3x3/8 on the other end flush with the top of the grating. I mounted the vise on the 6x6. I can let c clamps down in the grating to clamp virtually any size and shape, though most of the work happens on the angle iron apron. It all happened because of what I had, but I would go buy the stuff to do it on purpose if I needed to replace it.

(top posted for your convenience) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Keep the whole world singing . . . . DanG (remove the sevens) snipped-for-privacy@7cox.net

We can all thank China for this one - only now are they slacking off. Maybe all of the cheap stuff has been taken.

I saw a stack of 8' x 12' 1/2" steel stock - looked like city or county road covers - at the junk yard. Just a bit to big for me. And naturally the crew there was cutt> I would love to go as big as 1/2", but have you priced this stuff out > lately?

I went to our scrap yard and bought two 36" X 36" X 1/4 plate for 30.00 each in good shape. I used one and cut it up to make this welding table:

, & D.

Don - could you please show detail of the axle ? - thanks, Mike

"D>I went to our scrap yard and bought two 36" X 36" X 1/4 plate for 30.00 each

Thats exactly what my first welding bench was made of. 3'x5' tack welded to some steel horses. Worked great and I could cut anyplace and not worry about damaging things. I ran a belt sander over it every few months to knock off the tops of the gashes

Only problem was..I couldnt find a bigger piece..and my soapstone kept falling through

I made a smaller one, 2'x3' and put it on a pedastal that allowed it to rotate. Made for a handy cutting surface and wasnt bad for welding around cylinders.

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire. Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us) off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the shit out of you for torturing the cat." Gunner

Nice table Don, thanks for posting!

The axle is a bolt welded to the frame with a locknut and washer. The other end has a bolt with a large washer welded to the head of the bolt that threads to a nut welded to a piece of 1/8" welded to the bottom of the frame. That levels the table on unleveled spots.

I think I may change that to locking swivel wheels, so I can roll it instead of lifting the end.

Thanks pit builder for your comment Don D.

--I'd think that magnets wouldn't stick very well.. Is that a problem?