What's a good height for a static welding table

I've got to weld up some gates and I am getting tired of welding on the ground. I was thinking about welding up a simple 4x8 (+/-) welding table out of tube and I was wondering what would be a good height. I'm thinking something that I can reach easily past the middle of the table but not so low that I am constantly bending down to weld.

Of course then I have to be able to move the darn thing out of the way. I don't weld every day, and my shop is pretty full of "stuff" already.

Reply to
Bob La Londe
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I forgot all about it. While it won't be good for a ground it might be really handy. A buddy of mine gave me a stainless steel table top a few weeks ago. All my buddies know one thing they can do to pay back or forward when they need my help is bring me good quality scrap metal. My scrap metal pile has bailed more tehan one of them out when they needed something fixed.

Its smaller than the table I was discussing in the previous post and it won't ground as well as a regular steel plate table top, but it has leg sockets. I can use it to test with some IMC or EMT I have on the rack for a good working height. If its to tall its a matter of minutes to shorten it with the bandsaw. I was also thinking since I do some aluminum welding it might be nice for some things as the table itself will make a decent backer instead of having to clamp up a piece of stainless bar as a backer. Yeah I still might need the heavier bar if I need real heat sinking, but the stainless table might handle some types of jobs. Of course the ground. It just won't ground as well. I'll have to ground directly to the work, but atleast today I won't be working on the ground.

I do have a steel top work bench I've been thinking about moving out of the shop and using as a narrow welding table. (not today) I'll have to think about what will replace it as a work bench on the shop if I do that, but I have some ideas.

If the stainless table top works out I might make it the same height as the steel work bench and use them as a pair when working on bigger assemblies.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Mine is about 41" off the floor, including the wheels. I do a lot of small TIG welding, so I use a bar stool to sit on a lot, but it is a good height to stand and weld larger pieces for me. It is a 4' x 4' piece of 3/8" steel with a 2" x 2" x 1/4" angle steel frame. The wheels are some heavy casters that I found at a military surplus shop about 25 years ago.

You might want something a little lower, since you do MIG work (longer torch).

BobH

Reply to
BobH

I know that welding on stainless, it moves around a LOT. That might not be such a good thing for a welding table, warping and oil canning. Just a thought...

BobH

Reply to
BobH

Reply to
Ignoramus24945

Mine is a similar height, comfortable for a bar stool. Mine's 30" wide, 7' long, doubles as a work / reloading bench. I roll it outside if I need it for a stick project. I left out the bottom tube along one side to keep from banging my shins, and the 1/2" steel top is 3" wider all around to allow easier clamping. My previous table was salvage, and had small I beam along the edges. It was a pain to clamp to.

Pete Keillor

Reply to
Pete Keillor

Reply to
Terry Coombs

This is perfect if you sit on a chair in front of this table.

You can always make it higher by putting wood under the feet.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus3734

The Welding Tips and Tricks Podcast had a whole episode on tables awhile back. They dive down a few rabbit wholes as usual but you should pickup a few ideas and pitfalls to avoid:

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I don't really have room for a dedicated table and just kind of wing it with the hodge-podge collection of surfaces I have on hand...

Reply to
Leon Fisk

The Welding Tips and Tricks Podcast had a whole episode on tables awhile back. They dive down a few rabbit wholes as usual but you should pickup a few ideas and pitfalls to avoid:

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I don't really have room for a dedicated table and just kind of wing it with the hodge-podge collection of surfaces I have on hand...

Reply to
Bob La Londe

I use a ratty old hydraulic platform stacker as my welding table. The tall frame is handy to clamp to. It's also a good work support for the bandsaw. It effectively takes no storage space because bulky light stuff can be piled on it. Lawn mower, generator and snowblower engines are MUCH easier to work on when jacked up on it.

A chain hoist can replace bad hydraulics.

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

If I recall correctly, they mention using the HF Hydraulic Table Cart in the podcast. That way you can vary the height and it also works good for lifting heavy stuff up to bench height, its intended use.

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Reply to
Leon Fisk

I have both types of lift. The platform stacker lowers further, directly onto its non-swiveling front wheels, making loading an object too heavy or awkward to lift like a snowblower easier. I haven't used its greater height for welding but did to erect a gantry hoist beam, and suspended my garden tractor's engine under it.

The scissors table has no vertical obstructions and workpiece size is limited only by tipping stability. Mine is different from the HF, it has a removeable axle on one end and a trailer coupler on the other to tow it. Minus the axle it rests low and stable outdoors on planks. The pump from a Porta-Power kit raises it since the original electric pump had been removed.

I bought it to raise my log splitter to a comfortable (no back strain) height, but backing the splitter up onto car ramps with the tractor and lowering a trailer stabilizer leg under the beam is simpler and more stable.

-jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

This is the trailer stabilizer:

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It makes a pretty good folding table leg that doesn't interfere with the working surface the way a crank-down tongue jack would. The photo of the Pacific Rim version shows the mounting bracket rotated into the supporting position and the notch that holds the leg when folded up. I don't use its jack-up function because the splitter's beam is light enough to lift, with one foot on the stabilizer base plate to hold it down and let the telescoping leg ratchet out.

The max height of mine is 23", not unreasonable if you are sitting on a mechanic's stool. After tacking the gate you could raise and level it on car jack stands.

I was traded a 34" square shop-made welding table of 1/4" plate with

3" channel iron legs. To make it storable I cut the legs short and fitted bolt-on 2x4 legs snugly into the channel grooves. I put wheels under the top on one side so it can be rolled in and out of storage standing on edge, steering by lifting the end I'm holding. It's easy to attach the upper two legs while it's leaning against a post, then it can be rolled onto them to attach the other two.

The size and weight limits are being able to turn it upright. A fold-up shop crane would help for a larger table if you have the space to maneuver it. You could tap the center for a lifting eyebolt and the edge for another eyebolt to control tilt from a safe distance with a block and tackle. Otherwise when being rolled upright it will jump sideways as the center of gravity passes over the legs supporting it. I think I'd rather deal with two 4' square tables than one 4' x 8'.

-jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

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