welding table top what thickness needed /

[Zebrafive]

I was able to buy a scrap table with a heavy top, guessing at least 1" thick (too lazy to run to the shop to measure it ) maybe 3' x 6'
I put steel wheels on it and a "foot jack" to keep it from rolling.
You need more than 1-2 inch overhang.
With a thick top you can drill and tap holes or even just drill thru and use bolts and nuts to hold things if required.

 

[bikerdib]

I just finished making one for myself. I used what I had on hand. 2X2X3/16 angle frame around the top edge (turned so I have the 2" clamping space around the edge), legs of 2X2X1/8 inch and running gear of 3" steel wheels (two of those being swivel. The top is two pieces, three foot long by ten inch wide 1/2 inch plate run parallel with a 4 inch gap between for clamping space and that also gives me a gap to use a O/A torch. To help when doing something longer than will fit on the table I have two roller stands to support long items.

 

[stuckmotor]

I don't have a table. AlI can afford is a small frame, about 2'x5' and I don't want a vise or anything else attached to the top. Mounted objects tend to snag any big object I lay on there. On a huge table a vise might be fine.

 

[PILOON]

One fellow around here made his table top out of 4 x 4 angle stock with about a 2" gap between the parallel angles.
The ends were also from the same angle stock.
His intent was to be able to use clamps just about anywhere. Seems to work just fine.
The table in question was about 12 ft long by about 3 ft wide with 6 HD legs.
I might add that his work was largely stair cases, gates, signs and such as against smaller precision items.
But then I often noted that he'd tack weld his parts to the table rather than clamp and simply grind away the tacks prior to the next job.
He also had his welder permanently grounded to the table.

 

[bikerdib]

I have never liked grounding the table unless I was also going to tack weld the work piece to the table.

 

[troutsqueezer]

I've been using a 1/4" top, works fine but I don't pound heavily on it.

I don't ground the table either. Ground clamp always goes as close to the welding joint as possible, clamped to the workpiece itself.

 

[Renze]

Mine was an old glue press of which i cut off the upper structure. 3/8" of deck on 4" C channel frame is enough meat to forge on the edges.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Last year I got really lucky and found a nice table on Craigs List only a few miles from here. It's about 4' x 5' with a half inch thick mild steel top supported by heavy wall steel tube for a frame. It rolls on 6" steel casters with locks on two of the wheels. There's even a shelf underneath that's almost as big as the table. Before that I had to make do with a 2' x 3' wooden shelf with a piece of 1/8" aluminum for a top. Not much good for pounding, couldn't tack anything to it, and I melted places on it a couple of times. Still, it was better than nothing. If cost was no object, I'd build one at least 4' x 8' on a heavy steel frame, caster mounted, with a stainless steel top at least 3/4" thick. But that's probably off in the next life...

 

[flusher]

I've been using a 1/4" top, works fine but I don't pound heavily on it.

I don't ground the table either. Ground clamp always goes as close to the welding joint as possible, clamped to the workpiece itself.

Same here. Don't see the need for 1/2" thick tops if you brace the 1/4" top properly.

 

[jenkinsph]

If you spend much time using tables you will find there isn't a perfect table for everything. I have used everything from a card table to super heavy 30' long tables with 2" plate tops. Usually I don't have what I need at the time but manage to get by with what I have. Right now my tables suck and I need to build a better one.