welding table slots

[swick1]

I'm working on my welding table (4' by 6' by 1/2" thick). It is currently sitting on two 50 gal drums. I will add some legs soon and I was wondering if there are some standard slot sizes for these like how milling machine t-slot tables are built? I had thought about leaving half of it solid and putting 8 slots in the other half like wheel spokes for clamping. I have a stick welder so the leads are always hot. Any ideas for electrode wand holders? I was thinking some kind of wooden box or something on each side of the table. Don't want to flash myself!

 

[jake98]

Maybe get one of these clamping sets first, then make the slots to fit, they're available in 3/8" and 1/2" from what I've seen.
G1076 52 pc. Clamping Kit - 1/2" Bolt Size

 

[swick1]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I was hoping for something a little faster than machining clamps. Are there any welding specific clamp systems out there? I may just make bigger slots and put my c-clamps through them.

 

[LD1]

Cant really help with the slot suggestion, but I can make a few other...

First, if you do slot it as I am imagining, be carefull not to go overboard and weaken the table.

Another suggestion is to maybe incorporate an area for cutting. The neatest one I see, and was simple, was just a hole in the table maybe 2' x 2' and it just had bar-grate in there. That way, you could lay the peice flat and cut and not have to worry about burning through the table. And it gave all the slag a place to fall away. If I ever make another welding table, I think the WHOLE top will be heavy bar grate. and the openings in bar grate are usually large enough to drop a c-clamp in:thumbsup:

Another suggestion (an we have this in our shop at work) and it may be a lot more work than you want, but we have a metal post mounted on the wall for hooking the ground clamps to. And then a heavy guage cable laid in a trench in the concrete and attached to the leg of the table. One less cord to worry about running over and getting tangled.:thumbsup:

And I cant really help much with the electrode holder But I wouldnt want to use wood on a welding bench. They might not last very long:laughing:

 

[Scooby074]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I was hoping for something a little faster than machining clamps. Are there any welding specific clamp systems out there? I may just make bigger slots and put my c-clamps through them.

THere are several welding quick clamps available at different price points and mounting style. These are but a few examples.

 

[ericher69]

Just another clamp available

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/workstations/arcstation/


Sent from my sweet iPhone4 32Gb

 

[kansas john deere]

Just my opinion so take it with a grain of salt. Your table is about the right size except for one thing 1/2in. thick is way to thin in my opinion. The one I had at my old place was 3in. thick. Now that might be overkill but you didnt just pick it up to move it.........LOL. With it being only 1/2 in. I believe you will get a lot of spring action in the top when you cut your slots for clamping things to the table. Now as far as a cutting table I would make one seperate from the welding table. A really nice design is make one out of angle iron for the edge and then put in some flat iron inbetween vertical. Like I said take it with a grain of salt but that is what I would do..,...KJD

 

[swick1]

I like the idea of a fab table and a cutting table made out of grate material. I am going to brace my slotted table with c or angle extrusions. It shouldn't warp too much. I like those clamps. I'll have to get some when I get some spare cash. I keep spending it on welding projects and I just weld everything on top of 6x6 blocks and shims

 

[IslandTractor]

Check out Strong Hand (?Stronghand) clamps which are specifically designed for welding. Very nice.

 

[k0ua]

Check out Strong Hand (?Stronghand) clamps which are specifically designed for welding. Very nice.

yeah that whole stronghand table and clamps system is way cool, but too much $ for me. Now if I was trying to make a living welding.. maybe a different story.

James K0UA

 

[IslandTractor]

yeah that whole stronghand table and clamps system is way cool, but too much $ for me. Now if I was trying to make a living welding.. maybe a different story.

James K0UA

There is a cheap table too. I think I paid $130 or so. Uses the same nice clamps.

 

[1 of U]

Hello,
here is some pics of my table , it not fixed i can roll it around as needed .

on clamps i use rebar 10# and 3/4 coil rods , may give you some more idea's for yours .

1 of U

 

[ericher69]

Hello,
here is some pics of my table , it not fixed i can roll it around as needed .

on clamps i use rebar 10# and 3/4 coil rods , may give you some more idea's for yours .

1 of U

What size Is your table?

Do you find it big enough and would you change anything if remaking

 

[IslandTractor]

Hello,
here is some pics of my table , it not fixed i can roll it around as needed .

on clamps i use rebar 10# and 3/4 coil rods , may give you some more idea's for yours .

1 of U

Very nice table. You saved about $800 minus your material costs over what essentially the same thing costs from Miller.

 

[1 of U]

Hello,
for the most part it meets most of my table needs
if i need to lay something out larger then i can use the floor or a 3X6 steel table .
but this one is 24X42 X 1/2
i wouldnt change anything right now
it's good to go

What size Is your table?

Do you find it big enough and would you change anything if remaking

 

[Gale Hawkins]

That is very nice work. Very heavy but not too heavy and the dolly wheels are nice.

We picked up an old shop made table today that is3'x5' with 1/4" plate top and 2.5" angle for legs that must weight about 300 pounds. It was $125 so I went for it. It has been setting outside for a year or so and will be here until I get the shop built.

One thing I want to test while it is still an outside table is to use it for a rest for the FEL bucket/forks. I want to use the forks with a large, strong pallet as lift for the Zero Turn mower and let this table be a safety rest when working on belts, etc since will not be doing much welding without a shop. Our 7'x14' enclosed trailer conversion to a temp shop/tool bin has progressed some thanks to the son's efforts. The roof AC unit is NICE in these triple digit temps.

Question: Do some paint welding tables or just leave them bare metal so they ground better?

 

[ericher69]

That is very nice work. Very heavy but not too heavy and the dolly wheels are nice.

We picked up an old shop made table today that is3'x5' with 1/4" plate top and 2.5" angle for legs that must weight about 300 pounds. It was $125 so I went for it. It has been setting outside for a year or so and will be here until I get the shop built.

One thing I want to test while it is still an outside table is to use it for a rest for the FEL bucket/forks. I want to use the forks with a large, strong pallet as lift for the Zero Turn mower and let this table be a safety rest when working on belts, etc since will not be doing much welding without a shop. Our 7'x14' enclosed trailer conversion to a temp shop/tool bin has progressed some thanks to the son's efforts. The roof AC unit is NICE in these triple digit temps.

Question: Do some paint welding tables or just leave them bare metal so they ground better?

You can paint but (make sure to have a good grounding site)

They are usually left bare to tack things to then grind off from the ones I've worked from

 

[IslandTractor]

I've never seen a painted top but painting legs seems fine.

 

[1 of U]

yeah :

some wants it all pretty and match it to their welders
Red /Blue etc..

but i never cared for all that pretty stuff
it gets welded /tacked and beat on :drink:

i also use what i call a set up cart where i lay parts out to be tacked
and welded .

You can paint but (make sure to have a good grounding site)

They are usually left bare to tack things to then grind off from the ones I've worked from

 

[Dr Dave]

For an insulated electrode wand holder, use a 2"x8" PVC pipe with cap on bottom. Weld the flat side of an exhaust clamp, to the lower edge of the table, then clamp the PVC in it. You can store electrodes in it and hange your electrode wand holder on it also. Put one on each side.



Dave