Welding benches

[rwork]

Great looking bench, Josh! What are the dimensions? I've about decided to buy a Millermatic 211. I've got an old Lincoln AC 225, but I'm not much with a rod. Hopefully I can get the hang of mig!
Randy

 

[joshuabardwell]

Great looking bench, Josh! What are the dimensions? I've about decided to buy a Millermatic 211. I've got an old Lincoln AC 225, but I'm not much with a rod. Hopefully I can get the hang of mig!
Randy

The top is 2'x3'. It will be 36" tall with casters on.

 

[rwork]

Good choice of color, as well. I really like that safety yellow.

 

[daugen]

Very nice and I like the color too.
Question on all the AC receptacles built in you all have shown so far.
What power rating? 20amps? More? I'm assuming for grinders and not for welders.
Hard to imagine running more than one tool at a time.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Good choice of color, as well. I really like that safety yellow.

Technically, it is school bus yellow. I was amused when I read the name.

Question on all the AC receptacles built in you all have shown so far. What power rating? 20amps? More? I'm assuming for grinders and not for welders. Hard to imagine running more than one tool at a time.

The real limit in my case is the cord. The receptacles are 15 amps. If memory serves, the cord is 14 gauge and rated for 13 amps at 50 feet, but it's only a 25 foot cord. It's definitely not for a 110v welder, no. Grinder, fan, light... that sort of thing. My welder is 220v, so it plugs in directly.

 

[mjncad]

Dang fine bench Joshua.

 

[ericher69]

Here are some pics of my table, which I just (mostly) finished today. I still need to put casters on and clean the top, but you get the idea. Here are some ideas I incorporated into the table: Stinger holder on the front left side (I'm left handed) made from an old U-bolt that I cut off. Hooks for looping the cord for the electrical outlets--also made from an old U-bolt, cut in half. Four built-in electrical outlets. I found some "tamper-resistant" ones at the store that have a gate in front of the hot and neutral holes. I thought this might be a good idea for keeping dust and dirt out of the receptacle. I also went with a GFI, just in case.

The piece of 1" square stock on the left-hand side is for clamps.

Looks good Joshua;

Is the top 1/2 inch plate flat? May just be the picture but looks as though the overhang end curls up?

 

[joshuabardwell]

Is the top 1/2 inch plate flat? May just be the picture but looks as though the overhang end curls up?

Sadly, it is not flat. It has a slight cup. I had been hoping that by buying 1/2" thick material, that it would be reasonably flat, but no such luck. Since I don't have a torch, I don't really think that I have a way of straightening it either. So I welded it on with four, about 1" long welds, at the corners, and if the time comes that I decide to straighten it, it will be relatively easy to remove, but for now, I'm just going to leave it as-is and suck it up.

I considered for a moment running beads along the back side, but I decided not to for two reasons: first, I think that heat might be too localized for the gradual curve that the piece has, and second, it would leave a bunch of weld metal on the back side that I would have to grind off. I think a rosebud tip on an O/A or Oxy-Propane torch would be the right tool, and I don't have one. Maybe if I was more motivated, I could transport the top to a machine shop and get them to straighten it for me.

 

[IslandTractor]

Sadly, it is not flat. It has a slight cup. I had been hoping that by buying 1/2" thick material, that it would be reasonably flat, but no such luck. Since I don't have a torch, I don't really think that I have a way of straightening it either. So I welded it on with four, about 1" long welds, at the corners, and if the time comes that I decide to straighten it, it will be relatively easy to remove, but for now, I'm just going to leave it as-is and suck it up.

I considered for a moment running beads along the back side, but I decided not to for two reasons: first, I think that heat might be too localized for the gradual curve that the piece has, and second, it would leave a bunch of weld metal on the back side that I would have to grind off. I think a rosebud tip on an O/A or Oxy-Propane torch would be the right tool, and I don't have one. Maybe if I was more motivated, I could transport the top to a machine shop and get them to straighten it for me.

I haven't done it but I thought the way to get tops straight was to use wedges from below.

 

[joshuabardwell]

With 1/2" plate, I would be worried about crushing the tubing that makes up the frame. No?