Receivers on welding tables

[dstig1]

This would normally be something I would ask on welding web, but...ya know.

I am modifying a table I picked up for $20 into a welding table of sorts. I'm adding a 1/4" steel top and some reinforcements, but I also wanted to weld on a few receivers so I could mount vises, etc like so many have done on many threads here and on WW. Before I go too far with this...The one thing I know about the typical 2" receiver is that it is pretty sloppy. This is not a piston fit. What are people doing to make this a more solid mount for something you may need to wank on to bend, pry, twist, pound etc? Sure I could stick framing shims in there but wood is going to compress really easily like this, and would probably end up in splinters in many situations.

 

[Rip]

One could drill a couple holes and weld nuts one on side and other on top or bottom near the mouth of a receiver and weld a T bar to a bolt to tighten up the insert and take the slop out of the set-up. There are also some devices sold for (or included ) with some hitch-mount bike racks that also minimize the slop, but may not be stout enough for vice or heavy work.

The first idea probably work the best.

 

[Shield Arc]

The one thing I know about the typical 2" receiver is that it is pretty sloppy.

Yes they are! I don't have any receivers on my welding table. But I've built several hitches for trucks. What I did to take out the slop, is make a plug / round weld at the front, and back of the stinger. Then grind the weld, until I have a tight fit.

 

[Will S]

Yes they are! I don't have any receivers on my welding table. But I've built several hitches for trucks. What I did to take out the slop, is make a plug / round weld at the front, and back of the stinger. Then grind the weld, until I have a tight fit.

^^^ This ^^^, and weld a 3/4" ~ nut over a hole drilled into the side of the receiver. Insert the vise mount, then lock it down by tightening the bolt you threaded into the nut. Works great.

 

[dstig1]

The hybrid solution! Will S for the win!

Next question - I can find weldable receivers at northern easily enough, but what about "stinger stock"? Just 2" Sq stock steel? Or 2" Sq tube with heavy wall (looks like 1/4" wall is about the heaviest you will normally find in 2x2)

 

[Tractor Seabee]

dstig, you are right, actually it is .120 wall not 1.25. 2 1/2 is made in both 1/4 and 1/2 wall thickness. I like Will's solution also. A bolt on top and one side sounds even better.

Ron

 

[dstig1]

Ron you lost me there. Can you check your numbers and clarify? Thanks

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Ron you lost me there. Can you check your numbers and clarify? Thanks

I am sorry, delete all I said. I looked in the wrong reference book. Since moving I cannot find all my old stuff, still packed somewhere. I would look it up on the internet. I do know 1/4" wall is heaviest I have seen.

Ron

 

[CADplans]

My new truck has a 2 1/2" receiver,, so I gotta buy new receiver inserts,,,
I guess I can use the old receiver inserts for attachments to my welding table.

If you want a virtually slop free insert, use two receivers, and two inserts.
That will pretty much eliminate slop.

 

[BukitCase]

The stock you want for "normal" sized RECEIVERS - is 2.530" OD, with .250" wall leaves .030" clearance for .250" wall 2" STINGER material to fit inside. (just standard heavy wall 2" tube)

The actual "receiver" material might be a bit harder to find, but the standard 2.50" tubing is a "HAMMER" fit in most cases.

This is what I did on my 580's loader bucket, then I have GOBS of inserts of all shapes and sizes - makes for a really versatile setup for whatever you wanna pick/drag/lift/push, etc -



And some of the inserts -

Notice the trimmed back top edges on those receivers? If you have ANYTHING that's very heavy to plug in, you'll appreciate this tip. I have a vise that's mounted on a piece of 10" C channel with the stinger feeding thru 1/2" FB and full welded, whole thing weighs right at 98 pounds -

With a straight cut receiver, you need to match things up almost exact before you can let the receiver take any of the weight - with that top trimmed back about 1/2", you can rest part of the weight on the first 1/2" of the receiver, and THEN line it up and push it in the rest of the way -

You can do the same on bench mounted receivers, whether or not you use some of the other excellent suggestions for taking the slop out... Steve

 

[BeezFun]

Next question - I can find weldable receivers at northern easily enough, but what about "stinger stock"? Just 2" Sq stock steel? Or 2" Sq tube with heavy wall (looks like 1/4" wall is about the heaviest you will normally find in 2x2)

Etrailer sells hitch fabrication parts but the tubing's kind of expensive because the holes are drilled and the collars are welded on.

 

[Jeepnford]

Etrailer sells hitch fabrication parts but the tubing's kind of expensive because the holes are drilled and the collars are welded on.

And the best part, the weld bead inside the tube has been ground off (or they are welded differently than regular HREW) so you don't have that stopping the stinger. Harbor Fright has cheap receivers but you better have a long carbide bit to do some inner grinding. I figured this out after I stuck one to my welding table.

 

[BukitCase]

The 2.530" tubing is specially made for smooth inside also; it might not be too bad to pay $30 for a foot of it if you're only doing one or two, but in my case it made more sense to just buy a 20' stick - for one thing, my mag drill makes quick work of the pin holes, I've never needed the collar on the .250" wall tube, and my price by the 20' stick is $6.80 per foot.

That let me have TWENTY 12" long pieces (even more if they're SHORTER) for less than FIVE of the Etrailer ready-mades...

Guess it depends on how crazy yer gonna get with it - pretty obvious what MY answer is, huh? ...Steve

 

[Jeepnford]

The 2.530" tubing is specially made for smooth inside also; it might not be too bad to pay $30 for a foot of it if you're only doing one or two, but in my case it made more sense to just buy a 20' stick - for one thing, my mag drill makes quick work of the pin holes, I've never needed the collar on the .250" wall tube, and my price by the 20' stick is $6.80 per foot.

That let me have TWENTY 12" long pieces (even more if they're SHORTER) for less than FIVE of the Etrailer ready-mades...

Guess it depends on how crazy yer gonna get with it - pretty obvious what MY answer is, huh? ...Steve

This is good to know. I've built a couple of grapples with adjustable mounting tubes and this would work much better. Less slop in the tubes.

 

[hslogger]

Albany Or Bukit case.... your half inch trim job is cool. thx.

 

[dstig1]

Good stuff here. Thanks guys. I have seen something similar to the trimmed receiver trick before. We had a bike rack from Reese that was set up with the end of the stinger trimmed back (kind of the exact opposite) that way, and it did help lining up that heavy beast. Probably a wise move for the vise as it will weigh a bit... I don't need a full stick of receiver stock, so will just grab the premade receivers from Northern as I have used them before successfully and I only need a few. And it looks like normal 2x2x1/4" for the insert mounts. Good to go.