Welding table build

[Arc weld]

Structural codes, ASME codes, AWS codes, Military codes, etc., etc. Nobody would ever live long enough to go through all of them.

 

[BukitCase]

Glad I only build stuff for ME - I "glue" it together, try to break it, if I can't then it's to "code"

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Built the saw stand, mountable either direction as guessed earlier:




Extendable support with height adjustment (which still needs a bit of work)



Cutting area built:

 

[Reverser]

You've been busy!!
Looks like a very handy set-up. :drink:

 

[Will S]

What is the size of the cutting table? I like the diagonals, but might that ever be a drawback when cutting flatstock square to he table? What a great setup; I really like all the feature you have incorporated into it.

 

[farmer2009]

Looking good. Why use flat bar in cutting area on angle. I always seen angle iron used for that.

 

[Underdog57]

The saw stands are awesome!

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Thanks for the compliments.

The cutting area is 34" x 48" for an overall table size of 4' x 8' There's a 2" gap between the cutting area and the main table if I need to square cut anything.

Of all the tables I found while searching, I didn't once see one built with angle for the cutting area, all of them used flat stock. Not that they don't exist, I just didn't find any. Most of the CNC tables use flat stock bent into some form of an 'S' shape to eliminate the chance of a straight cut landing on top of a slat.

I had 4 reasons to build it on the diagonal:
1. The chance of a straight cut landing directly on top of one slat is almost ziltch.
2. When building stuff, narrow or on-edge pieces are more likely supported by multiple slats than falling in between them.
3. I've got a 2" overhang on the other 3 sides of the table and if I ran the slats straight, I wouldn't have the 2" overhang on the end.
4. I hadn't seen one built on the diagonal yet and wanted to be different

I still have to do something better for a bottom shelf, the OSB was handy and happened to be exactly the right size to fit between the legs and center support.

 

[muddstopper]

You might consider building a water box to go under the cutting table. It will help keep slag and hot sparks from flying around when using the plasma.

 

[Shield Arc]

Or build a hopper and removable tray like I did for my burning table.

 

[ovrszd]

Or build a hopper and removable tray like I did for my burning table.

Did I mention how much I'm learning on this thread!!!! Thanks for the pics Shield Arc. I gotta have one of those!!!!

 

[Shield Arc]

While your building, build one of these to burn circles with. Get a wheel off a truck or car, so you have bearings for the table to rotate smoothly. You'd be surprised how nice of circle you can burn with this.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

You might consider building a water box to go under the cutting table. It will help keep slag and hot sparks from flying around when using the plasma.

No heat in the shop....would an ice box be of any use?

Or build a hopper and removable tray like I did for my burning table.

I'd already planned on some version of this. It will only collect the middle portion, not the 2" overhang but I don't expect to do much cutting in that area

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

While your building, build one of these to burn circles with. Get a wheel off a truck or car, so you have bearings for the table to rotate smoothly. You'd be surprised how nice of circle you can burn with this.

Thanks for the idea. I've got a couple of old bearings off my wife's old car that would work well for that. When burning larger diameters, how do you keep the tip at the proper height from the material?

 

[ovrszd]

While your building, build one of these to burn circles with. Get a wheel off a truck or car, so you have bearings for the table to rotate smoothly. You'd be surprised how nice of circle you can burn with this.

Now that Rocks!!!! So you punch a mark in the center of whatever plate you are cutting from, then attach the holder to the torch, put the sharpened tip in the punch mark and rotate the table???

Is the tightener that fastens the holder to your torch made from an electrical wire split nut connector???? How ingenius is that!!!!

Save both of those pics.

 

[Shield Arc]

I wish I could take credit for this idea, but it's been around every since I started in the trade. Which tomorrow will be two whole weeks.

Yes they are electrical split nuts.


What I do is use a center punch to mark the center of the circle. Use a pair of dividers to scribe the circle. If I want the inside piece I start my cut on the outside of the scribe circle, once I punch through the plate I drag the point on the circle attachment to the center punch mark. If I want the plate with a hole in it. I start my cut on the circle and cut out to the scribe line letting the point on the circle attachment drop into the center punch mark. On real thick plate sometimes I'll even drill a hole so the torch starts easy.

 

[farmer2009]

Shield good ideas. It sounds like you been at it for more than two whole weeks.

 

[Shield Arc]

It sounds like you been at it for more than two whole weeks.

Tomorrow.

 

[Shield Arc]

how do you keep the tip at the proper height from the material?

The bottom key stock it tapped. I think I used something like a 10 x 24 cap screw cut the head off and ground a point on it. Find the height you like, use the jam nut to lock the 10 x 24 cap screw so it won't move on you.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

The bottom key stock it tapped. I think I used something like a 10 x 24 cap screw cut the head off and ground a point on it. Find the height you like, use the jam nut to lock the 10 x 24 cap screw so it won't move on you.

Not quite what I meant...that sets the initial height but what keeps the torch head from dragging? Been a long time since I've used mine and was only self- taught at that. I know you need to keep a bit of space between the tip and material with a plasma cutter, doesn't a torch work the same way?