Welding Table Ideas

david12171951 · Mar 19, 2012

I need every ones help again, I want to build a small welding table. I have a piece of 3/8 plate that is 30" x 36" , Some 1.5 " x 2" x .25" angle. Know i will need something for legs. This will not be for any heavy fabrication just shop type use. Also have some deck grating I would like to mount on and off of one end. Have some slab and some rough ground ( hard sand and grass) I would like to move table across some. Ideas of any type wanted for table and fixtures. No front end loader so table needs to skid or be on wide wheels if possible. Health not very good any more this is why it is this size. Thanks, Dave P.S. Been using a manhole cover with legs for years now, makes a solid table but very small and very heavy!

F250DSLPWR · Mar 19, 2012

Hi Dave,
I built myself a welding table about the size you are talking about. I used 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" angle for the frame. For the legs I used 1 1/2" sq steel tubing. I put steel wheels from HF on two of the legs and just let the other two legs sit on the ground. I built the frame larger than my welding table. I made the frame large enough so that my chop saw will sit in between the rails. I can also remove the chop saw and put a grate in that space for cutting with the torch. Below the chop saw / grate is a large open top metal box made out of 16" sheet metal. It catches all the slag from torching and chop saw and also small scrap pieces of metal. I would also suggest welding under the table two receiver hitch tubes. This way you can put a vise or other accessories on 2x2x.25" tubing and slide into the receiver tube, when needed. Other ideas, use some U bolts on the sides to hold your small sledge hammer, torch, mig. If you can find a metal drawer that would really be nice to have at the table also. This way you can keep your safety glasses, gloves, marking utensils etc all handy. Another idea would be to have a piece of U channel on one side to hang your grinder / cut off wheel. How about adding an outlet box with extension cord so you have an electrical outlet handy.
Miller makes a welding table, they have slots cut in the top for mounting c clamps. I don't have that, but maybe in the next one I build...

Lazye · Mar 19, 2012

To quote someone else on here " without pictures it didn't happen"

QUOTE=F250DSLPWR;2763132]Hi Dave,
I built myself a welding table about the size you are talking about. I used 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" angle for the frame. For the legs I used 1 1/2" sq steel tubing. I put steel wheels from HF on two of the legs and just let the other two legs sit on the ground. I built the frame larger than my welding table. I made the frame large enough so that my chop saw will sit in between the rails. I can also remove the chop saw and put a grate in that space for cutting with the torch. Below the chop saw / grate is a large open top metal box made out of 16" sheet metal. It catches all the slag from torching and chop saw and also small scrap pieces of metal. I would also suggest welding under the table two receiver hitch tubes. This way you can put a vise or other accessories on 2x2x.25" tubing and slide into the receiver tube, when needed. Other ideas, use some U bolts on the sides to hold your small sledge hammer, torch, mig. If you can find a metal drawer that would really be nice to have at the table also. This way you can keep your safety glasses, gloves, marking utensils etc all handy. Another idea would be to have a piece of U channel on one side to hang your grinder / cut off wheel. How about adding an outlet box with extension cord so you have an electrical outlet handy.
Miller makes a welding table, they have slots cut in the top for mounting c clamps. I don't have that, but maybe in the next one I build...[/QUOTE]

Iplayfarmer · Mar 20, 2012

I have a little welding table that is about a 36" diameter circle. I love the size. The one modification I plan to make someday is to shorten one leg and weld on a very large nut. I'll put a bolt in the nut and that will be my adjustment to make up for my old uneven shop floor.

jenkinsph · Mar 20, 2012

david12171951 said:
I need every ones help again, I want to build a small welding table. I have a piece of 3/8 plate that is 30" x 36" , Some 1.5 " x 2" x .25" angle. Know i will need something for legs. This will not be for any heavy fabrication just shop type use. Also have some deck grating I would like to mount on and off of one end. Have some slab and some rough ground ( hard sand and grass) I would like to move table across some. Ideas of any type wanted for table and fixtures. No front end loader so table needs to skid or be on wide wheels if possible. Health not very good any more this is why it is this size. Thanks, Dave P.S. Been using a manhole cover with legs for years now, makes a solid table but very small and very heavy!

I think I would build a table about 5' long with the plate top and the grating on one end about 30"x24" inclusive. This would make the table about 30x60 overall and is a very convenient size, easy enough to reach across yet big enough to do some real work. The sheetmetal pan below the grating is a good idea also, my last welding table I built years ago didn't have the pan and it makes a mess of the floor.

Depending on what resources you have I would recommend that the horizontal frame pieces be the more ridgid steel and the legs can be the smaller sizes. Reason being the legs are in compression for the most part while the horizontal rails need to be very ridgid without bending.

Johnp33 · Mar 20, 2012

I worked at a truck dealership and got two side plates from cement mixers, they are 5 ft x 2.5 ft 5/8 thick. There is a hole in the middle a little off set. I welded one with the rounded flange up and one down. I used pipe for legs and channel Iron on the bottom with a piece of 2x4 across it slides OK and is quieter, I have angle iron between the legs for a shelf but want some grating. I have my "C" clamps hanging on it now.
You can go to a lot of used steel yards or used equipment yards and find all kinds of stuff. I look threw lots of them when I have the chance, sometimes I see something, that gives me an idea to make something.

Bigfoot62 · Mar 20, 2012

I have a welding table that my Dad built, years ago. It's a cast iron table saw top. Mine has straight legs made of 3" channel, but your angle iron would work. Even better, find one at the scrap yard (or a garage sale) that comes with wheels.

PILOON · Mar 20, 2012

My table is not very large, 24 X 36 by 5/16 plate that was cut perfectly square in a sheer.
I welded angle stock about 2" back from the edges and made the legs wit angle stock with a shelf about 3" above floor level that my welder lives on.
Another shelf is about 1" above the welder.

I like the 2" frame setback as I can clamp work at perfect 90 deg angle at corners to do precise weld joint.
The shelf arrangements stores all my equipment, rods clamps etc. with the all using minimum floor space.

I build a fair number of fireplace doors on that table.
Also made my tractor cab on it as well a lots of misc jigs doodads etc.
Works fine for me.
Never did add wheels, simply wobble it around when I need to.
Oh, did add hooks to hang the cables off to one side.

GuglioLS · Mar 21, 2012

I got this table off Craigslist, not exactly what I would have built but the price was right... It has served me well for many years.

Larry

SandburRanch · Mar 21, 2012

david12171951 said:
I need every ones help again, I want to build a small welding table. I have a piece of 3/8 plate that is 30" x 36" , Some 1.5 " x 2" x .25" angle. Know i will need something for legs. This will not be for any heavy fabrication just shop type use. Also have some deck grating I would like to mount on and off of one end. Have some slab and some rough ground ( hard sand and grass) I would like to move table across some. Ideas of any type wanted for table and fixtures. No front end loader so table needs to skid or be on wide wheels if possible. Health not very good any more this is why it is this size. Thanks, Dave P.S. Been using a manhole cover with legs for years now, makes a solid table but very small and very heavy!

Weld a length of angle iron to one edge ( " V " up ) to hold round material without clamping. Later you'll be surprised how much you use it for lay out work. Weld it to the side you'll will be working from most often.