Welding Table: My first big project

lynrob · Mar 21, 2012

I finished building a welding table a while back and thought I might post some pics and see what you guys think. This was my first welding project of any size. I built it upside down and started with a 4'x6'x5/8" plate into which I had 5/8" inch slots cut by my metal supplier. I started by putting the plate upside down on 4x4s. Then I shimmed it up to get it as flat and level as possible. The frame, for the most part, is made from 2"x1/4" receiver tubing, the spreaders are 2"x1/4" stinger tubing. I elected not to put casters on it because my previous experience has been that tables with casters are never completely stable. Instead I put some extensions under the shelf so I could move it around with my pallet jack or the forks on my tractor if needed. I TIG'd 3/8" nuts onto the receiver tubing near the ends so that I could clamp my vise and other tools mounted on stinger tubes into the various positions around the table. I have 12 places where I can connect my vise.

I paid $1000 total for the material and have probably 30' of tubing of various sizes left over. I know that's a lot of money, but this will be the tool I will use more than any other in my shop so I thought I should go for it. I got the feet at a salvage yard for about $30. Overall I think it weighs about 1200 pounds. The height of the top is 42" above the floor which is working out well for me. I am just under 6' tall. If I was doing it over again, I would use a little heavier gauge of expanded metal on the shelf but other than that, I don't think I would change much. When the weather is better I will paint all but the top, then it should be good to go.

As I said, this is my first big project and I am hoping for some constructive criticism. I learned a lot from building it and I hope to learn even more from your comments. Thanks!

lynrob · Mar 21, 2012

I forgot to mention that the top weighs about 625 pounds and I shimmed and clamped it to get it as flat as I possibly could then tacked it to the frame in about 10 places using short welds of about 1" in length. I was really concerned about warping my nice flat table and that is why I used heavy tubing and only tacked it in place but in the end, it seems fine. Even though it's only tacked, I doubt if it will come off. Here are some more pics...

mjncad · Mar 21, 2012

I LIKE IT! :thumbsup:

Shield Arc · Mar 21, 2012

I gotta say, that is one of the nicest welding tables I've seen!

I always liked working with square tubing, one of the most reactive to heat materials you can work with. Square tubing can make a fool of you in a New York second if you're working to any kind of tolerances.

Baby Grand · Mar 21, 2012

Nicely done! I really like the thought you put into moving it. Looks like an elephant could sit on it without doing any damage.

Army grunt · Mar 21, 2012

Really great looking,That will go great in my shop,Ill paint it myself, when are you going to build your own?
Army Grunt

ericher69 · Mar 21, 2012

Looks good! I take it your tube extensions are for a vise and such accessories?

How big is your shop?

Bartcephus · Mar 21, 2012

Outstanding Table.... Now you will have to battle the accumulation of projects that will sit on top and turn your table into a storage unit. :laughing: Every time I build a work table or welding table, seems like they get covered with so much crap, I end up having to work on the floor. :ashamed:

rmully · Mar 21, 2012

Bartcephus said:
Outstanding Table.... Now you will have to battle the accumulation of projects that will sit on top and turn your table into a storage unit. :laughing: Every time I build a work table or welding table, seems like they get covered with so much crap, I end up having to work on the floor. :ashamed:

:laughing::laughing: Me too ...then it is too much work to move all the crap:confused2:

lynrob · Mar 21, 2012

Shield Arc, thanks for the kind words! I guess I was too dumb to know about problems with square tubing and tight tolerances. I was careful to tack on the long side then bend it back square prior to tacking the other sides. It seemed to work pretty well but it's not perfect, of course. Any tips for keeping things true? I will confess that, where I could, I moved the parts around to always be welding flat and horizontally. I haven't quite gotten the hang of running uphill and downhill. I mean, I can do it, the welds just look like crap so I tried to avoid it. Practice makes perfect, I guess. I've been trying to force myself to weld in other positions.

ericher69, yes the tube extensions are for my vise, notcher and other "accessories". My shop is a 48'x52', free span metal building. I just finished it last year and like Bartcephus' tables it is quickly becoming cluttered with all my treasures I don't want out in the weather.

Sorry, Army Grunt, I'm a retired Navy guy and well... you'll have to build your own.

Any thoughts about the top? So far I've just left the red-colored mill scale on but I am trying to decide if I should sand it down to bare metal. Then I might have rust issues. I am leery of putting anything on the top that might off gas when heated and end up making me sick.