Welding/fabrication table?

I want to build a welding/fabrication table over the top if my machine. My idea is to put all the welding, cutting, and grinding on one cart so I can move the mess closer to the garage door when I am working. Do you guys have any pictures or suggestions?

-Large Vice -Hooks for grinders and all hoses -Thick steel top

Richard Finch has some nice plans in the back of his welding books.

http://www.google.com/search?q=welding+table&hl=en&prmd=ivns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=_nk6TvvqFIW2tgeEo4GNAw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CDgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=653

I'm not a fan of putting the welder under the table. Plus, where's your tank going to go?

I'm starting to like the slat tables so you can clamp everywhere on the table and replace slats as necessary.

Here is an interesting variant of that with channel:

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/fabrication-cnc-laser-waterjet-plasma-welding-fab/building-new-fab-weld-table-part-2-a-194652/

Clamps can hang on a piece of 1/2" round bar welded between two legs.

Hang grinders on one of these or similar:

http://www.swagoffroad.com/Wall_Mounted_Grinder_Attachment.html

I have a few fab tables but also some very heavy steel "sawhorses" at 80lbs each with levelers on the legs. Add a couple pieces of longer steel on top between the two and I have a flat table as long as necessary that can hold anything.

-James

Welding table... I don't know what kind of work you will be doing, but no matter what the Stronghand Nomad always looks like the best deal. There is no place around here to buy scrap metal, so that's probably why it looks so good to me.

If you have a scrap yard around, I would go and ask if they have any cast iron grates from around trees or storm gutters. Hopefully the size of a table top. That way you can clamp this down all over the table and it should be sturdy enough to hold what ever you slam down on top of it.

Something like this: You might need a couple sections if you can't find one big enough but that will just help with moving it and then it's modular too.

We are actually looking for a table right now , we where in Tampa at a school/office bargain warehouse and found some awesome rolling school cart but they where sold . We are thinking going to an orange box home store and see if they will let loose a damaged lumber cart .

Don't put the welder too close to the grinder. The metal dust is no good for the tender coils and the fan will suck it right in.

Move your TIG closer to an open door? That is just inviting breezes to blow away your gas sheild envelope.

-Don't put the welder too close to the grinder. The metal dust is no good for the tender coils and the fan will suck it right in.

-Move your TIG closer to an open door? That is just inviting breezes to blow away your gas sheild envelope.

Both of these comments are good as well as the links.

I never leave the welder running when doing other things but maybe I could find a BBQ Grill cover for the ESAB. I wanted to mount the tank to the back of the table. I am trying to save some space. And make it easy to clean up.

Also my garage is in the basement and I only have a 8' door so it is a compromise with ventilation and wind (I am married).

Man this thing is cool

http://www.swagoffroad.com/Porta_band_Product.html

This looks cool too.

my weld table is 4'x4' and is framed out of 2"x2", 1/8" wall square stock. It has a fully framed sheet steel top and framed full width shelf, also sheet steel. I can barely push it across the smooth concrete floor. It was originally built as a repair stand for 6" pipe asphalt pumps, but I salvaged it from work before it was tossed. Had to clean a LOT of asphalt off of it.

I had to weld a 2X2 angle to the front so I would have a lip to clamp to. It's worked well so far, although I wish I had more clamp points. Hey, free is good, though, and it's in-berkeleying-destructable.

I keep my welder on a rolling cart next to it, but after the comment re grinder dust, it will be getting a cover post haste.....

I'll post a pic sometime

I bought a 2x3 plate from JMR- it was $200, but is 3/8" thick and has slots to use the standard t-bolts that machinists use for all the clamping needs you might have.

I haven't finished the table, as it is sitting on my HF big red tool chest, where it makes a pretty nice top. I am going to weld a 2.5 square tube the middle of the long direction and build a frame underneath to roll around. The ends of the 2.5 square tube will act as "receivers" (think trailer hitch) for various tools mounted on plate platforms with 2" tubes (think the "hitch" part) so I can interchange which tools I have mounted. The pirate 4x4 forum is actually pretty good with lots of interesting tricks.

No pictures of it, but my welding station is a big table (2x4?) with a frame made from 2x2 and 1x2 1/8" wall tube, salvaged from a massively overbuilt handrail and a big piece of steel that my father-in-law had behind the shed. Very solid, very heavy and bolted to the floor. If I need to build jigs, I just weld them to the table and then grind them off when I'm done. I also welded in some nuts on the backside so I can bolt my vice on it easily and solidly, good for high leverage work.

Regarding the table two posts up, do yourself a favor and round off the corners. You'll thank yourself many times when you do not remove skin and meat when you catch the edge.

I built a few receiver tubes (think trailer hitch) into my steel benches that i can plug jigs, fixtures, tubing bender, etc into. These are very handy, i recommend them to everyone.

I have a couple 18x24x1" thick flat plates that i can plug into the receivers, which turned out to be my most used work surfaces. Clamp to 'em, weld to 'em, or beat the hell out of 'em, just hit them with a flat face 36 grit flap wheel for a few seconds and they look like new. I've got a cutting table, but i do 90% of my one-off fabrication stuff on these plates. Put a lot of thought into the height of your work surface, ergonomics can make a huge difference when you are trying to do nice work.

I have an engine stand head, tranny case holder, and diff housing stand that can plug into the bench's receiver tubes, as well as my assorted jigs and fixtures. Very solid setup, makes chores like setting pinion pre-load and dealing with crush sleeves a breeze. Under the bench is a rack with about 30 various clamps hanging from it, as well as an assortment of magnetic helpers to quickly fixture the odd stuff.

In reply to weedburner:

We are going to need pictures of this table Sir. It sounds very cool.

I'm not weedburner but the receiver mount thing is fairly common. I'm in a 'real' shop now and have receiver mounts on my tables there too, but this is from my home shop.

Bench build on pirate:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=893174&highlight=bench+receiver

He's right about putting 'tables' in the receiver mounts too, good idea.

-James

kb58 wrote: Regarding the table two posts up, do yourself a favor and round off the corners. You'll thank yourself many times when you do not remove skin and meat when you catch the edge.

Amen brother. I've lost some already. Bend over to pick up a bolt and rack your head up against the corner= not cool. Head wounds bleed a long time. At least my dad wasn't there to put vodka on it, like on my bachelor party evening, when I fell off the side of a building I was trying to climb in engineer boots. That one took even longer to heal. But I digress.