Re: Welding Table

Yes an extra drawer under the frame is already in the plan since the table is 6" above the ground.

I reckon the table with plate now weigh around 150 kg probably a bit more. Each caster is at rated 350 kg.

Sometimes when I look at comparable welding table builds in some US Forums my WIP looks under built. They use 1/8" thick square tubes at the minimum. I'm using 1.5mm square tubes.

For now I'll be using 1/8" checkered plate for the flooring. Beef up the fame some more with thicker 2mm tubes.

Unless I change plan the move is to weld the to plate to the base. Upright welding position. It's difficult to underestimate heat and welding distortion. It could easily ruin the WIP.

@R I'll check the middle height later. If it proves that clearance is enough then adding another layer is a good idea. If it can temporarily store the clamps during a WIP progress then it would have served a very time saving purpose.

Re: Welding Table

with the frame you build, I reckon you can put your car on top and it would still be more than enough. Yun nga lang I"m not sure the wheels will hold. Your table is already built like a tank for its purpose as it is. What will you be welding that would require it to be heavier anyway?

Re: Welding Table

try this, can you bend one of your leg materials with 150kls. of force straight down? you have four... or less than 50kls load per leg. do you forsee welding a 200 kl. project? then divide by the no. of legs and add to the current load. that will be around 100kls.for each leg which should be able to handle 300kls before it will show sign of bending under stress (hope Guad can confirm or can correct me on this)... which means you can actually have 1 ton capacity for your four legs before you even need to consider beefing them up. The ones you see in weldingweb is probably used for commercial use. I really suggest you get a good design software so you can reduce expenses on your builds, yes I know you have the money for it pero sayang din, you can save it and have enough to get a straighedge with it :flower2:

Re: Welding Table

Actually it's the table top welding I'm worried about. I want the top frame to be able to fight back any weld distortion.

While building the frame and clamped to the table you can hear a lot of tick tack tok sounds during welding. That's distortion. I will have another problem to contain .. the top bow and it's spring back.

This table will also double for transmission and engine works ... but I reckon it will hold well.

Re: Welding Table

Actually it's the table top welding I'm worried about. I want the top frame to be able to fight back any weld distortion.

While building the frame and clamped to the table you can hear a lot of tick tack tok sounds during welding. That's distortion. I will have another problem to contain .. the top bow and it's spring back.

This table will also double for transmission and engine works ... but I reckon it will hold well.

I thought you will be working with screws? no heat distortion there and can easily be corrected from time to time... di ba kaya ng Norseman taps and drill?

Re: Welding Table

I thought you will be working with screws? no heat distortion there and can easily be corrected from time to time... di ba kaya ng Norseman taps and drill?

It can but then I would lose the chance to experience first hand distortion effects while working with this thick materials. None the less all my options are still open now. I will decide it when I dry fit the table top to the assembly.

In the first place I should have started the build using 3mm or thicker instead of 2mm. I would have saved all the bracing et al... next time.I know already 🙂

Another thing is I won't be starting a WIP again unless I have all metals. If I knew I would get a warped table top then I would have built the frame around it in the first place. I was building a frame for a reasonably flat top plate. 🙁

Masakit din sa bulsa Timb ... it's good 2 sets of fab work for bobbin hooks paid for all the added metals. If it came directly from my pocket I would think twice din maybe thrice pa.

Re: Welding Table

Bro Jay, with all this discussions of additional tubing supports for the welding table to make it more sturdier, my concern now is the casters installed, of course every time a tubular is added and welded, additional weight is added to the casters, I just hope it holds long enough specially the thin red polyurethane on the casters, it might start to crack and disintegrate in the long run, baka maging malaking hassle in the future.

Bro hinde ba pumasok sa isipan mo na you might need to replace your casters at this early stage of the WIP while the table top is not yet installed with a more heavy-duty type kind, alisin mo na ang pagka pogi feature of the casters and simple switch attention to the heavy-duty built. 😉 :rolleyes:

LOL, another aspect to think or give some considerations ha, before its too late and everything is already installed and welded. 😮 :p

Re: Welding Table

@R Bro casters are not welded. These are bolted and very easy to replace. I just need to jack up the table.

Casters chosen are up to table design load parameters. Each rated at 350 kg. Industrial or at the min commercial quality from Panda.

With regards to Poly that we have to see how long these will last. I myself am not sure thus I took the extra steps to have removable casters. I wanted all metal casters but my problem is the welding table parking space. The flooring is tiles and baka mag crack kung all metal caster.

You know bro what I've lost on the poly casters choice instead of all metal. Pounding on the table. I seriously doubt these poly will hold up.

Re: Welding Table

Started cutting metals again .... this time for the lower legs support.

I remember Jarod mentioned this checkered plate before. Suppliers usually sell these in whole sheets but convinced my vendor to let me try a smaller cut first albeit at a much more expensive price than if purchased as a whole sheet.

Easier to clean when not yet mounted.

It's warped from gas cutting so I clamped it first before taking required measurements

Re: Welding Table

I prepare to cut the 1/8" thick checkered plate to size

one side done

long side .... my sled is short so I'll have to do this in two steps

I moved the sled forward

Re: Welding Table

Expensive sheet thus as minimal waste as can be ... I''ll use the scrap to build a small open box for my mig cart and see if this material will be good for drawer making as well. I don't have a sheet bender but I can weld the edges together easily.

I still need to cut some corners for the sheet to slide in .... probably a jigsaw would be a better tool to use.

I can now use the lower frame support for storing the cutting saws

Clearance is good enough ... if I install removable horizontal 2 x 2 support on receiver tubes then I can even have the dry cut saw slice while under the table.

Not a good idea for the abrasive saw because of the sparks blast zone it creates.

Re: Welding Table

try this, can you bend one of your leg materials with 150kls. of force straight down? you have four... or less than 50kls load per leg. do you forsee welding a 200 kl. project? then divide by the no. of legs and add to the current load. that will be around 100kls.for each leg which should be able to handle 300kls before it will show sign of bending under stress (hope Guad can confirm or can correct me on this)... which means you can actually have 1 ton capacity for your four legs before you even need to consider beefing them up. The ones you see in weldingweb is probably used for commercial use. I really suggest you get a good design software so you can reduce expenses on your builds, yes I know you have the money for it pero sayang din, you can save it and have enough to get a straighedge with it :flower2:

It's good you mentioned the legs Timb. For a while I was concened about the 2 x 2 x 2mm I will be using and almost switched to 3 x 3 x 2 mm. In the end just like you i believe this will hold up well. But just in case my backup plan is to install additional 2 x 2 x 1/4" angle bars on the legs. I doubt it will be necessary specially now that I see the build standing up already.

Do you think 2 legs on the right side can take the load of a folding side table holding a chop saw?

Thanks

Re: Welding Table

Preparing the flooring for welding

Welded the flooring and installed the side support of the legs

Frame is not that heavy ... I can turn it upside down alone

Cut some 2 x 2 x 3/16 angle bars

Re: Welding Table

Installed additional bracing for the two front legs ... backside no need because will install flat bar to hang the grinders and on the sides round bars to hold some clamps

This cable clutter is one other thing I want to manage. I can put power strips on the table so I will have only 2 cables on the ground . One for 110V and one for 220V.

I completed the caster bolts in preparation for table dry fitting

When I built the casters mounting I actually had other things in mind as well. Since these are bolts I can replace the caster with other stuff as well. For example custom bolt on short legs ( 3 x 3 or 4 x 4 square tube or pipe) if I really need a very sturdy table for a build or maybe I won't be moving the table for a long time. All I need to do is slip a crocodile jack under and raise the table. An air ratchet will take off those bolts very quickly. For now I don't know what others I can mount aside from those two.

Probably a couple of different length short legs sets so I can tailor the welding table height according to my particular WIP.

Re: Welding Table

Dry fit. Looks more like a Tig table instead of a MIg because of the footwell. Usually for Mig it's welding while standing up.

I will need a few more deep reach c clamps when I weld the top. I hope Panda have these. The Stronghand clamp in the picture is really good. I regret not buying at least one more.

http://store.cyberweld.com/sthawecl812i.html

Simple design .... just a bar to hang 4 angle grinders on the back and round bars on the sides to hold some c clamps and vise grips. 110V and 220v power strips on the right and left side respectively. A tool box on the bottom if I find a suitable one . The casters are 6 inches tall when mounted. I'm still undecided if I will install a wide drawer under the frame to hold consumable stocks. Removable bench vise and pipe vise as well.

Any other suggestions on how to accessorize the table? tks

I will need to shim one front caster around 3/32". The frame warped a bit when I welded the angle bar support. I don't think this will be a problem at all.

Tomorrow I'll round out the table top edges first for safety reasons.