Re: Welding Table

Hi there bro JayL,

Bro, I'm not surprised at all with the prices of metal you have posted, prices of metal would go up every 6 months. And there is nothing we can do about it but just have to bite the bullet if we want a good, sturdy and well made welding table. Bro I've got to be honest, fair and frank with you on the welding table project. I'll start with mine just to have ba some comparison and I think you will understand since both of us are into metal working, Ok, I have spent almost 11K or maybe more pa on my materials for the welding table project and yet hindi pa complete, I still don't have the heavy duty casters needed and each caster will cost me about 650 to 750 bucks and that is X 4 pa, I have not even purchased the 15 gauge sheet metal for the flat form below and for the drawers too and other small details needed. :p

To tell you frankly, I don't give anymore a heck if them prices are kinda high whether sourced from the junk shop or from hardware stores selling steel, pipes and rebars. My main focus is to be able to make a really well made heavy duty welding table which will last me a lifetime, that's it, that is my goal since I intend to complete and purchase also a Mig welder, a Tig welder, a Plasma cutter and an Oxy-Acetylene welding/cutting torch set. Bro Jay this is not bragging, duon tayo talaga patungo na mga metal workers and maybe likewise with you in the future. :rolleyes:

Now with regards to your welding table project, you can choose the 1/2" thick table top, that will need less underneath support and it will take heavy pounding during metal fabs or you may opt for the 3/8" thickness for your table top, yes its cheaper BUT !!!! you will have to add more metal support underneath the panel so it will not sag when heated or pounded heavily.

So ganun din medyo mura nga ang 3/8" thick panel, ginastusan mo naman ang pang ilalim na support, added cost din sa electricity, mig wires or welding rods. 😮 Honestly speaking Jay, if you are gonna make a welding table, make a good and well made functional table which will last you a lifetime, a sturdy one that can carry your various tools underneath.

Wag kang manghinayang sa gastos kasi tibay at tatag ang pinag uusapan natin dito, unless pa petik petik lang ang pag me metal fab mo, its your table, its your call what kind of welding table you will prefer. I just shared my thoughts, that's all. 😀

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Bro, I have not yet included will be expenses for welding time, cost of electricty during fabrications, welding consumables like welding rods and grinding stones and sanding disks and also paints and metal primers.

Re: Welding Table

@ Rosy

Precisely bro .... you said it well.

In order to better control warping on WIPs we need to spend on the table top.

At least mine is smaller so probably won't go over the 10- 15K mark. Speaking of casters this is one part we can't skimp too. We really need very good sturdy ones.

For now my plan is to find 4 heavy duty locking casters. I reckon these will not go less than 600 each.

Also I'm thinking that I can lay the table top on the upper frame ( 2" x 2" square tubes ) but I can also raise it. Say 2 to 4 inches for better clamping access. The four post holding the table top and a center beam in the middle of the 48" length.

I already ordered additional long jaw vise grip style locking pliers ( 18" & 24" ) for the middle part clamping. I'll do a simple wood mock up and test the pliers effectiveness if the table top is laying on the 2 " x 2" tubing frame. If not good I will modify plans to incorporate a table top riser.

Vise grips will be my main clamping tools ... however I can also drill and tap holes on the table top at a later date for more clamping options.

I prefer the table top to be in one piece as this table will also double for auto works (i.e. transmission overhaul jobs ).

sample table w/ riser ( pics borrowed from weldingweb.com )

w/o riser

Thanks a lot to all those giving feedback. More heads are better than one ....

Re: Welding Table

Bro JayL,

Forget about the heavy duty wheel casters problem, that's solved already, last sunday and monday, all I did was went around Ortigas area, went to Ortigas home depot and MC home depot, even passed by OCTO POWER TOOLS shop and checked out their ASEA welders. Also went to the CRESTON TOOLS shop and also checked their brand new inverter welders. HA HA HA HA I did enjoyed my lakwatsa but it became so fruitful when I went to the home depot hardware area and guess what I found ? the HEAVY DUTY WHEEL CASTERS that I have been looking for, so plenty to choose from, real heavy duty wheels Jay and I said to myself, now I can start working on my welding table. 😀

Yun lang ang so far kulang so I can start welding the four I-BEAM post. Anyway I also went to HANS TOOLS and TRUE VALUE sa Shang to buys some welding cosumables, flap disk and welding capes and gloves etc. HANS TOOLS also have the HEAVY DUTY WHEEL CASTERS that we need for our welding table. :laughbounce:

So if you have free time Jay, you can visit HANS TOOLS or MC HOME depots in Ortigas area beside Meralco building and choose what casters you would prefer. :p :agree:

Re: Welding Table

How much were the locking caster bro and the size? I mean the ones that you plan to put on your table.

Polyurethane or rubber or maybe metal wheels?

I agree with you. It's not so good an idea to start a welding table wip when you still don't have the casters at hand . 🙂

Re: Welding Table

Bro JayL, First of all the brand of casters they sell is the heavy duty VIKING brand and the metal support are really thick. 😉

Yes they have metal, solid rubber and metal with polyurethane caster wheels and price range from 550.00 going up, depends on the size of the wheel and make. I'll be using the 8" or 10' metal wheel casters kasi the table I am going to make will be quite heavy. But if I use the solid rubberized wheel casters, I will have to add a wheel lifter of some sort so that the rubber wheels will not be touching the floor all the time and be carrying the full weight of the table. :rolleyes: :p

Maybe this weekend I'll get the 4 metal or rubber wheel casters that I have been wanting to use so I can start assembling the I-Beam posts. 😀

Re: Welding Table

Ok bro Rosy. Pls post pics of the wheels when you get thiese.

Have you seen this one? He used scissor jacks ....

http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?p=568463&posted=1#post568463

I hope you start with your welding table build soon . For me I'm still on the planning and materials sourcing stage.

Re: Welding Table

Bro JayL,

WOW !!!! That markfuga's welding table is really something, truly a real heavy duty industrial grade welding table with a full sheet of 4' X 8' X 1" table top, HEAVI-GAT talaga from the four post up to the table top receiver, puro H-Beam gamit. Ano kaya height ni markfuga that he still needs a slide out catwalk or stepper under his welding table ? :rolleyes: :confused:

Bro Jay, the lifter I was planning to install are just the 2 Ton hydraulic jack on both sides, left and right welded under the H-BEAM support brace to lift the table just an inch or two from the ground to protect the wheel casters plus these two jacks will serve also as a leveler and as a table brake. 😉 😎

Yes bro when I get the wheel casters that I'll be using, I'll post pics of them so you will see how heavy duty they are.

Re: Welding Table

Sometimes I think the steppers are a good idea. When I was welding the cart while on my makeshift table I had to use a step ladder to be able to weld the top parts. At that time the cart was already heavy to move easily thus I had to cope with out of position welding.

Re: Welding Table

Summary: A Checklist to Minimize Distortion

Follow this checklist in order to minimize distortion in the design and fabrication of weldments:

Do not overweld
Control fitup
Use intermittent welds where possible and consistent with design requirements
Use the smallest leg size permissible when fillet welding
For groove welds, use joints that will minimize the volume of weld metal. Consider double-sided joints instead of single-sided joints
Weld alternately on either side of the joint when possible with multiple-pass welds
Use minimal number of weld passes
Use low heat input procedures. This generally means high deposition rates and higher travel speeds
Use welding positioners to achieve the maximum amount of flat-position welding. The flat position permits the use of large-diameter electrodes and high-
deposition-rate welding procedures
Balance welds about the neutral axis of the member
Distribute the welding heat as evenly as possible through a planned welding sequence and weldment positioning
Weld toward the unrestrained part of the member
Use clamps, fixtures, and strongbacks to maintain fitup and alignment
Prebend the members or preset the joints to let shrinkage pull them back into alignment
Sequence subassemblies and final assemblies so that the welds being made continually balance each other around the neutral axis of the section

Following these techniques will help minimize the effects of distortion and residual stresses.

from Licoln website.

Re: Welding Table

The Welding Table WIP begins ...... ( 16 Nov 2011 )

Whenever I start a metal WIP, 95% of the time the first cuts will be done by the Bosch Abrasive Chop Saw. 20 feet of 2"x 2" x 2mm square tubing is difficult to maneuver. Rough cut to manageable sizes is my solution.

The handle of the chop saw vise has too much play. I decided to drive the holding roll pin out and replace this with a nut and bolt.

The lower base square. 24" x 44" . Table top will be 28" x 48" . 2" over hang ... sufficient for the C clamps and mostly vise grip style pliers that will serve as the main go to clamps when fabricating on this soon to be welding table.

Re: Welding Table

The Makita LC1230 Dry cut saw is very forgiving. I can make small cuts to trim stock to exact size or achieve a 1/32" tolerance.

Tight fit ups will help contain warping and distortion during welding.

The Square tubes I get have seams. I usually position so that these are on the bottom side of the build.

Re: Welding Table

BRO JayL,

EHE HE HE HE , Akala ko eh rest ka muna sa welding table fab mo since katatapos mo pa lang sa Mig cart . Bumabanat ka pa rin pala ano ? siguro ginaganahan kang mag fabricate at mag Mig welding ano ? LOL LOL 😀

GO GO GO GO, TULOY LANG kung ganado. :rolleyes: 😉 🙂

Re: Welding Table

BRO JayL,

EHE HE HE HE , Akala ko eh rest ka muna sa welding table fab mo since katatapos mo pa lang sa Mig cart . Bumabanat ka pa rin pala ano ? siguro ginaganahan kang mag fabricate at mag Mig welding ano ? LOL LOL 😀

GO GO GO GO, TULOY LANG kung ganado. :rolleyes: 😉 🙂

Pag medyo malamig panahon mukhang ok kasi mag fab and weld. Dapat kasi sa metal working balut na balot tayo .... LOL

Pag mga bandang pa summer na woodworking naman hehehehhehe

Re: Welding Table

hayun o, inuumpisahan na hehe

abang mode 😀

Re: Welding Table

I'm still waiting to get hold of other metals needed but I can start welding the base for now.