Hey guys,

I'm building a new welding table for myself, and I am going to use a 1/4" sheet for the top. I don't want to go any thicker for a few reason. I know it's on the thin side, but I think the table is braced enough to a point whre the top shouldn't sag or bend. I've attached a few pictures and some explanation of the construction of the table. Do you think I need any additional bracing for the top? The material used is 2x2x0.25" tubing.

I wanted the table to have adjustable legs (to level it), so I bought some 3/4" bolts and turned the heads flat it in the lathe.


Then I turned down about 80% of some nuts to a 1" diameter on the lathe, leaving a little flange on.


I made some 2x2" plates with a 1" hole in the center of them.


I pressed in the machined nuts in the holes and welded them on the back side.



I TIG welded the plates to 6 2x2 pieces of tubing that I had cut, which made up the legs.




I MIG welded the top. The top of the table is constructed out of 2x2x0.25" steel.


Welded the legs on.



I used some 1.5x1.5x1/8" tubing to "tie in" all the legs together.


So, do you think additional bracing is needed for a 1/4" table top?

Thanks for looking!

 

nice table i would say lay the metal over it and if u can bend it with some presure u need some more reinforcement

 

for the front of the table I wouldn't have run the braces along the bottom because to get to a tig pedal if you tig you have to step over the brace, or in gerneral its kinda a pain to sit

i like the adjusters though

 

Thanks! I'm not worried about it bending immediately. I'm more concerned about what might happen a year down the line, you know.

I always sit a few inches away from the table with the pedal on the side. It's kind of weird, but that's what I'm used to. I'm not really worries about the braces getting in the way of the pedal.

 

looking good, nice shop!
i spy your new htp invertig201

 

I need to make a table so bad... My main issue is not having a MIG welder. All my friends with MIG welders are flakes and never wanna help me. I NEED A TABLE SO F-ing bad.. I would even buy one if I could find a decent one local..

 

Thanks! It's not "my" shop. I only have an office, and own half of the tools. Haha, my boss lets me keep my tools there and work on my own stuff after work. I love the 15,000 sq. ft. shop, but the lack of air conditioning in the 110 ºF AZ heat sucks! I'm looking forward to the winter.

The HTP, yes! It's a beast. I absolutely love it!

Why don't you stick weld it? You do have a TIG machine, right?

 

Yeah I got a Dynasty 200DX.. I would stick weld it but I never invested in a stinger and cable.

 

Um tig weld that thing. it only takes slightly longer to weld, and it would be good practice.

 

with thin table tops the main problem is warping from welding but i doubt you will warp it with that invertig201.

btw nice table!


SD - use your tig torch as a stinger.

 

My table at work is 1/4" top with 4 4" pipes for legs with no bracing. It is very strong and does not bend

 

I have a 1/8" top with 2x2 1/8" wall legs. i made a vary simple 4'x8' rectangle then welded the legs. and i had the sheet bent on a brake 90 up in the back 90 down in the front.

it's plenty strong.

 

I tig welded mine with no problems although it is much easier with the mig.

 

You will spend a lot of time fitting different sections together. Where two pieces of 2x2x0.25" tubing met at a 90º angle, the gap was almost 3/8". It'd be a pain to have to fill that with TIG.

Thank you! It's not a dedicated welding table. It's more of an all around fab table. We have a fab table at the shop that has a 10 gauge top and it's beat to death. I don't want that to happen to this.

Nice, that's good to hear!

That's cool! Why did you do the bends? Is the table against a wall?

 

SD Lurker,... you have a tig for pete sake. I welded Aaron's at his shop when he first got his sync 200.

 

I didn't bevel anything on my table and i used 1/8" wall tubing. there really is no need for more then that for a welding table. I used the same material to make a car cradle and i set my tig at 140 amps and just started welding. Took about 30 min including cutting.

Yeah my table is against a wall so it keeps things from falling off the backside. Also it increased the rigidity of the sheet, Not allowing it to flex as much.

 

IDK about 1/4....sucks if it warps...all the $$ wasted on the sheet. I used 3/4"...its thick as hell, but i can drill holes in it and bolt the manifold flanges down to it and the table absorbs all the heat when welding...

 

If you never really put much heat into anything it will be fine. It just sucks when your work is clamped down the the "flat" table and then it warps and moves everything on you. I don't think I would bother with anything less than 1/2". Closer to an inch with a surfaced top is the way to go for real flatness and stability.

 

Damn a 1" 4x8 sheet would weigh a ton....

 

exactly. great to attach a vice to also.

 

How big is Aaron's? I didn't know you were Aaron's friend. I've always noticed your a damn good welder.

I know I should seriously just weld the table myself. I just wasn't sure if it was a bad idea or not. I know its gonna take longer TIG welding it.

 

i used 3/8 on the top of mine can be expensive but its real nice.