Welding Tips and Tricks

So I decided to make my own welding table. After searching for a good table, the price was just way too high to justify the cost. I located a 1-inch plate 48"x44" on Craigslist. It was quite the task getting it home, but proved to be worth the effort.

Here is a picture of the plate before its transformation into a welding table:

Here is the plate after it was water jet cut to my specs. 48x42, rounded corners, clamping slots, lifting slots, and 4-holes so the table can be set on top of studs. I am going to mount the table to a base that will hold the table securely, but allow me to flip it should I ever desire to.

Here is the top after it was Blanchard ground on both sides, bringing it to within .005. The plate was perdy flat to begin with. I only lost 1/16 inch after both sides were Blanchard ground. -Very happy with the top so far. Will post more pics as the project progresses.

Very nice finish! A Blanchard Grinder has always been on the list of things that I want. Expensive, but worth every penny!

Other Steve

That will make an great welding table for precision work for sure I don't think I could bring myself to weld on top of that it looks so perfect

Have you found a suitable base for it yet?

Built a frame for my welding table (3" x 3" x 3/16" square tube legs, and 4" x 2.5" x 3/16" top frame, with 2" x 2" x 1/4" ;lower frame, and a 1" top plate). She is already for my first job.

Hey,

Thats one beautiful piece of equipment. Depending on you time, i reckon custom tables could turn a pretty penny for you.

mick

WOW!!! It looks sharp!!! very nice indeed

I like the caster wheels, don't think I've seen that type before, looks like they would swivel fairly good.

Great stuff!

I notice you had the sense not to bother painting the clamp rails. I'll wager a dime it's stainless.

The hard part will be using it for the first time! If you plan to do stick or MIG on it, I'd invest in some high-quality spatter spray!

Steve S

@RonSII,
The casters are really cool. They roll really good, swivel just fine, and are adjustable so you can raise the wheels up off the floor to level it and keep it from rolling. -They are made by Foot Master, model# GD100S (rated at 1650 pounds each). http://www.castersupply.com/NAV/leveling_casters.htm

Otto,
The clamp rails are not stainless, but that would have been a good idea. 3-in-1 Dry Lube works good at keeping the rust down, but time will tell. I plan on buying stock in anti-spatter! lol

For keeping the rust down, I use a block of camphor in my toolbox. Just throw it in there and when it evaporates, it coats all of the tools with a very fine mist of camphor oil. I've been using this method for years.

I suppose that if you made a leather cover for your metal table and threw a block of camphor underneath the cover when the table wasn't in use, the camphor could work its magic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rvitqo7mSo

The camphor idea is a great tip! I wish I'd known that one when I worked a short tour on an oil rig. All my tools had a fine mist of rust on them.

@ Gar,
You could always paint the clamp rail, and slit a piece of rubber hose to top it with to keep from banging the paint off.

I've seen commercial tables like that go for well over $1000!

Steve S

If you don't mind me asking..............what did it cost you to have the water jet work done and to have the precision grinding done ???

WerkSpace and Otto (Steve S), both great ideas! Thanks for sharing.

Rahtreelimbs,
The Waterjet cutting cost me $300. The Blanchard grinding was going to cost me $200 (another place quoted me $600) but when I showed up to take my plate top home and pay for the Blanchard grinding, the manager there said, “Its on the house brother.” -I was shocked! Talk about “Pay It Forward.” This man’s kindness infected me and has continued to bless others. Very cool!

Edit: Recently looked at the receipt for the water jet cutting. It was more then what I remembered it was. $365 + tax.

That's a beautiful thing.

Thanks man!

Great table! Nice work.

Gar wrote:WerkSpace and Otto (Steve S), both great ideas! Thanks for sharing.

Rahtreelimbs,
The Waterjet cutting cost me $300. The Blanchard grinding was going to cost me $200 (another place quoted me $600) but when I showed up to take my plate top home and pay for the Blanchard grinding, the manager there said, “Its on the house brother.” -I was shocked! Talk about “Pay It Forward.” This man’s kindness infected me and has continued to bless others. Very cool!

Edit: Recently looked at the receipt for the water jet cutting. It was more then what I remembered it was. $365 + tax.

Beautiful table. I was looking to get one cut in a similar fashion. Any suggestions? what size are the slots? Any more info would be great. I have to have one pxf file made to give to the waterjet guy. Out in California it is about 95c per inch for cutting.

@ gcelaya,

Thanks! The slots at each corner are 2"x1." The slots for the clamps are .768" x 18." -You can see more here (just pause the video and zoom in to see all the specs that went into this table):
http://youtu.be/twh49LW5RTI

There are a total of three videos posted providing info on the construction of this table. The four 2"x1" slots in the corners came in real handy when it came time to pick this plate up and mount it. They also make a convenient holder for my MIG gun. If I had it to do over again, I would have had two more 18" slots cut at the opposite end of the table.

Gar

Nice table. Can you post the "blueprint" that is on the video at 10 seconds?

That is just too nice, congrats

CARS wrote:Nice table. Can you post the "blueprint" that is on the video at 10 seconds?

I would if I still had it brother. Sorry!

Gar