Welding Tips and Tricks

here is a small welding table i threw together in a few hrs to get my work and welding up off the floor. its been killing my back and knees haha.

Hey,

Welcome to the forum, A welding table is a great addition to your workshop.

Mick

A cheapo Harbor Freight vise would be a fine addition to that table... You don't need a high-quality vise to add a lot of versatility, as it doesn't require a lot of clamping force to hold things for welding.

On the other hand, I've not had much success with HF's other clamps.

Welcome to the forum!

Steve S

Thanks for the welcome guys. i'll get an intro thread posted soon.

as far as a vice goes, i wanna weld a reciever tube under the table top and build a reciever plate with the vice on it so that it can be removed in case its ever in the way of something large on the table. gonna do the reciver tubing on two of the sides in case i need to get at from a diferent angle because of size in my small garage i can just move the vice instead of the table. table is alot heavier haha.

UGH sorry guys, just noticed this was in the TIG section. this was MIG welded. still getting around on the forums.

No sweat. There's been a "cleanup" underway, so your topic will likely be moved. There'll be a "ghost topic" so you can find it where you left it...

Steve S

Nice table,

I like leaving my vise free on the table and not bolted down. If something is heavy enough that it needs to be bolted down I just clamp the vise to the table.

Good point.

I use an old milling-machine table vise for light stuff. I can put it anywhere I want it.

Steve S.

Otto Nobedder wrote:...On the other hand, I've not had much success with HF's other clamps.

Welcome to the forum!

Steve S

Boy isn't that the truth. Pretty much every clamp I ever bought there has failed.

Oh yea, welcome to the site Crazy, darn good name if you're going to hang around this bunch.

Nice table. The most used tool in any shop. Time to start dropping birthday hints for R11's and 6's.

A little welding table is a great addition to any workshop, I keep modding mine, now has wheels and a fold down vice at the end to give a flat table, vice also locks at 90 and 45 degrees...

Fisher.

Do you use metal sawhorses for your fabrication?

Alexa

I used to buy tools at our version of HB called Princess Auto.
Then I realized that buy real tools at the welding supplier is alot of times cheaper.

Btw nice looking table and I like the idea of having the vice on a receiver.

Hey,

I have a set of metal saw horses, or tressles as we call them over here.

Mick

WeldinMike27.

Except for very small pieces and/or the need for a vise, I rarely use a table.

Two long beams or two large rectangular tubulars, set upon the tressles, gives fast set-up, adjustable height, mobility, flat surface only for the joints, and allows the welder to move around the joint.

Tanks.
Alexa

Hey,

I have 2 fixed benches along the edges of my shed, 1 small mobile table that rolls anywhere and then room for the trestles to be put anyway i need them. Bit of squeeze in there with a big job, but the trestles go out side when not in use.

Mick

I've always made my 'Industrial Grade' work benches from used pallet racks.
I typically pay 10 cents per pound for these racks from metal recycling yards.

The tables are extremely sturdy and can be assembled or dismantled in 5 minutes.
This design breaks down for compact storage or easy transportation from site to site.

Alexa wrote:Fisher.

Do you use metal sawhorses for your fabrication?

Alexa

Just a home user with very limited space, and just improvise for what ever I am doing at the time. But yeah I have a variety of adjustable stands, trestles, or tack up a jig. Then there is always the floor, I hate the floor...
Often fabricating small misc fittings for my boats so the table is great getting stuff up at eye level and mostly TIG work if that makes sense

Hey,

Werkspace, they built those pallet racking benches at work. Im thinking of buying some and making my own. For sale. Offer people an option. Steel top, wood top length, peg board backing etc...

Mick

I don't know how many times I've just laid a 3 foot piece of 1/2 X 8 aluminum right on top of the synchrowave at work. With the roll-araound kit, it's a great working height, and that chunk of aluminum is big enough to support a small milling-machine vise I use for detail work, or small stuff like welding Swegelok fittings to small valves.

I have work tables in severl heights and sizes available, but rarely use them. I do have a pair of pipe stands in my personal tools that see a lot of use, some of it not even welding related, for the height adjustment.

For a really tight work space, one could build a gate-leg style table, preferably 1/2" aluminum for flatness and light weight, hinged to the wall so it's only a table when it's needed.

Thinking out loud..

Steve S

There are lots of people making them, but the prices are a bit much for me.
So, I prefer to 'Recycle' and make my own from scrap materials.
http://racknstackwarehouse.com.au/Sunsh ... hes-1.html

weldin mike 27 wrote:Hey, Werkspace, they built those pallet racking benches at work. Im thinking of buying some and making my own. For sale. Offer people an option. Steel top, wood top length, peg board backing etc... Mick

Hey,

Those prices are far out. Considering all they did is screw the tops on and didnt even paint them... Got my eye on a heap of scrapped out ones at a factory near me. Shhhhhh

Mick