Welding Tips and Tricks

Picked up a side job for one of the architects where I work. He has his own side business. This is a frame to a coffee table ( his design and shop.......my equipment). The main tube is 2 x 2 1/8 wall tube with some 1 x 1 x 1/8 and 2 x 4 x 1/4 angle thrown in. Eventually it will be clad in walnut. Some additional supports and legs still need added.

Smoke those mig welds in!!!

Nice bit of side work! I can't wait to see it with the walnut on it!

Sorry I didn't return your call... I (sadly) forgot until seeing this post. It's almost 10:30 your time, now, so I'll get back to you tomorrow after work.

Steve S

Awesome job. Are you sure they will just be drinking coffee on this table?

coldman wrote:Awesome job. Are you sure they will just be drinking coffee on this table?

Looks more like a dance floor for strippers!

Needs a pole in the center!

Careful Rake - this could drift off topic fast ! & I believe they prefer the term " exotic dancers " ( not that I know any you understand ) !!

rahtreelimbs wrote:Picked up a side job for one of the architects where I work. He has his own side business. This is a frame to a coffee table ( his design and shop.......my equipment). The main tube is 2 x 2 1/8 wall tube with some 1 x 1 x 1/8 and 2 x 4 x 1/4 angle thrown in. Eventually it will be clad in walnut. Some additional supports and legs still need added.

That should be quite a piece of furniture when it's done! Do you know how the wood will be fastened to the frame, or any details of the wood design?

It looks like woodworking isn't foreign to your customer, but one of the design challenges is expansion and contraction of the wood, which varies by climate (humidity) and age. (Walnut is really tight-grained, so this may be less of an issue.) Adding metal to the mix, they need to plan for temperature expansion of the frame too. Point being, how the two materials get mated will be important for the long-term quality to prevent gaps and cracks.

Elongated holes for mounting screws are a good idea, perpendicular to the wood grain. How they attach the skirt around the edge will be another challenge, as they cope with both the change in wood grain direction (wood expands much more across the grain), and allow for the frame to expand and flex.

FWIW,
Richard

I add my vote for the other probable "uses" for your table. How ever, its not off topic because the people in that trade need to be able to do their work with out fear of workspace failure, and that fine table will do the trick.

I will though, this is NOT the kind of item a removalist wants to see. Must be a heavy SOB.

mick

End of my involvement in this project. Added a few supports and legs. I will post more pics once all the wood work is done!

These are the two halves that get bolted together

This is the finished coffee table that I posted pics of a few weeks ago.

Excellent!

I'd have expected a smooth-planed and urethaned finish, so I have to admit I'm pleasently surprised with the finished product. The "primitive" rough finish really works in the decor you pictured it in.

I realize most of your work is invisible now, but nicely done!

Steve S

Otto Nobedder wrote:Excellent!

I'd have expected a smooth-planed and urethaned finish, so I have to admit I'm pleasently surprised with the finished product. The "primitive" rough finish really works in the decor you pictured it in.

I realize most of your work is invisible now, but nicely done!

Steve S

The guy who built this wanted the mill finish to show.........go figure on that one!!!

That is amazing!! I really like that. Maybe you have found a niche?
-Jonathan

rahtreelimbs wrote:The guy who built this wanted the mill finish to show.........go figure on that one!!!

Whatever the customer wants, as long as his checks cash. I've long given up on trying to understand why people make purchasing decisions, but if it makes them happy I'm happy to take their money. I do like the result here, though!

Cheers,
Richard

Looks really nice

I also like the "behind the couch" table. They look good together in that setting.

Nice work.

Nice! I love the wood and metal combination