Welding Tips and Tricks

I wanted to have one of these.



But I didn't want to drill all the holes. So I made this:

The legs might be changed into a folding setup (even though it only wobbles a total of 1/8 or so) but the point was to get the table complete with minimal heat input. I'm satisfied with it because the legs slide into the frame tube for wall hanging storage.

I figured I could make all of the tools I need off of sliding pucks that run between the plates. The slot width is the same size as the buildpro table in case I want to get some of those. Will build the fixtures and tools as I need them but for now clamps slide in just fine and reach half way across the plates

But for 150 bucks into it I figure I'll make my own and get almost the same amount of convenience from a 3,000$ table.

6'x34" with 1/2x6 plates

EDIT: Images fixed. The inability to scale the picture to fit the forum with the phpbb [img] tag drives me crazy

Can't see the pictures.

Nice. Very practical and relatively easy to make.

Thanks, man. It's better than anything I have at work where we do metal fabrication all day long so that says something. The old timers insist that sawhorses are good enough. HAH!

If you build this yourself and don't have a cheap metal purchasing source then you may not be able to build it as cheap as I did.

I posted this to share a very practical, cheap, and easy table to make that even if you screw it up can be fixed with the adjustment bolts.

Any input to make it better is welcome.

I leveled the table then put on the plates at each end with the bolts screwed 1/16 through the frame wall then laid a piece of aluminum square tubing that I checked with a straight edge across the plates and adjusted until the square tubing was dead level on both sides then added the plates one at a time and adjusted them up until they touched the square tubing.

The spacing between the plates is 1-11/16" (same as buildpro but I used 1/2 plate instead of their 5/8 plate to save weight and money)

Enco.com for the 1/2-13 2" bolts $32
Amazon for the nuts. $10
1/2x6x20' : $100 (You'll probably pay 150 if not through a commercial account)

So where is the real one you weld on.
That one is much too nice for everyday use.

I only own a TIG machine at the moment so spatter wont be a problem. It is a really nice table and I can't wait to use it!

Martin Site,
Very nice fabrication work there. Now lets see some projects on that thing.
-Jonathan