Welding Table Question

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Hi Guys, I have a question on my first welding table.I decided to make a table around 2 ft x 4 ft. I initially wasn't sure what thickness of plate to put on top but when I went to the local steel shop they had a piece of 1 inch thick plate that was 2 ft by 3.5 ft. So I went with that. I understand its not a huge table but the shop at my family's farm simply doesn't have room for a 4ft x 8ft table or larger so it will have to do for now. The frame is made from 3/16"thick 1.5" square tubing allowing for 2 inches of overhang by the table top. My question is how should I attach the table top, weld it or bolt it? The top is quite flat right now and I would like it to stay that way. When I was first planning the table I thought I would use something less than 1/2 inch thick which would make bolting the table down easier with countersunk bolts to keep the table clear (like the extremely nice table Gar built: (http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=186911)   )I'd like to weld the top but will it warp it?If welding is sufficient what settings should I use to attach 1 inch plate to 3/16 inch tubing? We recently bought a Miller Millermatic 252 to do some hard surfacing on plow shanks and points. We also have a Miller Bobcat that I use for an arc welder. Thanks-Chrisif need be I can get some pictures of the frame this weekend but currently I'm school for the week
Reply:Hi Chris,If you place (4) 1.5" welds, (1) near each corner, you should be fine. There is really no need to go overboard getting that table top to stay put.   My table is 1-inch thick, and to be honest, it would not have been too difficult to drill through it and bolt it to the frame. I just figured I'd have the holes water jet cut seeing how it was going to be there for shaping anyhow. I just was really new to all this and had no idea how easy it was to drill through 1-inch plate with something like a mag-drill (borrowed from a neighbor).  As far as settings, I would pre-heat the plate with map gas and set the welder for the 3/16" tube.  I would also use a piece of 1-inch scrap, and 3/16" sq tube to do a few test runs.  That's how I built my table.  Lots of practice on scrap to get the settings dialed in just right.Let us know how it comes out, and be sure to post some pics!GarP.S. I am already wishing the table was bigger.  4x6 would have been better, but you make due with what ya got.Last edited by Gar; 02-08-2013 at 01:16 AM.Lincoln Electric, Power MIG 256Hypertherm Powermax 45 Miller Dynasty 280DXSmith O/A torchGenesis of a welding table
Reply:Maybe a few L brackets welded on the underside of the table top and then send bolts through them into the frame? If that makes sense? Just an idea but I'm new to this so don't take my word for it until the more experienced people on here give their thoughts
Reply:Actually what Gar said sounds better than my idea
Reply:Thanks guys,Gar: Were you concerned about warping and therefore decided to bolt the top down or was the main reasoning so you could flip it if needed?Preheating the top concerns me even more...On another note, those Foot Master casters you have, how do you like them? My initial plan was to cap the bottom of the legs and weld a nut to the caps. Then use a 1/2 or larger bolt with a jam nut so I could level the table on uneven cement (and a less than 100% precise constructed table). The Foot Master casters look like they would bolt right in and level it with the addition of making moving the table much easier. Jody (weldingtipsandtricks.com) has them on his Stronghand table and hasn't said anything negative about them. My concern would be the dirty environment they'd be living in in our farm shop. The website doesn't show any differences in the actual wheel size on the caster between different capacity models. I would think the GD-60S would be sufficient with a 550 lbs capacity per caster in my application. -Chris
Reply:A plate that thick and a thin frame just needs some 1/8" 6010 and 6 welds per long side, 4 on short. The worse thing you really have to worry about is if the table were to flip over, you don't want it flying off on your feet. a 2' x 3.5' x 1" table top weighing 280 lbs would hurt.
Reply:Originally Posted by Country MetalsA plate that thick and a thin frame just needs some 1/8" 6010 and 6 welds per long side, 4 on short. The worse thing you really have to worry about is if the table were to flip over, you don't want it flying off on your feet. a 2' x 3.5' x 1" table top weighing 280 lbs would hurt.
Reply:@ cfrank1715 - a 1in thick table top is sweet!  Currently assembling a 3' x 4' x 1/2" table.  My MO for attaching the top to the 2" x 2" x 1/4" HSS support frame beneath is to use 5/8" fasteners from the UNDERSIDE of the table.  The fasteners will go through the table top's support frame. and ~ 1/2 the thickness of the table top.  No welding required to adhere the top to the support frame.  Simple.  Team WW launched this suggestion, as my former plan was to rip the fasteners from the top.  Many ways to skin this cat.  Your, "heavy-metal" top only needs to resist minimal x-y-z movements.  Good luck and rip some images of the table when you finish!Last edited by ManoKai; 02-08-2013 at 08:33 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by cfrank17815Thanks guys,Gar: Were you concerned about warping and therefore decided to bolt the top down or was the main reasoning so you could flip it if needed?Preheating the top concerns me even more...On another note, those Foot Master casters you have, how do you like them? My initial plan was to cap the bottom of the legs and weld a nut to the caps. Then use a 1/2 or larger bolt with a jam nut so I could level the table on uneven cement (and a less than 100% precise constructed table). The Foot Master casters look like they would bolt right in and level it with the addition of making moving the table much easier. Jody (weldingtipsandtricks.com) has them on his Stronghand table and hasn't said anything negative about them. My concern would be the dirty environment they'd be living in in our farm shop. The website doesn't show any differences in the actual wheel size on the caster between different capacity models. I would think the GD-60S would be sufficient with a 550 lbs capacity per caster in my application. -Chris
Reply:Here are some pictures of the table in progress:My current plan for leveling is to weld 1" nuts to the bottom of the legs, which is a pretty good fit on 1.5" tubing (not inside the tube but on the bottom). This will allow me to use a 1" bolt w/ jam nut for leveling. If I decide to go to casters in the future I will need to shorten the legs anyway which will get rid of the nuts and I'd probably widen the base a bit to make moving it safer. I may yet decide on casters, but the first thing I need to do is decide on welding or bolting the top. My brother said he could borrow a Mag Drill from his work so that is a definite possibility to drill and make countersunk holes.
Reply:Cool man.  That will get the job done.  Probably be just fine stitch welding it in a few spots and calling it done.Lincoln Electric, Power MIG 256Hypertherm Powermax 45 Miller Dynasty 280DXSmith O/A torchGenesis of a welding table
Reply:I had a 3/4" top.  My 2x3' top is held on with 8 each 7/16 bolts.  I drilled 1/2" dia holes in my framework for the bolts to fit thru.  The hard part is drilling the holes accurately.  No way would I trust myself to do this with a hand held drill.  I used my drill press.  I ended up drilling blind holes and picking up an inexpensive bottoming tap. I left approx 1/8 material at the bottom of each hole. I built up wooden cribbage under the table framework so the top of the base was exactly the same height as my drill press table.  Drill a hole, spin the plate around, get 'em all the same depth.  Then regular tap and finally bottoming tap.  --Zip.Last edited by zipzit; 02-10-2013 at 03:55 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by zipzitI had a 3/4" top.  My 2x3' top is held on with 8 each 7/16 bolts.  I drilled 1/2" dia holes in my framework for the bolts to fit thru.  The hard part is drilling the holes accurately.  No way would I trust myself to do this with a hand held drill.  I used my drill press.  I ended up drilling blind holes and picking up an inexpensive bottoming tap. I left approx 1/8 material at the bottom of each hole. I built up wooden cribbage under the table framework so the top of the base was exactly the same height as my drill press table.  Drill a hole, spin the plate around, get 'em all the same depth.  Then regular tap and finally bottoming tap.  --Zip.
Reply:Here is an update on some progress I've made on the table. I got the nuts welded on the legs to add leveling bolts. I forgot to add a picture of the frame sitting down on them but I'll get one when the table is finished up. I used old small welding electrodes with the flux knocked off to space the nuts for better penetration. (I saw this done on a weldingtipsandtricks.com video when Jody was gaping some pipe for a practice run)The nuts were welded on with a MM252 that we recently got for the farm to do hardsurfacing. They aren't wonderful looking welds but should be fine. I believe the machine was set at about 19.0 volts and 330 IPM wire feed speedThese are some pictures of the frame welds done with 1/8 E7014. I would have just used 6011 rods but the 7014 electrodes make for some much smoother welds and penetration wasn't a concern. The first picture is of some of the best looking welds. The second has the imperfection at the beginning of the weld. That happened at least one other time as well. I'm not sure what I did to cause that. All welds were done in the flat position.
Reply:Thanks for posting some pictures of your project.  Its a good feeling being able to build something yourself.  Hope you enjoy building many cool projects on your table.  Lincoln Electric, Power MIG 256Hypertherm Powermax 45 Miller Dynasty 280DXSmith O/A torchGenesis of a welding table