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Hello, I want to have a surface that I can do some work on it, welding among those. and so the surface is going to stay outside and that is why I don't want just steel but stainless steel is expensive and so I am thinking to buy aluminum. some people told me aluminum is too weak for this, will have many bend, in the heat from the stick welding the hot metal the jumps from the little pool will cause it to melt and deform. I especially don't want it to start melt if I put iron on it and weld the iron. HOWEVER I know there is aluminum oxide that is forming on the aluminum naturally. so my question is will the aluminum oxide that is very strong substance and it's melting point is very high will protect the aluminum plate? I will add that I am doing just little things as a hobby and it is not going to be in intensive use. thanks! [p s - I also asked in general questions for forum]
Reply:My main concern with aluminum top would be it getting beaten up over time. Also, I like a steel welding table top because I often tack weld stuff to it when I tack together assemblies before welding them out. It's handy for that. Unless you're really heating the crap out of the table top, I wouldn't worry too much about heat damaging it. Aluminum conducts heat better than anything except copper, gold or silver (one reason why it's tricky to weld) and so it will "wick heat away" fast for you. (Aluminum radiators and heat sinks in computers work well to conduct heat away.)My main issue with aluminum top would be the inability to tack weld steel parts to it. I have one outdoors, and I just slap some old (free) paint on the top and it holds up fine. They get rusty to a certain point, then don't really rust that much more -- or the rusting slows down at least. (On the underside of the table top, I spray drain oil once or twice a year.)
Reply:Meni,where are you located?Miller 211Hypertherm PM 451961 Lincoln Idealarc 250HTP 221 True Wisdom only comes from Pain.
Reply:The cost of an aluminum table surface would be wildly expensive. If you want to use it as a welding table it is going to have to be much thicker than the typical steel welding table surface, just to be strong enough to clamp to, etc. Its just a guess, but I would imagine an aluminum table top would have to be 2-3 times thicker than what you would do with steel. A 4x8 sheet of 1 inch 6061 plate would cost you more than $5000 where I live. I think your life would be much easier if you make this out of steel, and just coat it with oil from time to time.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:5052 is usually slightly cheaper than 6061 .... but even so, It still would be very expensive. I'd find a steel plate with millscale on it and use it "as is" WD-40 and a flap disc occasionally would take care of any flash rust.Miller 211Hypertherm PM 451961 Lincoln Idealarc 250HTP 221 True Wisdom only comes from Pain.
Reply:An aluminum table to weld on is a bad idea. Plain and simple. Follow the advice listed above.Lincoln 330MPXLincoln Power Mig 256Lincoln LN-25X Wire FeederMagnum PRO 250LX GT Spool GunLincoln AC/DC 225¼ Ton of Torches OFC-A OFG-AAir Carbon Arc Gouging CAC-AEverlast 62i Plasma CutterIngersoll Rand T-30 14hpInstagram: #Freebird Welds
Reply:I didn't think of it when I posted above earlier, but yeah, aluminum is gonna be crazy expensive nowadays. And I wouldn't even consider stainless steel -- it'll still rust, particularly if you ever get it hot, and it'll warp all to he|| where and when you do. Plain old mild steel works fine, in my experience, even outside 24/7/365. I picked up a cheap used welding table from a welding school that was closing down on Craigslist.
Reply:Just get a thick A$$ steel table, as thick as you can afford! I use a 4' x 5' x 3/8" table, its beat up with holes and cuts. When its a little rusty just hit with a grinder and some light oil.We've done so much, for so long, with so little. Were now qualified to do anything with nothing !
Reply:
Originally Posted by welding1
Just get a thick A$$ steel table, as thick as you can afford! I use a 4' x 5' x 3/8" table, its beat up with holes and cuts. When its a little rusty just hit with a grinder and some light oil.
Reply:A square foot of 1/4” steel is approximately 10 lbs.Ernie F.
Reply:
Originally Posted by metalman21
A square foot of 1/4 steel is approximately 10 lbs.
Reply:
Originally Posted by John T
Once every couple months you bring a Dunkin' Donuts jug of coffee for the guysYou tend to get a sweetheart deal.
Reply:
Originally Posted by Lis2323
still trying to wrap my head around sweetheart and JohnT in the same thought.
Reply:thank you, but aluminum conduct electricity, so why not tack together? (maybe I didn't understand because of language, (also for John) I'm Israeli)
Reply:
Originally Posted by StandarDyne
My main concern with aluminum top would be it getting beaten up over time. Also, I like a steel welding table top because I often tack weld stuff to it when I tack together assemblies before welding them out. It's handy for that. Unless you're really heating the crap out of the table top, I wouldn't worry too much about heat damaging it. Aluminum conducts heat better than anything except copper, gold or silver (one reason why it's tricky to weld) and so it will "wick heat away" fast for you. (Aluminum radiators and heat sinks in computers work well to conduct heat away.)My main issue with aluminum top would be the inability to tack weld steel parts to it. I have one outdoors, and I just slap some old (free) paint on the top and it holds up fine. They get rusty to a certain point, then don't really rust that much more -- or the rusting slows down at least. (On the underside of the table top, I spray drain oil once or twice a year.)
Reply:
Originally Posted by Louie1961
The cost of an aluminum table surface would be wildly expensive. If you want to use it as a welding table it is going to have to be much thicker than the typical steel welding table surface, just to be strong enough to clamp to, etc. Its just a guess, but I would imagine an aluminum table top would have to be 2-3 times thicker than what you would do with steel. A 4x8 sheet of 1 inch 6061 plate would cost you more than $5000 where I live. I think your life would be much easier if you make this out of steel, and just coat it with oil from time to time.
Reply:
Originally Posted by meni
thank you, but aluminum conduct electricity, so why not tack together? (maybe I didn't understand because of language, (also for John) I'm Israeli)
Reply:
Originally Posted by metalman21
A square foot of 1/4” steel is approximately 10 lbs.
Reply:
Originally Posted by meni
I asked why can't tack together , as aluminum conduct electricity. if grounding hold it, it will not be possible to stick weld iron on it?
Reply:If a guy gets a brainstorm that seems so obvious,,, then one has to wonder,,,, why dont everyone do it?www.urkafarms.com
Reply:
Originally Posted by meni
ay least here, aluminum much cheaper than stainless. and I need maybe 150 mm /100 mm, small one. so I am not sure I need very thick one. but longevity and not to need to maintain it is important factor for me
Reply:
Originally Posted by Lis2323
Im assuming you mean centimetres??Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Reply:
Originally Posted by StandarDyne
I meant "tack weld steel workpieces (temporarily) to the steel table." You can't weld steel to aluminum with a stick welder. (You could tack weld aluminum pieces to an aluminum table, but that's another story.)
Reply:I would buy a steel table top, good thicknessPurchase a sheet of 1/8" EPDM roofing rubber to have a 1 foot overhang on all 4 sides.Purchase a 7" grinder with an arbored grinding wheel which can lay flat on the table to clean off any excess rust.Problem solved
Reply:
Originally Posted by meni
so you actually willed some parts to your table top and later release it?I have an aluminium bench kind of a beast I had to move it last month.
Last edited by Eelspike; 21 Hours Ago at 06:26 AM.
Reply:In my cellar I have an all aluminum table I use for TIG welding. When I built it, I made an extra layer of 16 gauge al to lay meat on to cut it up. venison, & pork I have done on it. Welding steel, I have a 48 X 60" piece of 3/4". It sits on a stainless counter frame just the right size I picked up beside the road when Vermont Store Fixtures had their annual clean out.Plate has stops (a jig) on one side for generator bases. Other side is smooth. Mine lives outside most of the time & I don't find the rust to be a big problem.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:
Originally Posted by Eelspike
I have an aluminium bench kind of a beast ....
Reply:
Originally Posted by whtbaron
Is the frame for the base aluminum tubing as well, or is that an aluminum top bolted to a steel frame?
Reply:
Originally Posted by StandarDyne
Yes. Exactly.It would still arc and throw sparks around (or just short out) and liberate a lot of heat and be a fire hazard and possibly warp (or blow a hole in) your tabletop...it just wouldn't WELD (because aluminum and steel won't melt together).
Reply:
Originally Posted by meni
what would you suggest to put the electrode on when not using? (and still plugged in and working)
Reply:My whole bench is all welded aluminum the top is 5/8" thick. Somebody scrapped it to an alloy scrap yard where my friend worked and he called and said come and get it. That was 25-years ago. |
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发表于 2022-5-31 16:00:04