Welding Tables with Thin Top Plates

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I am thinking of buying a "Kit" welding table with a 1/4" top plate.  It has 5/8" holes for "Stronghand" type clamps.My question is > How easy is it to warp the top plate by (over) tightening the clamps.Thanks for any knowledgeable advice of this perceived problem.
Reply:There is at least one thread on this forum with the brand name in the title of it and there is at least one on the garage journal forum.So far, it doesn't look like anyone has used these enough to comment on how the holes will hold up or how easy it will be to warp. The design makes them damn sturdy. Clamping near the intersection of the cross supports would be better than clamping from the middle of a section of holes, in the table.Yesterday, I planned out how I will build my base/legs and hopefully I will get to work on it a bit this afternoon. I bought two of the 30x30 fab blocks and two 30x12 wings and still need to assemble them. The base will have adjustable legs so I can have a working height of 27-44 inches.Miller 330abpMiller 211 inverter, M150 spool gunMiller 135Miller 375 Extreme plasmaCNC plasma table (build in progress)Femi 120abs portable band sawMany other toolsToo little garage spaceNot enough money
Reply:If your clamping the piece against the table there shouldn't be a force on the table to warp it.  The only time you would put stress on the table would be if you where trying to straighten something or pull together a poor fit up.  It's your choice of how much to tighten the clamps.  I've been clamping things together  all my life, mostly wood and I don't understand why someone would want the deadicated stronghands type table and clamps when they can just buy standard clamps[which are more versatile] and a table made of slates, say 1/2 x 8 x 36. which can be replaced or repaired [ straightened ] one at a time. If I was going to build the same thing over and over, I would build a jig, where fabricators.Last edited by Phil Snyder; 12-10-2015 at 08:46 AM.