About to buy a welding table top.

admin

Hey guys I'm going to pull the trigger and buy a 5x10 5/8 steel plate. Should I get the a36 or for another 75$ I can get grade 50. Should I get the grade 50 over the a36? Also do I need to go 5/8 thick to use strong hand tools right? Thanks. Pretty stoked to get it, I've had some stuff laying around but nothing big enough or flat enough to weld on lol
Reply:If you ever weld to the top to hold down something, I think the harder steel is a waste of time.I would, however, make sure your sheet is as flat as Canada. (very flat)I don't know the depth, but the holes need to be 5/8". Great time to buy, steel has been down for a while.Regards,RobGreat Basin WeldingInstagramBlue weldersRed weldersMy luscious Table DIY TIG Torch cooler
Reply:Thanks for the heads up on the prices right now. No I will never weld on the table. I plan to send it to a laser or etch shop and have them give me a hole lay out and lines that are .015 deep throughout the table. I'm thinking  holes every 2 to 3 inches. Alot of holes lol. It will be a fixture table and ill just drill the holes as I need them and my spare time with a mag drill. Man those drills are spendy. But it's cheaper then water jet.
Reply:Not sure how I would tell the flatness with out giant straight edge or dial indicator somehow. I hope it will be within 1/16 flatness or less
Reply:Have them make points for the holes, if they make them little circles, you will never get them to line up. Consider renting the drill. Bit's are about $30 and if you keep it cool with a water based coolant, not oil, the bit can easily do the entire table.Regards,RobGreat Basin WeldingInstagramBlue weldersRed weldersMy luscious Table DIY TIG Torch cooler
Reply:I was just thinking lines crossing each other and ill get a good punch with a long skinny taper so I can see the line real good. If I rented a drill  I would need to get it done a couple days. I don't really wanna drill 800 holes or so in 2 days. How much too rent? If it was 20 bucks a day or less then I wouldn't mind
Reply:Any idea how long it takes to drill each hole through 5/8 thick a36 or grade 50 steel whith a quality bit of course?
Reply:Still cheap if you rent it a week. The crossed lines is not a bad idea.Regards,RobGreat Basin WeldingInstagramBlue weldersRed weldersMy luscious Table DIY TIG Torch cooler
Reply:65$ from a place I called a day. Way to much!
Reply:Too bad you're not closerRegards,RobGreat Basin WeldingInstagramBlue weldersRed weldersMy luscious Table DIY TIG Torch cooler
Reply:be a man and use a hand drill with a 5/8" bit with no pilot holes!  [/end ahnold schwarzenegger voice] 1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig! HTP Invertig 400HTP Invertig 221HTP ProPulse 300HTP ProPulse 200 x2HTP ProPulse 220MTSHTP Inverarc 200TLP HTP Microcut 875SC
Reply:Ftw ^ lolRegards,RobGreat Basin WeldingInstagramBlue weldersRed weldersMy luscious Table DIY TIG Torch cooler
Reply:@ motolife313 - consult the precision layout that ARexpat used to build his awesome table.  The layout was surgical and used an optical comparator/punch.  http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...yout+precision"Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:You'll spend two full days drilling those holes. Seriously. With a MAG drill, that would take probably about 20 seconds per hole. Hopefully the slug falls out after each cut and you don't need to pick it out. So a 5' x 10' table with holes on 2" centers is about 1,700 holes. Say 40 seconds per hole including positioning time, you're at 19 hours. Good luck!As for the table, I think you would be shocked at the tolerances suppliers have for the flatness of the table. One thing I can tell you for sure is it WILL NOT be within 1/16". I ordered two 5'x5'x5/8" tops and from corner just to the center was off by about an inch. Though that plate was flame cut down the center, so that could be a cause for the distortion. Not sure if you already have a frame built for the top? Best option is to either fork up the cash for a Blanchard ground top, or use bolts and spacers to flatten the top to the frame. With some time and patience you can get the top to 1/16" or better. An easy way to check it is to use the longest straight edge you have and lay it on the table and observe the spaces under it. An aluminum USA made yardstick works great.John 3:16(2) Miller Pheonix 456(2) Millermertic 252Dynasty 210DXHobart 210MVPDoringer D350 SA Cold SawScotchman 350LT Cold SawWebb 10x50 MillWebb 15x40 LatheGeka Bendicrop Ironworker
Reply:Originally Posted by Oscarbe a man and use a hand drill with a 5/8" bit with no pilot holes!  [/end ahnold schwarzenegger voice]
Reply:A 5/8 sheet 5 X10 feet is not that rigid to begin with, 3/4 would be much stiffer.    In either case you will need a good sturdy frame to keep the top from sagging.    While ground and hardened tops are best, a good reasonably flat mill finish should be OK for nearly any thing not requiring traceability of your metrology.    SteveSteve from SoCal now in HutchMiller Dynasty 300DX Coolmate3 Speedway TorchMiller XMT 450 MPa plus with D-74 MPa Plus Miller Bobcat 225 NTHypertherm Powermax 45And a whole bunch of machines
Reply:AR 36 ? I don't think you'll even be able to drill it without extreme difficulty . Others hopefully will comment on this too. I think you want basic hot rolled carbon steel .
Reply:Originally Posted by BD1AR 36 ? I don't think you'll even be able to drill it without extreme difficulty . Others hopefully will comment on this too. I think you want basic hot rolled carbon steel .
Reply:Ya just the normal stuff^^^ I plan to build the frame out of wood first until I save up for a good metal frame. I'll probably use 4 inch x1/4 leggs when I get a chance. I wouldn't mind getting 3/4 but do the strong hand tools got it?I can get this 5x10 5/8 for 675$ for a36 steel. How much for a Blanchard one?
Reply:got plenty of wood from house demolition.
Reply:My Aussie is probably 70lbs or so
Reply:Originally Posted by Steve from SoCalI believe he said A36 garden variety structural steel.    I have a bunch of AR100, now that stuff is tuff on cutting tools.
Reply:Blanchard grinding is fairly expensive.  I certainly wouldn't recommend it for a table thats only 5/8 thick.  In fact, I wouldn't recommend it for a welding table at all.  I would recommend it for a layout table in smaller sizes.I'll agree with Steve that 5/8 plate is kinda flimsy in that large of size.  It will tend to take the shape of its supports.  When you are looking for plate you may not be able to find flat, but make sure it only has a uniform, gentle bend.  That can be pulled out easily with a frame.  Twists are more difficult, humps or kinks will be nearly impossible.
Reply:You may find my thread useful. http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...can-chew/page3
Reply:i have had good luck with NuCore Laser plate brand ... tighter tolerance on the flatness.  That is all i would order for our lasers when i was doing purchasing.  Nice plate to work with.Nucor - NuTemper = http://www.nucortusk.com/index.php/o...late?showall=1AWS CWI xxxx21711968 SA200  Originally Posted by WelderMike  I hate being bipolar, It's awesome.4x8 3/4 for 500$4x8 1" for 900$  5x10 3/4 for 900$What do you guys think is best? I wanna make this table a fixture table.
Reply:I'm thinking 5x10 3/4 is a good way to go, especially for big stuff in the future. But then I could go with the 4x8 3/4 and use it and then if I need more,  get another and butt them up.
Reply:a 5' wide table is pretty worthless to me.  4' width is max in my opinion.   If i cant reach across the table ... its just wasted space.  When i do mine, it will be two 3' wide tables with 2" in between for walking / working space.and thickness depends on the type of jobs you do and the kind of work you plan on doing on the table.  If hammers and rosebuds are involved, go with 1"AWS CWI xxxx21711968 SA200  Originally Posted by WelderMike  I hate being bipolar, It's awesome.
Reply:Originally Posted by AFFENDEa 5' wide table is pretty worthless to me.  4' width is max in my opinion.   If i cant reach across the table ... its just wasted space.  When i do mine, it will be two 3' wide tables with 2" in between for walking / working space.and thickness depends on the type of jobs you do and the kind of work you plan on doing on the table.  If hammers and rosebuds are involved, go with 1"
Reply:In my opinion, 5'x10' is too big for a general table, and 4'x8' is pretty big when you get to walking around it all day. Unless you have the work for it I would go for a nice sized table, even 4'x 6', or two smallish tables that can be fixed together and adjusted easily. I have Acorn platens at work and the big ones are a pain for smallish work just because you have to walk around them all day. I would also go with the thickest plate that you can afford because even a 1" top gets pretty flimsy when you drill 800 holes in it. The last sentence is kind of a waste because I've found very few things that can resist a shrinking weld. Even a ton of clamps are useless because the table will bend. The other day I prebent a long box section on the table to so that it would be flat when the weld cooled. The clamps held but the table actually bowed almost an 1/8" over 6ft because of the shrinking weld. It ended up flat but not the way I envisioned it.
Reply:Originally Posted by AFFENDEa 5' wide table is pretty worthless to me.  4' width is max in my opinion.   If i cant reach across the table ... its just wasted space.  When i do mine, it will be two 3' wide tables with 2" in between for walking / working space.and thickness depends on the type of jobs you do and the kind of work you plan on doing on the table.  If hammers and rosebuds are involved, go with 1"
Reply:We have been building bridges for 103 years ,you dont need holes ,blanchard ground tables high yield plate. Steel is down to .30 cents a pound a 4x8x1 plate is 1307 lbs 392 dollars. Drop a plate on some beams on the floor and go to work using plate and angle stops for set up.For rails use a table 3'x20 ' of flat bar set apart for clamps. Stairs are done on shop skids. Go use a old road plate or a catch basin grate ,that is all you need.Bridge clamps ,vise grip clamps and pipe clamps work fine. 30 ton porto power and 50 ton bottle Duff Norton jacks will make it fit.We have 15 ton scrap boxes to push it around. 60 ton cranes help too.If you want to drill holes go ahead the bridge im bidding now has 90000 1- 5/16 holes for 1-1/4. A-325 bolts and 12 tons of weld.
Reply:Originally Posted by PavinsteelmanWe have been building bridges for 103 years ,you dont need holes ,blanchard ground tables high yield plate. Steel is down to .30 cents a pound a 4x8x1 plate is 1307 lbs 392 dollars. Drop a plate on some beams on the floor and go to work using plate and angle stops for set up.For rails use a table 3'x20 ' of flat bar set apart for clamps. Stairs are done on shop skids. Go use a old road plate or a catch basin grate ,that is all you need.Bridge clamps ,vise grip clamps and pipe clamps work fine. 30 ton porto power and 50 ton bottle Duff Norton jacks will make it fit.We have 15 ton scrap boxes to push it around. 60 ton cranes help too.If you want to drill holes go ahead the bridge im bidding now has 90000 1- 5/16 holes for 1-1/4. A-325 bolts and 12 tons of weld.
Reply:I don't like the idea of welding things to the table. Where do you find this 392$ plate?
Reply:What kinds of things do you build?Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Whatever someone has to bring me. Bumper, boat. Was talking with a buddy the other day about building pawn toon boats. Id rather have more bench then not enough I would think. It's kinda like having a bigger engine or bigger welder I would think. I plan to be a fabricator. Whatever makes good money in a decent amount of time pretty much. You can't expect to get far with out a good bench.
Reply:I plan to make a front bumper for a full size motor home soon( when I get the bench going lol)and making bumpers for semi trucks.
Reply:Any good steel supply no down to .25 foreign. Tack stops down and knock off and grind when done.Real world shops dont use fancy tables. Our biggest compitition uses come alongs to build girders standing up and welds with squirt guns.The largest fab shop in USA tacks with Lincoln E7018 AC, yes the Home Depot stuff ,meets the spec.
Reply:I'm a tig weldor and I don't like grinding tacks. Jimmy pop sure seems to love his 5x10 bluco fixture bench and looks very handy to me. I couldn't  see him wanting to tack stuff to his bench when he has clamps for that. It's just my opionon but tacking to the bench seems hokey and time consuming.Last edited by motolife313; 07-25-2015 at 03:01 PM.
Reply:[QUOTE=Pavinsteelman;6117121]Any good steel supply no down to .25 foreign. What does this mean? Can you give me a shop name or number that you know of that sells steel at  the price saying?
Reply:How long would it take you to set somthing up like this on a bench with no holes and tacking everthing down and using a tape measure the whole time? I bet it took jimmy 30 minutes or less and never got frustrated.
Reply:Well if ya drill holes, ALL your projects won't require them.If you don't drill holes... Your first project will need em'Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313How long would it take you to set somthing up like this on a bench with no holes and tacking everthing down and using a tape measure the whole time? I bet it took jimmy 30 minutes or less and never got frustrated.
Reply:I will be mainly doing clean tig work. I think I can make a bench to fixture stuff just like in the pic above^^
Reply:Kahn Steel for the .25 plate ! 913-642-6426
Reply:There in Kansas, but there was great customer Servise. I'm in oregon
Reply:Originally Posted by PavinsteelmanKahn Steel for the .25 plate ! 913-642-6426
Reply:So these Buildpro clamps actually seem pretty cheap.  At least from that source.  This one only has 3.5" depth but with 10 of them or so for general clamping one could buy others in ones or twos for special jobs?  Or maybe start with ones with more depth and drill less holes? Are these worth the price?  What size hole and thread are these made for?  Around the perimeter of the table one could use Jorgensen's which one already has.  Just thinking. http://www.zoro.com/buildpro-inserta...A&gclsrc=aw.dsDanI hope that when i'm dead and gone, people will remember me and think; "Boy, that guy sure owed me a lot of money!"
Reply:Everez Oregon Steel Mill try them most mills have off gage material for sale ,do you care if is cheep ,it is a welding table not a watch.
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313How long would it take you to set somthing up like this on a bench with no holes and tacking everthing down and using a tape measure the whole time? I bet it took jimmy 30 minutes or less and never got frustrated.