Need some help making a hinge & table!

admin

So I'm starting from scratch in the garage and want to make a table like Jack's 12gauge garage. I bought a piece of 4' x 2' 3/16" hot rolled steel for the top. And then bought 2 pieces of 1.5" square stock with 16g wall thickness for the legs. Legs are 3' long each.I know what I want it to look like in my head, but I honestly don't know where or how to start. I suppose for basics to figure out the height I want the table, but that is the easy part.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Hi, 3/16" for a table top is very thin......as soon as you hit it with any welding it'll distort.Normally, for a welding bench you'd need at least 1/4" thick stuff with legs at least 40mm square tube and wall at least 2mm.You'd have to make a frame for the top to sit on and mitre the corners, making the frame to fit 3" inside and under the table edge to allow you to clamp to the edge to hold jobs etc.The legs, 4 of them, will be welded square on under each corner of the frame and have another frame at the bottom about 4" up from the floor to brace it.You can also increase the rigidity by welding 2 flat steel braces (40mm X 6mm) across each corner of the frame at the back and sides, not the front, and fit a wood shelf to hold all kinds of sh!t under the bench.This will not be very strong but for light DIY work and hobby welding, quite adequate.Ian. .
Reply:Well I already bought it so I'm going to make it work. I don't do anything heavy, it's all super light jobs and I'm just a hobbyist. I think 2 legs in the front will be good enough and rest on the hinges on the back.If I make a frame inside what purpose does it serve? Help from warping?Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Would this work? Excuse my crap drawing. But Angle iron welded to the table and bolted to the wall with round rod welded to it. And then put a rod through it??Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Ahh, I see what you mean, you want a light bench hinged to the wall with 2 legs at the front.If the table is intended to permanently be in position and not folded up, no hinges are needed. You could just make the angle iron frame to tack weld the top on, and then screw through the angle directly to the wall.Mitre the corners of the angle iron and weld the legs into the corners at the front.Tack weld very sparingly the top to the angle frame.I would just make a 30mm X 30mm angle iron frame round the bottom surface of the table with maybe 1 or 2 cross members to stiffen it a bit.The top won't take much pressure from weighty opbjects etc, but the cross members will help to stop it sagging inwards.It would pay you to have another two pieces of angle fixed to each leg, about 4 " up from the floor, and attached to the wall....this will help to keep the bottom firm, and while you're at it put another piece of angle across the front between the legs, and now you can add a shelf from some chip board to store things on.BTW, if you don't have welding facilities, you could just make the frame from slotted angle iron and bolt it all together.Ian.Last edited by puddytat; 08-29-2012 at 06:43 AM.
Reply:Just a couple of thoughts. If the 4' x 2' plate has the 4' length along the wall, the bench will "stick out" 2' correct?If the legs are welded in place and they're 3' and the table is folded up........ it is a foot farther out from the wall than the bench.  Depending on the bench elevation, when folded up it would be a real head knocker.Perhaps some short pieces of square tubing that your 1.5" will fit inside of, welded to the bottom, will allow the legs to be removed so your footprint will be minimal when folded up.If the 2' is along the wall then the legs should well above most peoples head when folded up.
Reply:I have no idea on the stickout? Not sure how to calculate all that.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:If it's not meant for "heavy" work I'd skip the legs on the floor completely. At both ends I'd have hinged triangular supports on the wall instead, kind of two doors that you "open" straight out from the wall, and put the benchtop on top of. With the hinged supports and hinged benchtop, you can turn the supports in along the wall, and fold down (or up) the benchtop. Like this, but double supports and a few other modifications.http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/30062572/
Reply:I have another idea. Maybe a few of thesehttps://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(S...onExpired=Truejust not sure which side to weld to the table and I was thinking of making gussets and using a bolt to make swinging legs.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:For what you're trying to do, the gussets would be fine. Just make them so when the legs are down you can put a second bolt/pin through it so the leg wont fold in if it gets bumped (and it will).What is the maximum weight you're going to put on this? If it's all "light duty" then put closed eye bolts on the outboard edge of the bench, closed eye lag bolts in the wall, chain and turnbuckles (to level) betweem the eye bolts on each end. Fold it up to the wall.What is the wall construction/material?What is in the surrounding area?While you are anxious to get started, you need to think about safety factors for cutting, grinding and welding FIRST especially in a garage. Single family residential or townhome situation. It's one thing to burn yours down, but if a T-home....... I think you get the picture.Then the table/bench will be the easy part.
Reply:Sorry, I forgot to mention. The "stick out" is the footprint or distance it will be out from the wall when it's down for use.