Steel Dining Table Complete

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Got this dining table finally complete. 9' x 40" and 41" tall. Twin pedestal design of 1/8" mild steel clear coated. .25" chrome plated base plate. Tube frame upper mounted in bearings that act as a pivot. Connecting rods secure and level the top in place. The top of the table came from the roof of a 1 ton, long wheelbase 60's suburban.
Reply:That's pretty damn cool! What did you use to coat the steel?Millermatic 175Black and Decker hacksaw
Reply:automotive clear coat
Reply:Now that's recycling at its best and an awesome table design. That suburban gets to live another day or many. Great Job.
Reply:Wow. It's amazing. It's very modern. Nice press work.
Reply:Nice work.  I did some research awhile back and came to the conclusion automotive clear coat will yellow on bare metal.  Does your table top still have the original paint on it?  How about the base?  I am interested to hear your thoughts on the yellowing.
Reply:I can't see that happening in a 72* degree, climate controlled environment. The base is clear coated 1/8th inch mild steel plate.The color of the top is what was solid after removing the oxidation and filth from the original sheetmetal. Light scuff, wax/grease remover and 4 coats of clear. I think the red spots were a primer showing thru or a previous paint job.
Reply:That is really spectacular! Thumbs WAY up! Was it for a client? The top is beautiful. Did this on a coffee table with a cut-out from a white washing machine. Wish I took pic'sOther than looking tech-cool, is there a reason for the pivots and dampeners? ThanksBert200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:thanks bert.this table had to go up a flight of stairs so building it in pieces makes sense. The client wanted a pub height table to entertaining as people could sit and stand around the table. They provided me with the dimensions of their new chairs. I made sure the end chairs straddles the chrome plates.So to give maximum clearance under the table for chairs, orienting the pedestals parallel with the top looked good and functioned well. This made the table top heavy do that was the purpose of the chrome plates at the bottom. Those are made from .25" cold rolled steel laser cut.I guess i could have made the top and pedestals mount in a fixed way but that is boring. I also like to have as much adjustment as possible. Those "dampners" are actually connecting rods with left and right hand heim joints that allows the top of the table to pivot into a perfectly level plane.TAke pics next time!
Reply:Table looks great. Why didn't you get the big break On the 1/8 mild steel base.  It looks like you flap wheeled the edges, did you do anything to the center?  Any kind of acid etch, or cleaning to get the mill scale off, or is the pattern that is showing up how it looked after working it, then clear coating?Keep up the great work.  Love the leveling mechanism.
Reply:MNT, The base is only clear coated mild steel plate. I source my plate from a mill that has this mill scale pattern. Alot of mild steel plate available at other steel suppliers is boring solid grey color. The patterns you see really show up well under clear coat.Yes, the end of the base in the photograph has the welded seam ground and polished down with a flap disc. the opposite end does not have a seam. Itis one piece as i used a brake to form it all the way around. The top, bottom and one end were welded up and polished down. Then cleared.
Reply:Beautiful Table!  Where do you buy your heim joints?
Reply:Originally Posted by Jimmy_popMNT,  Alot of mild steel plate available at other steel suppliers is boring solid grey color. The patterns you see really show up well under clear coat.
Reply:While I think the table came out looking good, and an original idea for a finish, I think there could've been better sources for the metal.  Those suburbans are rare, and other than the dents, which really isn't anything common patch panels could've fixed, that suburban looked rather solid.
Reply:Man, i should have told the scrap yard owner that bit of information, im sure he would have halted everything hes been doing for years and begun the restoration immediately.
Reply:I am sorry, but all I saw was that press Come try it out and stay a while.
Reply:Originally Posted by rustywranglerI am sorry, but all I saw was that press
Reply:Originally Posted by Jimmy_popMan, i should have told the scrap yard owner that bit of information, im sure he would have halted everything hes been doing for years and begun the restoration immediately.
Reply:Originally Posted by AntiblingWhile I think the table came out looking good, and an original idea for a finish, I think there could've been better sources for the metal.  Those suburbans are rare, and other than the dents, which really isn't anything common patch panels could've fixed, that suburban looked rather solid.
Reply:Originally Posted by Jimmy_popMan, i should have told the scrap yard owner that bit of information, im sure he would have halted everything hes been doing for years and begun the restoration immediately.
Reply:Cool table. You took parts of a truck that would have rusted out, or had been crushed eventually, and turned it into something useful.
Reply:Cannot never afford? What a dufus I is!"I believe that our heavenly father invented man because his was disappointed with the monkey." -Samuel Clemens
Reply:Awesome project, very nice work. I'm confused.. did you use that press to flatten out the raw material top, or are those machines just for brake / bender and shear?    If not with that press, how did you flatten the top?thanks, zip.
Reply:there is still a very slight dome to the table top. not a big deal. client saw it. only a shear and brake were used to form the top.
Reply:that is so cool.