question about attaching legs to 1/4" mild steel table top without warp.

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Hello,I have a contract to build 1/4" thick steel counter top for retailer. I am using 3" x 3" x 0.188 wall square tube for the legs. Need to remove legs to transport to site and assemble on site. would like to know if anyone has an idea the best way to attach legs to top. I was thinking of a brackets welded to the top that the legs can bolt to, but don't want to warp the top or cause discoloration. the table top will not be painted. It is an industrial look.Thanks in advance for your help.Dave.
Reply:Why don't you bolt the bracket to the top and bolt the leg to the bracket?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:I have seen an old Linclone video demonstrating distortion reduction on steel. The upshot is you could bevel the legs all around so the stresses pull more vertically instead of diagonally. You may still have warping, and you will still have dimpling on the top side.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:use 11ga instead of 1/4. form a pan on a press brake to make the table top. slip fit the top over a tube frame underneath. Legs attach to the subframe via brackets. side edges on table top are long enough to cover leg brackets. clear powder coat. cliffsnotes 101 for newbies.
Reply:Awesome table!Lincoln Pro Mig 180Lincoln Pro Core 125Hypertherm 30xpPorter Cable Drill PressAcra 7x12 bandsaw48" sheet metal brakeCrap load of other tools, working on metal now.
Reply:You can weld on the bottom with mig .035, 1/2" long welds with no discoloration. Practice on a scrap first. Just weld some tabs on the bottom to bolt to the frame.
Reply:You don't want to have just a 1/4" top. You will need some kind of support for it like the square tube frame in Jimmy pop's picture. Angle would work with short square tube pieces inside the angle with set bolts on them.
Reply:I would weld a 5" square x 3/8" thick plate to the top end of each leg. Drill and countersink 4 holes in each corner of the table. Each leg top plate would have corresponding threaded holes to match. Use female hex screws for countersunk holes. The visible screw heads just flush will give a well crafted industrial look.