Modular style welding table - Who has Experience

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Hey,      Have organised a few quotes for getting a 2400 mm x 1200 mm x 16 mm mild steel plate cut so its has 16mm holes cut in a 50 mm x 50 mm grid like pattern ( just like the picture below that says 'original') all the laser cutters say that the plate will warp or that they cannot guarantee flatness... is this true? anyone else have experience in getting a plate cut like this? or is it just a matter of ensuring you have enough support from the underside to level it out?Any and all experience welcome. Cheers Attached Images
Reply:Nerdstar, how flat of a surface are you looking for? How much press /stress are you wanting to hold? It will deform sry. The best way is to have it surface ground after the holes are cut or drilled. Thats why the tables are expensive when bought. Add braces to help keep it flat when done. good luck
Reply:Thanks for the info guys, ill only be using it for light stuff such a stainless ( NON food grade) desks and trollies... in saying that there'll be the occasional heavy items. i just want a good surface so my items are square and can be clamped anywhere...so far ive been quoted:- about $500 for the top- $860 to have it cutWhat will having it ground roughly cost? im in Melbourne (Australia) here.im tossing up whether having it laser cut or hiring a mag drill.... another option im toying with is a extrusion table..thoughts? Attached Images
Reply:Being able to use clamping tools throughout your welding tables entire surface is so nice. Shop made tables with holes or slots is a great idea. I don't know why more people do not have some sort of internal clamping method.Now, having a home made welding table that is perfectly flat is a whole other story. Its not going to happen. Well, atleast a large welding table, 5x5, 5x8, 5x10 size. I can see someone blanchard grinding a 2'x4' piece of 2" plate. But thats damn small.Im sure being in NSW makes it difficult finding a used cast-iron Acorn welding table. They sure are nice to have. I waited 5+ years before being able to buy my tables. Worth the wait. I use to work on solid wood doors that were planed flat. My tubing use to be all light weight so i could get away with using wood doors. They were flat, 2" thick, i could clamp around the perimeter and the wood did not scratch my tubing (furniture). It really sucked but i needed flatness as much as possible.I'd pursue your hole idea for clamping and not spend too much extra time and $ jacking with trying to get a perfectly flat welding table. Does your clamping system go all the way through the steel table top? you might be able to find a used, cheap granite inspection table that you could install a 1-2" thick steel, ground top on top of. That would be pretty darn flat but your holes would only be as deep as the thickness of the metal. a project im working on this week:A granite inspection table can be found here in the USA pretty cheap. The are pretty much perfectly flat. you could wrap the granite top with steel . Not really sure how your tooling would work.Last edited by Jimmy_pop; 03-22-2012 at 01:10 AM.
Reply:find a place that can waterjet holes, no heat there.ESAB MigMaster 275Miller Econotwin HFMiller Syncrowave 250
Reply:With a water jet the only issue with the trueness of the stock your using and the means of attachment to the base.
Reply:Have you seen the Valtra Build Pro tables? I don't know what it will cost to get your's ground flat after laser but they are nice. The more I see them, the more I like them, but I am just a hobbyist.
Reply:Originally Posted by pneufabHave you seen the Valtra Build Pro tables? I don't know what it will cost to get your's ground flat after laser but they are nice. The more I see them, the more I like them, but I am just a hobbyist.
Reply:they do extend.  I had to do this for a gate that I was building.  while the gate itself wasn't bigger the table, with the posts, it would have been dangerously close. Attached Images
Reply:plus they come with great options for tooling package.  you could just drill your own table, unless you need 0.001" tolerance, and get just the tooling from BuildPro.  I drilled my own 4x4' table after i got the build pro table.  the holes definitely aren't as accurate as buildpro.  But if you spend the time, I'm sure you can get it pretty darn close.  My welding table is 1/2" plate, and the holes were drilled with a mag drill, so no warping whatsoever. Attached Images
Reply:We got the plates cut out, blanchard ground, and then the holes were drilled on a CNC. I should also note that every other hole is drilled 3/8" and tapped 1/2" 13, this is for dowel pins for alignment and bolts to hold the jigs down.
Reply:Not sure about pricing, (I'm sure it's not cheap) but here's another source for modular fixture/tables.Nice stuff, too. If I had the money I'd have me one or two of these.http://www.bluco.com/Brian LeonardAppalachian Ironworks L.L.C.434 Long Branch Rd, Marshall, NC 28753828 649 9966828 702 [email protected]
Reply:Originally Posted by oxy moronplus they come with great options for tooling package.  you could just drill your own table, unless you need 0.001" tolerance, and get just the tooling from BuildPro.  I drilled my own 4x4' table after i got the build pro table.  the holes definitely aren't as accurate as buildpro.  But if you spend the time, I'm sure you can get it pretty darn close.  My welding table is 1/2" plate, and the holes were drilled with a mag drill, so no warping whatsoever.
Reply:Thanks guys some pretty good info, Jimmy_pop  thats one amazing table you have unfortunately here in Australia i have never come across a acorn table and even with the strength of our dollar everything is way more expensive over here. Even a quick glance on good old ebay shows a USED granite marking off table asking $5000. At the moment i don’t have a clamping system in place but i will make my holes 16 mm in diamet which they’ll be able to accept the strong hand tools accessories if i choose to buy them at a later date.Oxy moron, looks like you take real good care of your table. With what you just said i think ill go down that route of just hiring a mag drill taking my time and drilling it out. I don’t need super accurate but i want the legs of my tables to be straight etc. This probably seems the least expensive option too. Ill be using an annualr cutter any idea if it takes a long time to drill a hole? Or with adequate coolant its a quick process ( minus the lining up of everything)And thanks Mick120 for the offer, i really need to learn how to do autocad. But for the small scale that i am ill probably just go the mag drill route. Ive got to hurry up and get started and pull my finger out. the 'chip as chips' is a good option lolThanks again everyone.
Reply:I've been swamped with other crap...seeing that tinkering in the garage is just a hobby, but I had my table top cut on a water jet and blanchard ground.  I had it ground, then cut, but my advice would be to do it the other way.  It was really reasonable, but not sure how prices would be where you are.  I have machine tools, so I plan on making my own clamps and tooling, just have't had time lately.I modeled mine after the Build Pro.  I had the guy with the water jet cut the holes at .630 and then cleaned them up with a .625 reamer to remove the slight edge at the bottom.  A piece of 5/8" barstock steel or aluminum slides in with a nice slip fit.  The table is 4x6"  Dragging my butt on building the frame.  Waiting for a friend's H-bandsaw to free up.  When finished, will be in it for less that 1/4 of what the buildpro of a similar size would cost.
Reply:Buy a mag drill and start drilling?  That would be a great project for accuracy!  I don't understand the need for all of the holes, but I guess it would make sense for high precision work!  That looks like either a machinists dream job or a nightmare!  Mag drills and their core bit counterparts are the handiest dandiest tools on the planet (unless you enjoy pushing on 1/2" drills to build character!)Last edited by mb_welder; 03-22-2012 at 09:51 PM.
Reply:make a drilling-jig on a mill with your row of holes then clamp it to the tabletop to hand drill. that will save time and make the holes straight. Pull pins in the holes ,move the jig over and repeat.
Reply:Originally Posted by Jimmy_popAre the yellow angle-plate-cubes a Stronghand part? I need summa dem.
Reply:Originally Posted by nerdstarOxy moron, looks like you take real good care of your table. With what you just said i think ill go down that route of just hiring a mag drill taking my time and drilling it out. I don’t need super accurate but i want the legs of my tables to be straight etc. This probably seems the least expensive option too. Ill be using an annualr cutter any idea if it takes a long time to drill a hole? Or with adequate coolant its a quick process ( minus the lining up of everything).
Reply:Originally Posted by kazlxI've been swamped with other crap...seeing that tinkering in the garage is just a hobby, but I had my table top cut on a water jet and blanchard ground.  I had it ground, then cut, but my advice would be to do it the other way.