adjustable height welding table

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A couple of years ago I picked up a scissor lift hospital bedand have been using the base construction for a woodworking table.I have been very pleased with the height adjustment featureand wanted to include it in a welding table I'm planning.Just wanted to ask - besides:-scissor lift- car screw jacks / trailer jacks- use of hydraulic or other jack when needing height adjustmenthas anyone seen any other alternatives eg using chain/screw  or wire + bearings if neededon all 4 legs  (just tossing an idea/not sure how feasible it is - not my department of expertise) - ideally it would be nice to have all the mechanicshidden and driven via eg a cordless drill when needed ?
Reply:I have seen adjustable table legs on mcmaster. they are awfully expensive, but good for ideas.go to http://www.mcmaster.com/#adjustable-...h-legs/=fckrnzIan TannerKawasaki KX450 and many other fine tools
Reply:There are lots of options for you. the issues you face, are cost and ease of use. which corolate directly with simplicity and functionality. telescopic legs with pins would be the simplest, but you'd be limited on the adjustability. Next you could do the same telescopic leg design with a section of all thread instead of the holes and pins. This gives you infanite adjustability through the length of the all thread, but you're going to have a harder time leveling the table. those are two simple designs. a more complex design would be a cable lift design that uses a central winding shaft and cables and pulleys on each leg to lift the table. with this design you lose some stability and strength but gain speed of adjustment and ease of adjustment. it's really just dependent on what you're trying to do, what benefits you want, and how much you're willing to pay to get it.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:I'd use semi trailer landing gear. At one end two landing gear "legs" would be connected, off the connecting rod I'd run a chain down the center of the table to a second set of land gear legs. Crank up one leg and all four come up at the same rate. Most units are two speed also. Used landing gear can be had fairly cheap. Better start saving for a heavy thick top.
Reply:I was going to build one, but with the cost of steel factored in with build time. I just bought a 800kg Scissor lift for 400GBPA bit annoyed with myself for taking the easy route, but it works as it should, and worked from the day it hit my workshop. I would not be without it now.Just need to get around to fixing the 8x4x5/8 plate to the topJust a thought
Reply:get a hf motorcycle lift and put a top on it. hydraulic,adjustable height. http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb...ift-68892.html  $600.miller thunderbolt 250vlincoln square wave tig 175 prolincoln idealarc mig sp250everlast tig 210EXTeverlast power plasma 50chicago electric (hf) 130 tig/90 arcchicago electric 90 amp flux wire3 sets oxy/acet
Reply:What about that gizmo on a trailer tongue?  Can't think of the name of it right now, but it holds the trailer tongue up when it's not hooked to a towing vehicle.  You can even get the kind with a caster wheel on the end of it.  Or you could use the guts from an old trash compacter.  Look at the Stronghand portable.
Reply:Here's a simple drawing of a scissor lift table using a trailer tongue jack, side and front. Attached Images
Reply:Thanks for all the input ! I'm a little low on cash at the moment so I'mnow swaying towards a solution with car jacks (will make a sketchupplan and ask for comments) BUT could someonetake a guess at how this table height adjustment is made : [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCIiwmwfNkY&feature=related[/ame]from 00:34 he is lifting the table -  I can see the chain drive at the bottom .Initially I was thinking of something on the lines of what this guy did on the plasmatable but now I'm worried the mechanics could be damaged in case ofhammering etc. - maybe best to stick with fixed legs or at most sliding outlegs - right ?
Reply:Originally Posted by vjekoThanks for all the input ! I'm a little low on cash at the moment so I'mnow swaying towards a solution with car jacks (will make a sketchupplan and ask for comments) BUT could someonetake a guess at how this table height adjustment is made : from 00:34 he is lifting the table -  I can see the chain drive at the bottom .Initially I was thinking of something on the lines of what this guy did on the plasmatable but now I'm worried the mechanics could be damaged in case ofhammering etc. - maybe best to stick with fixed legs or at most sliding outlegs - right ?
Reply:and its not the table that is moving,its the gantry.miller thunderbolt 250vlincoln square wave tig 175 prolincoln idealarc mig sp250everlast tig 210EXTeverlast power plasma 50chicago electric (hf) 130 tig/90 arcchicago electric 90 amp flux wire3 sets oxy/acet
Reply:There's lots of free steel lying aournd if you look for it.  Check out motorcycle dealerships, water sport dealerships, tractor and lawn mower dealers.  Look at craigslist.  Look for free boats and trailers.  Look for old travel trailers.  Sometimes folks will give them away if free removal is offered.  There's some good steel in the frame.  Plus, you can get a few bucks for the aluminum and copper.  Remember: No askee, no getee.
Reply:Originally Posted by vjekoThanks for all the input ! I'm a little low on cash at the moment so I'mnow swaying towards a solution with car jacks (will make a sketchupplan and ask for comments) BUT could someonetake a guess at how this table height adjustment is made : from 00:34 he is lifting the table -  I can see the chain drive at the bottom .Initially I was thinking of something on the lines of what this guy did on the plasmatable but now I'm worried the mechanics could be damaged in case ofhammering etc. - maybe best to stick with fixed legs or at most sliding outlegs - right ?
Reply:Vjeko, here's another idea for your table using car jacks. Attached Images
Reply:That's bloody simple and brilliant!"These instructions are at our present level ofknowledge. Legal requirements do not exist.Technical issues subject to change."_________________________________________Lincoln MIG PAK 180Lincoln AC-225
Reply:Originally Posted by HardwareThat's bloody simple and brilliant!
Reply:Well, I'm still undecided how to proceed   (a picky one you may say )- I'll be honest,   I would really like (if possibleunder the imposed financial limitations ) to have a designwithout loss of the space under the table and still operate all legs at once.Sinchronised actuators would be good but probably too expensive - what aboutthe acme screw/chain/sprocket + cordless drive idea - could that be incorporated at a reasonable price (maybe use scaffolding screws) ?Ofcourse the other solution and simplest would be to pick the right heightfor standing and sitting and not have the height adjustment and get goodheight adjustable seating - maybe someone has some suggestions.The following are further "limitations" :(a)I now have two pieces of steel for the table top- 850mm * 750mm * 10mm - this is for one table- 1000mm * 2000mm * 8mm - this I would cut into two pieces (one for plasmacutting and the other for a larger table (width limitation of 850mm as it hasto go through the door to the other room - no permanent space in garage)(b)I will use the tables both for welding/metalwork and woodwork (add MDFor something on top when needed).
Reply:Your ideas sound neat, especially the scaffolding screws.  You could use bicycle sprockets and chain.  Do you have trailer tongue jacks available?  They can carry a ton or more each.  There are side winders and top winders.  Put sprockes on top of top winders and link them together with bike chain.  The screws are covered by the casing of the jack, so they stay clean.Contrary to popular opinion, I do NOT have a pet turkey that craps molten steel.  It's a goose.
Reply:Thanks graniteguy ! I've seen a few tables on this forum with trailer jacksbut I'm not exactly sure how I would mount them to use with the chain ( Ihave only come across top winder trailer jacks - handle rotated in horizontal plane).Could you give a few suggestions about mounting arrangement with the trailer jackand scaffolding screws -  I can then do a sketchup design and check backto get more ideas/improvements.
Reply:Vjeko, here's an idea using trailer jacks.  You'd need to remove the crank on top and put a sprocket on, probably with a machined adapter.  You could put casters under the table legs, if you need something easy to move.  Cast iron ones are the best in a welding environment. Attached ImagesContrary to popular opinion, I do NOT have a pet turkey that craps molten steel.  It's a goose.
Reply:thanks graniteguy ! now I'll dig into it and come back with more questions once I decideon design.
Reply:Originally Posted by vjekothanks graniteguy ! now I'll dig into it and come back with more questions once I decideon design.