Ornamental table

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I had posted a picture of a table on a thread a while back and some wanted to know how to build one so I did a build-a-long. These tables now take me about half a day to build and sell for some pretty serious money as they are artsy, one of a kind and totally custom. I know I`m just a welder, I work on anything thats metal but people dont say they want you to build a table for them. They want to commission you to build a table. You get to charge more then. These tables are well within the realm of the newer guys in the craft and like I said, the moneys good. I hope you all enjoyFor legs you get extended lambs tongues from King Architectural Metals. A section will need to be cut out to make legs for the height you need. You can see an uncut one and our recut and welded leg. Attached Images
Reply:The weld should be ground and sanded as it needs to be perfect, good money is being paid for this and it`s in someones house.The bend may need to be adjusted or bent more to work. I use a piece of square tubing and slide it back and forth and hit it with a hammer. Attached Images
Reply:Next draw out the size of the table on the welding table. Weld flat strap to two of the legs, the same thickness as the legs. This is 2"X3/8". Our table is 23"X26" as this is the size of the piece of granite that the customer has. Use a square to make the curve of the leg even with the scrolled foot. Attached Images
Reply:Setting them in the drawing you can tell where to cut your flat strap so that your other legs will be right. After welding all legs on we go to our scrolls that will be our side trim and is also added support for the legs. I buy scrolls that are a little long as finding them the exact length is impossible. Cut and weld, grind and sand. weld in place. Attached Images
Reply:Weve built the table upside down and how level the legs are is only as good as our accuracy in cutting and splicing the lambs tongues. To level the table,decide which leg is high,place table on welding table with the long leg off the welding table. Take a grinder and dust it across the bottom of the leg. Try to push it onto the welding table. Wont go-dust a little more on the bottom of the leg. When the table slides onto the welding table it is now setting on all four legs and should also be level. Heres a picture of the leveling and all welding done, ready to go to the powder coaters. Textured black for this one. Attached Images
Reply:It`s back from the powder coaters so we glue the granite top on with construction adhesive like PL 400 or Liquid Nails. It`s finished. Attached Images
Reply:I`ve built over sixty tables and have never built two exactly alike. Your imagination can take you far with these. Heres some more to give you guys some ideas. Attached Images
Reply:Those are real nice,great work.pro-level dumpster diver                                     Hobart 125EZ
Reply:Very good, BobThanks for the pics.
Reply:Good article. Nice tables. What is the typical price or range one of your tables sells for?Last edited by MEWelding.com; 05-20-2008 at 04:30 AM. Maine Welding Company & Wrought Iron Powered by Custom Web Development
Reply:Very nice work and inspitation to make something.
Reply:Wow Bob, Commissioned... I like that. Look at all those duplicate bends! Maybe a WeldingWeb bending lesson is in order.Very nice work, thanks for the post.Next time the discussion among the poets, artists, and philosophers gets a little heated; I know which table I'm grabbing. ...and I'm not passing out this time!
Reply:Nice looking tables.Good Ideas.I am trying to build all of my own home furniture tired of buying junk.
Reply:nice work how do you get the word outto buyers, do you do the wood work
Reply:Thanks for including the source. I have been looking for a good source have you been dealing with these guys for a while and do they treat you fairly?  Oh and they look great really like the different types of surfaces
Reply:Originally Posted by flatbustedbrokeThanks for including the source. I have been looking for a good source have you been dealing with these guys for a while and do they treat you fairly?  Oh and they look great really like the different types of surfaces
Reply:One question about the legs. Wouldn't it be quicker easier to just cut them to length and bend them than to cut, weld, grind, sand? Just asking as the bend doesn't look to severe and that seems like a lot of additional work to do all of that.
Reply:Your metal working, and wood working are flawless. (as always)I like the way you and the wife have your store set up.  The rugs really set off the tables.My favorites are the ones with the dark wood tops"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:do you have a website or where do you sell?how much do you charge for a table.
Reply:nice looking work bob.Annamel TW9Y Georgia
Reply:Really nice.
Reply:VERY nice work. Nice combo of wood to metalCo-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:What is the wood inlay? I am thinking of doing some in Pecan.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:VERY NICE! Thanks for sharing Bob. I have plans for a basic table without bends and will be getting a taste of making 90-degree angles with level table top, which I am sure is a learning experience itself. So it will be a while before I try tackling a project like yours but am saving the thread on my hard-drive for quick future reference. If you think ya ever need a website "commissioned" ... sorry about the blatant self-promotion. Thanks again,SteveJunkYard Tools .com
Reply:Bob:I really like your work. They finish up very nicely.One thing when your taking pictures to post, blur out your license plates. You never know who's looking at you postings. I notice it's being done a lot these days and you can never be too careful.Thanks for sharing you knowledge and skills with us.Cheers.Sign on East Texas payphone: Calls to God 40 cents......it's a local call...looking good!  nothing beats a sunday in the garage for a little extra cheddar!
Reply:Great work Bob - way to goMiller Dynasty 200DXHypertherm PowerMax 45Victor OAIR CompressorLots of blacksmithing tools and other fun toys meant to creatively disfigure, reshape, manipulate and join metal.
Reply:All I can say is holy crap..................your an artist........
Reply:I've been off line for a while and hadn't noticed this old post coming back up. I'll try to answer some of the questions that were asked recently. Thanks for the compliments guys. I hope you didn't think I was bragging as they aren't hard to build at all. I posted this so others could try it and make money doing it. I've been a weldor for over thirty years and am having to admit that I'm not the man I used to be. I still build metal buildings, fences, fix heavy machinery and the like. But it's getting tougher as I see 60 yrs. old this year.About ten years ago I built patio railing for a lady that was an interior decorator. She asked if I could build her some curtain rods for her kitchen. I told her I had built the curtain rods for my own house but had never built any for money. She said she was willing to help me along in what was required. They turned out great and she just kept on with more stuff. She also gave my name to other interior decorators as well. I do work for about twenty now as well as take orders from several stores as well. It's still not enough to make a living at though. They will only use you if they can't find it in one of their many suppier catalogs. But the money is really good. They expect top quality, no welds showing and great finish. But, They are the only customers I have that when they here the price say "is that all?"To give you an example. One of my gals comes to me with a drawer pull with a little ring on it. They want some to go with it but the back plate has to be longer to cover the holes in the cabinet doors. Could I do it? I told her I would get back to her. I found hinges in King catalog that were just like the drawer pull plate but longer. I told her I could do it but they would be around $25 a piece. She said great, She needed 54 of them and one big one for a large pull out cabinet. This all went into one kitchen, can you believe it. I went on to build 44 curtain rods, five toilet paper holders,five towel hooks, seven towel racks, two tables and a light fixture. None of this is heavy lifting and is good money. You younger guys need to look at this market.Here is the drawer pulls and cabinet pulls and some of the towel racks and toilet paper holders. Attached Images
Reply:That's nice stuff, just like the tables.Man o Man, don't say 60 like it's the end of the world.  I'm not too far behind you.I noticed a little change at 51 or so, Is there another big change coming around 60?"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:No Samm, I noticed it at around 50 or 51 as well. It's when I started to notice I wasn't as strong as I used to be. My hired hands noticed it too. They treat me like I'm old now.