Time to build a 6 by 10' welding table

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Ok guys I finally need to build a welding table for my shop now that I am out on my own.   My grandfather gave me two 3' by 10' sheets of 1/2" real 1950's ship building steel.  They where the tops to his work benches in his auto body shops for 50 years.   Does anyone here think it can get away with building a 6 by 10' welding table out of the two sheets by welding them up the middle, after they are clamped to the frame I would have to build.  I don't  think I would have any problems with warpage, if I welded it in sections.    I got a 12' piece of 6" by 6" by 1" (yes 1") angle iron.  I got it for free from a customer, as it buried in the ground.  We both thought at first is was little piece of 2" by 2" as thats was all that was showing out of the ground.  Took 3 of us to get it into the truck.  I was planning on used it for the legs as it will be super over kill.   But I can't decide what to make the rest of the frame from.  I have seen people used all sorts of different steel.  I was thinking some 4" by 4" by 1/4" tubing for the top frame and some 2" by 2" 1/4" tubing for the leg supports/shelf to put small steel drops on.   I need this welding table to be over kill, as I somehow always end up having customers bring me 48" wide excavator buckets that weight 1600 pounds to replace teeth.  Tired of working on the floor.Lincoln 300 Vantage 2008300 Commander 1999SA250 1999SA200 1968Miller Syncrowave 200XMT350MPA/S-52E/xr-15Xtreme 12vs Millermatic 251 w/30A  Millermatic 251 Dialarc 250 Hypertherm 1250 GEKA & Bantom Ironwokers
Reply:"Does anyone here think it can get away with building a 6 by 10' welding table out of the two sheets by welding them up the middle, after they are clamped to the frame I would have to build."Only if you can lift them. City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediver"Only if you can lift them.
Reply:That be 6' x 10' table when done? Cool. You will rock.
Reply:Instead of a 6' x 10' table, why not two 3' x 10' tables... add castors and levellers. That way depending on the piece you are making, you could set them up side by side or lengthwise, more versatility.
Reply:Cause he wants to put an excavator bucket on it. 3Kps plus I imagine.
Reply:Besides I want to see the plate welded together.
Reply:yes you can do it, but I would not weld the seams up fully on the plate.  You will have some distortion if you do.  Build your frame work and stitch weld the plate to the tops then Hit the plates every 6-8 inches down the seams.  If it is only for a table top there is no need to weld them together fully.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:if the frame is heavy enough for the usage, and the plates are welded to the top of the framing , what is gained at all by welding the plates together?i guess there comes the overkill desired..
Reply:I would frame it out of I beam. It's usually easy to find in short peices. And like Hammock said there is no reason to weld the plate together solid. If your frame is good enough you might not need to weld it together at all.
Reply:Leave a slot the entire length and use it to clamp things down. Build the framework and leave a slot down the middle...level the two plates and weld cross bracing to tie them together on the underside  ... Ta.Da....one large table with a clamping slot the entire length. Two big movable studs bolted in the slot....A metal bending jig. You wouldn't cut a 6x10 piece of plate for this but it's a perfect chance to think outside the box for a welding table that can be used in other ways and it will still work for big pieces on the flat surfaces.Last edited by mudbugone; 08-04-2008 at 12:11 AM.
Reply:I like your Idea about the slots.  But I am going to make this table simliar to my buddys table.  He has 1/2" holes drilled on 8" centers threw the whole table.  Then he took 12" miniture bar clamps.  Cut the fixed end off, welded a grade 8 bolt on it the end.  Then they stick the bolt threw the table and put a nut with a washer welded on to it.  Takes 5 seconds to move them anywhere.   His table is 6' by 12' with slip on extentions.  Aka it spoiled me.Lincoln 300 Vantage 2008300 Commander 1999SA250 1999SA200 1968Miller Syncrowave 200XMT350MPA/S-52E/xr-15Xtreme 12vs Millermatic 251 w/30A  Millermatic 251 Dialarc 250 Hypertherm 1250 GEKA & Bantom Ironwokers
Reply:i would run 2 3x10 tables. those are huge tables themselves. casters and levelers would make it MUCH more versitile. the two could be rolled together to make one, just have a clamping system to make them one. have a latch like those that as you close them they pull tighter, sorta like a vice grip. or two thoughtout bolt holes and bolt a strap of 1/2 inch underneath to hold them together.
Reply:Another vote for the two seperate tables. With two tables you can work on a much bigger weldment up off the floor than with only one table. You could space the tables 6 feet apart or more if needs be to get something really huge up to chest level.-Ryan McEachern
Reply:Another one from the crowd saying two 3x10 tables.This way you can pull them apart for that b-i-g bucket, have the bucket straddle the spaced-apart tables, and just walk in the space to work on the middle part of the job.Or you have that 25' long boom or post or fence to work on, just move the two tables end-to-end and you have a 20' long work table.Drill the jig/clamp holes and make up some jigs and clamps.  And maybe some table-to-table underside connecting beam clamps if you want/need to tie the two tables together.Although I also kind of like the thought of the two plates side-by-side with the gap/slot running between them and then you just make up some giant T-slot jig/clamp doohickeys.Hmmm, each sheet is 611 pounds.  That's 1222 pounds just in table top.  Put your 1600 lb bucket on there, and you're up to 2822 lbs.  Yeah, that's going to be a heavy one.If you really want to use that 6x6x1 angle iron, I'd say to maybe use it as part of the under-structure of the table.  I'm kind of leery of angle iron as legs or columns, especially if there are or could be side loads, because angle iron can twist or buckle kind of easily.  I'd go more for some stout square or rectangular  tube or I-beam legs.  Especially if you might put that 2000+ lbs bucket on there, and it comes down a little hard from the lift/crane/hoist/forklift onto the table.  At the same time that the forklift gets a little close to the edge and 'nudges' the table by accident.  Or the forklift is used to 'nudge' the workpiece a little to the side, without fully lifting it first.  Etc, etc.With your possible workpieces being in the 2000 lb range, unless you go gawd-awful big/huge in your table frame, you really can't just have four legs on your table (either the 6x10 or two 3x10 versions).  The span is just a bit long between the ends there without a set of middle legs.  IMHO, without running numbers, etc, etc.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:I do like the two table ideas.  But I am more consern of the two of them falling over as they would only have a 2.5' wide base (3" clamp space all the way around the edge).   My current shop is only 24 by 28, with a 2.5" slope towards the door.  My reason for the massive angle iron for the legs as it was free.  But I was planning on running some 2" tube to make another rectange 3" up from the bottom of the leg to give the legs support.   Then maybe some flat stock to make cross braces at each corner.   I think I beams might be a little over kill.  My buddys 6' by 12' is made from 3" by 3" by 1/4" tubing and the legs are just 4" by 4" by 1/4" tubing.  We have put same sized buckets on his table with not problems.   Now the other neat thing about his.  Its sits on four 2500lbs trailer jacks and each leg is on a wheel.  Just crank them up and roll it around.  Crank them back down to make it level.Lincoln 300 Vantage 2008300 Commander 1999SA250 1999SA200 1968Miller Syncrowave 200XMT350MPA/S-52E/xr-15Xtreme 12vs Millermatic 251 w/30A  Millermatic 251 Dialarc 250 Hypertherm 1250 GEKA & Bantom Ironwokers
Reply:OK, how about two 3x10 tables.  Six 4x4x3/8 legs each.  Frame it at least 3x3x1/4.  Use that big 6x6 angle iron as the tie-bars for when you want to use the two tables as one, close or spaced apart.  Use the rows of jig/clamp holes in the table tops and match drill the same pattern/spacing in the angle iron.My worry about the legs and table strength and stability is because you mentioned putting pretty much a real ton (a 2000 lb load on top).  Put two guys up there standing, wrenching, beating/persuading things, etc, etc, etc, and I'd rather have the table be hell-for-stout than have it be mostly-good-enough.  It doesn't have to fly, so make it big and strong and stable and heavy.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:I once worked in a fab shop that had tables 20 feet by 36 feet for building large baffles for sound proof enclosures for indoor testing of jet engines. Like the others have said there is no reason to weld the plates together they just need to be flat on plane. when you build your table frame make sure you have a structural member running the center and but both plates over it , space them if you like and stitch weld them from underneath. It is just like fraiming a house and butting the plywood sheathing over a stud. Wether or not you use two tables or one would probably depend on if you think you will have to move it often or at all. Two tables I think even with leveling feet would be a pain if they were being moved often. It you do use 2, by a cheap laser level for 50 bucks and this will make the task much easier."Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:Have you considered butt welding the sheets then cutting them the other way?  This would give you two very usable 6x5 tables.  Just a suggestion.Cool source of material.  I love tools with a story, especially a family story.Roger
Reply:Originally Posted by RogerRogerHave you considered butt welding the sheets then cutting them the other way?  This would give you two very usable 6x5 tables.  Just a suggestion.Cool source of material.  I love tools with a story, especially a family story.Roger
Reply:So where's the photos of this welding table?  "A winner isn't someone who doesn't lose, a winner is someone who doesn't quit."
Reply:Originally Posted by z0diacSo where's the photos of this welding table?