Grounding on a welding table

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I new to welding and would like to know about grounding on a welding tabe.  If the whole table is unfinished metal, can the ground be placed anywhere on the table?  I'm wanting to weld a piece of flat stock hanging down under the top, to get the cord out of the way, and use that as my grounding point.  Will that work?MolongneckLincoln 175HD MigWard's Powr-Kraft 230 ARCHypertherm Powermax 45Harris O/A TorchMakita 2414NB Chop SawMakita 9557PB 4 1/2" Angle GrinderClarke BT 1002 6" Brench GrinderRyobi DP 120 12" Drill Press
Reply:Yes, and yes...  Once you weld something together, electrically speaking they become one part. You could weld 14 pieces of flat bar together end to end and hook your work clamp to that and your welder will never know the difference. I have welded 20'-0" lengths of re-bar together to get a ground on a column when I didnt have enough lead to reach it.
Reply:Yes you can do it.  However, as a general rule alway consider what you are welding inorder to determine best grounding.  If you are doing thing that have moving parts or bearing it them then you want to ground on the part such current will not travel through the movable part.  Also, part can get marred by stray arcs due poor contact with the table.I ground to the table most of the time,  I do consider what I am welding, though.
Reply:Thanks for the input.  I was hoping it would but thought I'd better ask to be sure before I screwed something up.MolongneckLincoln 175HD MigWard's Powr-Kraft 230 ARCHypertherm Powermax 45Harris O/A TorchMakita 2414NB Chop SawMakita 9557PB 4 1/2" Angle GrinderClarke BT 1002 6" Brench GrinderRyobi DP 120 12" Drill Press
Reply:i  hook the work lead to a lug i welded to my table, and usually tack what im welding to the table..noproblem
Reply:i ground to the table and my job is usually fixed in a vice and i still have no ground problems. did i mention that that table is painted as well?M Fed
Reply:Putting the work clamp on the table is USUALLY the easiest way.  On a DC process, sometimes you'll need to adjust your work lead clamp to help counter arc blow problems.It's not really a "ground" as it can be any polarity.