Skeleton welding table

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Welp, it was about time I upgraded my older and much lighter duty welding table, so I've been doing alot of research on different styles and such, and settled upon the "skeleton" style ones. Frame is 2x4.25 wall, slats are 3/8x3". I bought 20 feet, and was 3 slats short, so back to the welding store I go tommorow. I kind of skimped out on the legs because 2x2x.25 was close to 40 a 20' stick, and they had 2" 1/4wall pipe for 99cents/foot (.25cents/lb), so I went with that instead. I think my liner may be broken or something, my machine REFUSED to run .030. I even tried running an 035 tip with the 030 wire, it was better, but no luck. After many failed welds after it would feed then randomly stall, and I had to grind out that chunk I decided just to run 023 wire. Yes yes, I know, 023 has no place next to 1/4" steel but it was that, or put everything away for damn near a week until I could order in a new liner. I ended up preheating it to damn near the dull red then laying the beads in. It went pretty well all things considered.Getting started with the layoutMy little 110 setup (long story, would be cheaper to buy an engine drive and then some than to run a 220 line to my garage)World's largest xylophoneTable standing on it's own 4 legs (weighing a bit heavy now, was pretty fun to move. Nevermind my extremely messy, cluttered garage. I've been out of practice for a few months and any welding I did do was on my driveway.No dime (partially because I was dead broke buying the steel), but here are some bead shots. This was with 023 wire with the metal preheated to dully red.Sorry for all the pics. It's still in it's rough stages and will get cleaned up tommorow with the grinder and portaband as I had cut the peices and started the rough layout and ended up with a different setup than I originally planned on (originally it was planned for no overhang then realized that wasn't how I liked it). Let me know what you guys think.Last edited by JohnR; 08-13-2009 at 09:06 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by JohnRNo dime (partially because I was dead broke buying the steel),. . .
Reply:WOW!!!
Reply:What Duane said X2..Interesting design - nice project!  I'd add the center rib....Miller Dynasty 200DXHypertherm PowerMax 45Victor OAIR CompressorLots of blacksmithing tools and other fun toys meant to creatively disfigure, reshape, manipulate and join metal.
Reply:I'll get on resizing the pictures asap, sorry about that. As far as a "sternum" goes, I think it would get in the way more than it would help, I don't really think it needs any more support, the slats are 3/8" and I'm sure there could be some flex with some very localized weight I could always just slide in a pre-cut 2x4 for temporary use. I've seen a few pictures here on the forums with them, some used angle iron for the tops though. Mine looks a bit ghetto but it's not done, just ran out of time/energy (peaked at 108 today, 35% humidity gets the better of me). The quarter I had to borrow.. with interest, from a friend who was there to help me stand the thing up. I'll see if I can dig the thread up with the skeleton table, a member had posted 2 different designed he had made if I remember correctly.
Reply:I seem to have reached a max edit point, I'm no longer able to edit my original post.
Reply:Much better on the photos.A movable center support may be a good alternative to a permanent one so you can provide additional support where/when needed.  But then, you haven't indicated what you plan on putting up there either so perhaps the 3/8" slats will handle whatever it is you do.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!