Welding table

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Welding table

Post by duddley75 » 24 Sep 2021, 9:01 am

I am making a mobile workbench (on castors) with dimensions of approx 900mm x 600mm. It will be made of timber with a 18mm plywood top.

As I am looking to get into welding, I am then looking to have a removable welding bench that will fit on top of the workbench.

My question is, what thickness and material would be best for the welding bench?

I camw across this one: https://ezysteel.com.au/products/diy-we ... lat-packed which is the right size however the price seems a bit much, or is it a case of yes this is what I should be expecting to pay?

I have down a little bit of welding many years ago, but still pretty much a compete beginner. The welder I am buying is capable of Mig and Tig, but I see Mig being the main use.

Anyone have any suggestions regarding the removable bench?
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Re: Welding table

Post by disco stu » 24 Sep 2021, 9:15 am

Do you even need a welding bench now, or could you just do what you want on the concrete floor and get a bench mount when it's really justified?
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Re: Welding table

Post by duddley75 » 24 Sep 2021, 9:32 am

disco stu wrote:Do you even need a welding bench now, or could you just do what you want on the concrete floor and get a bench mount when it's really justified?



Very good point. Is there any reason I couldn't use the timber work bench. Obviously I need to ground the items I am working on as opposed to the bench itself.

I should mention, my shed floor is timber as well.
Last edited by duddley75 on 24 Sep 2021, 10:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Welding table

Post by Gamerancher » 24 Sep 2021, 9:48 am

Don't think you'll find one cheaper.
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Re: Welding table

Post by No1Mk3 » 24 Sep 2021, 10:09 am

G'day duddely75,
Head to your nearest scrapyard and get a piece of 12 to 16mm plate, drill 2- 8mm holes in it and tek-screw it to your workbench with a sheet of thermal wool under it. Just use your cordless drill to attach and remove when you want, should be a hell of a lot cheaper than the one you show advertised, Cheers
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Re: Welding table

Post by bah! » 24 Sep 2021, 10:16 am

16mm plate? In that size it would weigh just inder 70kg, bwahaha. I've worked in a lot of workshops over the years and really it is rare to find a dedicated welding bench over 10mm.
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Re: Welding table

Post by Noisydad » 24 Sep 2021, 10:34 am

I had a post here a couple of years ago about a welding table I built that can be set up as a universal jig.
There's still a few of Wile. E Coyote's ideas that I haven't tried yet.
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Re: Welding table

Post by Blr243 » 24 Sep 2021, 12:59 pm

I have a dedicated welding bench 1/4 plate roughly one metre by same ... but for bigger jobs I also have a .6 mm thin sheet metal folded over an old door on stools. It’s just enough to make sure any welding or slag don’t set my timber door on fire
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Re: Welding table

Post by on_one_wheel » 24 Sep 2021, 1:57 pm

When building my welding bench I figured the bigger the better.

I managed to find a big ⅝" plate from an old blasting shelter over 2.4m by 1.2m, welded some 4.5" od seamless tool steel tube with ½" walls for legs (old drill pipe) and just to add to the over engineering, a length of 5" right angle welded underneath for added rigidity.

It's massive :lol:
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Re: Welding table

Post by Blr243 » 24 Sep 2021, 3:08 pm

On one wheels bench is also Good for bomb shelter
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Re: Welding table

Post by Die Judicii » 24 Sep 2021, 3:20 pm

Yeah,,,, 1/4" plate is plenty for hobbyist/beginner benches.

Mine matches On One Wheels bench, but is 3/4" Bisalloy.
Which would cost a fortune except this piece has laminations in it making oxy cutting dammmmmm difficult.
I scored it for zero dollars from the boiler shop where I was working at one stage.
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Re: Welding table

Post by bladeracer » 24 Sep 2021, 6:46 pm

duddley75 wrote:I am making a mobile workbench (on castors) with dimensions of approx 900mm x 600mm. It will be made of timber with a 18mm plywood top.

As I am looking to get into welding, I am then looking to have a removable welding bench that will fit on top of the workbench.

My question is, what thickness and material would be best for the welding bench?

I camw across this one: https://ezysteel.com.au/products/diy-we ... lat-packed which is the right size however the price seems a bit much, or is it a case of yes this is what I should be expecting to pay?

I have down a little bit of welding many years ago, but still pretty much a compete beginner. The welder I am buying is capable of Mig and Tig, but I see Mig being the main use.

Anyone have any suggestions regarding the removable bench?


That does look like a good deal, although it's quite a small bench to weld on. I just weld on a concrete floor.
Depending on where you are, a sheet of 5mm plate 2400x1200mm is around $400, but is an awkward thing to work with at 113kg. A lot of suppliers though also offer cutting services.
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Re: Welding table

Post by Die Judicii » 24 Sep 2021, 7:06 pm

Holey Moley,,,,, I just looked at your link for the flat pack welding table.
Why on earth it is vented / drilled / punched I have no idea.

For that price,,,, i'd be simply spending the similar amount and end up with just a plain piece of 1/4" plate (most likely bigger area),
and just welding some black pipe or rhs legs on it. ( maybe a bit of angle under the edges for rigidity depending on area)
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Re: Welding table

Post by No1Mk3 » 24 Sep 2021, 8:47 pm

The advantage of heavier plate (70kg isn't that much, bah, the last bench I used was 4mx6mx75mm, so OK, not "home workshop") is the ability to weld brackets and supports directly to the bench when fabricating then cut/grind them off later without having any distortion of your workplace. 12mm plate at your table size is only 50kg, The last table I made for a friend I snaffled a piece of 19mm plate 400x500mm from Sims Metal for free.
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Re: Welding table

Post by cz515 » 24 Sep 2021, 9:28 pm

Look at Hare and Forbes they sell welding tables, similar to this as a slightly more expensive option :lol: better warranty and parts.

The benefits of these tables is firstly they are metal so you clamp the earth to the table and forget about it and it doesn't get in your way. Secondly you can get different types of clamps to secure your objects to weld different angles. Thirdly these tables are modular so they can be joined to make a bigger table.

I honestly would not weld on a wooden tabletop or floor.... bit of a first risk as with MIG and Stick you have lots of sparks.

A few years ago I pickup up a big beast of a table from an ex metal workshop. It's 2.4 x 1.2m and 18 or 20mm thick. And so heavy I can't even drag it... the hand trolley bends like it's made of paper. Thankfully I got some good equipment to move it around..... except they failed when I got my mill.... weighing in at only 1.3Ton :lol:
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Re: Welding table

Post by bah! » 25 Sep 2021, 8:43 am

Die Judicii wrote:Holey Moley,,,,, I just looked at your link for the flat pack welding table.
Why on earth it is vented / drilled / punched I have no idea.


https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/W07706 <-- that is why.

No1Mk3 wrote:The advantage of heavier plate (70kg isn't that much


It is if you're proposing they lift it on or off on what is clearly an underequipped workshop.

I have a relatively small table compared to some I have made for workshops in the past, about 1200 x 800, with a hole in the middle for the odd job that needs it. The top is only 10mm plate and right now it has about 2500mm 200UB18 getting some cleats welded on. I still have to use the e-stacker to move it.
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Re: Welding table

Post by Gamerancher » 25 Sep 2021, 8:53 am

The holes in that design of bench are set on a 50mm grid. They are designed to hold suitable clamps and various stops, squares, etc. ( Much like hold-fasts used on a carpenters bench or an anvil.) These can be bought or are very simple to custom make yourself. For small jobs they can be like having a spare pair of hands. For repetitive jobs you can set them up like a jig for consistency. A piece of sheet steel to cover your wooden bench will stop any fire hazard.
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Re: Welding table

Post by Die Judicii » 25 Sep 2021, 1:10 pm

bah! wrote:
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/W07706 <-- that is why.
.


Yeah I guess so,,,,,,,,,,

A lot of fabrication work I've done over the years (that would fit on a bench) simply get tacked/welded onto said bench, and cut/ground off after.
If a clamp of sorts was needed we simply dogged and wedged,,,,,

The biggest job I've ever had on a "bench" was a chipper/hogger that used to have 30" diameter pine logs fed through it.
It was lifted into place by a pin jib crane for the rebuild/repair.

Didn't need any clamps to hold that baby in place. :lol:
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Re: Welding table

Post by GQshayne » 25 Sep 2021, 7:50 pm

I will add my 2c here.

I am not a tradesman, but have used a MIG for about 20 years or so. Most stuff has been welded on my heavy timber bench, and bigger stuff on the floor. No issues for the most part.

Then I got a TIG welder, and after a count of ten, realised I needed a welding bench. I can stand at my old work bench and use the MIG with one hand, but the TIG requires two hand and one foot! So I need to sit down. Having the bench able to use dedicated clamps in the mounting holes is very handy, as is the surface being earthed (mostly).
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