Building a Welding table/Work bench

I'd go to the scrapyard and find the thickest sheet of steel you can find, and let that be the start. I have a table that is 1/4" plate, 3'x4', 1.5"x1.5" tubular frame and it works well for regular table duties, but it slides around too easy if i'm trying to bend something or putting torque on parts. My main table is 2" plate, 5'x5', 2"x4" legs, and it still shifts around occasionally when I get mad at something. But I haven't bent it yet :lol:
 
My main table is 5' x 9'. The top is p&o 3/8 plate. I used 4x4x.25 square tube for the legs and 3x3x3/16 for the frame between the legs down low and up against the bottom of the top.

Important things to consider... leave enough of an exposed lip around the perimeter so that your deepest C clamp can clamp something down. But don't go too long so the edge is weak if you sit something heavy on it.
If you put a perimeter frame between the legs down low, make sure it's high enough to sweep under or roll things under etc.
Also I've never seen proof of this but was once told that anything 3/8" and thinner comes off a roll in the manufacturing process so it's never truly flat. Thicker is manufactured different so it's usually truer.


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Cool little cutting station. Bottom tray slides out. Sides slope in. Top has removable slats. 16 gauge square tube, 16 gauge sheet, 1.5 angle, 2 by .25 flat bar.
 
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Larger one for track torch. Now has removable slats, dual trays.
Have built three more since these. Could put half solid or a removable piece for a top.
All other tables are half inch.
My personal table is 1/4 4 foot by 8 foot. Casters rated for 700lbs each and has a small trailer tongue I can in bolt. Really handy.
 
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The small steel table is half .250, half .375, 30" x 60" x 38" high, with angle iron legs and spreaders. Built from scrap about 15 years ago. (Same table from the copper crawler build). Now it holds the bench grinders. There's actually a couple more on there now along with my tube notcher.

The perimeter work benches are 3/4 bc plywood 2x4 frames-24" deep and 39" high, with 14 Guage tops, attached via liquid nail. I don't really fabricate anything on these but weld sometimes. If I ever build more, I would brake the 14 gauge over the front, so I could weld tabs or attachments of sorts.



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This one is .250 top, angle iron frame on casters. Triangulated the sub frame area as a "truss" to support the center of the table. 30" x 72" x 38" high. Great, useful table, especially being mobile.

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Latest built, 49" x 74" x 39" high. 3/8 low grade (magnetic) stainless, 2x3x 3/16 tube frame. Built the frame, placed the plate on, then set 2- 5000 lb pallets of alternators on it to push the bow out, worked really well. The vise is in a receiver hitch below the table top, so that the top of vice is flush with table top. I build all my tables to have a comfortable vise height with a workpiece in it for grinding/welding, I'm 6'4", my vises are too tall for some of my friends to comfortably work from. All three steel tables house a vise.

If anyone is looking, Morris scrap in Shelby has stacks of plate steel of all sizes and thicknesses. I don't recall the price but I bought this piece from them by the pound, deep discount from metal house price, especially if you can use it without being cut, they will cut if needed. Iirc it was less than $150.

Matt
 
I built mine 4x6. 1/2" thick top and the legs and frame are 2"x2"x 1/4". I have a 4" lip all around it for clamping. The underside is framed for support.
Here is 900 bucks worth of steel I started with. I know you are probably not looking to spend that much. I want this table to out live me.

Here is the frame work.

Here it is completed.
 
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