I build a welding table from scrap from the yard in tis vid. This project didn't take me too long and I hope to use it for awhile.I plan on putting a shelf on the base for more storage. mike manmade
Man, I wish the scrap yards around me had THAT KIND of scrap. I have to go to the steel supplier to get anything remotely resembling that scrap. Color me jealous.
Same here. I find better stuff cruising alleys than I do at the scrap yard. Nice table though. I want to weld up something for my everlast welding set up before the summer is out.
Alleys and yard sales for material. Find an elderly woman (widow) that her husband recently passed and offer to help remove large "junk" from her property for free. ;)
You made that look so easy.. ive been building mine out of sprinkler pipe scrap that i took out of a dumpster and its just taken forever since its all in segments from8 inches to a foot and a half.. so ive been having to clean them up and weld them together just to make the lengths long enough. Ive been working on it prob 10 hours in my free time. Im getting close now but its been pretty tough to figure how things should go and the best way to put it together, as this is my first metalworking project . After watching this i might just trash and try to redo it better.
Looks good, but some constructive criticism from a hotrodder background (I build Jeeps, trucks, cars, and anything else that I can justify bringing the welder out for)- - tack everything together, THEN burn in your welds. You'll have a lot less trouble. This went pretty well for you, but you had some fitment issues late in the build due to the steel being pulled as you weld. -bolt the casters on- when they fail, they're easier to replace. If they don't fail, bolting is still stronger than the tacks. Those tacks can easily fail if you're using this welding table as welding tables get used (rolling over extension cords, beating on it, etc. Bolts are just the right answer. -Did you ever check the top for flatness? Just because it's thick doesn't mean it's flat. Even welding on it at an angle as you did when you burned it in can make it not flat. Not meaning to talk down to you at all, you have done good work here and I will check out your other videos. Just trying to relate some of my experience, having been there and done that.
Yeah and if its not perfectly flat then what ? lol. Who cares man if it ain't 100% straight, that small amount of welding ain't gonna warp the crap out of that top.
@@dillwiggle2 Dill Wiggle If the top isn't flat you get the warps out as you weld it to the frame. You can do this by welding an "L" piece of steel to the bottom side of the top and drive a steel wedge between it and the frame or us a hydraulic ram. It just makes future projects easier because you'll know you have a flat surface to go off of.
Having come from a maintenance background, I would attach the wheels with bolts just in case you have to replace them in the future. Otherwise, great build.
Weld a couple sides of the wheel instead of welding in the bolt holes then you can cut them off a lot easier after, but bolting them in makes easy removal but of course its more work lol.
Nice table. I just bought a used welding table for $100.00. It's 4X8 feet with a 6" channel iron frame and a 1/2" steel top with screw leveling feet. I'm guessing it weighs about 1,000 pounds. lol. We set it in place with a front end loader.
Metal heats up and moves when you weld it. Especially thin metal. It helps if you jump around and stitch weld things. Letting parts cool a little before you go back to that area. That's why it was out of square. Nice table though
I am building a welding table out of much lighter scrap, as its all i have. I am drilling and bolting the casters on mine, they all made in China and will fail. I have a 20 year old engine hoist at the shop, all welded and the casters went bad years ago. so i had to cut the casters off because someone welded them on. They didnt just tack em on. They did full weld all the way around. Big pain. I am also not welding the top on. i am bracing and pinning the top on. If i need to move the table, its easier. To each his own, I am all about portability. Cool table. Good job.
Weld some 3/4 threaded rod on those casters with a 3/4 nut, you'll thank me later when your table is out of level, depending on the floor surface your on. Always helps to be able to adjust your table level, helps down the road... bad ass table man ill be copying you
Thank you for showing the build of a simple welding table! I feel so inferior when I see Diys on a weld table with elaborate pull out extensions ect...
I think my welding table was a bit cheaper to build than yours but not as heavy duty. The top is 2x4 feet 1/4 inch steel with 4 bedrail legs(that metal is tough) and 4 pieces for stability and a lower shelf for my plasma cutter . And 4 HF locking wheels. The legs were welded directly to the top. Last but not least I was some old used 3/4 inch black iron pipe welded directly to the bottom side of the top to strengthen and keep it flat. Also I built a chopsaw table the same way except with a wood top, almost free.
@9:00 cutting material flat like that will decrease the life of your blade significantly. A much better way to cut that piece would be by standing it up vertically so that less of the teeth on the blade are contacting the material at once (if that makes sense). It will make the cut much easier, faster, and by using this technique/principle you will save a ton of money on saw blades over time. If holding it vertically proves to be too difficult (can't keep it stable enough to prevent chattering and perform a cut smoothly) then you can angle the piece being cut by using a block of wood to prop up the back edge. Doing this is especially helpful when cutting very thin material.
The first welding table I built has wheels, it works for what I need it for but is kinda sketch for heavy work (wants to roll out from under you, even locked down). The second one is solid, but it's set up to move really easy with a floor jack and a couple HF caster dollies
You might want to consider putting some fireproof sheet, metal, etc., behind your chop saw to keep sparks from falling down between the studs or, worse yet, the wiring.
was informed these are deceptively difficult. its better to cut shorter thanmeasured in small amounts than long, cuz u can always just fill in the remainingfractions ofinch with weld nice grinding job on the top... holy crap that looks good. bet that took a good while.
dang all that from scrap yard? i have to pay for two inch wide junk at scrap yard in houston.Awesome table and work.TU. no wonder we can't find anything good around here it all gets shipped back north.
You and me both. Scrap yards down here don't let you pick threw and buy. I get the liability but they would make a lot more money letting people sign a waver and jump in.
Keep on rollin You know...it's one of those things that folks who are new to things don't know what we don't know....if we don't know how to do something and we are learning then how are we supposed to know about this warpage? Some folks will guide us along (like Edgar) and then there are folks like you who expect us to know it all just because you do. The guy built the way he thought was right and how he wanted. I would have don't The same thing. But this tip that was given is huge to someone like me who hasn't been welding long at all. This is why we watch these videos. To pick up tips and to learn not to be belittled. If you're gonna comment, please do so to help others, not to try and make us look stupid or to say we don't care
thats why you tack everything together before welding it. tack everything then once the whole thing is tacked then weld and you wont have that problem of things being out of place.
That's a nice table! Where do you get your scrap? (I live in MA also, but there don't seem to be any scrap metal/junkyards anywhere near Concord, MA...
Keep on rollin how is that over kill? pretty thin wall tubing..looks like pretty typical 2 1/4" ..good solid top but not ridiculous..thick enough to not warp from being welded or flex under weight..but light enough that he flipped it himself..wheels are right in their working limit.I would've went with a little bigger myself, but my floor isn't that smooth..nice shelf on the bottom..didn't overdo any welds.. where's the overkill?
In auction I paid $200 for 6x4 5/8 plate steel top with 6 inch offset vice so heavy needs hoist to lift it nice job tho cheers later I priced the vice only for$350 I,m v happy with my table.
I like the idea of making your own table but what if you need to clamp your steel in the middle? I'm playing with the idea of buying a table with pre-drilled holes but I think this would be more budget conscious. What was the total cost of this build????
If you're looking for cheap steel, check with fab welding shops. Couple places near me sell their drop (leftovers) by the pound. For that matter, new steel is cheaper than it's been in awhile. Summit Racing sells small diameter steel tubing in 4 and 8ft sticks pretty reasonable. Just an option if you live someplace where there's no source at all for material
I am planning to do this soon and I am thinking about installing heavy duty steel wheels for portability since my garage is not as big and not as cluttered as yours 😅😅😅
+Jason Bates Thanks, I think I said the casters are 4.5", but they are 5". www.ebay.com/itm/171864308242?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
In actuality the cost of new steel is more affordable for what you want, than you might think. I built a similar bench including the top plate for under $50.
I called a local steel company, and used 1 1/2" square tubing (under $2/foot). Mine has a 1/4"x 2'x4' top with an over hang from the frame, standing 42" tall. I hope this helps.
hi im planning on doing my first work bench..just took up welding class recently. it is ok if the top of the table if i use plywood instead of metal sheet.. im on really tight budget.. metalsheet cost a bomb in my country .thanks
Augie Inciong that's pretty thick steel compared to the low amount of heat from those spread out short beads he laid. While I would avoid it if it isn't much more work, this thick of metal can absorb alot more heat compared to something thinner, or with alot more welding being done to it. So in this case, I'm betting he's fine.
Most fab shops are not interested in giving you a deal. I needed a plate of 1/2 inch steel plate and called two steel suppliers and a fabricator who advertises to sell steel for the home welder and the fab shop was more than double the price.
If it was 1/2" thickness (0:35) and about 5' x 2' (11:50) it would weigh just over 200lb. www.gigacalculator.com/calculators/metal-weight-calculator.php
