What makes a good welding table?

[ChickNorris]

See if I can get a pic up of the small table I built later today.

Nothing special but it works for me.

[ray1970]

I like the aluminum idea...

How conducive is the aluminum? I mean I almost always just toss my ground clamp on the table and weld away. I?ve never seen a welding table with an aluminum top.

My table was built small due to space restrictions. The top is a piece of 3/8 plate about 24? square. I used 2x2 for the legs (the heavy 1/4?stuff) and the legs are cross braced with 1/2? pipe. I didn?t move it around too much before I decided it needed casters. I?d snap a picture but its currently buried in the back corner of my garage.

As an added bonus, my little mig welder fits perfectly under the table and sits securely on the braces for the legs so the whole rig rolls around as a unit.

[Bailey Guns]

I'd worry about hot spatter drops on an aluminum table. Shouldn't be a problem with conductivity...electrical wire is sometimes made of aluminum. Definitely not as durable as steel.

A good welding table is something that's in my future. Just haven't got around to it yet.

[Irving]

Don't some people like to weld on aluminum because it helps transfer heat out of the piece a bit quicker?

I like that several of you have built a table. It sounds like a good project to actually learn welds for a purpose. I think welding carts are another beginner project, but I've already got one. I also like the idea of making a steel die. Saw that one on Welding Tips and Tricks.

[ray1970]

My first welding project after I bought my welder was to build the table.

Also, my total cost for the table was zero dollars before I bought the wheels. (Thanks to pillaging the scrap metal bins at work. I got extra lucky finding the piece for the top and enough square tubing long enough to make four legs)

[Irving]

I want square tubing legs that are adjustable height, which means I'll need two sizes. I recent saw a fab video about removing the interior weld inside tubing. I'll have to watch it again to see if it's something I think I can handle. I'd like to use a drill press for all the holes, but I don't plan on getting a drill press until I have a table to put it on.

[buffalobo]

I want square tubing legs that are adjustable height, which means I'll need two sizes. I recent saw a fab video about removing the interior weld inside tubing. I'll have to watch it again to see if it's something I think I can handle. I'd like to use a drill press for all the holes, but I don't plan on getting a drill press until I have a table to put it on.

5/8 x 4 bolt and nut will make your legs adjustable. Weld nut into outside corner at bottom of tubing, screw in bolt.

If want casters, use bolt longer than casters are tall. Roll to location, level up.

[Irving]

I'm having trouble picturing what you mean.

[ChickNorris]

I'm having trouble picturing what you mean.

I believe he means like the leveling feet you would find on the bottom of metro shelving.

In the case of having casters, just make sure the bolt is longer than the casters are tall so once you've rolled your table to its location you can turn your bolt (foot) out further than the height of the wheel, lifting the table up so it can no longer roll.

Least that is how I read it.

[ChickNorris]

When putting the nut on the outside edge I've tacked a little sleeve of tubing above the nut to protect the threads of the bolt after its passed through. Keeps them usable longer & any splatter off of them too.