StrongHand Tools Welding Cart...DROOL

[f350ca]

Don't think I'll pull this one out of flat. Guessing about 1200 lbs, couldn't lift it with the forks on.

Greg

 

[johnnyc14]

You won't have to worry about someone stealing that table Greg!

 

[coolidge]

I wasn't trying to be a downer on the topic, just stating the facts. The Rhino Cart ad does say nitrided top, reversible? Why someone would want to reverse their welding table top escapes me. Now, other than the fact that the table specs state .004" in 12", what are the tolerances across the width and length? This would be the same as saying; My surface plate is accurate in this quadrant. The table tops are offered with or without the nitride treatment and the treatment is about the only thing that's going to maintain the tolerances or specs when the tables are being used.

In regard to flat, square and true..................You can't purchase a piece of material that's precision, or even close to those tolerances unless you go to a specialty house, then after you weld on it, it isn't going to be flat square or true. At some point in time, after the tacking is all over, you have to remove the weldment out of the fixture and weld it up. I understand that clamping is one form of controlling induced stress and distortion, but emphasis is controlling, not controlled, because you can't.

I believe in truth in advertising so I would like to see the weldments featured in the Rhino Cart ads or ProBuilt welding tables turned around and fixtured up so the opposite side can be clamped and welded. I'm sure the point in some of the videos are to show the different clamps available (that's their money maker), but many show setups that limit tacking and welding.

I know these tops have become more popular with individuals over the last few years but they are mainly used in production assembly lines for robotics. Marketing says lets sell these to Joe Public, they're cool, along with the professionals always use half warped rusty plate.

No you're not stating facts, you are stating opinions that unfortunately are wrong. Not trying to pick a fight here, but lets set people straight.

Fact: I owned a StrongHands 2x3 foot welding table, nitrided, with the 5/8 thick drilled table plates. What you don't see in the pictures is the construction of the sub-base the table plates are bolted to. It was massive, like 2x3 inch heavy steel tubing, precision ground in the areas the table plates bolted to. Thus its flat and is going to stay flat even under clamping, the sub-base is much more rigid than the plates. Hell the damn thing was so heavy I had to lift it with a engine hoist.

Fact: The stated tolerance was .004 in 12 inches, the measured tolerance was better .002 in 24 inches on my table, measured with a precision Starret 24 inch rule. And in fact it was dead flat less than .001 in most areas I measured, the worst was .002.

Reversible Top - Why not, have you seen what noob hack welders like me can do to a welding table. Being able to flip the table over after a few years of abuse is a plus in my book.

Nitride Coating - The Rhino cart only comes nitride coated from what I can see, there's only 1 part number. It is true their other tables are available both untreated and nitride coated. During my brief foray into wire feed MIG I can tell you the nitride coating came in handy, bits of stuck wire and spatter pop right off with a putty knife.

Accuracy - You obviously have not used one of these precision tables so you don't understand the benefits. First off it makes setup WAY faster and easier. Using the locating pins which are in a precision drilled grid you can clamp up your work flat, square and true in a fraction of the time. Have you looked at the warped to **** Miller welding tables? They are a joke, I put a straight edge across one in an AirGas store, it was laughable. I don't want to be fighting both my welding table and welds pulling things out of square. Yes full beads are going to pull things out of square, the pro's adjust for that during setup. I found using shims between my material and the locating pins help with that. Again I'm a hack noob amateur welder, its already so difficult for me I'll take all the help I can get from my table.

FINAL - TBD if this Rhino table is as rigid constructed as their other tables but given the price difference my guess is not. From what I can see in the pictures there's a sub-base at least around the parameter that the top is bolted to. I don't see any counter sunk screws out in the middle of the table which suggest it may not have the heavy sub-base in the middle. But the Rhino cart is priced a lot less than the same size regular table they sell so I expect its probably not built to the same rigid standard. I'm okay with that. This is a compromise for me of mobility, table size, and cost. The regular 3x4 foot table, with casters and the table leg braces would be over $3k, this one is $2,200.

 

[Eddyde]

I know these tops have become more popular with individuals over the last few years but they are mainly used in production assembly lines for robotics. Marketing says lets sell these to Joe Public, they're cool, along with the professionals always use half warped rusty plate.

I respectfully disagree, that "professionals always use half warped rusty plate" What kind of professional welder are you speaking of; some hack working out of their garage (not to say, all garage welders are hacks) or a real pro welding shop? I have been in quite a few of the latter and they usually have Acorn or similar tables costing many thousands of dollars. The more accuracy you start out with the more accuracy you finish with. the finished product may not require .004" per foot precision but it will make the job much easier if your not having to work around the warp in your rusty plate of a table.

 

[Eddyde]

Spine surgery, hip surgery, 2 years of constant PAIN is finally behind me thank Christ.

Good to hear you're past that now.

 

[coolidge]

I have emailed StrongHand requesting a cad drawing of the cart to determine if the table is just screwed down to the sheet metal cart or if there's a rigid base under the table.

 

[Rustrp]

I respectfully disagree, that "professionals always use half warped rusty plate"

I said; "Marketing says lets sell these to Joe Public, they're cool, along with the professionals always use half warped rusty plate. "

Marketing, get it! Now if you buy into what they say print in the pretty color brochure, you may respectfully disagree with my comment. I am familiar with an Acorn or Weldsale as I already stated in my comment. Welding is only part of ending up with a weldment pers specs. The bigest hurdle a welder faces in a fab shop is base metal/material arriving per mill tolerances. If the mill runs a piece of 2" x 2" x .188" tube with one of four corners being a different radius than the other three, do you think they care if the table you're counting on to pull you through the project is within .004" tolerance.

 

[Rustrp]

Reversible Top - Why not, have you seen what noob hack welders like me can do to a welding table. Being able to flip the table over after a few years of abuse is a plus in my book.

Kinda defeats the purpose of precision. If one side is that beat up, precision is gone on both sides, or as the joke goes; Turn er' over, if that makes you happier.

I read through your comment and nothing stated about mounting mentioned a machined 3"x4" mount and the only difference was nitrided of bare mild steel. Yes the Rhino Cart was offered as nitrided.

 

[Rustrp]

Fact: The stated tolerance was .004 in 12 inches, the measured tolerance was better .002 in 24 inches on my table, measured with a precision Starret 24 inch rule. And in fact it was dead flat less than .001 in most areas I measured, the worst was .002.

So what you're saying is; Based on tolerance and flat, the top is a waffle with highs and lows.

 

[coolidge]

Kinda defeats the purpose of precision. If one side is that beat up, precision is gone on both sides, or as the joke goes; Turn er' over, if that makes you happier.

I read through your comment and nothing stated about mounting mentioned a machined 3"x4" mount and the only difference was nitrided of bare mild steel. Yes the Rhino Cart was offered as nitrided.

I give up, you are the all knowing of everything okay. Feel free to start your own thread debunking welding tables.