# Welding Bench



## Starlight Tools (Aug 25, 2011)

So I was wandering around one of the tool stores in the big city and noticed a neat welding station put out by Miller. http://millerwelds.co/arcstation.

Then I got thinking. I picked up a blade from some big scraper back awhile ago. 20 " wide x 8' long x 1" thick from the scrap yard.

It has a series of holes down the centre, that would make a nifty weldng bench. The plate is hardened steel to boot!

So I am using 2-1/2 x 2-1/2 x 1/4 HSS Tube for legs, only had enough for four legs, one for each corner so hopefully the plate is stiff enough to support any load. Each leg has a Footmaster GD-100F levelling castor, good for 1650 lbs each so if I am correct should be able to load it up nicely. 

Sorry can't take nay pictures till GF gets back from her sisters wedding in Guelph this weekend.

Walter


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## Old Iron (Aug 26, 2011)

That will make a good one and one that you can beat the heck out of!

Paul


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## Tony Wells (Aug 26, 2011)

If you decide later to stiffen it, simply get a piece of I or H beam and weld it in place down the center underneath. Or two, leaving access to the holes if they are spaced too closely together to allow a single large beam. You would be able to shim and stress any bow that might be in the plate at that time as well.


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## November X-ray (Aug 26, 2011)

OH that makes my back ache! but it sure ought to work well for a welding bench!


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## Starlight Tools (Aug 26, 2011)

OK so bench is welded up and has already been put to use. 

There is no way I can even budge a leg off the ground, the plate is 480 lbs, the tubing is about 80 lbs and then the castors so just shy of 600 lbs. Rolls really well on the castors though.

I was fun to flip over to weld on the legs then flip back right side up and put on the ground.

Definitely a good project.

Walter


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## November X-ray (Aug 28, 2011)

A picture when you get the chance will be greatly appreciated!!! (not to mentioned admired)


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## Starlight Tools (Aug 28, 2011)

......


> author=starlight_tools link=topic=3247.msg23330#msg23330 date=1314327881
> Sorry can't take any pictures till GF gets back from her sisters wedding in Guelph this weekend.
> 
> Walter


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## pdentrem (Aug 28, 2011)

I would think that your table and ours weighs about the same.

Our welding table is 4x8" approx and 1/2" thick on 3" square tube legs. I use a hand truck to move it around the shop when needed.


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## Starlight Tools (Aug 28, 2011)

sounds like close to the same amount of steel, actually yours will be maybe a touch heavier. So far seems to work out well, other than shop is so full, it will never fit in the door, but then I try to do the welding in the carport anyways. 4x8 is a nice size. This one is a bit narrow at 20" but already had the plate!

I Am thinking of adding a shelf, will see. Need to get more tubing if I decide to go that way. Up till now everything has been on hand to make up this bench.

Glad my sniffer was working good the other night. I had been grinding away and wondered who had a campfire going. We are close to a provincial park and there are a lot of beach homes and one not beach home that regularly get fires going at all times of the day! Found a spot where the sparks had landed in a small pile of Carpenter Ant shavings and it was slowly smouldering, about 3 to 4" around by the time I had found it. Put that out and no more trouble for the rest of the night.


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## pdentrem (Aug 28, 2011)

The local forest fire can sure ruin your day. My sister in New Brunswick could not start a fire with a nuc right now. Been the wettest summer ever and Irene added some more!


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## Tony Wells (Aug 28, 2011)

We have fires daily right now. Everything is so dry. Two weeks ago there was one that burned 285 acres before it was contained. One edge was about a mile from our place. I'm glad the wind didn't change direction, or we would have been evacuated. Late news reported 4 this evening within 25 miles or so of me.

Be careful!


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## Starlight Tools (Aug 29, 2011)

A forest fire is one thing, its when you burn the building down with your hobby that is totally different. My store, business, shop are all located in my home, much like many of your hobby shops are. As much as I try to keep flamables contained and cleaned up, there is always an unsuspected pile somewhere. Hopefully the Carpenter Ants are gone, that pile looked to be fairly old, but it was hidden under a pile of junk and I have been aggresively attacking them this year.

When I did millwrighting at the sawmills, it was common practice to have a spotter under where you were working, and a security detail doing fire watch patrols all night. does not take much for a small ember to smoulder into a fire that will destroy a complete mill.

Yes Be Careful! Keep your eyes and nose open at all times when doing anything that creats sparks.

Walter


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## Tony Wells (Aug 29, 2011)

Since nearly all of Texas is under an extreme drought, burn bans are pretty much everywhere. No outside bar-b-que or grilling. Even outdoor welding is under some restriction, which kills a lot of our pipeline work. Most of the fires are the result of cigarette butts tossed out the window, sparked from exhaust of cars and trucks. No lightning fires, since we aren't seeing rain or storms. One of them today was traced back to a window unit a/c unit overheating while the homeowners were gone. Total loss. The one near me was caused by an overheated electric motor on an oil well pump. The pump nearest me has a loose belt and squeals on every start cycle. I worry about the belts getting overheated.

I don't know what I would do if I lost my shop, or my home. I'm insured, but it would be devastating. The shop is only about 150 feet from the house, and is metal, but it still could burn. I'm careful to keep flammables out in a metal outbuilding that should be safe from most sources of ignition.


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## Starlight Tools (Aug 29, 2011)

I recently did a tool audit on my equipment, ended up having to up my insured value by a lot. If you are underinsured, that is all they will give you in case of loss, so make sure you are fully covered.

Of course that only covers what you have listed down, does not cover al the extra hidden gems that have collected over the years. Better safe than sorry.

Walter


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## Starlight Tools (Oct 28, 2011)

OK so got the camera back and the order of steel arrived, so here is the rest of the bench now that it is all welded together.

I liked the feature one of our esteemed colleages Chris added to his bench for repairing rear ends etc, so I added the tube under the centre of the bench so that I can insert a 2" sq to make fixtures etc.

Walter


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## Starlight Tools (Nov 11, 2011)

Ed

Tubing is 2-1/2 x 2-1/2 x 1/4 wall for legs and cross members.  The tube under the table is 2-1/2 x 2-1/2 x 0.215 Seamless Hitch Tube.  I am thinking of adding two more of the hitch tubes. at each end of the bench as they seem good for jigs and fixtures, etc.

Walter


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## Starlight Tools (Nov 26, 2011)

Jerry

Both edges are tapered, about 30 degrees.  I put the wide side up, that way if I want to bend something over the edge, I have a nice sharp corner to do it with.

However if the table ever tipped over, it would not only crush from the weight, but also shear off whatever it landed on as it is a pretty sharp edge.

So far it has taken a good beating and held up well.

Walter


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## Rbeckett (Dec 16, 2011)

Walter if you add the hitch tubes you can make several attatchments for chop saws, grinders and bending jigs that will interchange and move where you need them.   I have a ring roller, chop saw, bench grinder and bending jig all fixed up and ready to slide in at a moments notice.  That way the table stays open for bigger projects and over hang.  You should be able to persuade anything you want with an 8 Lb sledge on a table that thick.  Mine is only 1/4 so I have to be carefull what I beat back into shape.  Looks good and the addition of the tubes will be a great improvement.
Bob


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