# Welding table build



## DavidR8 (Sep 25, 2020)

Picked up 12’ of 3” sq x 1/8” wall square tubing and 12’ of 1”x2” x 1/16 wall rectangular tubing for my welding table base. 
Still need to add casters. 











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## DavidR8 (Sep 25, 2020)

Oh and I picked up an Esab Savage A40 helmet and 2.5x magnifying insert. 
Absolute game changer for me. 
I can see the MIG wire as it enters the puddle. 
Amazing difference. 






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## vtcnc (Sep 25, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> Oh and I picked up an Esab Savage A40 helmet and 2.5x magnifying insert.
> Absolute game changer for me.
> I can see the MIG wire as it enters the puddle.
> Amazing difference.
> ...



I stopped trying to weld because of the inability to see clearly. I was looking at this helmet and their claims and have been hesitant to pull the trigger. Maybe now is the time.


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## pontiac428 (Sep 25, 2020)

What are you using as a table top, David?


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## DavidR8 (Sep 25, 2020)

vtcnc said:


> I stopped trying to weld because of the inability to see clearly. I was looking at this helmet and their claims and have been hesitant to pull the trigger. Maybe now is the time.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Honestly, I was a bit skeptical. But I am seriously impressed by the difference in clarity and colour. 
My old Esab was green and dark even on shade 10 with bright lights on the work. 

This lens is very clear and almost colour less. 


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## DavidR8 (Sep 25, 2020)

pontiac428 said:


> What are you using as a table top, David?



I have a 2’ x 3’ x 3/8 piece of plate that I had water jet cut. 






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## mikey (Sep 25, 2020)

I just happened to watch this last night. Interesting that the 2.5" thick mild steel slab was the most inaccurate.


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## C-Bag (Sep 26, 2020)

mikey said:


> I just happened to watch this last night. Interesting that the 2.5" thick mild steel slab was the most inaccurate.


Very interesting Mike, thanks for posting that.


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## NortonDommi (Sep 26, 2020)

vtcnc said:


> I stopped trying to weld because of the inability to see clearly.


After many years I finally bit the bullet and bought an auto darkening helmet, an Chinese import with large view, four sensors and 'true colour'.  All I can say is WOW! Being able to easily alter shade to suit the conditions and have such a crystal clear view is a game changer.  The diopter from my old helmet fits and the vendor has a wide range of new ones at NZ$8 each,(US$5.24),incl. tax Not anywhere the same class as an Esab but does the job and I really regret not getting one sooner.


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## graham-xrf (Sep 26, 2020)

mikey said:


> I just happened to watch this last night. Interesting that the 2.5" thick mild steel slab was the most inaccurate.


Thanks for the link. The 14ft straight edge in the video is outright awesome!


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## NC Rick (Sep 26, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> Oh and I picked up an Esab Savage A40 helmet and 2.5x magnifying insert.
> Absolute game changer for me.
> I can see the MIG wire as it enters the puddle.
> Amazing difference.
> ...


I use my 3.0 readers under a helmet.  I couldn't put the old school narrow magnifiers and limit where I could look out the fancy wide-screen. Were you able to get full sized magnifying inserts?


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## DavidR8 (Sep 26, 2020)

NC Rick said:


> I use my 3.0 readers under a helmet. I couldn't put the old school narrow magnifiers and limit where I could look out the fancy wide-screen. Were you able to get full sized magnifying inserts?



Not quite full size but very close. 
I am going to try some readers also to see which I like better. 


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## C-Bag (Sep 26, 2020)

I went to auto darkening a while back and it’s amazing. Not as nice as your Esab but can see great and use my readers just fine. My problem is trying to break my pulling up and down the hood after decades of doing that.


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## DavidR8 (Sep 26, 2020)

C-Bag said:


> I went to auto darkening a while back and it’s amazing. Not as nice as your Esab but can see great and use my readers just fine. My problem is trying to break my pulling up and down the hood after decades of doing that.



I can totally relate to that. 
Even though my other Esab was autodark it was so opaque that I used to raise it whenever I wasn’t welding. 


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## C-Bag (Sep 26, 2020)

mikey said:


> I just happened to watch this last night. Interesting that the 2.5" thick mild steel slab was the most inaccurate.


one thing I was a bit confused on was the last top he reviewed sounded like his top? Or was i filling in? The one that was a cast iron top that you put on a bench or toolbox. At $900 it was the cheapest of the real precision tops. That review reflected what I’d always found that anything less than 3/4” thick will warp. I wasn’t surprised the laser cut “precision table” wasnt NASA worthy. Way too thin of material. I like his reviews.


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## C-Bag (Sep 26, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> I can totally relate to that.
> Even though my other Esab was autodark it was so opaque that I used to raise it whenever I wasn’t welding.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


So the new one is not so opaque? My cheap autodark I can see just fine when not dark. One that I couldn’t see when not dark would be no bueno.


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## DavidR8 (Sep 26, 2020)

C-Bag said:


> So the new one is not so opaque? My cheap autodark I can see just fine when not dark. One that I couldn’t see when not dark would be no bueno.



The new one is very clear. 
New 





Old






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## C-Bag (Sep 26, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> The new one is very clear.
> New
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah the color of the old one would have been a mess for me. Especially if there wasn’t a lot of light like overhead welding. Man, autodark has come a long way.


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## mikey (Sep 26, 2020)

C-Bag said:


> one thing I was a bit confused on was the last top he reviewed sounded like his top? Or was i filling in? The one that was a cast iron top that you put on a bench or toolbox. At $900 it was the cheapest of the real precision tops. That review reflected what I’d always found that anything less than 3/4” thick will warp. I wasn’t surprised the laser cut “precision table” wasnt NASA worthy. Way too thin of material. I like his reviews.



I'll have to go back and watch it again but I thought the last one was that thick slab of mild steel. I almost bought a table with a 1" thick top but I didn't have room for it. Now I'm glad I didn't. A smaller piece like David's would probably be fine but 4X8, no, not unsupported. 

My personal table is just a 3X6', 1/4" thick steel plate sitting on a plywood base supported by square tubing all around with cross braces. It works for me but it surely isn't anything like what you can get nowadays. It's flat, though, so good enough for me.


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## Janderso (Sep 26, 2020)

David,
I have the Miller digital elite. Have you had any experience with this one?
I have looked at the Esab. I can’t say the clarity is all that great with the digital elite.
The certificate is flat. I’m considering installing one inside my 5’x5’ welding table. (It’s bowed, I think it’s 1/4” plate)


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## DavidR8 (Sep 26, 2020)

I tried the Miller Digital Elite at my LWS and honestly it was not as clear as the Savage so it was not in the running. 
I paid $155 for the Esab, the Milller was $470. 


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## NCjeeper (Sep 26, 2020)

I picked up the Lincoln Viking 3350 with 4c lens technology. Wow is it clear.


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## Janderso (Sep 26, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> tried the Miller Digital Elite at my LWS and honestly it was not as clear as the Savage so it was not in the running.
> I paid $155 for the Esab, the Milller was $470.


What?
A welding helmet in my opinion should be comfortable, provide excellent protection, the sensors should not wash out your view and have a clear field of vision.
I'm going to but your helmet.
Please provide the model number so I get it right.
Thanks David.

I have this one








						Miller Vintage Roadster Digital Elite Auto Darkening Welding Helmet with ClearLight Lens  (281004)
					

The Miller Throwback.




					www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.com


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## Janderso (Sep 26, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> Esab Savage A40 helmet


Oops, I got it.
I went on line and found this








						ESAB Sentinel A50 Welding Helmet (0700000800)
					

Like the game Halo? You'll love this helmet!




					www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.com
				



I like new and improved but $300


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## Janderso (Sep 26, 2020)

David,
Is this your helmet?
$89.95
https://bakersgas.com/products/esab...9rq9DV4tg2sgAPm1zjUHOBc_RVgx-q5saAlj-EALw_wcB[/URL]


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## Janderso (Sep 26, 2020)

NCjeeper said:


> I picked up the Lincoln Viking 3350 with 4c lens technology. Wow is it clear.


That helmet was judged #1 by Bakers Gas with lots of excellent reviews.
I wonder if a hobby guy could tell the difference between all these top end hoods?


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## DavidR8 (Sep 26, 2020)

Janderso said:


> David,
> Is this your helmet?
> $89.95
> https://bakersgas.com/products/esab...9rq9DV4tg2sgAPm1zjUHOBc_RVgx-q5saAlj-EALw_wcB[/URL]



Yes, that’s it. 
In black 


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## Janderso (Sep 26, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> I paid $155 for the Esab, the Milller was $470.


Prices in your area seem to be elevated. Is that because of shipping, taxes or because your a Kanuk?


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## NCjeeper (Sep 26, 2020)

Janderso said:


> That helmet was judged #1 by Bakers Gas with lots of excellent reviews.
> I wonder if a hobby guy could tell the difference between all these top end hoods?


I upgraded from a 200 dollar Hobart. It was good but nothing like the Viking.


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## DavidR8 (Sep 26, 2020)

Janderso said:


> Prices in your area seem to be elevated. Is that because of shipping, taxes or because your a Kanuk?



It’s my elite Canuck status. 
Generally CDN prices are about 38-40% higher because of exchange and duty. 


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## DavidR8 (Sep 26, 2020)

Janderso said:


> That helmet was judged #1 by Bakers Gas with lots of excellent reviews.
> I wonder if a hobby guy could tell the difference between all these top end hoods?



For the price difference between a Lincoln 3550 and the Savage there is no difference in clarity. $200 more for the 3550 isn’t buying me three times the clarity. 


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## Aukai (Sep 26, 2020)

I use my table for every thing, so I added a 12" x 12" 3/8 steel plate, you can get what ever you fancy. If I want to pound on something I put the plate down, and no stress of dinging up the table.


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