Workbench/table ideas

I want to build a work table, welding and fabrication and repair, on
wheels/casters. I have seen some really cleaver ideas on here.

I am thinking 30 by 8 or 10 ft.

I am wondering if you have some cleaver ideas you built into a table
or bench you would post some pictures here.

Thanks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMQZgSR3eTM&ab_channel=CosmasBauer

For any type of welding table, get as thick of a metal top as you can, and either slots or series of tapped holes give flexibility to clamp items down in the middle of the table. Also, a good overhang on all sides of the top allows clamping around the perimeter of the table top. Receiver hitches can be welded to the underside to allow removable accessories like vices. Here is my welding table that I found years ago on Craigslist. It has a 2 inch thick 50 inch x 40 inch top with 1/2 tapped holes in the top, nice 90 degree table corner tops for squaring up to, and all metal casters for mobility.

I love portable workbench

I've used plywood covered pallets to make portable workbench.
I also have many feet of benches attached to pole barn walls and shells above benches


G

I built mine with a 1/2 inch thick steel top and I put three wheels on it,only the front wheel in the middle swivels,I really like the fact that it won't rock on an uneven floor and it is easy to move around,mine is 36 x 48 so three wheels might not be suitable for larger tables.

I would make it both ways. With casters and fixed feet. I had a bench on casters once and it was to mobile. You couldn't reef on it with out it moving. I have seen several designs that use both. Let Google be your friend and do a search for work bench images you'll find what you want.

OTJ

If you make two 24 inch by 8 foot tables, you can join them side by side to get a 4x8 foot table. Or end to end to make a sixteen foot long workbench for really long projects.

I have an old ping pong table folded up in pole barn that I've used as a workout bench.
When using the aluminum break, I use two long folding tables to hold coil stock.
George

My table saw has casters on a frame that moves down and locks to roll, or swings up to stand on fixed feet. Jim

I have a sheet of 1/2 wafer board doubled to 4' x 4' that I put on a pair of cheap fold up saw horses, when I need a work table in my shop. It works well for me. So does the 2' x 4' sheet I use when less table space is needed. It takes up very little space when put away. gm

For a welding and fab table, the thicker the better.

Anything under 1/2 will warp with heat.

You'll want good square corners to reference from. Overhang to clamp to. Tapped holes in the middle to clamp down.

If room requires it to have casters, go with heavy duty ones with brakes.

I built mine 48 x 48 but if I had a do over I would go bigger. 48 is a common dimension, if the part is 48 it tends to fall off the table.

And not too tall, 36 is a good height. If there is a vise, it needs to be easy to remove.

Paul, I've built several work benches and if you want, call me and I'll give you some great ideas for some work benches ! Jim in N.M. 505-620-3040

Take a look at how a blacksmith shop is set up. An anvil on a stump at waist height for pounding on stuff which is really hard to pound on something at table height especially with a sledge hammer. Anvils also have a horn for round objects and some have square and round holes for shaping iron. They also have various swedges, etc. for shaping metal. Pounding on something on the edge of a table will tend to move the whole table unless it is super heavy. So having a plate welded on to a leg for an anvil with a support that also can extend to the floor/ground will allow it to roll around with your table on casters. Every blacksmith adjusts his anvil height so his arm at the elbow is at 90 degrees when his hammer strikes the metal on top of the anvil which gives the best leverage and saves the arm. Also the blacksmith will hold something with his tongs on the vice while an assistant pounds away with a sledge so the height does make a difference. I don't have an anvil but do have some pieces of railroad track for pounding on. With a little bit of torch work, I can make a pointed horn on the end of one piece of track.

They also have a vise that mounts to the side of table with an extension that goes down to the floor and rests on the floor with a ball end or flat plate which allows for heavy pounding without upsetting the table.

When I mounted the regular vise on my bench, I put it in the corner offset closer to the edge on one side. That way if I put a long piece of iron in the vise that needs to have the other end supported by the table the vise is far enough back to do so. However when I swivel the vise around 90 degrees, the vise jaws are closer to the edge and hanging past the table so I can put a long object in that needs to extend down and not need table support.

With a large steel table think about a place for a small forge. The plate doesn't have to be very thick (1/4" or more) and just cut a hole in the plate in the middle of where you have a spot at least 12" in diameter over on a back corner. Take some 1" flat bar formed around in a 3/4 circle tacked down to contain the coal. In the center drill some 3/8" in a 2" round area or so or cut some slots for a vent or better yet cut a 2" hole and have a removeable vent for letting clinkers drop through. Then put some 2" black pipe with a clinker drop leg and a tee to poke in a hair dryer (borrowed from your wife when needed) from the side. Plenty of utub vids on homemade forges from a wheel brake hub to an old tin charcoal grill with sand and fire brick in the bottom. Depending on how much you used it you might want a hood and 12" vent pipe above it but cheaper to use coal than a rosebud to bend metal and give you a lot of fabrication options for bending instead of cutting and welding.

Have a shelf under the table for placing your welders and other tools. A drawer or series of drawers for putting your calipers and other precision tools in helps. On the other side from the vice you can weld a bracket to one of the legs to set your oxygen/acetylene bottles on so they roll around with your table.

Nice! My kinda place.

I used steel bar type floor grating.
Comes in a variety of widths up to 3 feet.
Various lengths up to 20 feet, maybe more.
Steel or even aluminium.
The open areas allow clamps or bolts to be used virtually anywhere.

Thanks for all the great comments!

Thanks to everyone for all the great comments!!!! Paul