Building a Welding Table????

[Okiehunter]

4x4 w/ 3/16 top. What are some must haves?

Was planning to mount two casters on one end with a trailer dolly on the other.

What else should I do to make it mo-better??

[kparker158]

Weld horse shoes on the side to use as hooks. Weld a vice on it too.

[Kevin Smith]

Leave a 2" over hang on your top, it makes it easy when you need to clamp things up. Also a electric strip with several plugs mounted on the cart is helpful so you aren't having to unplug and plug in tools.

[Kevin Smith]

I'd also put a bottom shelf so if you aren't using a tool you have a place to put it. 4x4 isn't that big.

[R Herline Jr]

Weld an up side down piece of angle iron down one side. it will keep round things such as pipe from rolling around during fabrication. I would bolt down the vise

[RWB]

Heavy crate shelf under the table to hold grinders, porta band etc. 2 in receiver hitch for vice so it can be moved out of the way. Build frame out of square tubing, easier to clamp to than angle. I would build the table top heavier if you can. Build with 4 wheels so you can wheel it easy. Build it the same height as other tools so you can use it to support long pieces. Mine is same height as my band saw. Wire an outlet on each leg so you plug in the table and have power wherever you need it. Let me go look at mine one more time :-)

[RWB]

The crate shelf just lets the metal dust fall to the floor

[RickyS]

3/16 may work well for you. Like others have, I'd go heavier if I could. No part if a vise welds very easily. Better bolt it. Not sure I'd have to have an electrical outlet on the table. Nope, I'm sure now. No outlet either. I wouldn't put wheels on it either. But that's just me.

[Kevin Smith]

3/16 may work well for you. Like others have, I'd go heavier if I could. No part if a vise welds very easily. Better bolt it. Not sure I'd have to have an electrical outlet on the table. Nope, I'm sure now. No outlet either. I wouldn't put wheels on it either. But that's just me.

why?

[hot_rod_eddie]

Depending on your setup, here are my suggestions, some new, and some I agree with from previous: 3/16 should be 1/4+ unless it is free, definitely bolt the vice, put a shelf under the table for grinders, consumables, etc, leave a 2" overhang for clamping, and weld an upside down angle across the lip so things will not roll off, make sure casters have locks. I also like to attach a small inverted 'V' on the front of my table to have a place to hang my tig torch (you can cut it out of the angle on the front). I also weld 1" pipes on about a 30 degree angle on one side of my table to hold the different filler rods, bolt a chain to the side to hold Argon, CO2, Helium, etc. I am personally not a fan of tables that move because it always becomes a pain. Also, unless you are in a room with great ventilation, I would recommend installing a hood. Post a pic when done. Good luck

[PSD Ryan]

No wheels. Cap your square tube legs, drill a hole, weld a large nut to the bottom. Use a bolt to easily level the table. I've got a thing for my tables being perfectly level and my garage floor is not perfect.

Look into skeleton tables if cost is your reason for not going with a thicker top. They also provide lots of places you can clamp.

Small plasma deck on the side is nice if you do lots of plasma cutting.

Tubes welded on each corner to hold torches and guns

Shelf under to hold other stuff

Channel down one side for a tray to hold scribes, punch tools, and soap stones.

Hitch receiver then mount bench grinder and vice to switch out.

Table saw roller that you can adjust height on to match the deck height on your chop saw. Makes keeping long pieces stay level in the saw.

[hot_rod_eddie]

why?

Couple of reasons I suggest no electrical outlets on the table. If the table is movable, you are going to trip over or run over cables all the time. Second all the metal dust flying around can short out the outlet and cause damage or more. Perhaps if someone installed a high quality outdoor style strip on the underside of the table, you wouldn't trip but on one cable, and they shouldn't get debris inside the connection.

[RWB]

My table is wired with a plug on each leg. All wire is ran in conduit under bottom shelf and inside the legs. Ran to one pig tail to plug in. You are going to have extension cords I would just rather have one and have power handy. Only reason I like wheels is my shop is not big so everything has to me movable.

[RWB]

Btw I prefer 1/2 inch for my table top....keeps it from warping over time

[Kevin Smith]

Another cart I saw, was a cart that had a trailer dollie on all 4 legs, mount them high enough so when you crank it down it will sit on the legs, it makes it stable when working but it's easy to move. I also have to make my shop movable, my wife parks in the garage.