What's new
By:
Filters

Tell me why I’m dumb

89Breaker

89Breaker

Around
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
793
Messages
145
Finally have my welders (primeweld tig 225 & mig 180) gas (argon & co2), and 220 power supply (generator due to military housing).

Just need a welding table HOWEVER the two car garage is full so i’m now in the creative solution business.

Why shouldn’t I flip over my roof rack or hitch carrier onto some sawhorses and drop a spare flat sheet on it and start the buzzzz buzzzz metal glue machine?

Ideally I still want to use the roof rack since my jeep gets full with family and need cargo space. The hitch carrier is more of a nice to have since the Mrs has a suburban and i drive a CC LB truck. Wally world has carriers for sub $200 which is cheaper than the metal to build a table.
 
I have a roll cart and a peice of 3/16 i set on top as a welding table. I used it for everything on my buggy. I'd love a bling ass table, clamps and all that but it's just not in the cards unless I get a bigger shop.
 
Welding tables seem to be an over rated commodity in a home shop. That being said I wouldn't use the rack just because you have to use it somewhere else and if you are welding stuff to your table you may damage the finish on thr rack. Grab some 2x4s or even some steel, throw on saw horse's, throw on plate, and go.
 
I have a piece of scrap 3/4 PT plywood and a ~36x18" piece of flimsy metal sheet a buddy gave me that get put on my tailgate. I'm no welder by any means but I've stuck a decent amount of stuff together using that setup or kneeling/kimchee squatting in the garage or driveway.
 
At home, I don't usually use a table.. yesterday was metal saw-horses because there's a transmission on my table.. which is only about 24x48 anyway. I have bigger tables available, and only "need" them once every 4-5 years.. so I don't bring em in to take up space.

OP, there's no reason your idea wont work.
 
I've got a gutted cast iron tablesaw top. Machined flat (give or take some slots), fairly easy to clamp to, and cheap.

This dude had the same idea.


 
I used a table saw table for awhile before I had my real work table. Worked good in a pinch. Saved the wings for medium precision sanding blocks when I got rid of it.
 
I picked up a cheap HF roll cart, flipped the top, added some bracing underneath, and cobbled a tank holder. Welder lives underneath and I have a decent flat surface for small projects. Large projects are usually attached to a vehicle.
 
While I am under the belief that the bigger and heavier a table is, the better. Regardless if its a "welding table" or just a spot to stack all of your crap:laughing: ......That said, I could see a filing cabinet sitting on wheels with a plate on top being handy in a small shop
 
My only welding table is a piece of 3/8” steel about 16” by 24”. Everything bigger than that gets welded on the floor.
 
Get the el cheapo HF one It folds up. takes up about as much room as the two sawhorses and scrap plywood that I had before I got it. It's not all that flat though.

www.harborfreight.com

Adjustable Steel Welding Table

Amazing deals on this Adjustable Steel Welding Table at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com www.harborfreight.com

subybaja said:
I've got a gutted cast iron tablesaw top. Machined flat (give or take some slots), fairly easy to clamp to, and cheap.
Click to expand...
IMG_0689.JPG

IMG_0691.JPG

IMG_0695.JPG
 
I have a Miller 30FX Arcstation, 30x30ish with 3/16" top and folds down to literally nothing...it's excellent but bloody expensive (thankfully a gift from my loving wife lol so uh, I guess my money still haha)

I also built this though:



Works great for a small garage where I wanted a metal work surface but didn't have the space to always leave it out.
 
MigGunslinger said:
Get the el cheapo HF one It folds up. takes up about as much room as the two sawhorses and scrap plywood that I had before I got it. It's not all that flat though.

www.harborfreight.com

Adjustable Steel Welding Table

Amazing deals on this Adjustable Steel Welding Table at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com www.harborfreight.com
Click to expand...

This. I couldn't bring myself to pay for Stronghand's version, but when HF came out with their knockoff, I bought it the first week they were available at my local store. It's not great but it doesn't completely suck. Better than stooping over or sitting in the floor.
 
Ooohhh…i like the filing cabinet idea. I did that with something else but forgot about it.

Also like the folding wings idea.

I found a free table saw locally but folks aren’t replying….I hate “digital flea markets”.

Easy enough to add some brackets to hold things in place.

I picked up a scrap 4x8 steel diamond plate for $80 and will combine these ideas.

Probably replace the wood on my rolling work bench with it and add the metal surround. I found a bed frame I can chop up for bracing.
 
Is it ex military housing or current?

A buddy had a 2 car garage on Mtn Home AFB and almost got in deep shit for doing fab work on his Jeep in his garage.
At the time they allowed vehicle "maintenance" in the contract and didn't specify. They understood it to mean oil changes.

He got out of repercussions because he wasn't violating the contract. Next version had a few more pages of what was and wasn't allowed in the house and garage.


I could only imagine the attention a gen set running would draw.

As far as welding table, I happen to have an 8x12ft that's also the bed of one of my trucks. It's perfect height and 5/16" thick.

Had a 5x10 1.5" thick table, but traded it to a friend before I bought this place.
Not sure what it weighed, but my Bobcat couldn't lift it.
 
Thanks, now I have to add burned up table saws into my rotation of random garage fodder to search for.
 
Yup, old table saw added to the sandford and son list:shaking:. And the pickup needs brake lines. I bet i see a table saw in the garbage in the next few days. Ya know, since I'm in a car.
 
AKnate said:
Had a 5x10 1.5" thick table, but traded it to a friend before I bought this place.
Not sure what it weighed, but my Bobcat couldn't lift it.
Click to expand...

When the entire table can be used as an anvil, you know its heavy enough:laughing:
 
My welding table is a roll cart with a piece of drywall flopped on top of it. I'll put plywood under the drywall for heavy work. My work bench is built against a wall so this let's me get 360° around the work and also let's me work in the middle of the bay away from the things I don't want red hot metal near.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh