What makes a good welding table?

[Irving]

I'm tossing around the ambitious idea of building a welding table. Problem is, I'm so new to welding that I don't even know what are important features to have on a welding table.

I like what this guy has done:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWOM0IApasY

I have some questions though. The main question being about the upside down piece of angle iron on the end. I thought he said it is used for welding butt joints when you need them to be level. If that is the case, why wouldn't that be located somewhere more toward the middle of the table. Further, what is the difference between that and any other gap on the table? Maybe for shorter lengths of tube or bar stock?

Please fill this thread with features that are important to you in a welding table. In the end, I'm sure I'll end up doing something that is as simple as possible, but I'd really like to hear ideas from those with experience.

Thanks.

[DFBrews]

Flatness and weight are key heeavier the better so you can clamp pieces straight my table is 1/2” plate with 2” square tubing around the perimeter and I am working on fixturing holes

[Irving]

I watched another video and this guy built a table that weighed something like 1,300 lbs. I understand the flatness for sure. I get enough weight to hold weighty projects, but how much benefit is there to bring over 1,000lbs? Are you saying heavier is better so the piece clams flat to the table, instead of the table bending to the piece?

[buffalobo]

Angle channel at end for butt joints is pretty much the same as the gaps in table but the angle has more access for clamping.

I prefer just a plain table with heavy top(3/8"+), I modify it as needed. Every project is different, I weld up jigs and stops etc on table as needed and then just grind them off at end of project. Mount for a pipe vice is required.

[Irving]

Like welding on a right angle (or any angle) stop in the corner? That's a good idea. You don't worry about changing the flatness of the table with always grinding on it?

[buffalobo]

If you are space limited the size and especially the weight will matter. Sturdy table does not need to be excessively heavy.

[def90]

I worked part time at a company back in 2009 that had a fixturing table that was super heavy, perfectly flat and had a grid of threaded holes every inch across the entire table. Was pretty cool, you could lay out a bunch of pieces and clamp them down using various bits of allthread, metal straps and wing nuts and weld away.

[buffalobo]

Like welding on a right angle (or any angle) stop in the corner? That's a good idea. You don't worry about changing the flatness of the table with always grinding on it?

Over many years maybe. I just tack jigs etc well enough to get thru project so I can knock loose with hammer and clean up with grinder. It's a fab table not a machine table, over grinding a tack weld(1" square) will have little/no effect on future projects.

[XJ]

I've been thinking about one of the flat-ship table kits for years, but haven't learned enough welding yet to justify it. That and not enough extra room in the garage!

https://weldtables.com/collections/f...-welding-table

[Grant H.]

Flatness and weight are key heeavier the better so you can clamp pieces straight my table is 1/2” plate with 2” square tubing around the perimeter and I am working on fixturing holes

This.

Mine is also 1/2" plate, sheered from a 4x8 (not enough room in my garage for a full 4x8). I used 1x3" tube on edge around the edge, set back 3" from the edge on all sides to make clamping to the edges easier. 2x2" tube for the legs, and lockable high weight casters. I then fenced the legs on three sides with the same 1x3" tube. Still can have stuff slid underneath it, but has added support for the legs (1/2" plate is heavy... ~20lbs/sqft).

Before the legs got their cross bars.
20180603_181842 by ARNEWB, on Flickr

Showing the leg cross bars:
20181022_083625 by ARNEWB, on Flickr

As for fixturing holes, I'm still on the fence for the need. I haven't gone down that road yet, but I do know they can have their uses.

With these squares, I haven't actually found a project that I needed fixturing holes for with these, clamping along the edges of my table, and using switchable magnets.