Idea for a bench top

[bigegg]

I've been browsing, and seen these

And I'm thinking they would make a pretty good bench top.
No good for welding stuff to, but plenty of space for clamping - like an "Acorn"(?) bench, or those hugely expensive bench "systems" with the sliding plate tops (whose name escapes me at the moment)

I've got about half a dozen which I can lay my hands on - 750mm x 100mm, so will only make a 2ft x 3ft bench, but it'll be a start.
They seem to sell for about £5 - £10 each on the bay, so £180 for a 6ft x 3ft x 2in slotted, adjustable, cast iron bench top. Seems good to me

Actually, seems TOO good to me - what have I missed? apart from the fettling (grinding manufacturer marks off, shimming up)

 

[octo0072000]

problem if you want to tack something to the bench and cast will crack if hammering on it

 

[rtbcomp]

........... Seems good to me

Actually, seems TOO good to me - what have I missed? .......

Are they gulley covers that have been nicked by Pikeys? If so, you may get your collar felt!

 

[bigegg]

lol - no!.
Bought on a pallet of drainage stuff from a farm clearance

I realise can't be used to tack to - the cracking is a bit worrying, but hammering is what anvils are for

 

[norlander]

I reckon its a good idea-personally I don't like tacking to the welding table-I've got some of those hold down clamps for slotted tables on pillar drills, plus bits of angle I have drilled and welded bolts to as stops, but if you did need to tack to table you just have a piece of 3/5mm plate to put on the table.And if you kept one or two back as spares you be covered of you broke one?-just slot it in.

 

[waddycall]

How flat are they??

 

[bigegg]

How flat are they??

about 1mm dish on long side,.
they're rough more than flat.

 

[waddycall]

about 1mm dish on long side,.
they're rough more than flat.

Could be a good idea but I'd get really frustrated with stuff dropping through the holes!!

 

[AndyStobbs]

Be good for a cnc plasma or profile burner

 

[Shox Dr]

I reckon those will take a rite' beating they will suffer from day to day traffic, not to mention vibrating plates and road rollers.
Probably sand cast hence the finish.

Interesting, keep us posted

 

[Maker]

I would go for it if I where you. It would make a very heavy, solid, bench that would never move, even with serious hammering (The kind of hammering that bends half inch plate).
As Shox Dr said, the fact that they stand up to traffic means they shouldn't break but it might be worthwhile to get a couple of spares, just in case. You could bolt a thin piece of laser cut plate to the top if you really wanted to be able to tack onto it. And to kill two birds with one stone, you could lay a piece of 1 mm bar under the plate to make it perfectly flat.