- Thread starter stee1e
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3mm is likely to be a bit thin, I'd say a minimum of 5 or 6 mm (depending on what's stocked locally at the right price!) but the advice I was given was that 6mm was fine, but if you really want to belt something on it, 10mm is the way to go.
depends what you're likely to be welding.
I'd think your box section will be fine, I wouldn't get too obsessed with 10mm thick table tops etc, fair play that's needed if you're in heavy fabrication or likely to be bouncing large RSJ's across it, but in most cases you're probably not, horses for courses. If you are planning heavy works then you already know the answer.
Mine is 3mm and been fine, but that's for "garage" type welding fabrication. Anything heavy, I usually end up working off the floor anyway.
I'd think your box section will be fine, I wouldn't get too obsessed with 10mm thick table tops etc, fair play that's needed if you're in heavy fabrication or likely to be bouncing large RSJ's across it, but in most cases you're probably not, horses for courses. If you are planning heavy works then you already know the answer.
Mine is 3mm and been fine, but that's for "garage" type welding fabrication. Anything heavy, I usually end up working off the floor anyway.
zx9
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In what way Mike, too heavy and over spec'd or too light?
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I'd go with rectangular tubing because it's cheaper for it's strength if that makes sense. 3 mm top will be fine if you brace it well underneath, some 25 x 3 mm flat on 200 - 300 mm centres underneath would do.
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The material section size is not always the most important thing. A lot depends on how you frame it up, where you put bracing, leg ties etc. Its all about making efficient use of the material.
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Very true but didn't you once say you bent your 30mm bench surface? Would bracing that have helped?
How big do you want your bench?
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Very true but didn't you once say you bent your 30mm bench surface? Would bracing that have helped?
Not many benches get 15T put on top of them!
stee1e
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That's what we were thinking, we're not gonna be building heavy stuff, so bracing etc. will be used to strengthen the smaller material. We shall use what we can afford to build something at first. Presently we are using a fire hazard, anything will be an improvement
Just make sure you add some stiffeners. 90 degree to the table top. 3mm will be fine for home use then. You will be surprised how stiff.
Kent
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Yep agree with that one 100%
Richard.
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The material top not only does it need to be thick enough to hold what you want to weld but it needs to cope with any heat that may go through to with out distorting. 3mm is too thin for a welding bench IMO. 
Here is my little one I use at home I used 40x20x3 for the frame work and legs. My top is 10mm thick although 5mm will be fine.
As said above it's very dependent on how it's built and braced rather than what it's built with. I added a wooden shelf underneath for electrodes some bench lights and a torch hanger. Once it's built you will be doing similar with personal touches.
Here is my little one I use at home I used 40x20x3 for the frame work and legs. My top is 10mm thick although 5mm will be fine. As said above it's very dependent on how it's built and braced rather than what it's built with. I added a wooden shelf underneath for electrodes some bench lights and a torch hanger. Once it's built you will be doing similar with personal touches.
paulmitchell1984
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iv recently started mine (to be finished today hopefully), i went for 68mmx68mmx4 or 5mm box for supporting of the top, the top is 6mm thick, iv made it with same steel for shelves under neath (overkill but used the material i had) 6 legs in total so shouldnt bend..when its done il put pics up...me and my uncle went halves on all the steel for the benches (one each) and its cost us about £70 each..when we got the steel it was from a local scrap yard so not new but perfectly good for what we need, we ended up with apporx 3/4 of a ton of steel so there not light weight
premmington
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Oil drum half filled with sand with 10mm plate welded onto the top!
Very easy to "tip up and roll about"
Plus they are a good height to work at!
I have two... One with vices bolted to it (as pic) another for welding on.
The bonus with this design is, you can G-clamp things to it from every side (for welding positioning)
Very easy to "tip up and roll about"
Plus they are a good height to work at!
I have two... One with vices bolted to it (as pic) another for welding on.
The bonus with this design is, you can G-clamp things to it from every side (for welding positioning)
Richard.
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I like that idea.
