Small Fabrication & Welding bench pic heavy

[projectwelder]

Hi.
I have been on the forum for few years now I guess, I come on here everyday more recently.
I am a Mature student on level 2 fab/weld course at Coleg Cambria.
I'm not too bad with my Mig nowadays so time for me to make a decent Welding bench for my garage.
Its my first Welding project I started last week.
There is Not much room in the garage so it had to be sized accordingly.
After some research and trawling through some threads on here I bought some materials and set into action.
Used 10mm plate for the top and 40x40x3mm for the legs and supports was square hollow section I found in the college skips..also added and ground point at the front.
I added support in the centre for to avoid any warping in the future. Probably added more weld than needed really but hopefully that will not be a issue.
few pics I took.

Still work to be done as I want some casters in the future and possibly some storage for grinders and disks etc..
Any advice as to where i can get reasonable price on set of casters? Or a link? Seen them on amazon but I'm not convinced with them.

I hope the pics work as took what seemed a age to sort out.

Any comments welcome.

 

[gordon stephenson]

Nice looking table you have there, definitely not going to buckle or warp any time soon. Great work.

 

[captain-destructo]

I found in the college skips..

cant beat a bit of skip diving

also added and ground point at the front.

hmmm just be carefull when you sit at the bench on a high stool

Any advice as to where i can get reasonable price on set of casters?

erm asda tesco
or there is always machine mart



oh and nice bench by the way

 

[AdrianH]

Looks good to me, my bench is only 1 metre x 600 mm so not that much difference, tis good enough for small fabs.

Adrian

 

[projectwelder]

Top Plate is 650x800mm so quite small, but I am happy how it's turning out. Nice to be making something useful rather than welding the same joints in college then they get recycled.

 

[Norm]

great table build there, that top plate has cleaned up well and it looks as solid as a rock

 

[Paul.]

Nice job, I wouldn't bother with castors on a bench unless you intend to regularly move it any distance, I would just weld a 3" or so square plate on the bottom of each leg it will then drag round the floor easily, If you must fit wheels then also make some jacking feet so that you can lift the wheels clear of the floor for working, even the most robust castors are quickly destroyed by the shock of a hammer blow transmitted down the legs.

 

[captain-destructo]

just remembered i had photo's of this moveable bench idea

 

[projectwelder]

just remembered i had photo's of this moveable bench idea

View attachment 58342
View attachment 58343

Keep the ideas coming, food for thought definitely.

 

[Steve J M]

Hi, I was looking for adjustable feet / mountings for a welding table and came across this company that do industrial castors

http://www.rosscastors.co.uk

 

[projectwelder]

Will take a look now bud.

 

[shed or dead]

just remembered i had photo's of this moveable bench idea

View attachment 58342
View attachment 58343

Great idea but I'd need a higher ceiling for the size of lever that could lift my overloaded benches off the ground! Never enough space.

 

[projectwelder]

just remembered i had photo's of this moveable bench idea

View attachment 58342
View attachment 58343

I'm swaying towards something like this.
The price of casters is quite high, alot more than the bench cost me, plus what has been said about them supporting alot of weight plus being struck with hammer blows causing quick death to the wheels got me thinking.
Maybe would be best to have a solid base on the ground as won't be moved to often, but a unintrusive lever jack type system with wheels might be a better idea for my bench

 

[Kent]

In answer to durability of wheels 1. make sure you have the right size SWL for your bench weight of bench+ load you might put on divide by three then get 4 of this size! 2. fasten them onto bottom plates with bolts so if you bust one its none to hard a job to swap out. Yes I should use wheels but each must lock, I am actually designing a big fixture bench with wheels myself presently. Its going to be a non starter to drag that one to the side as it might get to 1500 kg
You can buy these things from most engineering supplies places, you need not use e-bay in deed you will want to foster a good relationship with your nearest supplier
A decent bench that for smaller jobs, I might have done the connections slightly different but that's just me. perhaps you should show some pictures to your instructor and get thier feedback?
BTW, as a mature student o the young uns get on your wick with their messing around and such? I know a bloke of 23 who is back at college learning to be a spark and its doing his head in as he just wants to get on and do the days work and the instructor has little class control

 

[p0689109]

You could mount one to each of the rear legs at a height whereby they don't touch the ground until you tilt the table to move it. Saves you buying 4 castors and you can just use the unbraked sort as they are cheaper!

 

[projectwelder]

In answer to durability of wheels 1. make sure you have the right size SWL for your bench weight of bench+ load you might put on divide by three then get 4 of this size! 2. fasten them onto bottom plates with bolts so if you bust one its none to hard a job to swap out. Yes I should use wheels but each must lock, I am actually designing a big fixture bench with wheels myself presently. Its going to be a non starter to drag that one to the side as it might get to 1500 kg You can buy these things from most engineering supplies places, you need not use e-bay in deed you will want to foster a good relationship with your nearest supplier A decent bench that for smaller jobs, I might have done the connections slightly different but that's just me. perhaps you should show some pictures to your instructor and get thier feedback? BTW, as a mature student o the young uns get on your wick with their messing around and such? I know a bloke of 23 who is back at college learning to be a spark and its doing his head in as he just wants to get on and do the days work and the instructor has little class control

Thanks for the info.
I let my tutors see the progress today. Two of them said pretty much the same thing, don't bother with casters unless it will be moved around alot, better to have it on the ground..
I am 32 now so definitely a mature student. The lads mess about alot and talk rubbish, different generation than even mine i would say. I keep myself to myself and get on with the work. Doing well and getting distinctions so all is good. I have returned from 2 weeks work experience in Germany last month. Nice to be doing real work, i was making steel spiral staircases and handrails. Really enjoyed the experience but being the oldest student there and listening to constant bull was annoying.
thanks again for the information. :-)

 

[500e]

Have made movables over the years with 2 wheels fixed "not castor" the other end has a horizontal bracket with a hole to take a dolly that over centers on pushing handle of it down this lifts the non wheeled end & it turns into a trailer push pull it round lift handle fixed end sits back on floor, move Big band saw this way + other heavy lumps, use old ball races as wheels

 

[Steve J M]

great table build there, that top plate has cleaned up well and it looks as solid as a rock

Am Impressed by the way the top plate has cleaned up ….. I have some 10mm top plates that also need cleaning up & I recall there was a post on here somewhere where the person used some additive (not wd40) but possibly something similar to keep the top from rusting again. Can anyone advise please ?

The bench I have just 'thrown together' is going to be used outside (always under cover) I know its a bit amateurish by comparison to a lot on here, but I cannot weld yet & so I needed a table / bench to get started on. (I can always upgrade when I can weld !)