Welding Benches? Especially Portable ones.

[Erie Fred]

Cheers for the replies! I might make something then. I could probably use the flux core that came with the machine to make something to my spec before I go to gas. That table in the picture was actually quite heavy and big. Probably a bit much for a portable unit. I need to get a welding trolly too but just thinking of something small to practice on... I imagine a workmate will be up in flames in no time

I told my neighbor (sort of in the same situation as you) to snag a old ironing board to use for welding.
Fold it up when your done, stand it in the corner, etc.....he scoffed.

I spotted one curbside, so tossed it in my truck (The f-150 with the 8' bed that never needs to be made.....)

Dropped it off, he kinda looked sideways at it....

Can't work without it now.
Uses it for everything, as it's all metal, no problems with fire.

 

[Pond frog]

If the price is right that home base table pictured would be fine to start with, looks a lot better than most cheap workmates. No need to overthink it. working with what you can get your hands on quickly and cheaply will get a lot more done than trying to find the perfect bench

 

[Kram]

I tonne building aggregate bags (the type they can hiab lift full with the webbing in each corner) make excellent equipment weather covers.
You can plonk weights on the webbing straps or tie them around/under kit to stop them blowing off, and they are sturdily made.

The ones I've seen usually have holes in the bottom from being dragged over concrete. I dont know how much they are to buy new..

 

[Kram]

If the price is right that home base table pictured would be fine to start with, looks a lot better than most cheap workmates. No need to overthink it. working with what you can get your hands on quickly and cheaply will get a lot more done than trying to find the perfect bench

It can also be repurposed later for storage, however I think for any welding duty he would atleast need a thicker bit of steel to rest on the top. The hombase one looks to be 1.5mm or thinner sheet. I would say 5mm as a minimum if you dont want it distorting and throwing parts off square.

 

[Mark 2]

my welding bench has a 8x4x8mm steel top plate....50x50 box legs n cross bracing....can only be moved by a pallet truck......
anything lighter really doesnt work.....

Indeed, my bench is 80mm box, the tea trolley proposed here can't be called a bench really. Any dreams of adding a vice will be short lived.

 

[Pond frog]

It can also be repurposed later for storage, however I think for any welding duty he would atleast need a thicker bit of steel to rest on the top. The hombase one looks to be 1.5mm or thinner sheet. I would say 5mm as a minimum if you dont want it distorting and throwing parts off square.

Well that depends what you’re welding small light items shouldn’t present any problems, a light weight welding bench is only ever going to be raised platform to weld at a convenient ht, if you’re thinking in terms of a fixtures table and clamping things in position then that’s a whole different story that’s never really going to be a mobile bench

 

[Kram]

Disagree if your joining two parts even tiny ones, you want them on the same flat level surface.
A thicker top also gives good heatsinking to thin metal.

If I tried stick welding 0.8mm thick sheet on a 1mm sheet workbench I would likely blow holes in both! A thicker surface wont be damaged, and also gives you somewhere to strike a rod.

Anyway the steel plates I linked are not expensive.

 

[cheb]

If you can't drop a 4 foot square piece of 16" thick armour plate on there for a bit of tweaking it's not worth calling a bench.

 

[gaz1]

alot of us have welding carts so add on something else

jump near the end of the video to see the table

or plasma cutter or even both

 

[Barking Mat]

Trying to negotiate a reasonable price for one of these.

 

[GRW]

The ones I've seen usually have holes in the bottom from being dragged over concrete. I dont know how much they are to buy new..

I was able to snag some unused tonne bags.
It couldn't hurt to ask a builders merchants if they'd sell you a couple - worst case they say no

Edit: Screwfix sell them for a tenner, but a bit of googling might turn some up for less (I bet the merchants buy them for peanuts in bulk)

Polypropylene Reusable Polybag 1 Tonne - Screwfix https://search.app/J1QnDi5mMhveuz1p6

 

[cheb]

They are cheap enough that I don't hoard and sell used ones.

 

[Erie Fred]

No one has used a 55 gallon oil drum for a welding bench before ?

 

[BrokenBiker]

I've just cut the steel for mine semi portable welding cart/table...hopefully get it all welded up tomorrow so I can then stsrt on my table saw and sheet bender, bird feeder and a few bits for my father's wood working shed

 

[DanZac]

Cheers again for the replies all. Just to talk about work space and working in a wooden shed. I was thinking about this but thought it could be a bit of a disaster welding near wood. At the moment we have a decent size garden so I've got a clarke garage/tent thing for my Capri. The Gas I'm storing upright in the car to keep it safe form being nocked. We have a low basement that I keep tools etc in so I thought I could have a small table for working on that I could keep there and I'll get a welding cart for the welder for safety with the gas bottle. In the future there will be a garage but being self employed and looking at the year so far, it wont be any time soon haha. Currently just want to get myself welding and practicing for when I need it... who know I might not even take to it although I think I will from a previous attempt.

If it was me I'd still be keeping an eye on Gumtree or Market place for a cheap or free shed where you can work in the dry and not have to lug everything out into the garden every time you want to do anything.

In my opinion even a 4ft bench across the back of a 6x4 shed with your welder underneath the bench and a few tools on the wall and an overhead light is better than being outside.

If your worried about welding in a wooden shed put some Cement board around and under your bench to stop any sparks getting to the wood, keep a fire extinguisher handy and stop 30 mins or so before you knock off so you can make sure nothings smoldering before you go in.

 

[Kram]

A shed will also collect grinding dust, fumes and dampness. It is easier to sweep up a mess outside. I dont like doing dirty work where I am storing stuff.

 

[sardine]

I had a Black & Decker workmate from a skip that I swopped the rotten wood top for one peice of galvanised steel grating , this was a pretty good folding welding bench.

 

[BrokenBiker]

A shed will also collect grinding dust, fumes and dampness. It is easier to sweep up a mess outside. I dont like doing dirty work where I am storing stuff.

A shed can easily be fitted with protective areas for tools and equipment...most importantly it keeps the rain and wind away, can be fitted with a small heater for the cold months...I've done a lot of welding in the cold/wet and it's miserable after about an hour. I'd much rather sacrifice having to clean up more often to be able to have warmth and somewhere dry

 

[Kram]

I cant have a second or bigger shed... Manage with what I got.

A firepit and layers will keep me very warm.

I may put a removable roof over the garden, perhaps just a tarp tied in each corner, it would ne nice not to be dodging rain showers..

 

[BrokenBiker]

I cant have a second or bigger shed... Manage with what I got.

A firepit and layers will keep me very warm.
View attachment 481499

I may put a removable roof over the garden, perhaps just a tarp tied in each corner, it would ne nice not to be dodging rain showers..

2mx2m pop up gazebo saw me well though last winter for odd jobs, about 60 quid on ebay and some sand bags to weigh the legs down