welding table project.

[twigster]

Hi all, before I start, I'm sure you get many similar “ Student making such and such that’s welding related, for a school project and wants to questionnaire some people”, so I don’t mind if I have few replies because they are all valuable.
I am currently a student doing my a-levels and am taking design and technology. For my final year project I have chosen the theme of welding and more specifically jigs and fixtures for welding. I am to design and build a heavy duty table which can be height adjustable and that must have some kind of modular clamping system that used hole or slots in the table surface, (similar to the strong hand build pro table in the US or like the clamping surface on a milling machine). I have facility to have the surcease laser cut from up to 25mm steel plate so the heavy duty part ain’t a problem.
I would like to ask a few questions to help me gather some more detail on what experienced welders and fabricators would want from a table like I have described, it would be much appreciated if you could answer some or all of my questions:
• Do you weld as a hobby or do you weld at a professional level or both?

• How large is the workshop you currently weld in?

• Do you currently own a heavy duty welding table? If yes did you buy it or build it yourself and does it have any facility for modular fixturing?


• Would you use the table for welding only and have a separate general purpose bench or would you use the table for general use as well as welding on?

• what kind of welding do you do the most? (MIG, TIG, arc, oxy)


• if the table had some kind of storage facility what would you preferably store in it? (Welding consumables, Grinding consumables, Hand tools, Power tools, ect)

• Do you have any problems or frustrations with wires and gas lines getting tangled around where you weld.

• Do you think a table which includes features for modular fixturing would increase your productivity over making separate jigs for every weldment?


• The table will be adjustable in height. I have a selected a few ways that I could use to make the table height adjustable; Manual lift and pin(like a crutch), Rack and pinion with a locking clamp(like a drill press), screw legs(like adjustable feet), scissor screw(like a scissor lift with a screw) or hydraulic with 4 hydraulic cylinders. Which do you think would be most suitable for my application? Or do you have another suggestion.

• Would you prefer to have the table totally static or have castor wheels to make it movable?


• Are there any features or point that you want to add?
Please feel free to constructively criticize my questions and thanks a lot in advance for your time. Any answers are much appreciated.
Twigster.

 

[astro_al]

I'll have a bash:

1. Professional.

2. 400 sq m.

3. Yes. Some bought, some built. No, I nearly left a couple of t-slots in it, but decided against it. Find my table build thread for more info.

4. I don't have a specific separate welding space, no. It would be used for all activities.

5. Mig & Tig.

6. Only the key tools I always need to have to hand. Consumables go further away in steel drawers. (Hand tools, measuring, marking, power tools - grinders etc, air tools). If it was a drawer built into the table I wouldn't use it.

7. Yes, all the time.

8. No / maybe.

9. Why? Most suitable is the fastest to use. Needs to be a push-button up or down. Anything more complex would be useless. Needs to lift many tonnes. Needs to lock out completely rigid when not in use. Not really sure it would ever get used anyway.

10. Static. Definitely.

11. You might be able to laser cut 25mm plate, but who's going to pay for it?!? Whatever you do, the key ingredients are rigidity, mass and flatness. I don't ever feel the need for an adjustable height table.

Good luck, Al.

 

[madkayaker]

• Do you weld as a hobby or do you weld at a professional level or both?
Both
• How large is the workshop you currently weld in?
to small! most of the time its weld the bit outside or shove one end into the shop to work on it
• Do you currently own a heavy duty welding table? If yes did you buy it or build it yourself and does it have any facility for modular fixturing?
was given it as payment for a job. hoas no kind of fancy system (and as i do lots of different tasks no desire for a system) but it does have a big bench vice on it
• Would you use the table for welding only and have a separate general purpose bench or would you use the table for general use as well as welding on?
have clean work area but the welding bench get used for heavy work and spraying as there is fume extractor
• what kind of welding do you do the most? (MIG, TIG, arc, oxy)
mig but use them all
• if the table had some kind of storage facility what would you preferably store in it? (Welding consumables, Grinding consumables, Hand tools, Power tools, ect)
that's what the store room is for! and that way they stay clean and fresh
• Do you have any problems or frustrations with wires and gas lines getting tangled around where you weld.
no as i only use a short #MIG torch and only uncoil the length of lead i need rest stays on top of welder
• Do you think a table which includes features for modular fixturing would increase your productivity over making separate jigs for every weldment?
no
• The table will be adjustable in height. I have a selected a few ways that I could use to make the table height adjustable; Manual lift and pin(like a crutch), Rack and pinion with a locking clamp(like a drill press), screw legs(like adjustable feet), scissor screw(like a scissor lift with a screw) or hydraulic with 4 hydraulic cylinders. Which do you think would be most suitable for my application? Or do you have another suggestion.
i made my welding bench the right hight for me!
• Would you prefer to have the table totally static or have castor wheels to make it movable?
mine is bolted to wall so when hitting things with big hammers/ putting engines on it it wont move
• Are there any features or point that you want to add?
for a more production weld job then benches with clamps etc makes more sense that for a maintenance type welder

 

[twigster]

11. You might be able to laser cut 25mm plate, but who's going to pay for it?!? Whatever you do, the key ingredients are rigidity, mass and flatness. I don't ever feel the need for an adjustable height table.

Thanks for the replys both, the information you have given will really help guide the direction of my project. in regards to your final point, being a student is really helpful when i come to approaching local companys for help. i have a contact with a local compony who own a laser cutter and have had parts cut by them for me for free before. They are very friendly and great people. The reason i am considering the height adjustment feature is so that the table can comfortably used for both mig where you would be standing aswell as tig where you might be sitting.

 

[madkayaker]

it would be easyer to make a TIG chair that was the correct height

 

[chunkolini]

I use a bar stool with a gas height adjuster mounted on supermarket trolley wheels.
Perfect.
Adjustable height bench sounds a bit of overkill and a huge amout of faffing about.
Chunko'.

 

[Shox Dr]

The benefits of having a height adjustable are many, two that spring to mind are;
lifting heavy or awkward items on/off and the ability to work at any height, saving your back.

I was going to build a hydraulic scissor table, however time and the fact my back is totally £****d. I bought a mobile 1350x850mm 800kg hydraulic table for £400. Is was a lot of money for me but am I soooooooo glad I bought it.

When I get time I'm still going to put the 4x8x5/8 plate on the top, grid drilled at 200mm centres, for jigs and hold downs (bench dogs). with a simple perimeter frame with removable legs, so I can rise and lower the plate, but also sit it on the legs, and remove the hydraulic trolley from underneath to use as another table.

 

[twigster]

Thanks for the Replys. Another reason for height adjustment is for tall object where welding on the top of the object needs to be done, so the table may be lowered to help get the object to a comfortable working height. Also my design must be globaly valid and so should suit all different shapes and sizes of people, a tall person may find his optimum working height to be much higher than a comfortable working height of a shorter person.

Thanks.
Twigster

 

[sean-1]

My go-

1 Pro but not main core of business

2 5000 sq ft

3 Yes bought

4 Welding only as all welding is done in a seperate area incase of fire.

5 Mig Tig

6 Wouldnt use storage but i did fit a bar to the side (kind of like a towel rail) for hanging clamps on

7 No

8 No

9 My table is a 5 ton scissor table so it does adjust in height from about 12" to 5'. Very rarely lift or lower it, proberly only a handful of times a year when welding insides of tanks and you have to get your head and sholders inside.

10 Static

11 A facility to be able to hook it up to an extractor system (downdraft) would be great.
Also always considered fitting woodworkers style vices to one side so the fit flush with the top and dont get in the way when not in use.

 

[s410man]

Hi all, before I start, I'm sure you get many similar “ Student making such and such that’s welding related, for a school project and wants to questionnaire some people”, so I don’t mind if I have few replies because they are all valuable.
I am currently a student doing my a-levels and am taking design and technology. For my final year project I have chosen the theme of welding and more specifically jigs and fixtures for welding. I am to design and build a heavy duty table which can be height adjustable and that must have some kind of modular clamping system that used hole or slots in the table surface, (similar to the strong hand build pro table in the US or like the clamping surface on a milling machine). I have facility to have the surcease laser cut from up to 25mm steel plate so the heavy duty part ain’t a problem.
I would like to ask a few questions to help me gather some more detail on what experienced welders and fabricators would want from a table like I have described, it would be much appreciated if you could answer some or all of my questions:
• Do you weld as a hobby or do you weld at a professional level or both?

pro

• How large is the workshop you currently weld in?

12 metres by 20 metres

• Do you currently own a heavy duty welding table? If yes did you buy it or build it yourself and does it have any facility for modular fixturing?

yes build it yes


• Would you use the table for welding only and have a separate general purpose bench or would you use the table for general use as well as welding on?

welding only

• what kind of welding do you do the most? (MIG, TIG, arc, oxy)

mig

• if the table had some kind of storage facility what would you preferably store in it? (Welding consumables, Grinding consumables, Hand tools, Power tools, ect)

all if it had enough space

• Do you have any problems or frustrations with wires and gas lines getting tangled around where you weld.

yes

• Do you think a table which includes features for modular fixturing would increase your productivity over making separate jigs for every weldment?

it does


• The table will be adjustable in height. I have a selected a few ways that I could use to make the table height adjustable; Manual lift and pin(like a crutch), Rack and pinion with a locking clamp(like a drill press), screw legs(like adjustable feet), scissor screw(like a scissor lift with a screw) or hydraulic with 4 hydraulic cylinders. Which do you think would be most suitable for my application? Or do you have another suggestion.

forget it

• Would you prefer to have the table totally static or have castor wheels to make it movable?

castor wheels that can be dropped to allow the bench to sit on solid legs

no castors are as strong as metal


• Are there any features or point that you want to add?
Please feel free to constructively criticize my questions and thanks a lot in advance for your time. Any answers are much appreciated.
Twigster.

plenty of drawers underneath for storage in a variety of sizes

dont make anything to fit one thing in particular incase you upgrade etc

make sure you can walk all the way around it rather than access it from one side

dont put a peice of box around the edge-set it in a few inches which makes clamping a lot easier