Steven Wayne
10-14-2012, 2:52 AM
I started building this table March 2010. I built it to support a 3' x 4' top with 4" overhang on all sides. Since then I have been keeping an eye out for a piece of thick plate or possibly a machine table to use for a top. If the plate worked out, I planned to drill and tap a grid of 1/2-13 holes so I can use commonly available milling machine clamps for fixtures and such.
The base is built out of 2"x3"x.125 tubing, like so..
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_7Sq3Jc5tMko/S6b-Hr11BOI/AAAAAAAAFQc/886w7eMMgn0/s800/IMG_1891.jpg
The bottom is similar, it will have an inset in the center of one long side so I can sit at the table and weld. This is the beginning of laying it out to see how things will look.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_7Sq3Jc5tMko/S6b-ISS3oSI/AAAAAAAAFQg/jaDeMWS_5vw/s800/IMG_1894.jpg
When I built this it was my second welding project ever. I'm completely self taught. I used two pieces of 1' x 2' x 1" steel on top of my toolbox to put this together.
The casters are bolted to 3/8" plates welded to the bottom of the base, kinda like so:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_7Sq3Jc5tMko/S6b-JbTwJ5I/AAAAAAAAFQo/yQISQhdgUDc/s800/IMG_1895.jpg
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_7Sq3Jc5tMko/S77HzbNOYUI/AAAAAAAAFRc/DSIB3A3xiIk/s800/IMG_1929.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_7Sq3Jc5tMko/S77H0gGnzcI/AAAAAAAAFRg/qCumfe4rmPs/s800/IMG_1930.jpg
I bought a portaband mount (http://www.swagoffroad.com/Porta_band_Modular_Mount_Product.html) from Troy at Swag Off Road (http://www.swagoffroad.com). At some point I plan to mount up some 2" receiver hitch tool holders. This will have the appropriate mount..
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_7Sq3Jc5tMko/S8C4F4k-ZEI/AAAAAAAAFSQ/WRQSl5DX7Ik/s800/IMG_1933.jpg
I used the table in the above form for the past 2.5 years. A week ago I spied this at a local scrap yard:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_gUDwlftcHU/UHjSpeqz4HI/AAAAAAAAG2g/zmruM9NgmFk/s800/IMG_6506.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-auF0_LGDCpg/UHjSqK4rM3I/AAAAAAAAG2o/JW-vs4FUYjs/s800/IMG_6507.jpg
Negotiated a very good price for the table and it was mine. It had years of dried oil and chips protecting it from the elements. I scraped it off and power washed it prior to putting it in the shop.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-t-IIHgmOqLQ/UHjSrfsGUFI/AAAAAAAAG24/av7_ZJ4ckvA/s800/IMG_6509.jpg
Here it is after a couple of hours cleaning out holes and working on the surface.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mnKLCC64sAM/UHjSstG_LQI/AAAAAAAAG3I/_3AwdpUowB4/s800/IMG_6511.jpg
I'll get the other half cleaned up and the surface looking nice in the morning. Then, I need to do some finish welding on the base and prep it for some paint. I am really excited to finally have found a top for the table I started so long ago.
The top piece is 21" x 49" x 1-7/8". Every other hole is tapped 1/2-13.
Was in the shop late last night and tonight. I had some finish welding to take care of. I added 2"x2"x1/8" angle stringers between uprights on the left side and rear. Grinders hang really nicely from the angle.
Then I laid out mounting holes on some thicker 1/4" angle to screw the top down. Welded this across the front.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-F-fvOFPc2dc/UHpZPualLmI/AAAAAAAAG3g/4waea6i1wpg/s800/IMG_6514.jpg
At that point I set the top in place.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HbRQNaRKTio/UHpZQeqe2JI/AAAAAAAAG3o/Ta_DR9toxPg/s800/IMG_6515.jpg
It took a few hours to get the top cleaned up and all of the holes cleaned out. It made a huge mess, but they are clean now. I used my RO sander to lightly sand the top with WD-40 as a lubricant. It worked well. Used 100 then 150 then 220 grit. Very happy with the how it is turning out.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HbRQNaRKTio/UHpZQeqe2JI/AAAAAAAAG3o/Ta_DR9toxPg/s800/IMG_6515.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-PYfBwO3wFD0/UHpZUGZ6IuI/AAAAAAAAG4g/Fb5BTFcAbUA/s800/IMG_6526.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3UidSUFbSiQ/UHpZUXeL3sI/AAAAAAAAG4o/y_Blth-qF14/s800/IMG_6528.jpg
I've been undecided about the area under the table since I started building it. I'm considering building a drawer cabinet to fit under the table. I have a bunch of full extension ball bearing slides and 3/4" plywood. Would be really cool to make the drawers match the shape of the cutout in the base. As I type this, I am liking that idea more and more..
I'm holding off painting the base until after I've used it for a while and the rear section (where the 1" plate is currently sitting) is sorted out.
The base is built out of 2"x3"x.125 tubing, like so..
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_7Sq3Jc5tMko/S6b-Hr11BOI/AAAAAAAAFQc/886w7eMMgn0/s800/IMG_1891.jpg
The bottom is similar, it will have an inset in the center of one long side so I can sit at the table and weld. This is the beginning of laying it out to see how things will look.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_7Sq3Jc5tMko/S6b-ISS3oSI/AAAAAAAAFQg/jaDeMWS_5vw/s800/IMG_1894.jpg
When I built this it was my second welding project ever. I'm completely self taught. I used two pieces of 1' x 2' x 1" steel on top of my toolbox to put this together.
The casters are bolted to 3/8" plates welded to the bottom of the base, kinda like so:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_7Sq3Jc5tMko/S6b-JbTwJ5I/AAAAAAAAFQo/yQISQhdgUDc/s800/IMG_1895.jpg
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_7Sq3Jc5tMko/S77HzbNOYUI/AAAAAAAAFRc/DSIB3A3xiIk/s800/IMG_1929.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_7Sq3Jc5tMko/S77H0gGnzcI/AAAAAAAAFRg/qCumfe4rmPs/s800/IMG_1930.jpg
I bought a portaband mount (http://www.swagoffroad.com/Porta_band_Modular_Mount_Product.html) from Troy at Swag Off Road (http://www.swagoffroad.com). At some point I plan to mount up some 2" receiver hitch tool holders. This will have the appropriate mount..
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_7Sq3Jc5tMko/S8C4F4k-ZEI/AAAAAAAAFSQ/WRQSl5DX7Ik/s800/IMG_1933.jpg
I used the table in the above form for the past 2.5 years. A week ago I spied this at a local scrap yard:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_gUDwlftcHU/UHjSpeqz4HI/AAAAAAAAG2g/zmruM9NgmFk/s800/IMG_6506.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-auF0_LGDCpg/UHjSqK4rM3I/AAAAAAAAG2o/JW-vs4FUYjs/s800/IMG_6507.jpg
Negotiated a very good price for the table and it was mine. It had years of dried oil and chips protecting it from the elements. I scraped it off and power washed it prior to putting it in the shop.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-t-IIHgmOqLQ/UHjSrfsGUFI/AAAAAAAAG24/av7_ZJ4ckvA/s800/IMG_6509.jpg
Here it is after a couple of hours cleaning out holes and working on the surface.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mnKLCC64sAM/UHjSstG_LQI/AAAAAAAAG3I/_3AwdpUowB4/s800/IMG_6511.jpg
I'll get the other half cleaned up and the surface looking nice in the morning. Then, I need to do some finish welding on the base and prep it for some paint. I am really excited to finally have found a top for the table I started so long ago.
The top piece is 21" x 49" x 1-7/8". Every other hole is tapped 1/2-13.
Was in the shop late last night and tonight. I had some finish welding to take care of. I added 2"x2"x1/8" angle stringers between uprights on the left side and rear. Grinders hang really nicely from the angle.
Then I laid out mounting holes on some thicker 1/4" angle to screw the top down. Welded this across the front.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-F-fvOFPc2dc/UHpZPualLmI/AAAAAAAAG3g/4waea6i1wpg/s800/IMG_6514.jpg
At that point I set the top in place.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HbRQNaRKTio/UHpZQeqe2JI/AAAAAAAAG3o/Ta_DR9toxPg/s800/IMG_6515.jpg
It took a few hours to get the top cleaned up and all of the holes cleaned out. It made a huge mess, but they are clean now. I used my RO sander to lightly sand the top with WD-40 as a lubricant. It worked well. Used 100 then 150 then 220 grit. Very happy with the how it is turning out.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HbRQNaRKTio/UHpZQeqe2JI/AAAAAAAAG3o/Ta_DR9toxPg/s800/IMG_6515.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-PYfBwO3wFD0/UHpZUGZ6IuI/AAAAAAAAG4g/Fb5BTFcAbUA/s800/IMG_6526.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3UidSUFbSiQ/UHpZUXeL3sI/AAAAAAAAG4o/y_Blth-qF14/s800/IMG_6528.jpg
I've been undecided about the area under the table since I started building it. I'm considering building a drawer cabinet to fit under the table. I have a bunch of full extension ball bearing slides and 3/4" plywood. Would be really cool to make the drawers match the shape of the cutout in the base. As I type this, I am liking that idea more and more..
I'm holding off painting the base until after I've used it for a while and the rear section (where the 1" plate is currently sitting) is sorted out.