# Welding table/workbench ideas



## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

I'm planning on building a new welding table and workbench this winter for my shop here on the farm. My current welding table is something my dad cobbled together back in the 1980s so he didn't have to weld on the floor. Its just an angle iron frame with pipe legs and bricks laid in the angle iron to form a top. It works, but stuff falls through the bricks, its not level, and the table isn't very big. I'd like to build something much larger that can accommodate projects and be sturdy enough to bolt a large vice to for bending metal and straightening bent stuff. I'll probably bolt an anvil to it as well. Anyone have a nice welding table they'd like to share? Any suggestions on building one?

One thing I am up in the air about is whether or not to use a steel slab as the top as I have seen done many times. It makes welding easy because you can just lay your parts on the table and weld, instead of having to clamp the ground to your work pieces. The downside is that the metal spatter builds up and has to be ground off from time to time. I was thinking of building a frame and pouring concrete in it to make a solid, smooth top that won't accumulate metal spatter. My only fear is that the table would crack if you hammer on it.

So, gurus of Tractor Forum, school me on welding tables and the like!


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## tcreeley (Jan 2, 2012)

I'd keep the anvil off the table. Put it on its own stand- easier to work around from all sides. Also on a table it is to high to hammer on comfortably. While you are at it - weld yourself up a coal forge- very handy for fabrication and fixing!

Cement cracks when hammered on. I'd go with a sheet of steel for your table surface, or a grid of steel to work things out on. Steel top table can always be drawn on with chalk when y0u are laying stuff out. Handy.

Good luck.


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## Cublover (Feb 20, 2011)

tcreeley said:


> I'd keep the anvil off the table. Put it on its own stand- easier to work around from all sides. Also on a table it is to high to hammer on comfortably. While you are at it - weld yourself up a coal forge- very handy for fabrication and fixing!
> 
> Cement cracks when hammered on. I'd go with a sheet of steel for your table surface, or a grid of steel to work things out on. Steel top table can always be drawn on with chalk when y0u are laying stuff out. Handy.
> 
> Good luck.


 I've seen a lot of anvils lag bolted to big chunks of logs. my little one is not bolted to anything. I just carry it to the job. Big one can be 'rolled' around to where the need is.
As far as the top goes, I made mine out of rough 2X6's and covered with a piece of 16 gauge tin. Most times I put a plate under the piece for a heat sink.


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## ftorleans1 (Jul 12, 2009)

Don't use cement. You can use 1/4" plate as your table top as long as you have built a frame system underneath to support the plate. If you want to go a little heavier, Use a piece of 3/8" plate. Of course, The 3/8" will be more costly however, It will not bend as easy after repeated hammering.

As the other guys have stated, Keep your anvil off of your welding table. A vise is one thing but no anvil...

You can use 2" or 2.5" x 1/8" thick square tube for the legs. The flat sides make it easier to attach braces or angle iron for a shelf underneath. It will also be easier to attach a tray underneath the welding table should you use bar stock in place of plate steel so you can build a slide out slag/ debris pan for easier clean-ups.

Carefully consider the working height of your table!!!!!! Depending on how tall you are, You may not want to exceed a 30" table height. If you build it too tall, You will not be happy with it and it will be much harder to accurately shorten each leg to bring it down to a more comfortable height.

Remember, It's easier to add to the height rather than having to shorten it. Another thing to keep in mind is size. Room permitting, You should build a minimum of 2' x 4'. It is easy to handle this size plate if going with the 1/4". Go to your local steel yard and have them cut a 2' section from a 8' sheet and your in business...

Don't forget to add leveling pads to the bottom of the table legs. Simply weld 1/4" pads to the bottom of each leg after drilling a 3/8" or 1/2" hole and thread the holes with a tap. You don't have to finish the leveling plates until later however, At least the plates attached to the bottom of each leg will already be in place. Yes, Going through the extra work for leveling pads can slow down the build but keep in mind, You want the finished product to be able to do its job and be comfortable at the same time. Nothing more irritating than to have a table which keeps rocking back and forth while you are trying to run a nice bead.....

Take your time and it will be rewarding for many years to come.......

Keep us posted and best of luck in your venture!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## thirdroc17 (Sep 24, 2012)

I like ftorleans1 ideas. Concrete will explode if it gets hot. I know this from working on the floor and well, blew a nice big hole in it!!!! I'd stick with a steel top of sufficient thickness to maintain it's integrity. 2 minutes a month resurfacing with it with a grinder, if need be, is no big deal.

Seems like no matter how large of a table I have, something is always hanging over somewhere. Anything bolted to it would be in the way. My anvil just sits on the bench so I can move it around. Even though it's not very heavy at 55 pounds, it sits pretty solid.


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## farmertim (Dec 1, 2010)

Many years ago in trade school we had a 3/4" steel plate embedded into a slightly bigger sheet metal container tray that was filled with molten lead poured around the plate that was sitting on spacers within the tray, the shock absorbing properties were terrific for keeping the hammering quiet and to provide a good solid base on which to work.

I have a 8'X4' heavy steel bench with a 6" vise one end that I use and do all sorts of welding and drilling work on, I have a heavy timber (Jarrah) slab for doing stuff that I don't want scratched that sits underneath the bench until I need to use it, I have one end that I have a 1" plate 4"X16" long welded onto the edge for any hammering or shaping that I do (I'd love an anvil, still looking). and I have a sheet of glass for honing surfaces flat with grinding paste that I sit onto the wooden slab.
I just adapt the work surface for whatever task I am doing.

all in all I don't mind grinding/sanding off spatter when I need to.

Cheers


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

My plan was to build the table either 2' x 8' and keep it along the wall like it is now, or to build it 4'x8' and move it out from the wall so I can work around it. Either way, I'd probably anchor it to the floor for maximum strength when working with the vice. I'll probably do two shelves under it, or just set up a commercial built shelving unit under it.


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## tired-retired (Nov 26, 2011)

Totally agree with the advice above. You'll wish you had gone with 4 x 8 if you use 2 x 8. Hard to get enough table top room. For sure, don't plan on your anvil on top of your table. The higher you swing the hammer, the sooner the shoulder will fatigue. Get a log to begin with and figure out the height it works best for you. Suggest the top of the anvil at about your waste. You might even want to build yourself a power hammer. I build mine mostly out of a set of 2 bottom plows I had setting in the woods for many years. Just another interesting project after you get set up. Stay busy and good luck.


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

I saw a good idea in Successful Farming magazine. The guy had build a nice heavy duty table out of metal, then he put an axle through one set of legs and put hard rubber wheels on that end. On the other end, he installed a boat jack with a caster wheel on it. Whenever he wants to move the table, he just jacks up the one end with the jack and rolls it wherever he needs it and then lowers the jack to put it back on its feet. I really liked that idea. Makes the table mobile in case you need to get it out of the way for something.


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## ftorleans1 (Jul 12, 2009)

Excellent idea CB. I once saw a welding table with a similar system. The guy used the retractable caster base from a Shop Smith Mark V machine. All you had to do was press down on the camber leg with your foot and down would go the swivel casters which allowed the table to move around........


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

Got some really good ideas from YouTube! Spent an hour watching welding table vids and picked up some great suggestions. Most tables are portable on wheels, most have slide outs on the end for handling larger items, many have mounts for a chop saw right on the table so you can cut and weld in one area, most have toolboxes underneath for storing tools and supplies, many had electrical boxes mounted underneath so you can plug in one cord and have a ton of outlets right on the table, etc. Here are some of my favorites:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/VoU5SAyjc-w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/p7rqJvzNKWs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/XfuyDcXfEmM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4ZVkEnDblA4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


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## thirdroc17 (Sep 24, 2012)

Some pretty neat ideas in there..... I think he might want to do something about that electric wire in the last video though... :lmao:


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## tcreeley (Jan 2, 2012)

Top of anvil should be at knuckle height when you stand beside it with your arm hanging down- like you are holding a hammer. That gives you the full swing of the hammer, Higher- you are stressing your joints, elbow etc as you compensate for the wrong distance at achieving full swing power.


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## thirdroc17 (Sep 24, 2012)

tcreeley said:


> Top of anvil should be at knuckle height when you stand beside it with your arm hanging down- like you are holding a hammer. That gives you the full swing of the hammer, Higher- you are stressing your joints, elbow etc as you compensate for the wrong distance at achieving full swing power.


No doubt this is true if you're doing actual blacksmith work, but I use my anvil primarily as a solid base for much smaller jobs, such as using a center punch for centering hole locations. Because of this, mine sits much, much higher, and is the perfect height for what I do.

I'd say, assess what your major intent is, and set anvil height accordingly.


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## Ultradog (Feb 27, 2005)

If you haven't built your welding bench already, one thing you might consider doing is make it portable.
I bought this table at a big machine shop auction that was going out of business.
The first thing I did to it was weld on ears so I could pick it up with the 3 point on the tractor.
It lets me easily move it inside or outside the garage.
A lot of times when you are welding, grinding or wire wheeling something you end up making a big mess in the shop. Heavy dust gets all over everything.
By being able to move the bench outside I'm able to avoid most of that.


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