As with most plans...things change!
After looking at a bunch of "welding tables" on GarageJournal and YouTube...and lusting over them. I've decided that while I want a cool welding table, I really NEED a big strong heavy work BENCH.
So my plans have ventured back toward the work bench design. I've also decided to just modify the welding cart my Miller is on now to make it more user friendly and not try to incorporate it into my work bench.
So here's where I'm at now. The open design in the front will not only let me get under it on a stool and but not having a shelf under there to collect grinding dust and slag...along with anything else I can fit on it will also be a nice feature.
I learned a bunch of other nice little tips and tricks from this video which I hope to add onto the bench as I get it up and working. The ends that slide out to expand the overall length of the bench really interest me.
A friend also offered to loan a cut off saw which means I can buy long lengths of tube and cut it as I need it instead of trying to figure out all of the lengths ahead of time for the metal shop to cut. Hope to start buying steel soon...maybe by next weekend I'll be making sparks.