...

Go Back   Lateral-g Forums > Technical Discussions > Shop & Equipment
User Name
Password



Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-27-2018, 12:06 PM
SSLance's Avatar
SSLance SSLance is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Peoria, AZ
Posts: 2,668
Thanks: 72
Thanked 337 Times in 211 Posts
Default New steel workbench plans

So, I'm ready to build a steel workbench for my shop. I'll post my first rendering up and ask for opinions and suggestions on what to add, subtract or change. It needs to be portable yet sturdy as I'll be using it for metal fab, vice work, grinding work and just overall bench use.

Here is where I'm at so far. Nothing has been purchased yet except the casters and locks which will be here tomorrow. Hope to find the steel locally somewhere that will cut it all to length for me to save time.







Top is 3/16" steel 30" x 60", base is all 2" x 2" square tube, and it'll have (2) fixed 4" casters, (2) swivel 4" casters with total locks and (4) 4" floor locks. (I haven't decided if i want the casters or the locks on the outboard corners so I didn't draw both in). I'll also have a shelf of some sort on the bottom braces (either expanded metal or more steel) to put the welder on, argon bottle, and other welding accessories.

The idea is to build mounts on 1.5" x 1.5" square tube that will slide into the open ends of the 2x2 tubes to hold a vice, a grinder, and whatever other tools I'll add in later.

Any thoughts or suggestions so far?
__________________
Lance
1985 Monte Carlo SS Street Car
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-27-2018, 01:28 PM
gerno's Avatar
gerno gerno is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 526
Thanks: 0
Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Default

Looks pretty good and 3/16 is a pretty good thickness for the top. What are you planning to do on the bench? Is it for welding, finish work, beating things on? I made some benches for my shop and am happy with them for the most part.

Mine have casters and adjustable legs to lock it in and level them. I move them around quite often. One thing I didn't realize is how much the casters flex, I need to add an upper gusset. over time the pedestal adjusters start to drag. I also wish the lower cross bars were higher. I'd make them high enough you can get a TIG pedal and you foot under them easily. On mine I also have an upper bar added for clamps, I use it a lot and like it.

Ultimately I moved the bench I made into a bench for hammering on and bought a table from Weldtables. I'm pretty happy with the table overall for the $$. I think it was ~$300 It wasn't as flat as they advertised but was much much better than what I made and the holes make welding setup very nice. It's the 3/16 version and if i did it again I may consider the 1/2" version at least so its a little flatter. but again for the $$ I like it
Attached Images
  
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-27-2018, 02:21 PM
SSLance's Avatar
SSLance SSLance is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Peoria, AZ
Posts: 2,668
Thanks: 72
Thanked 337 Times in 211 Posts
Default

Thanks gerno... Your home made one is not that much different than what I have in mind.

Here are the casters and locks I have on the way.







I plan on it being my work bench for most everything I do, including welding, fabrication, assembly work, tinkering... It's on the small side is the reason for not putting the vice right on the top and making the other devices removable as well. You are happy with 3/16" top? It's about $50 more to upgrade to 1/4" and I'm considering that.

How do you like the expanded metal lower shelf? Would you do that again or put 3/16" sheet down there instead? Pros or cons?

I like the clamp bar, want to do something like that as well. I think I need to raise the top a bit to make a bit more room on shelf below for argon tank and welder side panel to lift. Maybe 2" up to 38" total height.
__________________
Lance
1985 Monte Carlo SS Street Car
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-27-2018, 02:34 PM
will69camaro will69camaro is offline
Lateral-g Supporting Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,413
Thanks: 216
Thanked 125 Times in 74 Posts
Default

Just a quick look at it, i'd consider doing a cross brace to triangulate the "box" on the frame. Give it some rigidity that now that is lacking. Especially being 5ft in length.

William
__________________
Texas A&M BSME 2008
1969 Camaro - Hugger Orange
1969 C10 SWB - Hugger Orange
2018 GMC Denali HD
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-27-2018, 04:20 PM
SSLance's Avatar
SSLance SSLance is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Peoria, AZ
Posts: 2,668
Thanks: 72
Thanked 337 Times in 211 Posts
Default

I've been looking at the Weldtables tops... If this was JUST a bench for welding I'd go that route for sure. The top isn't that much more than I'll pay for a shear cut top of the same material.

I can always pick a weldtable top up later and just clamp it down to this bench top when needed.
__________________
Lance
1985 Monte Carlo SS Street Car
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-28-2018, 10:00 AM
Trick-Tools.com's Avatar
Trick-Tools.com Trick-Tools.com is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Pella Iowa
Posts: 56
Thanks: 16
Thanked 27 Times in 17 Posts
Default

Hey, Just a thought for you. This isn't just a sales pitch, I truly love this table. The StrongHand RhinoCart is an awesome table that I think would fit inline with what you are looking to build. Ive been using one a lot this past year and it seriously is a great table, so good that I am buying one for my house. We even have a hitch style vise mount for this table! We (trick-Tools.com) have them on sale until Monday at 11.59pm for $2250. That includes a 60 piece basic fixturing kit to get you started. Here is a link and specs on the table.

https://www.trick-tools.com/StrongHa...54830-K1-10380

The 48 x 30 inch Rhino Mobile Fixturing Station is unlike any welding cart on the market! This revolutionary design takes the popular BuildPro welding table top, with it's precision finish and unique modular fixturing design, and combines it with a handy mobile cart. The nitride treated steel top features a black oxide finish and is reversible if one side is damaged.
The package comes complete with a 66 piece fixturing kit and the cart features heavy duty casters as well as leveling feet for more permanent placement. The 36 inch tall cart features plenty of storage shelves to keep necessary fabrication tools readily at hand.

•Capacity: 1500 lbs
•Size: 48 x 30 inches
•Flatness: +/- .004 inches per foot
•Finish: Standard
•Hole diameter: .625 inch
•Hole spacing: 2.000 inches
•Plate thickness: .625 inch
•Weight (pounds): 470
•Dimensions (LxWxH): 48 x 30 x 36



__________________
Brycen Smith


[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Last edited by Trick-Tools.com; 12-28-2018 at 10:02 AM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:16 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright Lateral-g.net