New steel workbench plans

[SSLance]

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?

[gerno]

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

[SSLance]

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.

[will69camaro]

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

[SSLance]

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.

[Trick-Tools.com]

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

[SSLance]

That is pretty slick Brycen...thanks for sharing.

If I needed a welding table only I'd look that way for sure. I need a regular workbench as well and I don't think I'd like a bench full of holes for doing the rest of the stuff I do which will most likely be way more than actual weld fab jobs.

What I am thinking of though is rearranging how I set this table up keeping in mind that I may end up with a fab specific table down the road.

[DBasher]

x2 on the clamp bar, one on each of the short ends.
The other thing I like is a power strip, one cord running power to the table sure comes in handy.
Fun project

[Trick-Tools.com]

Originally Posted by SSLance

That is pretty slick Brycen...thanks for sharing.

If I needed a welding table only I'd look that way for sure. I need a regular workbench as well and I don't think I'd like a bench full of holes for doing the rest of the stuff I do which will most likely be way more than actual weld fab jobs.

What I am thinking of though is rearranging how I set this table up keeping in mind that I may end up with a fab specific table down the road.

I understand. This is more that just a welding table but it know where your coming from. What I have done with this table for jobs with small hardware and such is to throw a piece of 16g sheetmetal on it. other than that I use it for all different fab work and it handles it well.

[DBasher]

Another thing that’s nice is a row of cubbies under the top for sliding your grinders, hammers and what nots into. It makes it real easy to keep the top clear and easily access the tools you’re using for the project.


Is it done yet?