welding table build

[ezduzit]

...I repurposed 32 cinder blocks and made 4 32-inch high columns and placed the plate on top...

What keeps the plate from sagging in the middle?

[UserJB]

What keeps the plate from sagging in the middle?

Magic.

The better answer: I'm only using this to practice on coupons right now. And the welding is mostly done on top of the cinder block columns. Do you think 1/2-inch plate would eventually sag without support beams underneath?

[ezduzit]

...Do you think 1/2-inch plate would eventually sag without support beams underneath?

Not eventually--it has already sagged. You need structural members to support the 6' span.

[Lis2323]

Depending on which way he oriented the rectangular blocks and if he left a six inch overhang around the perimeter to allow for clamping he would only have a 4 foot span at most.

He could easily move the pillars inboard since it is only a temporary table anyways.

[UserJB]

The cinder blocks are 16 inches wide. So, the span is 40 inches.

[UserJB]

I just checked the tabletop with a straight edge and there's actually a slight bow in the middle (reverse of a sag). This is the first time I purchased steel from a distributor. I guess it just comes that way.