Buildpro inspired Welding table (question)

[little_sparky]

Hello All,

now i know this website is littered with welding tables, and ive spent at least 2 years searching through and reading most of the threads and posts, as well as some from various other sites and this is a table i have come up with, it will have some tweaking done to it such as drawers for welding acessories, caster wheels on the square plate that is blank, the bottom may be filled in for shelving and it may be 3 slats wider or have an adjustable width mechanism.





Anyway in these drawings i have 200x20mm steel for the top plates, yet when i went to the local steel distributer who i always go to because i know the manager he told me that he only has up to 200x12mm plate. I can go to other distributers to get the steel i asked for but i wouldnt get anywhere near as good a deal. So would 12mm steel hold the fixturing and clamps in place without them bending the metal or falling out? i know that actual build pro tables use 5/8" plate (15.875mm), so its not far from that?

thanks in advance
little_sparky


ps. feel free to post up your welding tables as i will more than likely log my build on here if it gets enough views or replies.

[ManoKai]

The OEM StrongHand tooling, designed for 5/8" plate, should sync without issue to your proposed ~ 1/2" plate. IIRC, there should be increased contact surface area (of the toolings' balling bearings) for clamping, if the bottom surfaces have chamfered holes.

Had a recent conversation on this exact topic with Dave from CertiFlat Weld Tables [Tab n Slot], as they design/build lots of standard and custom 1/4" HRPO surfaces for 2D/3D fixture surfaces. Asked about integrated the StrongHand tooling and his experiences with work holding on the thinner material. He hasn't experienced any issues.

Should you return to the 20mm top, def recommend you validate the SH tooling will work on the thicker material. Not sure of the OEM tooling tolerances.

Nice approach on your table. Have you considered purchasing the SH standard or Nitrided platens online, vice build? The standard and hardened platens list for ~ $240 and 360 ea, respectively, with no applied discounts. Seems pricey, perhaps, until you factor in the tooling & time you need to invest to produce a dimensionally accurate equivalent.

Only listing options for you. Good luck with your design!

[little_sparky]

Hey Manokai

"Only listing options for you. Good luck with your design!"

no, thank you! this is possibly one of the greatest replies i have ever had across all forums, cant thank you enough.

I have considered purchasing them online but the thing is i can buy 6 plates and an annular cutter for the same price of one nitride plate, and with access to a mill and mag drill and my own lathe (plus a lot of time on my hands) i think i can make the plates and even some tooling and save a lot of money. I have quoted this build at $500 (AUD) with the 12mm plates and that includes an annular cutter, a coat of paint and caters.

"have you considered purchasing the SH standard or Nitrided platens online?"

In terms of the plate thickness, i designed this before i realised that the buildpro table was 5/8" thick, so i will now try and locate some plate that thick but if i cant then the 12mm will do and i will be able to make it 8 plates wide for the same price.

[thegary]

If you can use the annular cutter on your mill you will have a much more accurate hole layout. You will find that the small amount of movement in the head of a mag drill will allow the hole being cut to move as much as 1 to 1 1/2 mm . The mill will hold the cutter much more ridged . Unless your mill has digital readout and power feeds I would still lay the hole pattern out and center punch the holes though. The centering pin also moves some so you may want to be more accurate than that too. It depends on how ocd you are. If you plan to use pins in the holes as stops for material you will want the hole layout to be as accurate as possible. If you are just using the holes for clamps it will not be as important .

[little_sparky]

f you can use the annular cutter on your mill you will have a much more accurate hole layout. You will find that the small amount of movement in the head of a mag drill will allow the hole being cut to move as much as 1 to 1 1/2 mm . The mill will hold the cutter much more ridged

I didnt even think of this, i have access to a mill with a digital readout and power feeds, this could save a lot of time and be much more rigid. ill have to consider this carefully now, thank you.

and also i dont think the table thickness is going to be an issue at all for the clamps as Manokai mentioned

Today i made up a clamp and the plate was only 10mm thick that i tested it on. I tightened it up as tight and loose as i could and it didnt budge. The only possible problem now is if the strong hand tooling bolts arnt compatible witht 12mm plate thickness 9which im thinking they wont be), that would mean i'd have to make my own.

anyway here are pictures of the clamp.

Chucked a chunk of 25mm stock into the lathe and turned it down to 16mm

drilled a 16mm hole in some 10mm plate i had lying around

the two pieces fit together nicely, not too tight and not too loose. I have seen some people use 'O' rings here to get a tighter fit but for me they weren't required

all the pieces laid out. I had to remove the end of an F-clamp, i did this by just tapping the end off with a hammer, making sure i hit close to the shaft, not the end.


and i dont know why the last image is attatched like that but its the final product.

[little_sparky]

My price per metre for those are $30....$40 & $50 respectively

What!? Thats crazy, are you from America? Im in Australia and where i am, $43 will get me a meter of only 200x12mm flat. I really want 16mm plates though.

ill definitely be making a lot more clamps, a few quick action clamps too. Once the table is completed i'll make a lot of stops, heavy duty risers, right angle risers and a lot of other fixtures.

[little_sparky]

Tradetools Direct have some nice F clamps at reasonable prices, I've modified several myself.

just took a look on the site, I cant believe ive never come across this before! it is great

[little_sparky]

Yeah my price was including GST but still significantly better, thats weird how it can vary so much, im from northern victoria and our prices seem to be higher for some reason.

I still havnt got a price on 16mm plate as of yet.

Your clamps are also impressive, how do you hold them to the table? just a pin or a bolt?

[BD1]

What!? Thats crazy, are you from America? Im in Australia and where i am, $43 will get me a meter of only 200x12mm flat. I really want 16mm plates though.

ill definitely be making a lot more clamps, a few quick action clamps too. Once the table is completed i'll make a lot of stops, heavy duty risers, right angle risers and a lot of other fixtures.

Ok , you Australian mates and your m&m's. Just so you know I too love the m&m's, here see ?
Attachment 1319241

[little_sparky]

Ok , you Australian mates and your m&m's. Just so you know I too love the m&m's, here see ?

willing to share?

[little_sparky]

Did you cut out the table with your own Samson plasma table?
How thick is the plate for the table top?

[little_sparky]

Man that's lucky! I love plasma cutting tables, I've wanted one for so long but it's just way out of my budget! Is it alright if I ask what you paid for yours?

That's really nice, plasma cutters just improve the quality of your work so much and maximize your capabilities. I wish i had one for this build, I'd change so many things and cut the plates in no time at all! Haha

What thickness does yours cut up to and are you happy with how accurate it is?