Hi,

I'm new to the forum, enthusiastic Aussie hobbyist using a lot of 15A 240V gear. I have 7 machines, my newer gear includes nice little pulse Tig to learn how to make gates out of thin wall Ally and make some nice art work out of stainless steel. I also own a terrific 210A MIG that does most things I need. My next machine will be a pulse MIG to do Ally gates fence panels quickly.

It is time to upgrade my home made slat welding table to something more professional that will outlast me (I'm 57). The contenders for the 3D jig tables in Australia seem to be Buildpro, Siegmund and Demmler - all pricey but the fixtures and clamps are where you really feel the pain. A few questions for the wiser and more experienced heads in the forum:

www.leussink.com.au/demmeler
www.siegmund.com/en
buildprotables.com
https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...38d8YgQwIZ&s=p


1. D16 vs D28 - hole sizes on the tables, I have been told the D28 systems are stiffer, better and have a greater range of accessories - your thoughts?

2. Nitride coating - I do a lot of welding of galvanised pipe and the zinc coating spits like a demon. Welding hot, fast and have a wet towel nearby seems to be the best policy, I know everything should be ground off but I always seem to miss some coating. Is the nitride worth paying for or will I ruin it anyway?

3. There seems like a lot of nice gear on Alibaba for about 1/3rd the price of the name brands in Aus. Has anyone used the Chinese tables? How flat are the tables? Do the accessories fit other brand tables? Do they work well or will I end up wishing I had just paid the extra for the name brand gear?

4. Is the 3D table (plates on the side with fixing holes) worth the extra? I'm inclined to think yes as I can extend the table easily with the squares and other accessories.

5. What size is best for a home shop? I am torn between say 1200x1200 (4'x4'), 1500 x 1000 (5' x 3'3") and 2000 x 1000 (6'6"x3'3") but inclined to the larger table as the panels and gear I make are about this size.

6. How many accessories do I need (I know the answer is too many is never enough) but having the right clamps, blocks and stops make the thing a joy to use however it is easy to spend more on the accessories than the table itself - how many clamps do I need to start, how many 90 degree stops, how many ball bearing pins etc?

I appreciate your help folks,

regards Gil