Welding Table - Super Easy
by Pricklysauce in Workshop > Metalworking
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Welding Table - Super Easy
A super easy welding table...
I have recently bought a MIG welder and I needed a table to weld on...
...something that was easy to put up and put away...
...and that was cheap...
...what did I have lying around?
...grab an old radiator and lets get started...
Get Your Bits Together
Okay so the idea is so simple...
...get an old radiator, place it flat, grind off the paint...
...and you have a cheap welding table that is stable and shouldn't move due to the ribs of the radiator.
Initially I built it on some concrete blocks to get me started.
We can do better!
Get some reinforcing bar [rebar] and lets make a cool pair of legs for our new welding table.
Get your bits together
An old radiator to the size that you would like - check out skips [make sure the owner is happy for you to take]
Rebar 12mm diameter - a 6m length will be enough for all the parts.
Spray paint - if you would like it colourful
Two short scaffold planks
Tools
Angle grinder
Cutting + grinding disks
Wire disc attachment for derusting
Welder of choice - I used a MIG
Welding supplies to suit your welder
Welding mask and gauntlets
Drill
Timber saw
Crosscut saw
Dust mask + googles for ginding
Grind Off the Paint
Grind off the paint from the top of the ribs of the radiator...
...until you have bare metal all over the face of the radiator.
Get Welding
The welding table is ready to use...
...Clip on the welder earth to the table...
...switch on the welder...
...turn on the gas...
...put on all of your safety gear...
...and get welding.
WE CAN DO BETTER - lets weld together some legs
I am new to welding and this instructable assumes that you know how to weld.
I learnt at my local technical college in the evenings, an excellent short course, otherwise maybe check out the Instructables class where Audrey Obscura leads you through all you need to know to get started...
...I particularly liked her analogy of welding likening it to a metal hot glue gun...infact I stenciled the term onto my own welding table.
Please be kind to me as my welds are not a thing of beauty...yet
Cut to Length
Work out the height you would like your table, mine was around 700mm high and the width of your radiator.
Cut the rebar to length.
You will need four legs that will poke into the radiator by around 25mm
Four cross pieces
Four pieces about 100mm long for the top of the bracket
Four shorter pieces for the brace of the bracket around 80mm long though lay out your pieces to determine actual length.
Weld the Leg Brackets
Okay so the idea is to make the legs with a bracket that will point to the ends of the radiator.
A stub of the leg will poke into the bottom of the radiator.
When tensioned with the shelf the brackets will lock onto the radiator and keep the table stable.
Weld these together.
You may need to grind around where the welds will be as I did if the rebar is not free of rust and paint.
Weld an H
Weld two cross pieces to two sets of legs to form an H shape.
I set my bottom cross bar at 100mm...
...and the top cross bar just below the brackets.
You should now have two sets of H leg frames.
Clean Up
If like me your welding is still in the learning stage you may need to grind the welds down.
If you are going to paint the legs go over with a wire wheel attachment on the angle grinder to clean up the metal
Mark Out for Drilling
Place the radiator upside down and position a leg on top [upside down]
It is best that the leg will go through the widest part of a rib to give maximum leverage when the legs are spread.
The best way to mark the positions is to spray paint around the legs...
...move out of the way and a perfect circle is left.
Drill a hole for the rebar to fit into at each position.
Only drill through one half of the radiator.
Position the Legs
Pop the legs in place.
A Bit of Colour
I like the colour red...
...its a personal choice.
Shelf
I know that using timber for a bottom shelf for a welding table may not be the best idea...sparks causing a fire.
I use my welding table outside and I consider the risk very low.
You may choose to make up a metal shelf.
Timber or metal...place the shelf material on top of the cross bar [upside down bottom one]...
...spread the leg frames so that the brackets lock firmly on the radiator...
...mark the cross bar position on the shelves.
Cut the shelves to length and cut or weld a slot that will sit over the legs cross bar.
Put It All Together + Weld
Now put it all together...
...slot in the leg frames...
...stand the table up...
...spread the legs...
...slot in the shelf...
...and get welding
I am so excited to be welding, learning new techniques and using new materials...the possibilities are endless...and so much easier to achieve now with this super easy welding table...give it a go...it works!
I am entering this project into the Metal Contest and the Workshop Hacks Challenge and if you have enjoyed this project, I would really appreciate your vote...thank you so much.
This project is part of my YouTube channel where I try to make cool and interesting projects.
Please check out my channel if you want to see more of the projects, if not there will be more coming to Instructables soon.
Why not check out what I am up to on Facebook.
