Crazy idea for a welding table?

[vulcancowboy]

OK, I have been wanting a welding table for quite a while now. I'm tired of welding on the floor or using my workmate which has been known to catch on fire from time to time. I have limited space, so it will have to double as a work bench. I have a piece of 3/8" plate 24" x 79". My crazy idea is to buy this tool chest from HF and mount the plate on top. I would need to re-work the casters to lower the height 3 or 4 inches and maybe move them further apart front to back to increase the stability. Would also need to add some bracing to the top. The cabinet is rated to hold about 2600 lbs, the top probably weighs about 200 lbs, so that should work. I really like the idea of the additional storage. What do you think?

Roller Cabinet - 44" Red Rolling Tool Cabinet w/ 13 Drawers

 

[ovrszd]

I envision using a Welding Table. Cutting, welding, heating, beating, bending, working steel. I'm not sure the tool chest will handle that strain. I think you'll chase it all over the shop until the casters give up and it won't roll anymore. Maybe build a welding table that the chest will roll under?? By the time you buy enough dimensional steel to securely fasten the plate to the chest and redesign the undercarriage of the chest to handle it you could have purchased the steel necessary to put legs under your plate.

Your 3/8" plate weighs 15.30 lbs per square foot. Your 24" x 79" piece weighs 201.45 lbs.

Anxious to hear what you decide, with pictures of course!!!

 

[Deere Dude]

Anytime I weld, cut and grind the area is trashed from debris. I could envision a nice new toolbox looking like my floor after a project.

 

[kydick]

I don't have a fancy welding table but mine has served me well for 25 years or so. its just a quarter inch thick piece of steel 3ft by 4ft. I put 4 angle iron legs on it. some angle iron near the bottom of the legs to hold them together. welded a couple angle irons to the top to weld the legs to. some diagonal braces to keep it from racking. just a average welder that learned as I went. done a lot of farm repairs on it. not to big and not to heavy can push it into a corner and have some much needed extra room.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Harbor Freight has a folding welding table that is only $59 if you find it on sale and would work better than that for welding small stuff. Ed

 

[vulcancowboy]

Good stuff, I appreciate all of your comments/suggestions. Still mulling it over.

 

[LD1]

I'd just use the plate you have for a table top, and build a table. Some angle iron or square tubing scraps for the legs and frame.

I do NOT want a welding table on wheels. I can just see it now....welding along running a nice bead, then as my weight of leaning increases on the table, the table rolls away:mur: Or hammering, bending, prying on stuff thats on a mobile table.....not what I want.

The ties that connect the legs together, I like them ~6-8" off the ground, and use angle iron there too. Then you can lay in some more metal or bar grate, or whatever and have a storage ledge for things. And with the legs that close to the ground, you can still sweep under it, or throw a couple of 2x4's on a pallet jack and move wherever you want.

AS to that HF toolbox. That is actually a nice one. I have the same one. Its as good as any of the similar kobalt, craftsman, etc 41" boxes with BB slides. (I also have a 41" craftsman). I wouldnt want to ruin it by getting it and the slides all full of grinder grit.

 

[flusher]

You're correct--it's a crazy idea.
Build that table yourself. You have a good start already with that 3/8" top. There are plenty of plans on the Web. Just make sure the frame is really sturdy.

If you want casters, get the type with an integral brake.

Good luck

 

[Gary Fowler]

I envision using a Welding Table. Cutting, welding, heating, beating, bending, working steel. I'm not sure the tool chest will handle that strain. I think you'll chase it all over the shop until the casters give up and it won't roll anymore. Maybe build a welding table that the chest will roll under?? By the time you buy enough dimensional steel to securely fasten the plate to the chest and redesign the undercarriage of the chest to handle it you could have purchased the steel necessary to put legs under your plate.

Your 3/8" plate weighs 15.30 lbs per square foot. Your 24" x 79" piece weighs 201.45 lbs.

Anxious to hear what you decide, with pictures of course!!!

I have to agree with this. Ideally a table is 30" high for welding or any other work. I don't see the actual height of this tool box but you would be better served by building a solid frame for the plate steel that you could attach the rolling tool box to so your tools are always handy.
For my shop work table, I found a formica covered table at a going out of business sale for $50. It has 2" thick top and middle & lower shelf along with lockable casters. I too have limited room so being able to roll it around is necessary. I put on a solid 1/2" thick plywood top then doubled a 2'x2'x1/2" plywood section on one corner, attached my 6" vise there and have done a lot of welding on it. I have caught it a fire at the vise several times using the cutting torch around the vise area but nothing a brush with my gloved hand wouldn't put out. I was intending on using this table temporarily till I could build a steel table but it works so well that I never got around to building a steel one. The middle and lower shelves hold a lot of spare stuff that I have not found other locations for like my 2 grease guns, my chain saw sharpener, misc steel pieces and several boxes of "stuff". I use it to fab stuff up on also because it is plenty large enough but not to large as to take up my whole shop. I just don't think the tool box will be stable enough for a work table.
You would be much better off building the frame for your sheet metal top, buying some lockable casters from Lowes to make it movable and then if you really want to add that tool box, build a frame under the table to hold it so it is out of the way but accessible. I have one of the General tool boxes and it is great. I got the one with a lockable top lid and a large storage tray underneath where I keep my grinders and hammers. I keep it and my Craftsman box mobile so I can roll them out of my way when needed (like when I want to get my Goldwing out from in front of them. My shop is 30x30 and I park my truck on one side, my Honda CRV on the other and motorcycle, rolling tool boxes and Miller welding machine and cutting torch buggy in between . MY table is against the wall next to the Honda and my compressors and anvil is next to them right at the garage door. The Honda is short enough to give me 10 feet of workspace behind it so that is all the shop space I have now since buying the Honda. I am kind of cramped but not immobilized.

 

[SPYDERLK]

OK, I have been wanting a welding table for quite a while now. I'm tired of welding on the floor or using my workmate which has been known to catch on fire from time to time. I have limited space, so it will have to double as a work bench. I have a piece of 3/8" plate 24" x 79". My crazy idea is to buy this tool chest from HF and mount the plate on top. I would need to re-work the casters to lower the height 3 or 4 inches and maybe move them further apart front to back to increase the stability. Would also need to add some bracing to the top. The cabinet is rated to hold about 2600 lbs, the top probably weighs about 200 lbs, so that should work. I really like the idea of the additional storage. What do you think?

Roller Cabinet - 44" Red Rolling Tool Cabinet w/ 13 Drawers

I recommend something like this:
Motorcycle Lift Table, 1000 Lb. Capacity
Good convenience and capability with lots of pretty easy ways you could do upgrade mods.