Help needed with welding table decision...???
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Gary Fowler
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There is no health hazard to weld over or on a stainless steel table, just that the buckshot from carbon steel welding will stick to it and cause it to rust. If it is a good strong legged table, then you could buy it and put a 1/4" thick carbon steel top on for added durability. Buckshot doesn't stick as bad to CS.
OR if money is a bit tight, just put a piece of 1/2" plywood on top and fasten with screws like I did. I bought a heavy table (about 4'x6') made from 2" thick pressed wood with Formica skin on all sides from a store going out of business for $75. It is a very heavy table with caster wheels and steel legs. I didn't want to burn up the Formica so I put on a 4' x 6' sheet of 1/2"plywood on top and fastened with deck screws sunk below flush. I put on a second layer under one corner about 12"x12" and mounted my vise there. It has held up well in 4 years of use. I have burned the plywood under the vise a bit from using a cutting torch there but otherwise it is good. You do have to ground to whatever you are welding, but I have never had any issues with burning the wood from welding.
The best parts of it is the double shelves underneath for storage, I didn't have to work for 2 days building it, it is perfectly square and level and flat, has roller wheels, is heavy enough that I can pound on stuff on it if needed and it was less than $100 when complete and I could still top it with steel plate if I ever feel I need to
LD1
Epic Contributor
Like others have said, stainless isnt really good for a welding table. And not nearly thick enough if it came out of a restaurant. But for $150, if it looks like a good table, there are plenty of other uses for it, I am sure you can come up with something.
If it needs modified, you can weld it with what you have no problem. I do it all the time with my mig and standard wire, if I cannot find a piece of mild steel on my rack that would work, but have it in stainless. Just be aware that the weld wont be stainless
If it needs modified, you can weld it with what you have no problem. I do it all the time with my mig and standard wire, if I cannot find a piece of mild steel on my rack that would work, but have it in stainless. Just be aware that the weld wont be stainless
AKwelder
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Keep in mind, stainless continues to draw every time it gets hot, if you do much work on it you will get it hot and it will no longer be a flat table, and it will be worse the thinner it is.
That said, a good table is one of the best things you can start with, add a steel cap later, or plywood, and keep improving it. A SS table sure beats no table
That said, a good table is one of the best things you can start with, add a steel cap later, or plywood, and keep improving it. A SS table sure beats no table
You will be better off making your own table out the mild steel you buy out of the steel yard. I built mine out of square steel tubing with a 1/4 plate steel for the top. I can put an engine on it if I want to. I put casters so I can roll it around. I did buy a engine hoist so I can lift when I want to move. This is a very good table and I can add to if needed. Stainless steel is like aluminum it has to be super clean to weld on and takes the special gas mix to weld. My table I can grind on, stick weld on, mig, on , gas weld on, hammer on, anything I choose. I will post a picture if you want.