Welding Table with Clamp Holes

[Mike Cecil]

The bench in the images in my first post (above) is:

5 feet x 3 feet top, 3 feet high floor to bench top. All-welded Legs and frame made from 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.25 inch MS angle. A leg in each corner with angle bracing. The top is a layer of 1.5 inch thick planks, held in place by screws through the frame from underneath. The top is a sheet of 16 gauge (1/16 inch) Galvanised Iron (GI) sheet, attached to the planks with counter-sunk screws from above. The bench frame is attached to the frame of the garage with coach screws.

The second bench, images attached to this post, is in the workshop and is made from standard medium duty pallet racking as the frame. Pallet racking has a step in the longitudinal beams, so the 1.5 inch thick timber planks rest on that step, front to back. On top of the planks is a sheet of 1/8 inch MS, folded with a 2 inch turn up at the back (which prevents stuff falling off the back of the bench), and a 2 inch turn down at the front and sides. I also attached a 2 inch x 2 inch x 1/4 MS angle piece at each end which are used for clamping jobs onto the bench top. There is a shelf several inches below, the pallet rack beams that support the shelf providing more rigidity to the frame.

Like the other bench, there is a swivel vice (both horizontal and vertical) at one end, and an adjustable work bar at the other. Dimensions are 6 feet x 3 feet and 3 feet 1 inch high to the bench. The surface is untreated MS, so takes a bit more maintenance than the GI. I buff it off from time to time with some emery paper and wipe a little WD40 onto it, which keeps the rust at bay. (The light surface rust started after I used acid to de-zinc nuts and bolts for painting. The fumes started eating the bench top!) The bench is attached to the 3 inch-thick timber floor using coach screws.

Bench sizes are constrained by my circumstances: they fit the spaces available, but I also think they are about the right size for most jobs. Having previously had a bench along 30 feet of workshop wall in Australia, it ended up being mostly covered in 'stuff', and I really only used about 6 feet of it at one end for actual work.

Hope that helps.

Mike

[Lionelgee]

G'day Mike,

That helps a lot. Thank you very much Mike. It is greatly appreciated.

Kind regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

While we are discussing workbenches. Has anyone come up with a reasonably strong retractable caster system for a work bench?

I came across this clip on YouTube where a bloke used two caravan jacks - one per end of the workbench. There is a big winding handle to wind a beam up and down. I think it is a lot of faith being applied to a bit of timber. Some nice thick walled steel hollow section would inspire more confidence for me.

I have thought about a mounting system that can be fixed via lynch and clevis pins so it can be anchored to the ground when used as a work bench.Then un-pinned when it needs to be shifted elsewhere.

YouTube Clip accessed 13th January 2020 from, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V29wVeMNQDw

Kind regards
Lionel