Workbench

[Archie]

When I last cleared out the barn a couple of years ago I built a good sized workbench along the back wall. It's 1m deep, 1m high and about 9.5m long! Problem is, I was being tight (it's the fraction of Scottish blood ) so elected to make it from 3mm sheet on top of 20mm chipboard. Works great for light welding and general work but is hopeless for hammering stuff on. Plus, I've set the chipboard on fire a couple of times when the earth clamp gets a bit warm!

So, I'm going to make a new, smaller one that will be on castors and will fit neatly under the current bench. I've spoken to my steel supplier and, most fortuitously, he had some 80x80x3 SHS returned to him in 9' lengths earlier in the week so I've taken eight of them off his hands for a tenner a piece. They should make a good frame.

I've also got a price for 6, 8 and 10mm plate off him (£71, £94, £117 ex. VAT). Problem is, I can't find a definitive answer as to what thickness to go for. OK, well I'm not expecting someone to say 'it must be this thickness' but I should've thought there're a few people here who've built them and I was wondering what the general concensus on min. thickness is. Personally, I think 6mm is cutting it a bit fine so that leaves a choice of 8 or 10mm. Any ideas?

I'll try and get the sheet on Monday then I'll have a good project to occupy my on that most boring day of the year, Boxing Day! I might even take the opportunity to hone my limited arc skills...

 

[Paul.]

I'd make it out of 10mm Archie, with a frame underneath you can clamp down to it to keep things flat, just bear in mind though that 10mm plate weighs 78.5 kg per square metre, heavy stuff if your mauling it around by hand.

 

[malcolm]

Bigger the better. I have 2 benches, one is 15mm thick and the other about 35mm thick. The 15mm one has a bend in it, but the 30mm one is completely straight.

Unfortunately the 30mm one is sitting outside as I've not thought up a way of moving it into the workshop. Also there's no space in the workshop for it. Building a lean-to around it for arc welding is likely to be the answer.

 

[Archie]

OK. Thanks guys. You've confirmed my thoughts that bigger is better! I had realised that this thing is not going to be light as I'd planned on a 2000x1000mm sheet. Which puts it around 150kg without the base!

Malcolm, you've bought me to the next thing I was going to ask about. The guy has said he can't guarantee the flatness of the plate. Is it going to be sensible for me to insist on a flat piece (likely to cost more) or shall I assume it'll be near enough flat for my purposes?

 

[madkayaker]

I'm guessing its a case of tolerances what you planing to fab on it?

 

[malcolm]

If you want it flat it's worth taking a 1m steel rule along to check the sheet. I'd not pay for a guarantee, just check the sheet before you accept it. Or if there's a choice select the best one.

I'd imagine new sheets would be reasonably flat.

 

[Archie]

I was planning just to have it delivered but I suppose you're right; the best thing to do is probably to go along and select the flattest. I'll try and pop down on Monday and see if they'll put it in the back of the car. How the hell I'll get it out again I don't know! I'll be fabbing a hole lot of things on it but one of the first will be a gate for a friend. I'm looking forward to being able to walk all around the bench. Not being able to do so is one of the biggest drawbacks of the current one.

 

[Paul.]

I was planning just to have it delivered but I suppose you're right; the best thing to do is probably to go along and select the flattest. I'll try and pop down on Monday and see if they'll put it in the back of the car. How the hell I'll get it out again I don't know! I'll be fabbing a hole lot of things on it but one of the first will be a gate for a friend. I'm looking forward to being able to walk all around the bench. Not being able to do so is one of the biggest drawbacks of the current one.

Jeez archie, what sort of car is it, I get some stuff in my pug 406 est but i draw the line at 2 x 1s of 10mm plate, Id get it delivered, they'll all come out of the same batch of plates, and I doubt if your stockholder will appreciate sorting through them, when you pull it down to the 80 x 80 box section it'll be as flat as you make the frame

 

[wyn]

Archie.... once the table is sorted, if your mig has a seperate wire feeder you could rig up one of those overhead rail thingy's to mount the wire feeder on. Especially if you have to work around a 2 x 1 table

 

[Archie]

Focus estate. I reckon it'd fit nicely but I'll admit the suspension might be a little on the low side! Maybe I'd be best off borrowing the 4x4 from my father (Nissan Terrano).... I'll try and get them to deliver but I'd really like it before Christmas as otherwise I won't get it until after New Year.

I'd not planed on putting a central beam on the frame so if it's dished pulling it down's not going to make much difference. Perhaps I'll have a rethink and put a central beam in. I'll see if it's flat first! True what you say about them being from the same batch. I'll just have to take pot luck I suppose....

 

[Archie]

Archie.... once the table is sorted, if your mig has a seperate wire feeder you could rig up one of those overhead rail thingy's to mount the wire feeder on. Especially if you have to work around a 2 x 1 table

I like the sound of that! Only problem is I got the crap end of the barn! I'm under the mezzanine (where all the junk is kept ) so the ceiling is quite low. I've never actually seen one though. What sort of form does it take?

 

[malcolm]

You'll straighten any bends out with the frame. Might be handy to have one that's slightly bent - would help devise the sequence of welding onto the frame.

Delivery makes sense - more important to have it there for when you want to fiddle with it.

 

[Paul.]

Why don't you build the bench frame first, then arrange delivery so that the plate comes straight of the lorry and on to the frame, less distance to lower it of the truck, I'd put 2 internal cross members in a 2x 1 bench, then if you need to you can shim between the plate and the box section to level it up, although I made loads of benches and never found that necessary, just make sure that the top frame of the bench is true, nothing to it

 

[Sid]

Just a thought. It's unlikely to be badly bent. If it is a little warped, can you not true it by running beads of weld on the underside? Obviously requires the plate to be a dish when top side up rather than a 'hill'.

 

[wyn]

It's a sort of curtain rail or the top bit of a sliding door.

The wire feeder is on one of the "runners", and so are the leads going back to the power unit.

It is horizontal with a bit of a vertical support which pivots on a wall or stanchion.

It then moves about the pivot in an arc above the welding area, the wire feeder and cables move back and fore along the slider bit.

It keeps all the cables and tube for the wire feeder out of the way.

I have used them in industrial situations and you sort of keep the wire feeder just behind you.

Don't know what it would be like with a low ceiling though.

I hope my description sort of made sence.

 

[Archie]

I think I will add at least one cross member to the top, probably across the 2m. Not sure about there being 'nothing to' getting it flat! Probably easier if you already have something flat to build it on! Any hints from an old hand?!

I agree it would be sensible to have the top delivered after. If I get my act together on Monday I might get the bottom done before it's delivered on Tuesday. If I have to go and pick it up I'll bring it back and leave it in the boot of the 4x4. Then I can slide it out onto the base. Although, the best laid plans.........

Wyn, this has the makings of a plan. I already have a bit of sliding door, the cables are miles long rail and the ceiling is held up by a couple of big steel poles so I'm already part way there. I might give it a go over Christmas.

 

[ben8vgte]

off on a tangent, but we had a flat bed artic trailer in at work that somone had welded a new 5th wheel plate but only round the outside in short stiches that was 10mm about the same size as you table and it warped like a gud un, compleatly wrote of the saddle on the 5th wheel. anyway to the point i'd put in a couple of bars to brace at least and start in the middle and work out and use a lot of clamps to keep it all flat as you weld

 

[Paul.]

I think I will add at least one cross member to the top, probably across the 2m. Not sure about there being 'nothing to' getting it flat! Probably easier if you already have something flat to build it on! Any hints from an old hand?!

I agree it would be sensible to have the top delivered after. If I get my act together on Monday I might get the bottom done before it's delivered on Tuesday. If I have to go and pick it up I'll bring it back and leave it in the boot of the 4x4. Then I can slide it out onto the base. Although, the best laid plans.........

Less of the old
I assume you're working on the floor then, so use 3 of those 9 ft lengths laid out, as a bed, set them up with a spirit level in all directions packing up as required to make a flat surface to work on, tack it up and put temporary diagonal braces in to keep it square, spread the welding around so that it doesn't curl up, in fact I probably wouldn't weld anything until its all fabbed up nice and square, when you start welding keep checking what effect your welds are having, remember welds shrink the material so its fairly easy to predict and plan a weld sequence.

 

[NeilH]

id like to see pics of this during fabrication mate, and the finished article

 

[Archie]

Hehe. Alright then. Experienced hand! Floor is probably the best bet as I'll be able to reach all parts most easily. Why the hell I built my current bench 1m high when I'm not 6' I've no idea!

I've got 8 lengths so 2 will cut down for the legs, 2 for the lower crosspieces and the remainder for the top will allow for one extra piece acres the top for bracing. Laying up using some of the box as a base is a marvellous idea. Thanks! Pictures of this fairly mundane project will follow!

Wyn, I hope my table looks flatter than yours...