Steel box tubing table

[ken_mig]

Looking at making a simple table with perhaps a 5mm acrylic sheet over the top.

It essentially just needs to support itself

Table width is 1metre by 700mm

I was looking at box section steel 40mmx40mm x 2mm (14swg) is that overkill? I mean i dont need to sit on it just if i lean on it, it doesn't sag etc.

Also i guess i need to Mig weld this, arch too thin? Do i need to mitre cut the corners or just butt together.

Thankyou!

 

[cumbriasteve]

Welcome:

I recently made a double aquarium stand which was fairly close to those dimensions and when you consider the weight of the full aquariums probably supported much greater than what it appears you have planned.

I used 20mm x 2mm wall box, the joints were mitred for visual impact.

 

[ken_mig]

Hey Steve, thanks for such a prompt response most appreciated. Found some fair pricing on themetalstore website, shame as my local steel supplier quoted me twice as much and that didnt include delivery charge. Shame i like to keep business local but what can you do..

My Dad used to have a metal saw which would mitre, very slow turning blade with cutting oil iirc dont have that here did you mitre yourself? Im considering using angle grinder to get the cuts right, is this possible?


cheers.

 

[cumbriasteve]

If you take your time then yes a grinder with a thin cutting disc will do, although I should imagine over the years I have cut a couple of miles of small box section with a hand hacksaw, does not take long with a good blade...depends what your heart and lungs are like

 

[ken_mig]

Aye seems they charge £1 a cut so £8 isn't gonna break the bank on this occasion hmm you must be pretty skilled to cut a neat mitre with a hacksaw.
Lungs are good skills are rusty!! I think this was one of my first challenges as an apprentice back at my london fire brigade mechanic apprenticeship wasn't easy then...

 

[cumbriasteve]

hmm you must be pretty skilled to cut a neat mitre with a hacksaw.

There are two great helpers:

Necessity.....I had nothing else at the time.

Practice.... I never mentioned the many that went wrong at the start of my steel bashing career.

 

[Windy Miller]

I think the 5 mm acrylic is more likely to give way than the box section!

 

[ken_mig]

Aye indeed you're right going to go way thicker on the Acrylic.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Coffee-table books can be heavy things......

 

[ken_mig]

That wooshed right over my head slim_boy_fat push the tempo...

 

[slim_boy_fat]

That wooshed right over my head slim_boy_fat

Just a tongue-in-cheek [hence the 'wink' smiley], on the proposal to increase the thickness of the acrylic top

"push the tempo..."

 

[dazza]

I have a bit of acrylic over the amps in my car got scratched in no time. I purchased some scratch resistant stuff not sure how good it is, still have not fitted it.

 

[cumbriasteve]

"push the tempo..."

I assume:

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Errrr.....still

 

[cumbriasteve]

Errrr.....still

Went over my head too