Steel plate/sheet for bench top.

[Cato]

If you go with 6mm, what about welding flat bar on edge underneath.

Make a grid arrangement.

More or less how the tab and slot ones get their strength.

That'd work, probably wouldn't need much of it. The spaces between the box section are 620 x 750.

 

[James1979]

Either a + or a # would do it

 

[Shox Dr]

Cato, Its a shame you are not closer. Ive 2 bits left over from the plate, last week a cut a bit off to make a pizza 'stone for the oven

 

[James1979]

If you do the edges first then make up a simple tool to pull the top to the flat bar and do those bits second but incremental so they’re flat.

All you need is a nut to tack under the top, bit of threaded bar, J bracket and a nut to pull it all down.

Cut tack, move over and repeat.

If you see what I mean.

That’s how the tab and slot ones are done.

 

[Cato]

If you do the edges first then make up a simple tool to pull the top to the flat bar and do those bits second but incremental so they’re flat.

All you need is a nut to tack under the top, bit of threaded bar, J bracket and a nut to pull it all down.

Cut tack, move over and repeat.

If you see what I mean.

That’s how the tab and slot ones are done.

Might be getting a bit 'fancy' but I'm thinking if I use a short piece of tube to form the centre of a + I can cut a hole in the plate to line up with it. I can then use if to clamp things on the bench, but also to pull it down as you describe for welding.

 

[MCKDAVID]

Unless you're needing to be absolutely critical on dimensions / square and level, do you really need 10mm thick top? Agreed, it's nice to have aye, but for the majority of what you'll need to do, a lighter guage will probably be fine, unless you're bouncing RSJ's over the top of it..

if it's needed, another option, slightly cheaper, lighter and more flexible.. use flat bar........

I made mine up with 80 x 10mm flat bar strips, cut to length, with a 20mm gap, which I filled with 3 x 20mm flat to stop crap / bits and sparks dropping through ... These are bolted down, not welded, so If I get weird shapes to repair / fabricate etc, I can remove a strip or two to allow better access. I can also remove the 20mm flat to clamp it down easier and faster for me. Especially as most of what I do is repair orientated, odd shapes etc...

Mine below, excuse the midden, (really must hae a clean up one of these days)but you'll get the idea...

 

[Cato]

Unless you're needing to be absolutely critical on dimensions / square and level, do you really need 10mm thick top? Agreed, it's nice to have aye, but for the majority of what you'll need to do, a lighter guage will probably be fine, unless you're bouncing RSJ's over the top of it..

That was my thinking for the same reasons, and unless the building collapses there won't be any RSJ's bouncing off it.

It really will only be static loads, with occasional kinetic persuasion and even less frequently making up a frame/brace/thingy type welding. It's just going to make life easier for a range of things which need to be on a bench which I don't want to be flammable and have a flat-ish surface.

 

[MCKDAVID]

"occasional kinetic persuasion".. Like that, sounds more elegant than BFH....

 

[Cato]

"occasional kinetic persuasion".. Like that, sounds more elegant than BFH....

Got to think of the customers with delicate sensibilities.

 

[Hopefuldave]

A lot like "percussive maintenance" but quieter?

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[Cato]

A lot like "percussive maintenance" but quieter?

Dave H. (the other one)

I always interpreted "percussive maintenance" as shooting the **** out of something?

 

[seriesonewelder]

Try Beech in Netherton

Steel Suppliers and Steel Stockholders based in West Midlands

C. Beech are steel suppliers of steel beams, steel columns, steel plates, steel flats, steel angles, steel rounds, steel squares and steel mesh

www.cbeech-steel.co.uk

 

[Cato]

Just to say thanks for the sanity check on using 10mm for the top. Having picked up the 6mm I don't know what I was thinking I'd need anything thicker for?