Suitable welding bench?

[Chantal]

Hi, I'm a newbie setting up so that I can weld sculptures as part if my art practice. I took an intro course to get to know the basics and now it's time to kit out and dive in properly!

Could I get advice on wether this looks like a suitable bench to weld on?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Metal-Wor..._Tools_Tool_Boxes_Storage&hash=item2ecd7520d5

All advice greatly appreciated!

 

[madkayaker]

It will be ok for a starter. A thicker top would be an improvement

 

[Chantal]

Thanks for that. What sort of thickness would be good if I buy a metal sheet to place on top?

 

[madkayaker]

Mine is 10mm on a 50x6mm angle frame. A lot depends what you want to weld/ abuse with a big hammer on it. I have had a pull lift length wise on it proof testing a wire strop to 1T on my bench with no movement. Also have rebuilt Landrover gearbox on it

 

[p0689109]

The sides of the bench just look like sheet galvanised with a edging for strength/ connection. Doubt if it will take a great weight and be stable. Probably ok for light work though.

 

[Chantal]

Thanks for the replies! For a good while I wouldn't be working with anything heavy - mainly welding sculptures from 6mm rod. Hopefully this will do as a starter.
As for welder thinking of going for Clarke mig175 or similar.
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/mig175-2

 

[500e]

looks like dexion shelving

 

[madkayaker]

Now you mention it

 

[lshigham]

That bench looks rather flimsy, look at how the end has folded in

Welder wise, at that price you could do better, have a look at http://www.weldequip.com/gys-smartmig-162.htm

Slightly less amps but a well built machine with an Euro torch and significantly cheaper. If you could stretch, a portamig is only £100 more and well worth the extra. They are worlds apart from a clarke in terms of quality http://www.weldequip.com/portamig-mig-welders.htm

 

[MattF]

I'm no welder, but surely you'd be better classing a workbench as your first project and making something a bit beefier and to your own spec? As 500E says, that looks like a Dexion framework. Not exactly rigid stuff unless you have it braced every which way.

 

[Paul.]

The vice may be worth having if you need one but in my opinion the rest is scrap, the cost of transporting that will be more than the cost of buying new material and making one as your first project.

 

[Chantal]

Hmmm ok sounds like consensus is I should let it go. Transport was going to be £55 so maybe I should spend the money on materials and try making one myself. Guess I was a little nervous to stuff it up.
@ ishigham- like the look of the welder you posted! Would that be powerful enough for me to me using on 6mm steel do you think? I was opting for Clarke as figured it was a safe bet from what I'd read on here. But if this is a sound recommendation I'd be up for it!
Anyone else here got an opinion on the smartmig?

 

[lshigham]

For the £55 you could easily buy the box if not the top for a decent bench.

6mm is pushing it on the clarke or gys, is this just sculptural stuff?

 

[Chantal]

Yep just sculptural stuff. Although making up a bench is now a project!

 

[lshigham]

If you need to do anything structural over 3-4mm you'd need a bigger welder (you'll probably want to use 40x40x3mm box for a welding bench) but for welding bits of 6mm bar together for a sculpture it'll be fine

 

[Robotstar5]

Bench frame for sale here

 

[welding wildman]

For my 2 pence worth
You should make you own bench
In my first welding job back in 1988, the welding supervisor was a lovely old chap who let us make our own benches from scrap
that way we could have them how we wanted them and some of us had shelves and even sliding drawers and one guy had a fixture for a turntable that he made from an old manhole cover.
Let the creative juices flow and see what comes up.....

 

[Chantal]

Thanks all. Appreciate the replies and links. Definitely going to go for it and build my own.

Think I'm probably going to get gys that ishigham mentioned too unless anyone else has a top recommendation? Should have enough cash left to buy a second hand industrial heater too as the industrial unit I'm using is freezing!

 

[Malvern]

......... Should have enough cash left to buy a second hand industrial heater too as the industrial unit I'm using is freezing!
Ah! Now there's another project. No time for work with all these projects

 

[Premiershipman]

You could of course see if you can get an old table (metal frame and legs with wooden top) and remove the top and put a thick sheet on top.

People and offices especially tend to tip furniture like that all the time.

Shady