Welding table

[Gapster]

Hi all, anyone made a welding table?

I'm just about to 'botch' something together using an old workmate table and a sheet of steel and wondered if there are any tips to be sure of a good grounding earth.(rubber wheels, no rubber wheels?)


...still haven't unpacked my R-tech mig, and plasma cutter.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Earthing has nothing to actually do with making contact with the earth (ground).

To earth what you are welding you require the earth clamp to be on the steel table or the item itself, closer the better but not that close that it interferes with the work.

For what you are making I would weld a small flat bar lug under the corner of the table and clamp on that.

 

[Gapster]

Thanks. I just figured that a good 'ground earth' would be making sure... A bit overkill, maybe

I have something suitable I can knock together so I'll give it a try.

 

[Richard.]

A good connection from your unit to the bench is all you need. Ensure it has a free path to get to the item sitting on the bench. I weld a lump of flat with a 12mm hole through it and bolt the return cable to it through a lug. I have a dinse socket on my machine so if I need to use it off the bench I swap for a clamp type. The importance of a good return connection is surprisingly overlooked by many.

 

[MoreWellie]

in certain cases using "ground" earth on welding table may lead to problems with welders the welder "earth" should be called "return" and isn't normally connected to earth inside the welder.

I have heard stories of welders burning mains cables when people forgot to connect the "return" to the job and all the welding current went through the earth in the mains cable. These cases were fairly special in that it required memory lapse (regular enough occurence) and a fault/amateur repair inside the welder that connected the return and mains earth

That said I haven't ever deliberately tried to isolate things being welded from resting on the ground

 

[Brad93]

Had a kemppi 3 phase that was somehow wired wrong or something wrong with the machine, that liked to earth through the mains, wet floor, anything really. Not surprising it went up in smoke not long after. Less than a year old Kemppi RA 323