Workbench Design

[monkeh]

Hi Guys,

So i finally managed to get a bit of 10mm plate offcut from a local steel supplier and some 40 x 40 x3 box to make a welding bench with.

I dont have much space so its only a little 580 x 690mm bit i got

Ive made a design but im not sure if its any good.

its upside down so you can see better. I did it like that so i can hang clamps etc on the side rails and the long runners are open ended so i can add extender bars if needed or add removable tools like a vice and grinder. Im just not sure if its better to support the top all round and then add bars as well.
Im not sure if i need to add supports between the legs lower down as well. The bench will only be 600-700mm high as ill be sitting on a low seat i have.

I only have just enough box section to make this design so id have to wait untill i can get more if i change it.

Thanks all

 

[dobbslc]

The legs could do with supporting, you can build a shelf and store stuff there.

 

[Burdekin]

For that size with 10mm plate you could get rid of the box section and just weld the legs straight to the plate with some additional gussets if required.

 

[outofthefire]

I'd set the the two end bits flush with the rest of the frame but cut them short and weld the legs right in the corners and add some gussets. I personally wouldn't weld the top on if you can get away with it 10mm will distort if you put too much heat in it.

 

[WorkshopChris]

I dont have much space so its only a little 580 x 690mm bit i got

At that size i would look at getting the legs as outbound as possible. Stability is going to be your biggest problem.

 

[Paul G]

The bench will only be 600-700mm high as ill be sitting on a low seat i have.

Did you steal this from the local primary school ?


On a more serious note, bolt the top to the frame with countersunk allen screws.
Reason 1. No distortion.
Reason 2. When it's ruined by weld spatter/tack welds/grind marks etc you can turn it over and use the other side.


Paul G

 

[monkeh]

lol its just a little mechanics stool i have for working on my bikes

Id like to be able to get my legs under the table so i cant add a shelf or any bracing around the front side, i could brace either side between the legs and run another brace between the two but further back so i can still get my legs under.
gussets is another option.
I was going to either bolt the top down or just use a few tacks that i can grind off. Im just not sure how easy a 10mm plate will warp so i dont know how well i need to support it. Im only using the bench for learning on so it wont have any weight on it or hammering etc.

 

[Gareth J]

10mm plate can warp especially if your frame isn't bang on flat. A few tacs will minimise it. If you do end up with a slightly off frame you could always bond the top on, I did on mine and it's good. Don't fancy getting it off though.

I'd replace the front supporting box section with a bit of heavy angle. Facing the angle outwards gives you a lot of area you can easily clamp a g-clamp onto. Having a bit of box there makes it harder to use a clamp, especially further back in the table.

 

[Chris Stevens]

Firstly bench needs to be around 85cm high, as the height you suggest will make working very difficult if you are standing up (unless you are very short).

Extra bracing and steel work underneath the top is pretty much a waste of time, unless you are wanting something to use as a base to fabricate parts, where a flattish surface would be of help.

I guess as a beginner you are not looking for that at the moment, so just make it higher, weld legs direct to top and braces between the legs front and back will be fine.

 

[Paul G]

lol its just a little mechanics stool i have for working on my bikes

Id like to be able to get my legs under the table so i cant add a shelf or any bracing around the front side, i could brace either side between the legs and run another brace between the two but further back so i can still get my legs under.
gussets is another option.
I was going to either bolt the top down or just use a few tacks that i can grind off. Im just not sure how easy a 10mm plate will warp so i dont know how well i need to support it. Im only using the bench for learning on so it wont have any weight on it or hammering etc.

I can't recommend welding sitting down with your legs under the table.
I have a metal picture of a globule of molten metal bouncing off the table edge and landing in your lap.
First the smell of burning trousers quickly followed by smouldering underpants. Next the smell of cooking flesh
as the now cooling sphere embeds itself partly in your leg and partly in your scrotum.

Oooooooo. You'll walk funny for days.

 

[monkeh]

Just a little update, I made a few offcuts and had a go at sticking them together.

not pretty but penetration was good at least. Any tips for the corners would be appreciated.

As you can see in the last 2 pics there is a gap at the bottom of the bevel where it joins. I think this is causing me the undercut problems as im using 1.6mm filler. Im going to try some 2.4mm filler i have next and see if its any better.
Im running at 125 amps to start with and going down to 115-120 once things heat up, the tubing is 3mm so this seems about right and it puddles nice and quick.
I'll post some more pics after i try the bigger filler.

Edit:
Bigger filler didnt make much difference unless i really pushed it in and that didnt look the best. It is quite a deep joint and i think im just tring to add so much metal in one pass so ill just do another bead over the top.

 

[monkeh]

thats where i tried pushing in more filler at the end, it didnt work.


after cover passes, cleaned them up ok i think, next i tried a weave over the bad weld but it just made it worse haha







autogenous weld

I felt it went ok for my first time welding tubing, I didnt clean the inside of the tubes and i think thats why some of the welds have a little contamination, there was also a lot of fumes coming from the inside which smelt like plastic mixed with oil, probably really bad to be breathing in.