[Shop-talk] Welding table

[David Hillman]

On Tue, 3 Jan 2012, Scott wrote:
> The ends.  The middle is where the 'leg' is--a single column about eight 
> inches in diameter.

    That's a relatively unique design.  How stable is it?

> Am I just crazy about putting some thing bar stock over the top, then trying 
> to crank the ends up to it, then welding more stock to the bottom to keep it 
> flat?  I'll probably have to get railroad rail and the world's biggest 
> clamps, but the droop really isn't that great.

    No, you aren't crazy, it just won't be easy and probably not cheap. 
Flip it over onto two large, true I beams, clamp down each corner, and 
then weld some heavy tube or angle underneath along the 5 foot sides, 
leaving a few inches of overhang.

> Huh.  Now I must calculate what the column and foot weigh.  The thing is 
> *heavy*.

    .2833 pounds per cubic inch for steel.  Adds up quick.  My top is about 
700 pounds, and the frame around 250.

--
  David Hillman