Thread: H&F “Fixture Point” welding table (and clamps)

Not sure if posting this on the bottom of an existing thread was a good idea - certainly got no response.
I’ll try a new thread here:

Does anyone have any experience with the H&F “Fixture Point” table?
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/W07706

Is it “flat”? Does it stay flat when clamping?

Obviously, I’d prefer an 8mm or 16mm top, but can’t really justify spending $3000+, for the amount I do.

Mainly smaller TIG jobs. Often Aluminium (Which rules out my oft used magnetic clamps)

The internet and UTube has spawned a bunch of must haves who are such big sooks when it comes to stuff like this.

We are DIY people fer chrisakes.

You can't justify for the amount of work you do.
Neither can I.

I seem to remember getting along along ok for the last 55 years with out one.

Some flat sheet say 12mm should not damage the budget real much. Drill and tap some holes to suit. You are not building ships. Just strong enough to keep all in trim while tacking and assembly.

The rest of the hold down and set up items are things you can procure independently without paying through the nose or just make them.
Make a good frame and castors and you are off to the races.

I am sure the some of our guys can suggest a few other bits and pieces.
All right you lot,get your finger out.We need ideas.

Grahame

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

The internet and UTube has spawned a bunch of must haves who are such big sooks when it comes to stuff like this.

We are DIY people fer chrisakes.

You can't justify for the amount of work you do.
Neither can I.

I seem to remember getting along along ok for the last 55 years with out one.

Some flat sheet say 12mm should not damage the budget real much. Drill and tap some holes to suit. You are not building ships. Just strong enough to keep all in trim while tacking and assembly.

The rest of the hold down and set up items are things you can procure independently without paying through the nose or just make them.
Make a good frame and castors and you are off to the races.

I am sure the some of our guys can suggest a few other bits and pieces.
All right you lot,get your finger out.We need ideas.

Grahame

As an example I recently picked up a steel 1200x1000 welded up frame made out of RHS 75x50x5mm , the ends are 100x5 C channel. Paid $45 for it on Gumtree. The steel shop i go to sell off cuts , i picked a few lengths of 100x100x5mm , approx 2m long for $50. I've order a new steel 10mm sheet 2400x1200 @ $500 and HD castors off Ebay for $85. So for around $600 plus a day and a half's work making it and running around vs drive in drive out for $629 and get a shiny new 900x600x4mm table out of the box with all the extras, at the end of the day both tables will do the same job.

Originally Posted by skypig

[COLOR=#333333
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/W07706

Is it “flat”? Does it stay flat when clamping?

Obviously, I’d prefer an 8mm or 16mm top, but can’t really justify spending $3000+, for the amount I do.

Mainly smaller TIG jobs. Often Aluminium (Which rules out my oft used magnetic clamps)

The table is designed to provide a flat surface to clamp LIGHTWEIGHT fabrication with flatness and attachment points for squaring and mounting accessory doohickeys.is
However this table top itself must be mechanically attached to the table top to provide rigidity.

This allows flat packing and ease of shipping. As emphasised the table is for lightweight clamping to flat not the shaping of ships keel beams.

As a home made heroes ,we can dispense with the flat plat unit provided by a top which can be then tack welded to the table frame.

Welding of course prevents disassembly and flat packing making a fully welded unit costly and awkward to ship.

The commercial table surface looks to be machine ground. Ok ,sometimes I am a touch slow, but explain to me please why a machine finish is required on a top subject to welding albeit it is probably only tack welding.

As for flatness the purchased sheet may not be perfectly flat. To pluck a figure from the air,even at 6mm in 1000mm it could be pulled back flat to rigid flat or section bar - on edge- and tacked welded..

Imagine the table frame already fabricated and rigid and then the slightly bowed top plate is set on top with bowed section set upwards. Secure some cheap chain each end and place a small hydraulic jack between plate and chain and pump. Using a suitable level as a straight edge jack up until surface is level and flat and tack weld on base side of plate.

I would say 1mm over a 1000 is plenty close enough for 99% of fabricating.

Remember the physics you were taught in high school. It will work better on a sub 12mm thickness and over a 1 metre distance. Ten mm over a metre is fine.
Twenty five mm thickness over a 300mmm won't move at all. To make it lighter and cheaper you could use 6mm thickness through there is not a lot of thickness for tapped holes.Hex nuts could be tacked underneath as a work around.

Drill and tap mount holes where needed. Using the table as a set out bench, not a grinding, or welding or even as a portable anvil will preserve its flat and rigidity characteristics over a long time.As far as the accessories go ,enlarge the illustrations that come so kindly provided with the ad. There's nothing there that needs special tools to make.

Grahame

Those style of tables aren't my thing, but IME with a 4mm top of that size with the mid support would be reasonably rigid for your intended purpose of light TIG jobs.

I'm a bit like Grahame and have never needed one, but I also really enjoy the making tools aspect of the hobby - so if I did want one I'd likely make it myself.
In saying that, if making tools ISN'T your thing and you just want to buy a table like that as a tool to help you get on with welding your main interests then go for it!

If you wanted that style of table but want it a bit heavier and you're happy to do some of the work yourself - consider getting a top laser cut with the holes in it and make up a frame.
Laser cut 16mm holes in 8mm steel come out very clean.
Its a trivial job in CAD to create a DXF file that you can send to a laser cutter for a quote. If you don't do CAD let me know and I'll knock one up for you.
You'd obviously still be up for a bit of fiddling to sort out clamps etc.

Steve

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/384687094975

Cheaper option with no accessories $300 with a 5mm top. 900x600x70mm , just needs legs.

Re holes , a $25 drill bit and a few hours work will get it done, use a router with a round over bit to clean the holes up.

Originally Posted by skypig

Does anyone have any experience with the H&F “Fixture Point” table?
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/W07706

Yup. Got it as a bit on an impulse purchase. Don't use the legs, rather it sits on my bench with a bit of cement board underneath it.

I find it very handy, the inserts make it easy to square up stuff, the clamps a great. The other bits, like magnets and that, I haven't used much.

Biggest stuff I've welded on it is 50mm SHS & angle. It's plenty stiff enough for that kind of thing.

If I ever got into more serious fabrication, and had the room, I'd certainly consider fabricating something bigger and beefier, but for what I'm doing, this is just fine.

Originally Posted by OxxAndBert

Laser cut 16mm holes in 8mm steel come out very clean.
Its a trivial job in CAD to create a DXF file that you can send to a laser cutter for a quote. If you don't do CAD let me know and I'll knock one up for you.
You'd obviously still be up for a bit of fiddling to sort out clamps etc.

Steve

Also, there's this guy:
https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/givitawa...75.m3561.l2562