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  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Default Steel sizing for welding table frame

    Hi all,

    I have a nice bit of plate that I've been meaning to use for a welding table. I'm just currently stuck trying to think of what would be suitable specifications of the steel for the frame.

    The main concern is the plate is 1500x1000x25, so around 300kg on its lonesome. Since I want it on caster wheels as well, it'll have a few directions of force on it at times.

    I don't suppose anyone has a simple rule of thumb for calculating what would be suitable frame material?
    50x50x5 or 65x65x4 SHS is what I've been considering, would that be suitable for ~600kg of loading?

    Drat, now that I think about it, my 150kg rated ebay casters might not be the best for my small fear of being crushed

    Thanks in advance!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
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    Geelong, Australia
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    Default

    It will depend a lot on the design of the support structure.
    If you’re just going to have 4 unbraced legs then you’ll need bigger RHS than if you are going to have eg 6 legs with braces etc.

    For that size table consider 6 legs, putting a couple of larger non steering wheels in the center of the table that can handle the total weight, and then your casters at each corner. Make the casters on one end slightly higher than the main wheels and add some screw down feet for when it’s not bring moved.
    Basically when you move it all the weight is taken by the 2 center wheels and the casters are just for balance. Having the casters on one end a bit higher means that you only have to deal with 3 or 4 wheels touching the floor at a time.
    We use trolleys of this design at work and they are really nice to use with heavy loads on. They don’t tend to get bogged on small cracks or stones as easily, and while they don’t move sideways as such, they are still able to be walked up against a wall. They also don’t get away on a side slope.

    Steve

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    Southern Flinders Ranges
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    Default

    Mine is 1800x900 and 30mm thick top weighs around 450kg

    Its on six 75x75x3 legs, top is held together with 50x8 angle (would have done 5mm but needed to tap M12x1.75 into it in a couple of spots where I couldn’t get nuts on). The lower bracing is 50x50x5 SHS. I drilled and tapped the lower tubes with 1/2BSP in case I needed more mass I could fill them with sand or shot. I’ve not fillies them at this point (4years after completing it).
    I have levelling feet made from 1” UNC studs 8” long with ice hockey pucks under them so it’s not steel on concrete. It’s mobile on 6” poly tired casters (it rolls but not super easily, I sort of regret not going cast, the poly deforms a bit under the weight, fortunately I don’t move it very often).

    I still have a large number of the UNC studs and nuts if you want to make levelling feet, PM if you want some.

  4. #4
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Default

    FWIW, in my very cramped shed, my small welding table is about 1/3rd the area of yours and only has a 12mm plate top.
    I used 4 , 50 x 50 x 5 angle legs but also added 5th leg ( 30 x 25 x 5mm) that sits under a 60 x 60 x 5 mm SHS vice post socket.
    If I had the 60 x 60 x 5 mm SHS I would have made the whole leg of of that
    The 5th leg takes the direct weight of the removable vice on a steel plate and 50 x 50 x 5mm SHS plug, plus any bashing

    The bench has a shelf underneath using 25 x 25 x 5 mm angle as shelf support brackets and from stiffners. The shelves hold the welder and plasma.

    As you can see its cramped.
    Weldbench1.JPG


    Weldbench2.JPG


    No wheels - just heptagonal flats welded onto the ends of the legs for the few times I want to skate it around to clean in behind it. I think I have needed to move it 3 times in 10 years.

    In your case I would use 6 legs @ 50x50x5 angle
    For 4 legs I would be going to 75x75x5 or maybe even 6mm.
    But I tend to over engineer stuff so maybe get some more advice.
    .
    Attached Images Attached Images

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
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    Freo
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    141

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by LordBug View Post
    Hi all,

    I have a nice bit of plate that I've been meaning to use for a welding table. I'm just currently stuck trying to think of what would be suitable specifications of the steel for the frame.

    The main concern is the plate is 1500x1000x25, so around 300kg on its lonesome. Since I want it on caster wheels as well, it'll have a few directions of force on it at times.

    I don't suppose anyone has a simple rule of thumb for calculating what would be suitable frame material?
    50x50x5 or 65x65x4 SHS is what I've been considering, would that be suitable for ~600kg of loading?

    Drat, now that I think about it, my 150kg rated ebay casters might not be the best for my small fear of being crushed

    Thanks in advance!
    I had a 1300x1000x25 and just used some 125 diam pipe legs welded to the bottom. I have shoved it around quite a bit and the legs haven't fallen off yet

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
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    Laidley, SE Qld
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    1,038

    Default

    My welding table is a $100 ebay find, I can't claim any credit or shame for it. The plate is 1200 x 1000 x 20 so 200kg there, the frame is 65 x 65 x 3 RHS which seems to be coping quite nicely.

    The plate is double sided and mounted on pivots, one side is plain, the other is full of fixtures which were presumably used for scroll work, neat idea.

    The wheels (the plate only trundles backwards and forwards at the moment) look like they are from a laundry trolley and are struggling, proper castors and feet are in its future.

    IMG_4221.jpg

    IMG_4222.jpg

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    I made mine which is only 1200x650mm.
    It has 75x75x5mm legs and support.
    It uses 2x heavy dumpster bin wheels one end and a single one the other end made into a jockey wheel, with a reduction gear 3 to 1.
    When wound down it sits on 2x adjustable feet for leveling.

    Dry it weighed 170kg, loaded 250kg

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  8. #8
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    Default

    2

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  9. #9
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    3

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  10. #10
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    Mar 2011
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    Slick set up Dave

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
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    North Brisbane. Qld. Australia
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    I like the pivoting table, but maybe with a better fixing method than a screwdriver.
    Nev.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Perth
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    Default

    Excellent input, many thanks all! Now I've got a wealth of additional ideas to use
    I'm liking the thought of doing six legs - two columns of shelves would be better for fitting in my welders/plasma cutter/misc

    Love the jockey wheel Dave, that's a bloody terrific idea!

    Cheers for the offer of the studs/nuts racingtadpole, luckily I nabbed some nice meaty bolts out of the scrap bin at work which have been earmarked for this exact purpose.

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