Thread: Metal Workbench Top

Grahame Why angle over flat black?
If you were using angle would you bother to weld it up like the drawing?

Stuart

l like the back to back double thickness and greater surface area of the other way.

If you wanted to thread a hole for any reason you have more to tap into.
Ignore those dimensions as they are inches .I pinched the illustration off the net.

Grahame

Grahame
Good points.

inches/mm doesnt matter to me. Sometimes both on the same drawing

Stuart

Old boilermakers trick to pull plate down to a frame is to weld an "L" shaped dog to the plate so the foot of the "L" sits over the frame and then drive a steel wedge under the dog and it will pull the plate down to the frame ,to be welded .Cut the dog off after or just knock it sideways with a hammer to break the welds.

Kev

Guys, a few things come to mind... is there any need to tack it down at all? A chunk of 8mm plate that size is pretty hard to move, particularly if there's a couple of retainers welded to the sides. Makes it easier to take off and straighten if required too. Mine is mild steel, but it rusts like nothin else if I haven't used if for a couple of weeks - often have to clean it off to get a good earth using low amps. A lot of my stuff is aluminium tig and the rusty (or oily) work surface isn't great. If I came across a cheap plate of stainless I'd definitely use in preferance to mild. I also recommend leaving an overhang on your bench so you've got a good clamping edge, as well as locking castor wheels. Cheers - Mick

i made my first welding/work bench at the age of 14 (last year) i used pallet racking for the frame (same as what you see in bunnings) then i used 50mm box tube and made a grid 300mm across the face and the whole depth of the bench. i used 3 3mm shets of steel. the first is plug welded to the frame and the second has holes drilled in it every 600mm through the frame then the third has rolled edges and boltes welded to it to drop in the the holes that go through the other 2 sheets and the frame. i have 2 migs so i welded a small bit of flat bar to the frame that i have the earth on one of my migs bolted to with out the earth clamp. i also have a 50mm border across thr back to stop tools falling of it.