Welding Table?

[SamV]

Group,

I am in the process of making a welding table from a metal cabinet with a steel top. I want to put castors on it to raise it up some and be able to move it to where I want to work. I will add a vice to it too. My question is should I use full metal castors or will the ones with the rubber wheels work? Once I decide and start work I will post up some photos.

Thanks for your impute

Sam

 

[DRussell]

Group,

I am in the process of making a welding table from a metal cabinet with a steel top. I want to put castors on it to raise it up some and be able to move it to where I want to work. I will add a vice to it too. My question is should I use full metal castors or will the ones with the rubber wheels work? Once I decide and start work I will post up some photos.

Thanks for your impute

Sam

Look at the weight rating of the wheels compared to the total weight of what you are building, with the vice and a bunch of clamps, tools, welding rod, etc. I wouldn't go with pneumatic ones as I don't think they can handle the weight. I did this several years ago and went with solid rubber casters, two straight and two swivel.

Metal wheels will lock up and not turn with almost anything that you run over.

 

[J.Wondergem]

Group,

I am in the process of making a welding table from a metal cabinet with a steel top. I want to put castors on it to raise it up some and be able to move it to where I want to work. I will add a vice to it too. My question is should I use full metal castors or will the ones with the rubber wheels work? Once I decide and start work I will post up some photos.

Thanks for your impute

Sam

I made one with trays under it for scrap metal and now I have so much stuff in the shop that I cannot move it.

 

[CEP ACB]

If it's for welding and cutting ?
I'd use wheels that won't burn.

 

[504]

welding table= steel wheels

 

[caterpillar guy]

I'd probaably use a couple doughnuts from a car and put in under the top so most of the spatter and slag is not falling on the tires. Would roll easy and over things better than casters would. I've got an old clothes dryer frame forma commercial dryer I want to put a couple wheels like that on with a cam action so it can roll and then be solid setting.

 

[Ray,IN]

"With a vice". Any vice with wheels under it isn't much use IMO; unless you will only use it as a welding clamp.

 

[M-MAN]

I have industrial rubber wheels under mine. 5/8 boiler plate top with a big Columbian vice on one end.

 

[KCTractors]

Group,

I am in the process of making a welding table from a metal cabinet with a steel top. I want to put castors on it to raise it up some and be able to move it to where I want to work. I will add a vice to it too. My question is should I use full metal castors or will the ones with the rubber wheels work? Once I decide and start work I will post up some photos.

Thanks for your impute

Sam

I have a welding table but I can't use that it has so much crap on it. One of these days, I am going to make it a welding table again.

 

[farmersamm]

Hit the slightest bit of trash on the floor, and metal wheels won't turn.

The solid plastic/rubber wheels are about the best you can use. If your cabinet/table combo is short............consider just using one set of wheels, and move it like you'd move a wheelbarrow.

It's tough to work on a small surface, but if it's what ya got...........is what it is. You're still miles ahead having a work surface.

As far as a vise goes.........it's workable if you tighten on the downstroke. With the bar parallel to the floor. This way.......the force is directed downwards, and won't try to move the table. lIke I say..........it's a tough row to hoe, but it's better than working on the floor.

 

[caterpillar guy]

I want to use the wheels with a lever to lift the table so I can roll it then let the table down on the legs so it is solid down. That way it doesn't want to move around yet I don't need a crane to move it. thought if I mounted the wheels on a lever with a handle to the opposite side it would just need to be pulled up or pushed down to lift he table and then just reverse to be down on the legs. No rolling while using a vise. I'ts about 4 foot square with a 1/4or 3/8 plate on top. IF I need to pound hard on it I have other places to use sledge hammers on .I have pouned pretty hard on this one with a large hammer like 3or 4 pounds.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I want to use the wheels with a lever to lift the table so I can roll it then let the table down on the legs so it is solid down. That way it doesn't want to move around yet I don't need a crane to move it. thought if I mounted the wheels on a lever with a handle to the opposite side it would just need to be pulled up or pushed down to lift he table and then just reverse to be down on the legs. No rolling while using a vise. I'ts about 4 foot square with a 1/4or 3/8 plate on top. IF I need to pound hard on it I have other places to use sledge hammers on .I have pouned pretty hard on this one with a large hammer like 3or 4 pounds.

I have a Very heavy welding table. I'm guessing it weighs most of a ton.
Came from a giant machine shop auction.
It has 4 big 1 1/2" bolts for feet so you can level it.
Everything in my shop has to be moveable so I added heavy casters to it. But I offset the casters to the sides of the legs.
If I screw the bolts up about 1/8" I can move it around alone. If the bolts are screwed down 4 men couldnt move it.
Maybe that idea will work for you?
I do have to sweep the floor before I move it as even a dime will stop a caster from rolling.
I would not want rubber or plastic casters under a welding table. Welding sparks or slag from the fire wrench would melt them.

 

[SamV]

I have a Very heavy welding table. I'm guessing it weighs most of a ton.
Came from a giant machine shop auction.
It has 4 big 1 1/2" bolts for feet so you can level it.
Everything in my shop has to be moveable so I added heavy casters to it. But I offset the casters to the sides of the legs.
If I screw the bolts up about 1/8" I can move it around alone. If the bolts are screwed down 4 men couldnt move it.
Maybe that idea will work for you?
I do have to sweep the floor before I move it as even a dime will stop a caster from rolling.
I would not want rubber or plastic casters under a welding table. Welding sparks or slag from the fire wrench would melt them.

Now that is a fantastic idea. I will definitely consider this.

 

[David from Kansas]

I have a welding table but I can't use that it has so much crap on it. One of these days, I am going to make it a welding table again.

I'm with KCTractors on this one. I have the same problem with lots of clutter, always think I need to save that gidget . Great idea for rollers if it has to be movable. Also, I built my table several years ago; actually I bought it at a farm auction but had to add a vise to it which took some doing as the top was circular, about 36" diameter and 3/4 inch thickness. Had to drill holes to mount the vise so had to fabricate a way to apply pressure to my 1/2 inch drill but worked fine. No rollers. Two people can move it. Sometimes have to put a lot of "squeeze" on the vise so having ordinary rollers on it would make it very unhandy.

 

[stevieb49829]

I have a big, heavy Rockwell table saw, and minimum shop room for it. I salvaged the undercarriage from a treadmill, which has fixed casters and rubber bumper pads to sit on the floor. So I built these. When you push down on the foot handle, it cams the castor down to the floor, and lifts the bumpers far enough up to be free of the floor. Works really well to move it in and out of it's hidey hole. And doesn't move when the wheels are up, because it is sitting on the rubber bumpers. Steve

 

[RobCons]

Made mine with a sheet of 4x8x3/8 steel for the top. Legs and frame work are heavy walled 3x3 square tubing. Metal casters, 2 fixed on one end. Leveling bolts on two legs, a trailer jack on the same end so it can be jacked up and rolled. Receiver hitch on it so my vice, tube roller, bender, etc can be removed and swapped out easily. Small racks to hang grinders, grinder wheels, and clamps on. Tubing to act as a welding gun holster.

 

[Fritz Maurer]

Non-metallic wheels may get a flat spot in the tire if the table is heavily laden and left to sit for an extended period of time, then roll like a lame shopping cart next time it's needed.

The simple answer for steel wheels not rolling over obstacles is ...... a broom.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

"With a vice". Any vice with wheels under it isn't much use IMO; unless you will only use it as a welding clamp.

Depending on the weight of the table you are correct at the very least you will want big locking casters. Big heavy table big locked casters no movement with the 6 foot pipe wrench and the bar. We have a local heavy heavy factory table that we put a receiver tube vice off a truck on it and switched its casters out for locking ones. The thing is handy handy handy. I mostly leave the casters locked and move it with the forklift but dad likes to push it around

 

[D13series2]

I used the step down casters like stevieb, but mine are slide on. Mount the plate to the table, Slide the caster plate into the mounting plate, drop in a lock pin, step down and go. I used 900# per set units, and used 3 per side for 1200# capacity and extra stability. Table is 2" heavy wall tubing with a 24x26 lapping plate (over 500#) plus a shelf for chop saw and mag drill.

 

[drsportster]

Harbor --Freight has all iron ones for $8.99 each Not bad