Fixture table vs the welding table, ie: holy vs the unholy

cj737 wrote:If you are going to make a "fixture table" then you need to truly contemplate the tolerance of accuracy you require.

A 1/4" to 3/8" surface with holes in it does not yield serious accuracy. It is probably more than good for home hobbyist, DIYers, and the general fab world. And good enough by a long margin. But real fixture tables are incredibly precise, suited for production runs and repeatability, and faster, more accurate layout.

Threaded holes vs bored holes. I'm a fan of my table being bored for flexibility in setups, clamping, arrangements, etc. Threaded holes are great for small parts, or "jig plates". I use a 1" block of aluminum with 1/4-20 threaded holes laid atop my fixture table when I need smaller pieces, or to eliminate contamination from a carbon steel tabletop. But my table is stout. 3/4"x4'x'6' on 3x3x3/16 frame. It won't move without Hercules or a crane.

Surface maintenance is required for any type top, and surface prep/protection is also required, no matter the type. The bored 5/8" holes tend to have more than adequate slop in them for the clamps to slide in and out despite the grime and grit.

if you do use your hydraulic table as a base, be really certain you put down the riser lock when you use your table. You'll want the added rigidity and safety to prevent a hydraulic leak while you're working around it.

If you have the budget, Siegmund just release a helluva of a deal via their US Importer, Quantum. $2k gets you a 3x4 System 16 table and tooling in Imperial units. Limited to the first 200 respondents. Since it just got announced in Nov, you may still be in luck. Never has a Welder of Fabricator said, "I wish I hadn't bought a Siegmund table..." Whether you need the accuracy or not, it is still a helluva deal.

Check now

You make a good point about the required accuracy.
For my use and what I have done in the past and probably ever will do I don't require a an accurate surface ground table.
I'm positive that whatever I end up with will be shop built, this is a convenience hobby item for me, it's not an investment so there will never be a return on the investment. The reality is I already have more stuff than I can justify, but I enjoy it and spend a lot of my free time in the shop. At least I'm not spending my money foolishly golfing or some other such reckless nonsense.

You are spot on about locking the lift table, it will drift.
I also understand that the lift table is not the idea base either, but I already have a lot of tools and equipment shoehorned into a relatively small space. This welding table project is just one of several projects I have planned to try and consolidate and reclaim some space.

Thanks

Spartan wrote:You won't regret getting a fixture table for any reason, I promise. At least not after the sticker shock wears off

If the table has threaded holes and you're concerned about boogering them up, maybe consider buying a box of short set screws to put in them as slightly below-flush "plugs" for when you are not using those particular holes. Should do a good job of keeping them in great shape long-term.

You won't regret getting a fixture table for any reason, I promise. At least not after the sticker shock wears offIf the table has threaded holes and you're concerned about boogering them up, maybe consider buying a box of short set screws to put in them as slightly below-flush "plugs" for when you are not using those particular holes. Should do a good job of keeping them in great shape long-term.

I thought about set screws too, but I'm lazy and bet once I took them out they'd never go back in again.

Sticker shock shouldn't be to bad, I'll be making my own. We have a couple mag drills at work and I can borrow one, so the tooling cost and the steel will be the only expense.

I think I'm now less concerned about screwing up holes, either bored or threaded.
I just need to decide if a table full of holes is more helpful than annoying since it will see use as a workbench too, a table full of holes makes for a bad place to rebuild something full of tiny components.

You make a good point about the required accuracy.For my use and what I have done in the past and probably ever will do I don't require a an accurate surface ground table.I'm positive that whatever I end up with will be shop built, this is a convenience hobby item for me, it's not an investment so there will never be a return on the investment. The reality is I already have more stuff than I can justify, but I enjoy it and spend a lot of my free time in the shop. At least I'm not spending my money foolishly golfing or some other such reckless nonsense.You are spot on about locking the lift table, it will drift.I also understand that the lift table is not the idea base either, but I already have a lot of tools and equipment shoehorned into a relatively small space. This welding table project is just one of several projects I have planned to try and consolidate and reclaim some space.ThanksI thought about set screws too, but I'm lazy and bet once I took them out they'd never go back in again.Sticker shock shouldn't be to bad, I'll be making my own. We have a couple mag drills at work and I can borrow one, so the tooling cost and the steel will be the only expense.I think I'm now less concerned about screwing up holes, either bored or threaded.I just need to decide if a table full of holes is more helpful than annoying since it will see use as a workbench too, a table full of holes makes for a bad place to rebuild something full of tiny components.

Most of the welders perform all the fabrication work on the floor. One can work on the shop floor without a welding table. No grounding needed, no worry about cutting the base, etc. Though it is not mandatory to have a welding table, owning one will comfort the welder with better accessibility and thus improve his efficiency.

So, what exactly is this Welding Table?

A welding table is a waist-height platform that provides a flat and stable surface to work on. It operates like a workbench. The traditional welding table has a solid horizontal surface to weld. While the latest modular welding tables come with holes and railings that allow you to mount clamps, jigs and position the working piece without moving the equipment.

Why use a Welding Table?

Extremely high temperatures and spatter are produced while joining metals. A table that can withstand high temperatures, pressures, frictional work, etc is required in welding. Some of the uses of a welding table include:

1. It can assist the welder in squaring, gauging, measuring, etc operations.
2. Provides comfort to the welder thus increasing the productive time.
3. You can make a personalized DIY welding table according to your requirements. If not, you can buy one from the market.
4. The tables with holes and slots help you to quickly attach or detach clamps to firmly hold the workpieces of different sizes in position.

Fixed and Portable Welding Table

There are mainly two kinds of welding tables to serve your needs.

If you have larger or heavy-duty projects to work on, then you need a large table with fixed legs that can withstand heavyweights. One such table is a Fixed Welding Table. 

If you plan to work on smaller projects but at multiple sites, and Adjustable or Portable Welding Table is the best option. You can fold the adjustable welding table, carry it with you and unfold it at the worksite. The table also comes with wheels so that you can just drag it to desired locations instead of carrying it thus minimizing the efforts. 

When compared to fixed welding tables, the portable ones are smaller in size, can withstand lesser loads comparatively. 

Types of Welding Tables

2D welding table

For more information, please visit Hengfeng.

A 2-dimensional welding table is a basic, flat workbench with one working surface which is precision machined. 

Our Cyclotron 2D welding table has a nitrided working surface with high fatigue strength and corrosion resistance. The clamps and jigs can be easily fixed in the holes manually or automatically. As a result, the precision reaches up to microns. To know more about the product, you can click here and get a call back from the manufacturers. 

3D welding table

To accommodate a wide variety of parts, the 3D welding table comes with 5 working surfaces (1 top+4sides) that are precision machined.

The Cyclotron welding tables have a 3 hole drilling pattern on side surfaces to extend their functionality. With a maximum loading capacity of 7 tonnes, this welding table qualifies all the requirements of both horizontal and vertical applications. Quick and precise positioning of the clamps not only makes work accurate but also enhances productive time. The additional grid on the sides unlocks multiple clamping options. To make your move, request a call back from the manufacturers. 

Rotary welding table

Imagine a welding table that can tilt and rotate according to your convenience. It is difficult to weld a few parts on the horizontal table. This is where a rotary welding table gets in. It provides complete access to the welding workpiece to provide better weld quality with increased production rate and minimum efforts.

The tolerance reaches up to decimeters. At Cyclotron, we design our rotary welding tables in two variants, one is manually operated and the other is motorized. It has 360&#; rotation of the table. These tables are capable enough to move considerable weights at various speeds. The tabletop comes with one precision machined surface with holes of 16 mm diameter that are used to mount clamps and fixtures for welding. To get one, request a call back from the manufacturers.

Note

The welding tables are to be grounded to prevent voltage leaks. It not only protects the welders from electric shock but also prevents the high-frequency radiations from the welding area to interfere with any electric devices in the vicinity and cause damage.

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