Welding Tips and Tricks

Did this over the holiday weekend.



The top is 1/4 plate. Not really what I wanted but it'll do, and I can always upgrade later.

My question is about the finish. It's P&O now, kinda dark grey looking (see pic). Do I need to sand / grind it down to bare steel before I start using it?

A few sheets of 80grit on a DA didn't do a damn thing so I'm assuming 36 or 40grit flappers on a 4" death wheel grinder would take care of it.

Nice table.

Your table looks great, but for myself I've been looking for ideas for a round welding table.
This fellow on youtube is very creative. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OnF6_V28DM

I've actually wondered, if the sanding marks left on the top of a table effect the ground in anyway? like why the grinding marks on an electrode matter.

table looks fine, light weight to move around. Mine is like 600 lbs and I cant clamp on the sides. and as you said you can always upgrade. maybe you could add a ground lug on the bottom.
as for the finish, maybe a handheld belt sander with like 120 grit. what is P&O?

If your table is going to be your ground, as opposed to grounding directly to the work, bare steel would be preferred, as you'll have fewer arc-marks at table contact points. With a relatively thin surface, you may be better off using "third-hand" grounds, or, as I do, a loop of fine-strand 1-ought ground cable to ground directly to the work. You'll reduce overall heat input to the table top by eliminating it from the ground path.

Since your DA wouldn't touch it (if you choose to take it to bare steel), I'd take an offset hard rock in a 4 1/2" grinder (guard removed), and work it flat across the surface. (A 9" grinder makes faster work, but few have these). Once you have bare steel, the easiest way to prevent rust is a good coat of MIG welder's spatter spray (Oil based, not water based).

Steve S

Oddjob83 wrote:what is P&O?

Pickled and oiled finish.

I made the table out of mostly left over materials. The top was only thing bought semi-new, out of a local shop's drop pile - 3/8 or 1/2 would have been nice, but they didn't have any that wasn't badly rusted, and I don't know anybody with a surface grinder machine.

A small rolling table was the best compromise for my current work space (no room for a large fixed table, and none of the folding tables available off the shelf were to my liking). The finished table fits perfectly into the spot between the water heater and my work bench, and rolls out easily for use. I can see where a round welding table would work, but it wouldn't fly at my place.

If it's not necessary to grind / sand it to bare steel I'll leave it alone. Plan is to just put the ground clamp on the edge of the top, if that doesn't work we'll try something else.

Thanks for the compliments and input BTW

Hey,

Another good way of cleaning large areas is a sander/buffer that is used in panel shops. They are around 8" and spin slower than a grinder, There is a rubber backing pad that you can attach all sorts of grit discs too, the give of the rubber allows you to bring more of the disc in contact with the surface. Not as full on as ottos suggestion, a little more forgiving than the hard wheel.

Mick

weldin mike 27 wrote:Hey,

Another good way of cleaning large areas is a sander/buffer that is used in panel shops. They are around 8" and spin slower than a grinder, There is a rubber backing pad that you can attach all sorts of grit discs too, the give of the rubber allows you to bring more of the disc in contact with the surface. Not as full on as ottos suggestion, a little more forgiving than the hard wheel.

Mick

Just so happens I have an 8" buffer and the Velcro pad you're describing. Will keep this as an option if it becomes necessary.

Thanks guys.

WerkSpace wrote:Your table looks great, but for myself I've been looking for ideas for a round welding table.
This fellow on youtube is very creative. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OnF6_V28DM

I just want a round table so I quit setting "stuff" on it

This is the sucker im talkibg about . Just so we're on the sane page.

Mick.

weldin mike 27 wrote:... Just so we're on the sane page....

Mick.

Typo? Or Freudian slip?



Steve S

Our Freudian slips say more about us than normal words ever could.

Many people would strongly debate whether i fit into the "sane" category . lol

Mick

Even Freud said, "Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar."

Otto Nobedder wrote:Even Freud said, "Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar."

I thought that was Monica?

rake wrote:

Otto Nobedder wrote:Even Freud said, "Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar."

I thought that was Monica?

ROTFL!

That's why Boris Yeltsin said, "This cigar tastes like a$$!"...

Steve S

Your table looks mobile and useful. I have a question for those that may have been down this road before me. I have a project of small parts to be put together (mig welded) I tend to be fussy and prefer to do much of the tacking myself letting others finish welding as time and sometimes equipment availability permits.

My main welding table is 3/4" thick by 3x5 ft. Has anyone experience with either placing a number of magnets (rare earth heavy magnets) in order to create a magnetized table? In another forum I was told this can interfere with the welding wave something I have never experienced with simple corner 45 or 90 magnets.

I went in search of half a dozen micro waves to get magnets but ultimately should be looking for an electromagnet system if the idea materializes. I can see where you would not want to have a perminately magnetized table could become annoying.

Rare earth magnets will become rare earth scrap as soon as they get a little hot.

Magnetic aids are intended for tacking, then removed to safety.

I suppose you could use an electromagnetic system and avoid this problem, but you will likely create another... Your welding arc turns your shielding gas into plasma, which is strongly affected by magnetic fields. You'll likely see bizzare arc effects.

If you go ahead, please share your results, as I'd like some evidence to either support or refute what I've seen so far.

Steve S

electromagnetically charging your table is a bad idea, as otto has said it screws with your arc, but it will also leave a lasting effect on your table. nothing worse than trying to clean welding spatter and metal filings off a magnet and your whole table surface will had "charged areas" where crap will gather. unless you got one of those stronghand tables and the magnets that jody uses, they move around a lot and are attached the parts directly, at least thats how he uses them they are also small enough to not cause lasting effects on his large fixture plates.

Try using a system of toggle clamps tacked to your table or a sacrificial plate on your table so you can quickly remove it to resume regular work without a tear down.

Hey<

Strong hand tools (same as jodys' table) have a wide array of stand alone adjustable magnets and they are reasonably priced.

http://www.stronghandtools.com/strongha ... /snake.php

Mick

My welding table gets a thin coat of flat white rattle can after each project.
I clean, weld and sand out any scars to bring it back to a smooth, flat surface.

See, I do a lot of layouts on the table and the black sharpie stands out crisp on the flat what surface.
almost like real paper. Then I scuff the paint away where my "clips" get tacked to the table to maintain
proper alignment. Cut and fit my parts. Tack and weld accordingly. If I'm making more than one I'll
knock out the rest from the same layout. When I'm done it's remove the clips, weld the scars, sand and
paint. Ready for my next project.