Quick ? about welding table top

[alha]

I did a search on welding tables, and got 4 pages of resulting threads. I scanned thru many of them, but didn't see the answer to my question, so I'll post it to you guys here. I am looking for a piece of blanchard ground steel plate. I've sent out a few feelers to some places that do blanchard grinding of parts, letting them know what I am looking for, a piece of steel plate between 3x5' and 4x6', between (approx.) 3/4" and 1 3/4" thick. The actual dims aren't important, so if they had a piece of material 'laying around', that had been an "oops" and was over-ground to beyond it's spec, I would be interested (depending on the price, of course...)

The question I have is, is there a preferred type of metal it should be made out of. I know there's a ton of different types of steel, would one be better than another, if it happened to be available, or is steel just steel, anything is as good as anything else? I'm not too up on the different variates of steel yet, so any suggestions are much appreciated.

[HMW]

Why such a special table??. Do you have a certain job for it?? Just curious

[alha]

I guess to be able to do accurate layout work, I know that having a flat surface is important, and remember reading a thread a while back about this type of tabletop. I guess over an inch thick might be a bit much, not to mention the weight, but if the price was right.. I have a couple interesting ideas on making it foldable, but haven't hashed them out yet. I'll post them when I spend a little more time thinking them thru, to let people critique them. I'm always open for suggestions and improvements, cuz I certainly don't know everything (yet)

[lars66]

If I remember right your in Eden Prairie So you could wait for the Ford plant to close & auction off. I bought 3 machine bases that came out of there on a change over years ago 1 1/16" top plate webbed In 12" boxes 8" deep underneath & blanchard ground. one 5 foot x 9 foot. one 44 inches x 10 foot. one 5 1/2 foot x 8 foot. Less than $500.00 for the 3.

[alha]

If I remember right your in Eden Prairie So you could wait for the Ford plant to close & auction off. I bought 3 machine bases that came out of there on a change over years ago 1 1/16" top plate webbed In 12" boxes 8" deep underneath & blanchard ground. one 5 foot x 9 foot. one 44 inches x 10 foot. one 5 1/2 foot x 8 foot. Less than $500.00 for the 3.

Yep, I am, and that's a great idea. I assume they will have some sort of publicity before it happens. I will def keep this in mind. And Wow, 8" deep boxed castings, those things must have weighed a ton (literally, if not more) I'm sure I will be able to find a few choice items, no doubt! I guess I'm not in that big of hurry, still working on the place.

[HMW]

Folding 1" thick table, Its going to be heavy to fold up half. We had a sheet of 1" AR400 plate on the floor and you cant even budge it. The plant might be a great place to get stuff.

As far as laying out stuff, you don't really need a 1" thick top. Most work tables are 1/4" with plenty of cross pieces underneath. The tables I have seen that are 1" thick usually have holes in them for clamps which would be cool. Especially if you need to fold it up. Thinner is cheaper and lighter as you know. But a 1" piece would make an awesome top to beat and bend on

[lars66]

Yep, I am, and that's a great idea. I assume they will have some sort of publicity before it happens. I will def keep this in mind. And Wow, 8" deep boxed castings, those things must have weighed a ton (literally, if not more) I'm sure I will be able to find a few choice items, no doubt! I guess I'm not in that big of hurry, still working on the place.

Not castings all welded construction. My 4500# fork lift gets so lite on the steer tires moving the big one that some one has to sit on the counter weight.

[Jolly Roger]

You don't need a ground plate table for layout, just a flat one, and 1/4 inch works fine. Just don't do any heating and beating. My dad has two that are 35+ years old made out of 3/8 that are still nice and flat. I just finished one for my shop out of 1/4" for layout and smaller stuff. I have a chunk of 1/2 that is about 4 X6 for a big table. 3" legs with 4x4 angle for feet, 4 inch channel for a cross brace between them, and 1/2 x 4 for bottom frame and X gusset across the bottom side. Gonna weigh a ton. I have used tables that were 4 inches thick, couldn't tell much difference except that one would take 10 tons and not give a bit.

[fun4now]

i have a 3'X5'X1-1/4" top and it took 6 people to bring it in. needless to say it has not moved again.
its great to beat on but if it was not free i would have chosen some thing a bit thiner.