One of the very first welding projects you should

Lets look a some possibilities so that might help in making a good decision on welding tables, from cheapest and easiest, to more expensive and multi functional.

3 options for a light duty table:

* A 30' x 20' foldable metal table that is designed for welding and that collapses for storage, can be bought ready to use right out of the box. Approximate cost around $140 plus shipping.

* The cheapest and easiest might actually be a set of home made sawhorses using sawhorse brackets along with a piece of 11 gauge steel for the welding table top. When not in use, the metal can be stored against a wall and the sawhorses can be disassembled and stored out of the way. You could even laminate a piece of 16 ga sheet to a small sheet of 3/4 inch plywood if you wanted. This would serve in a pinch as a light duty table for welding small parts. Approximate cost around $ 80 ( $ 20 for sawhorse brackets $20 for a half sheet of plywood, $10 for two by fours, $30 for sheet metal top.)

* A stainless steel food table can be bought that can be assembled quickly. (If you weld stainless food service type parts, this is a great option because you don't want stainless steel getting contaminated with iron particles that will later cause rust and staining.) Approximate cost around $130

2 options for a heavy duty table:

* Buy a full sheet of 1/2' half inch or ' steel plate along with some 3 inch square tubing or angle iron and fabricate a super heavy duty welding table that can be hammered on, heated, welded to, clamped to, etc. Approximate cost for the all the steel is around $800

* Purchase a heavy duty welding table made with 6 individual precision ground steel plates that are CNC-machined with 5/8in. holes in a 2in. grid pattern that will enable you to clamp virtually anything of any shape. Cost is around $2200 plus shipping.

A welding table is key if you plan on doing serious welding projects and since you're a welding, you should build it yourself. It'll save you big bucks and you can brag to all of your friends.

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