Both can be useful, but T-slots don?t have many vendors or accessories available. The 16mm holes are industry standard, so those will offer an infinitely larger pool of tooling to use with your table. And there are threaded hole adapters that will allow you to convert a standard hole to a threaded hole. Once you?veContinue reading “Are T-slots or threaded holes worth it?”

Texas Metal Works has a hand-picked kit of accessories for beginners that contains the most basic and useful tools for general-purpose fixturing. The product listing page has a long description of each tool and WHY it might be useful. I’d love to answer it here, but it’s a LOT of info, so best to lookContinue reading “What clamps, stops, and squares do I actually need first?”

The MIG welder, fine. The gas bottle, ABSOLUTELY NO WAY!!! You want some distance between your welding and a gas bottle. If you were to accidentally arc to the weld bottle, it could weaken and rupture the tank, leading to a catastrophic � potentially deadly � situation. Plus, any tank that has had an arcContinue reading “Can I keep a MIG welder and gas bottle on the lower shelf while welding?”

As long as the power strip is electrically insulated, it�s no problem. Make sure your power strip is a high-quality, UL-listed unit and that there aren�t any exposed wires or anything. If you want to be extra careful, you can attach a piece of non-conducting material like wood or HDPE to a spot where thereContinue reading “Is it OK to mount power strips to the table frame?”

When you’re welding in general, and using any table, it’s safe and routine practice to clamp your ground to the table and place your work material on the table. It’ll allow the current to pass through, and almost every welder does this every day. I’m also making the huge assumption that your clamping spot andContinue reading “Can I ground through the table safely?”

In Europe and the rest of the world that adopts the metric system, tables have 16mm holes spaced on 50mm centers. In the US and countries that work off the Imperial system, we build tables with the same sized holes on 2” centers. Technically, 2” = 50.8mm. And No, it doesn’t matter. The spacing ofContinue reading “What is the typical grid spacing, 2 inch versus 50 mm, (AND) does it matter?”

No, not really. At least not for the vast majority of people. If we’re talking about 3D fabrication tables, with supporting ribs and sidewalls, the engineered block-style nature of the top already makes it about 30 times more rigid than even a 1? thick steel plate. So it?s not going to bend easily from whatContinue reading “Does a thicker top reduce distortion from heat?”

It depends on what you?re welding, and how abusive you intend to be. We?ve built aluminum welding tables for people who needed a super lightweight, transportable surface. We build 304 stainless welding tables for people who are welding stainless or aluminum on the surface. And we use A572-50 steel for our production line of weldingContinue reading “What steel grade should a table top be made from?”

There is a difference between whether it might “work” in a pinch and whether you should do it at all. Technically, you can weld on just about anything. However, you risk lighting it on fire, or at the very least damaging it. Generally, it would be a very, very bad idea to put a pieceContinue reading “Will a wooden bench with steel skin work as a welding table?”

Stop by your local hardware store and get you one of these: You also need a cheap set of feeler gauges from any auto parts store. Result: This gives you a real number. You’ll be able to say, “My table has a 0.015-inch dip in the center.” However, keep in mind that this is alsoContinue reading “How do I check a table for flatness at home?”

First, we have an entire blog post here that deals with the topic of flatness. Having said that, there?s no single tolerance for flatness anywhere. Crazy, right?!? People love to throw around the term “aerospace” when they refer to things that are precise, but it?s not real. When scientists and engineers talk about flatness, theyContinue reading “How flat should a welding table be, (AND) what tolerance is acceptable?”

In the US market, the two main DIY table kit providers are WeldProjects.com and WeldTables.com. WeldProjects.com offers a much simpler assembly process with a self-fixturing design. The latter offers kits that are more difficult to assemble, but with proper assembly can still come out flat and strong.

You can purchase very cheap ($200-300) products on Amazon or at Harbor Freight that are marketed as fixture tables. For a hobbyist working on tiny, lightweight projects with no critical flatness requirements, they would work fine. For a table with a demonstrably flat surface, fixture holes, and sturdy weight-bearing capacity, the price for a qualityContinue reading “What’s a realistic budget for a quality fixture table?”

Although manufacturers like to make all sorts of marketing claims about how nitriding surfaces makes them “so much harder”, that is for the most part complete BS. Yes! It does harden the surface layer of mild steel, but not meaningfully. For example, a 1/4� thick plate of A36 steel may have a Rockwell C hardnessContinue reading “Do I need a nitrided or heat-treated top?”

When we talk about table top thickness, it’s important to differentiate between a 2D and 3D table top. If you’re simply taking a flat plate and welding some legs on it, a thicker top will result in more torsional rigidity, as well as resistance to deflection. However, if we’re talking about a modern 3D fixtureContinue reading “What table thickness is best: 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2 inch?”

Slotted tables are very uncommon by themselves (here’s one), and it?s almost impossible to find tooling that’s interchangeable between manufacturers. I think it’s more of a way to lock customers into the purchase of proprietary tools… And I also think slotted tables are kind of the “poor manufacturer’s version”, because it’s easy to cut slotsContinue reading “Are slotted tops better than solid tops?”

This is such an individual preference issue, but there are still a few factors that may help make a determination. Fixed vs Mobile First, let?s address the issue of fixed vs mobile. This is mainly about the choice of casters or leveling feet on a table. With some manufacturers, there’s no caster option because theContinue reading “Fixed table versus modular or mobile, which should I get?”

5/8? and 16mm tools are theoretically interchangeable. 16mm is technically 6.299, where 5/8? is .625. So the difference in diameter is only .049. So if you see a tool labeled as 5/8?, it will definitely fit in any hole made for a 16mm tool. However, this is where things get tricky ? there’s absolutely noContinue reading “Is 5/8 inch hole tooling better than 16 mm, (AND) what�s compatible with what?”

Not if you have room to accommodate it. What tends to happen is that people buy a welding table and they get engaged in a project that might take a little bit to complete. If you have a small table, it’s fully occupied! And if you need to do some other quick little job, youContinue reading “Is a 4×8, 5×10, or 60×120 table overkill for a small shop?”

This question kind of assumes that there are so many different types of welding tables that one would be better for a hobbyist and a different one would be better for a professional. But in reality, the only real differentiator between a quality welding table for a beginner or for a professional has to doContinue reading “Which welding table is best for beginners, hobbyists, or pros?”

This is kind of a loaded question because there is no one-size-fits-all welding table. It’s going to depend on a lot of different factors, like what kind of budget you have, how much space you have, and how big the projects are that you want to tackle. But arguably, the size of the table isContinue reading “What size welding table do I need?”

The industry-standard height is 36″. But that is flawed because it forces many welders to lean forward, causing back strain. The optimal height depends on the welder’s height. Welder’s Height Optimal Table Height 5’2″ – 5’4″ 34″ – 36″ 5’5″ – 5’8″ 36″ – 38″ 5’9″ – 6’0″ 38″ – 40″ 6’1″ – 6’4″ 40″Continue reading “What is the proper ergonomic height for a welding table?”

They typically range from 2′ x 3′ up to 5′ x 10′. However, modern 3D tables are designed to be modular, so you can bolt them together or add extensions and blocks to create virtually any size or configuration you need.

Table Type: 3D tables are inherently structurally stronger. You’re no longer relying on just the thickness of the top since there is an engineered structure supporting it. The top doesn’t need to be nearly as thick. Material Choice: A tougher material (like A572-50) can “spring back” from an impact better than a softer one (likeContinue reading “What factors should I consider for table thickness?”

2D Tables: These are traditional flat, planar surfaces, often just a plate of steel. They are simpler, more affordable, and suitable for general welding, but are harder to expand and are generally not as flat or strong. 3D Tables: These are newer designs that feature a flat top plus sidewalls, all with fixture holes. ThisContinue reading “What is the difference between a 2D and a 3D welding table?”