Welding Station Tabletop - steel or aluminum?

[Samurai Dave]

I have to agree with FAT FAB. Welding aluminum on a steel top leaves stray arcs on the work due to poor grounding. An aluminum top doesn't mark the work or cause arcing. For SS, the Aluminum top acts as a good heat sink to control distortion. A steel top allows you to weld fixtures to it for forming, or jigs, or just tack welding the piece directly to the top. I've used both tops, but for primarily doing either types of materials. A good compromise to this dilemma would be to build the table out of steel, and have half the top steel, and the other half aluminum. When I set up my home shop I will build a table half and half, getting the bennefits of both worlds. The cheapest way to buy aluminum is to find a shop building things with primarily aluminum, and buy a piece of crop from them. Those shops usually will sell a piece of crop for scrap value, usually about 1/10 the cost of buying through a regular supplier.

Indeed. A hybrid design would give the durabilty of steel and the advantage of aluminum, allowing the best of both worlds. GREAT idea!

[JonnyTIG]

I'm glad you liked the idea (:

[fun4now]

OH SHORE now its a good idea. , i said do that back in the 3rd post.
i supose it just takes a wile to sink in, you know how us guys are with thick heads and all.

[Steve]

Ultra cool serious welding tabletop... 1 x 5' x 8' steel fully supported tabletop. Nice and flat. Make the support of 1/4 x 3 tubing for legs and platform. Al and steel don't slide ganst one another very well. Al doesn't like much else but itself.

[Tex]

OK, FAT FAB has the most sensible idea but I can hardly believe you couldn't figure it out by yourself. Sometimes you can waste a lot of good metal overmaking crazy specialty tables and whatever. Unless you've got a good line on free scrap metal keep it simple and cheap.

[Samurai Dave]

OH SHORE now its a good idea. , i said do that back in the 3rd post.
i supose it just takes a wile to sink in, you know how us guys are with thick heads and all.

>you know how us guys are with thick heads and all

fun4now

Hey, I resemble that remark...

Please see my earlier posts for feedback (#15 on your Placemat idea, and #18 on your warning about non-magnetic aluminum).

Happy Fathers Day!

[fun4now]

i have a solution to the tig arc wander with magnets. i'll post ya a pic tomarow, not only will it stop arc wander but it will work on aluminum.

[denkab]

iv never seen an aluminum table, it makes it hard to tack your projects to it. and also it is more expensive and yes it does dent easier. so unless you do alot of aluminum welding i wouldnt use aluminum table top

[Samurai Dave]

i have a solution to the tig arc wander with magnets. i'll post ya a pic tomarow, not only will it stop arc wander but it will work on aluminum.

SWEET! I look forward to seeing it.

[JonnyTIG]

Fun 4 now,

I've read you stating using a place mat... But not building a table for differing types of welding... The tables I've used have been for one type of metal or another.. Building a hybrid is the way to go if one is going to utilize it for various projects. Nothing to do with thick heads and such.