Aluminium Fab Table

[Hale Yeah Fabrication]

I had some extra pipe laying around and I needed a new work table so I picked up some angle for the base and this is what I ended up with.

The top is only 3/16 thick and warps like **** when it gets heated up but thats all I have for now. I am almost scared to call and get a price on a sheet of 3/4 Aluminum plate !!!!! I am thinking about just getting some 1/2 steel and bolting the 3/16 Aluminium to it. Has anyone done that? Do you think it will work or will I end up with a thousand bolts in it trying to keep it flat?

[superchip73]

You sure do good work, i'm very impressed with your table and welder cart. I think you would be ok with 1/2" steel plate bolted on top of your table. Your a good fabricator, i'm sure you will figure out the best way.

[sailor]

You could bolt the 1/2'' steel plate to the aluminum. Bolt from the buttom side tapping the steel with the proper thread size, then cut and grind any excuss bolt protruding. I'm thinking 3/8 plate would be thick enough with six 5/16'' bolts, ya might have to up grade your casters, and keep a little ballist in the buttom tray.

[welderdude402]

weld some small pieces of 4 inch channel to the bottom of the plate and drill your holes for the mounting pieces. that way you dont have any bolt heads sticking through and you don't have to buy a tap or worry about the bolts getting welded to the table and not being able to take em out if you need to.

[davinci2010]

I imagine you might still have problems as the steel and aluminum will expand at different rates as they heat up. Have you thought about welding some aluminum braces lengthwise, and possibly widthwise like webbing to the underside of the top?

[Hale Yeah Fabrication]

I imagine you might still have problems as the steel and aluminum will expand at different rates as they heat up. Have you thought about welding some aluminum braces lengthwise, and possibly widthwise like webbing to the underside of the top?

Thanks for the suggestions, I went ahead and ordered a sheet of 3/8 aluminum and some t bar to stitch weld on the bottom and that should take care of it.

[m.k.swelding]

that looks good I wish I had a good table in my shop I have thought of building one but you kno how that goes sometimes

[davinci2010]

Wish I worked with aluminum more often. I just unloaded the steel I bought for my next project this afternoon. 867 LBS!- ouch, I'm supposed to be on vacation.

[On fire most of the time]

Thats a darn nice looking table.

Wish I were that good with aluminum. Havent had the practice yet.