Top for welding table; material? thickness?

[Scott Hightower]

I wouldn't go any thinner than 1/2" and even then you better add bracing every 18".
The heat from welding will warp the 3/8" and thinner material.

I use 3/4" for the table tops in my shop.

Scott
Fab Manager
Welders360.com

[Dmaxer]

I subscribe to the school of thought that prefers at least 1/2" welding table tops. The one in my shop has a top 4'x8'x1/2" and I got the table for $50 from a metal barn fabricator going out of business. I'm here to tell you that welding heat can easily warp a 1/2" top; mine had a significant crown in the middle from being stitch welded to the frame. It took some effort to get it straight and with care it'll stay that way. I put wheels on it with screw-down jacks and it works well for me. Good Luck

[Mikeemike]

I built a table with a 3/4" top. If I do it again I will go with 1/2". The 3/4" is not perfectly flat unless you get pre-flattened from the mill (BIG$$$). It is too hard to try to pull it flat to get a good tru work surface.

You can get your table flat!
Just take a piece of 1/2" x 3 or 4" flatbar and stitch weld it on EDGE across the say first foot of table top or until a gap has started to form between flat bar and table . Use a piece of plate cut out like a big "u" over the spot where you need to flatten. Weld the u saddle to the table and drive a steel wedge on the top of flat bar until the gap tightens on table to flatbar. Repeat down the flat bar working from one end to the other until the flat bar is tight to the table all the way across!

[dearhuntn]

I used 2" square for the legs 3" channel iron for the frame and 3/16" for the top made aprox3' x 5' put 1 piece of channel in the center then i put wheels all the way around and built a shelf on the bottom aprox. 8 " up from bottom. Weighs a couple hundred pounds but that makes it nice when you have a vise mounted on it.