Squaring legs to the frame


  #1  
Old 11-12-04, 09:40 PM
Chopychop
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Question Squaring legs to the frame -- now with pics. of welding tables

I am an inexperienced welder. I’m working on my first “serious” project – a welding table - using 1” square tubing, and I have a problem with squaring legs to the top frame. I tried magnet angles and then I tried clamping each leg with two angles to the top frame. Every time I start with tuck welding from all sides and then finish with the final welding. I just can’t get them darn legs square!!! Is there any secret to do this? Any recommendation will be appreciated.
I use Lincoln 110V, 80Amp gasless wire feeder.
Thank you.
 

Last edited by Chopychop; 11-16-04 at 07:53 AM. Reason: pictures added
  #2  
Old 11-13-04, 06:14 AM
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Chopychop,

Are you building this table by outlining the shape of the top with square tubing and then butting the legs onto the bottom of the top piece?

What I do for this is to use a square on the surface the top is sitting on and tack each leg as straight as you can with a single spot weld .
Then carefully turn the table right side up and stand it on a level surface.
You can then bend the legs at the single tack to straighten them and while upright, make a couple of tacks to secure the position.
Once secure you can upend it and finish welding.

You have to make a series of short welds on alternating sides of each leg, so as not to unevenly heat the joint and cause it to distort.

A trick:
If after all this a leg is a bit off, I will use an oxyacetylene torch to heat the joint of a misaligned leg to pull it into position.
 
  #3  
Old 11-13-04, 12:36 PM
Chopychop
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Thanks GregH!
--- Are you building this table by outlining the shape of the top with square tubing and then butting the legs onto the bottom of the top piece?

Yes, that's what I'm trying to do.

Right now I'm going to my garage/shop and will follow your advice. I will let you know how it turns out. Thanks again!

Chopychop.
 
  #4  
Old 11-15-04, 09:04 PM
Chopychop
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Thumbs up My welding table

I just wanted to say Thank you GregH for your help! I followed your advice and my table came out surprisingly straight. I loosely used the plan from the Unique Projects site: http://www.uniqueprojects.com/projec...ldingtable.htm

The only big change I made is four lockable casters. I have to say that it makes a BIG difference. I highly recommend it to everybody who still works on saw horses etc. to take the time and make a welding table. I work in my one car garage (without a car) and I attached a fan to the door. It sucks the fumes out quite well, the only problem is that I have to weld quite close to the fan. When I welded on saw horses I couldn't always arrange it close enough to the fan, so I had to breathe the fumes all the time. Now when I have a welding table on wheels, I can move it to the most comfortable position - to work, and for removing the fumes.
As you can see there is no bottom shelf yet, and probably I will attach some other hooks and little shelves. What do you think?
 
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Old 11-15-04, 10:00 PM
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Looks great ChopyChop, nice and clean. Glad to see another person has a small 1 car garage without room like me I should have bought locking castors but they were pricey considering the size I needed. I did have 2 rail tracks welded to the bottom which was overkill and made the table a bit hard to move. I'll probably just get 1 or 2 of those floor locking devices.





Moderator note: Image coded to appear in post.

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Last edited by GregH; 11-16-04 at 05:25 AM.
  #6  
Old 11-16-04, 05:27 AM
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Nice job, both of you!
 
  #7  
Old 11-16-04, 07:49 AM
Chopychop
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That’s the one nice and sturdy welding table, Metalfab. Maybe sometimes down the road I’ll make a heavier table for bigger projects, but then I’ll need a bigger shop I like how you attached the vices – that’s another advantage of a heavy table – mine is too light for that, so I have my vice on the workbench. I don’t know if you have Big Lots in your area – sometimes they have very inexpensive large castors (and other neat stuff).
 
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Old 11-16-04, 09:07 PM
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Thanks for the comments Chopychop.

The top is 3' x 4' x 1/2" diamond plate (upside down) which weighes in at about 240 lbs. I use to have the vises mounted on the table but they took surface area away. So using an idea from my neighbor I just welded on plate extentions with 2" x 1/4" angle as support. Over-built but it won't bend or break
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