Making A Welding Table

[EdK]

(04-26-2014, 11:36 AM)arvidj Wrote: Both of mine came with nylon lock nuts on all of the screws. I assumed they used them to go with the bolts that were pivot points as tightening up a bolt with a regular lock not may have prevented the pivot points from ... well ... pivoting....

I made the same assumption. Not all of the nuts I got where nylon lock nuts though, only 8 out of the twelve.

Quote:Note that if you can not find reasonably sized 6mm fender washers at Menards ... I didn't look there but could not find them at Home Depot or the old Ace Hardware store ... they all had much to large an external diameter to suit me ... let me know and I'll mail you some. Note that the offer goes extends to anyone else on MetalWorkingFun who needs them as the newly opened extension to Ace Hardware here in Prior Lake had them in their Hillman cabinets.

I ended up getting some 1/4" fender washers with a 1" OD. I'll shortly find out if they'll work. Thanks for the offer.

Quote:The only issue I see with the clamps is that I will need to make a spacer for the flat end to allow it to clear the folds and edges of the table. Something that I can slip on and it not fall off when I push the clamp thru the holes in the table. Of course I could use the clamps with the threaded end on the bottom of the table but that seems like a PITA to use. I'd say it was a design oversight but the Bessy's are the same way. They probably assumed the clamp would be used on a table that was a solid piece of metal and not one with folded edges and slots.

Arvid

Good point on the spacers. I just ordered a pair of those clamps this morning so once I get them I'll look at making some spacers.

Ed

[EdK]

Well this is on hold until I can cut off the poorly welded nut and either reweld it on flat or weld on a new one. I couldn't bend it like Willie was able to do.
The 5/16" flat washers I got to use with the 8mm bolts worked out well. I bought 1/2" flat washers and stacked two of them to clear the countersink for the table bracket screws. The washers that came in the hardware package do not have a large enough ID to clear the countersink and they are too thin. To be continued...

Ed

[EdK]

I got the crooked nut off today. I need to make a new nut since none of the local hardware stores have any metric nuts that are not zinc plated. I really don't want to weld anything with a zinc plating on it.

Ed

       

   

[stevec]

Ed, why are you concerned about welding one zinc plated nut? From one "nut" to another.

[arvidj]

I personally would not worry about the small amount of zinc that would come off one small nut. I would take precautions ... like not being right over the weld puddle and breathing the fumes, but in my case tripping over the gun cable would present more of a hazard.

But I fully understand and respect your decision to not tempt fate.

Arvid

[EdK]

(05-03-2014, 06:18 PM)stevec Wrote: Ed, why are you concerned about welding one zinc plated nut? From one "nut" to another.

Because I'm paranoid when it comes to toxic chemicals.

Ed

[EdK]

(05-03-2014, 06:45 PM)arvidj Wrote: ... but in my case tripping over the gun cable would present more of a hazard.
...

Arvid

I did purchase a zinc plated nut while I was at Menards this morning so I may tempt fate after-all.

Ed

[Mayhem]

Just hold your breath and then run like hell after you have finished (passed out - whichever comes first).

[f350ca]

Wipe the sink off with the grinder, you'll get a better weld too.

[arvidj]

(05-03-2014, 11:31 PM)f350ca Wrote: Wipe the sink off with the grinder, you'll get a better weld too.

Greg has given excellent advice and is following best practices by removing the zinc with a grinder.

However there are also risks involved here. In my case it would be the nut shooting from the pliers all the way across the garage as I touch it to the grinder. But that's just me.