I was cruising Kijiji the other day and saw an ad for a metal table for C$50.00, as delivered;
It's 4'x6' and came with some good quality casters, two that lock, and a 1/4" 4'x4' metal plate top.I was told it was used as a deconstruction/clean up table at a motorsports shop and had a cleaning fluid tank on one end [not there any more]. I was building a table already but this is a much better foundation that what I was currently building. I decided to move the plate to the center of the table and fill the spaces, on one side a removable grate for cutting torch purposes, the other side with a depression to hold my band-saw.
I started out by removing all the old tabs and 1/2' angle that was used to support the plate as it was set 1/4" below the table edge surface, I suspect to help prevent stuff from rolling off. I want my table level.
Repaired a bad section;
Because I wanted to make the surface level, I used a piece of 3/4" plywood clamped to the top;
Flip the table over, lay in my top pieces and tack in my supports;
Before finish welding I checked;
and found that the plate was sitting proud of the perimeter, I suspect because I was using used, warped plywood on un-level ground. I sat it on edge an used some scrap the same thickness as the top to place the supports at the proper depth;
And where I finished for the day;
I found the table perimeter wasn't totally true, so parts of my top-plate still sits proud of the perimeter. I still have to build the support for the band-saw. I also am trying to figure a way to mount a 6" vise so that there is a vise/leg support that moves up out of the way for when I roll the table to a new position. Total cost so far is ~ C$60.00 plus 1"x2"x12' tube and 1"x1"x14' tube to be priced. Grate was free as is the support for the band-saw.
Later,
Richard