The Necessities - Welding Shop Equipment Part1

You'll always find that at the center of any welding shop or home garage that has a welder sitting around, is a good welding table or two. It is not even a "wish" item. It is a necessity. On many forums, you'll find countless threads of fancy welding table projects posted. Some are made with drawers, some with wheels and even some with additional electrical sockets. As far as building a welding table goes, it seems that the only limits are imagination, and finances. If you are short on imagination or money, don’t worry. There are several “ready” to go and inexpensive welding tables from several different sources, many sold through online stores. A couple of things to keep in mind, is the sturdiness of the table. A good welding table should have a solid feel about it, without wobbling or shaking. It should also be fairly flat and true so that items can be laid out and fitted together squarely. The top should be thick enough to handle the heat without warping, and should be able to take light grinding. If you are interested in mainly doing stick or MIG welding, you will need to be able to grind the spatter off. If it is TIG, then a thinner top may be used, because little grinding will be needed. However, even with TIG, arcing from the table to the work piece will occur from time to time, creating pits, which may need to be flattened to keep a smooth surface on the table. Items like wheels, and drawers are small things which can be added in time. Starting off with a basic, but sturdy table is fine. The utility and function of a flat, sturdy table top cannot be undervalued.