Apologies if this is not the best forum for this, but it is in support of my 911 restoration
So, a while back, I started welding, and quickly outgrew the crappy folding Harbor Freight table I had been using. Fast forward a number of months, and I had the opportunity to move my 911 stuff from my crowded garage into a well-equipped shared shop space. Seemed like a perfect time to build a legit welding table.
There are many, many examples on YouTube, and I combed through most of them trying to borrow ideas from each that would best fit my needs. I wanted something fairly basic, easy to build, and that I could modify and add to as my skills develop. Also, I don't have big truck or van, so the materials would all have to fit in my daily driver.
I think most pro tables use a single, thick steel slab as the table top- which makes sense, as you want something super-solid to work on, and something that will stay flat and resist warpage when you weld on it. There was just no way I'd be able to transport a slab like that, or even if I could, I'd never be able to manage moving it around, positioning it for the build, etc.
I quickly settled on a slatted table top design, which would allow me to more easily deal the materials and transport, while still (hopefully) maintaining enough material thickness to resist warpage. Also, spacing the slats creates an easy and flexible clamping platform.
After a few hours with SketchUp, I settled on this design:
A little more SketchUp work and I've got my cut sheet:
Next, I'm off to the the steel yard, where I'll figure out exactly which material to use for the slats.