Need some steel table ideas

njl

I recently had a small fire under the LBGE on my ~10yo dealer table.  I was talking about it with a friend who's retired and a skilled welder with a home shop, and he said if I helped, we could likely build a table from steel in a day or two, and I can maybe learn some MIG welding (he also does TIG for welds he wants to look good).  He's built some smaller tables for heavy equipment, and thinks we'd be fine using 1x1 angle iron for most of the frame.  He showed me a table he built for a metal brake that was basically a box made from angle iron, sitting on casters.

I'm a little concerned that neither of us is a mechanical engineer, and so "how do you choose steel sizes/thicknesses not really knowing what it'll take to support the weight?"  He's thinking 1x1 angle, 1/8" or 3/16" thick.

I'm torn between basically copying the BGE table (egg off to one end) vs centering the egg and having "counter space" on either side.  Either way, if we go with the angle iron box idea, I'll have a bottom shelf just above the wheels, a second level shelf holding the egg and other stuff, and then the table top.  The bottom shelf might just be flat stock "slats" with a bit of space between each.  The second level would, I assume, need to be more substantial since it'll be egg-load bearing.

I'm thinking if we use some flat stock to make a top that supports large ceramic tiles, that might give me an easy to clean, high-temp compatible surface allowing for things like taking the adjustable rig out (while hot) and placing it directly on the table top.

Tspud1

You could also consider some channel stock in some areas with square stock. Would keep material cost down and strength up. Maybe like this but use square tube for legs and shelf supports

speed51133

https://www.ebay.com/itm/H-D-5-8-Thick-Top-Steel-Fabrication-Layout-Welding-Table-Work-Bench-60-x-36/362539271288?_trkparms=aid%3D1110002%26algo%3DSPLICE.SOI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225074%26meid%3Db8dd50018e34444a97e46daae18a8a66%26pid%3D100008%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D352716756281%26itm%3D362539271288%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DPromotedSellersOtherItemsV2&_trksid=p2047675.c100008.m2219

good luck burning this down! Just cut a hole in it for the egg

njl

speed51133 said:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/H-D-5-8-Thick-Top-Steel-Fabrication-Layout-Welding-Table-Work-Bench-60-x-36/362539271288?_trkparms=aid%3D1110002%26algo%3DSPLICE.SOI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225074%26meid%3Db8dd50018e34444a97e46daae18a8a66%26pid%3D100008%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D352716756281%26itm%3D362539271288%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DPromotedSellersOtherItemsV2&_trksid=p2047675.c100008.m2219

good luck burning this down! Just cut a hole in it for the egg

That's way beefier that he thinks necessary, and weighs several times what I expect a table built from mostly 1x1 angle irons would weigh. 

Tspud1

Depending on length, the 1 x 1 angle may have some flex or bow in it.

speed51133

njl said:

speed51133 said:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/H-D-5-8-Thick-Top-Steel-Fabrication-Layout-Welding-Table-Work-Bench-60-x-36/362539271288?_trkparms=aid%3D1110002%26algo%3DSPLICE.SOI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225074%26meid%3Db8dd50018e34444a97e46daae18a8a66%26pid%3D100008%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D352716756281%26itm%3D362539271288%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DPromotedSellersOtherItemsV2&_trksid=p2047675.c100008.m2219

good luck burning this down! Just cut a hole in it for the egg

That's way beefier that he thinks necessary, and weighs several times what I expect a table built from mostly 1x1 angle irons would weigh. 

agreed, but I bet you could ask the guy to fabricate it with the lower shelf higher up, lighter gauge steel, etc. He makes all sorts of shapes/sizes.

alaskanassasin

How are you going to keep it from rusting?

speed51133

Thoughts and prayers?

McStew

fishlessman

if you are going with steel, 2x2x1/8 wall square tubing is fairly inexpensive and simplifies the build. its also pretty rugged, all square cuts, four caster plates, easy build and so forth

njl

fishlessman said:

if you are going with steel, 2x2x1/8 wall square tubing is fairly inexpensive and simplifies the build. its also pretty rugged, all square cuts, four caster plates, easy build and so forth

Using calculators like http://metalgeek.com/static/deflection.php
I think 2x2x1/8 would be way overkill as far as loading capacity.  1.5x1.5x1/16 should do, but I'm leaning towards 2x2x1/16 just for the extra margin of load capacity it'll give, and I'm still trying to figure out if the top should just be steel flat stock slats, some kind of steel matrix supporting ceramic tiles, or (the pricey route) custom cut granite (which could add a couple hundred lbs.).

Assuming the shelf the egg sits on is 2x2 steel box tubing, is some kind of insulating stone between the egg and table still necessary / a good idea?  I'm guessing yes.  I know from recent experience, the bottom of the egg can get quite hot (i.e. set the wood table on fire hot), and the idea of the table acting as a giant heat sink and getting too hot to touch is not appealing.  I guess the ideal setup would be multiple stones of some kind (paver, fire brick, etc.) such that as much of the base as is practical has air under it?

fishlessman

njl said:

fishlessman said:

if you are going with steel, 2x2x1/8 wall square tubing is fairly inexpensive and simplifies the build. its also pretty rugged, all square cuts, four caster plates, easy build and so forth

Using calculators like http://metalgeek.com/static/deflection.php
I think 2x2x1/8 would be way overkill as far as loading capacity.  1.5x1.5x1/16 should do, but I'm leaning towards 2x2x1/16 just for the extra margin of load capacity it'll give, and I'm still trying to figure out if the top should just be steel flat stock slats, some kind of steel matrix supporting ceramic tiles, or (the pricey route) custom cut granite (which could add a couple hundred lbs.).

Assuming the shelf the egg sits on is 2x2 steel box tubing, is some kind of insulating stone between the egg and table still necessary / a good idea?  I'm guessing yes.  I know from recent experience, the bottom of the egg can get quite hot (i.e. set the wood table on fire hot), and the idea of the table acting as a giant heat sink and getting too hot to touch is not appealing.  I guess the ideal setup would be multiple stones of some kind (paver, fire brick, etc.) such that as much of the base as is practical has air under it?

either tube size will work well.  with the 1/8 wall its easier to fit, weld, grind, and sand.  talk to your welder and ask his preference, i can give the 1/8 wall tubing to an inexperienced welder verse the 1/16 to a more experienced individual and the cost difference between the two wall thicknesses in tubing is negligible.

i think you will have cracking problems with tiles over slats

Tspud1

Here is one a guy put tile on top of our table

njl

For my tiling idea, I wasn't thinking of tiling like that table.  One of our patio tables' top is basically an aluminum framework and several large ceramic tiles held in place only by gravity.  I was thinking that would be easy (once the welding is done) and easy to replace tiles if "anything happened" to them.