Welding Table from Recycled Materials

 

I do welding in the garage or driveway because that's where the 240 volt outlet is, and I don't have a dedicated workshop for it. This means I need a table that can be moved out of the way of the cars. 

I made a welding table from three different trash-picked parts. I started with the metal frame from an outdoor table that was missing the glass top. To cover the top, I added a metal mesh panel that I collected a few years ago. That worked well, but had a sharp edge. I added rebar to the edge which made it safer and sturdier. 

After using the table that way for a couple of years, I decided that it needed some improvements. First, the table was too short to be comfortable. Second, it was difficult to move. Since I have to move the driveway into and out of the driveway every time I weld, it was annoying. I decided it needed wheels to fix that problem. Wheels are kind of expensive, so I put off adding them. Then I got a broken electric lawn mower that a neighbor was discarding. The wheels are perfect. I only needed two wheels, so that the table will roll when I lift one side, but won't move while I'm using it. 

The set of wheels with the axle between was too narrow to fit between the legs, so I attached each wheel separately to a leg. The new wheels added over 5 inches to the height, but then the other two legs were too short. I made leg extensions from the axle, cut in half with my angle grinder. Now the table is an even height. In the future, I will probably add feet to the leg extensions so that they won't sink into the ground when I park the table outside in the grass.