05/12/15: Add stogage bin for metal adds and ends, and rolling break shear.
05/02/2011: Page origin.

Once in a while I have to weld something so I built a small bench to hold the welder and it's support items.   The bench is 48" long, and 36" high, the top is made of 2x6s and it has a welded 1.5" angle steel frame.   I mounted my 6" vise (for honking on stuff) on one corner, put a couple of drawers under it, and a small shelf to hold the welder.   Later I had to reverse the bench's position so I moved the vise to the right front corner.  

I like the inverted trapezoid for strength, prevents front back motion, uses a little less material, and makes working around it a little easier (better toe room).   Remember, the triangle is the strongest geometric shape, and a trapezoid is a triangle with the tip cut off.   I made the two end frames then connected them with a single piece of angle at the top and diagonals at each top back corner (see back side of bench pic).  

The first one of these I made about 17 years ago, I dowelled the top together, edge wise, then bolted the top down to the frame using carriage bolts.   It was 5 feet long, had one small drawer in the center, and a shelf running the entire length.   My son John has the original bench.  

I made this bench in 2005, I edge laminated the top (4 feet long), using #20 biscuits, from yellow pine 2 x 6s, then screwed all the top frame parts to the bottom of the wooden top, the frame is 1-1/2" angle   I made this bench before I made my woodworking bench.

The new welding bench, as it appeared originally, with vise on left, showing inverted trapezoid end frames.

Front view of bench before I moved the vise and added power outlets.

Back side of the bench.   It doesn't show here, but there is a piece of angle welded across the far end frame to support the other end of the shelf.

Both drawers open.

Front of the bench, after moving vise to right, you can see the power outlet under the vise on the right corner.

Bottom drawer with my speedglas helment, and the flat mask that came with the Lincoln wire welder.

Top drawer, it holds small tools used when welding, like a chipping hammer, clamps, and brush.   I have since moved my files, punches, etc. to this drawer.

The power plug under the vise.

A later pic of the welding bench with a piece of sheet metal to protect the wood from welding sparks.

Looking down at the sheet metal, it has started to rust a little from years of drying cartridges, so I sanded off the rust and sprayed it with Krylon.

My newest addition, a 30" rolling break shear.   Here its being unpacked from the wooden crate it came in.

The front of the rolling break shear.

The rolling shear break on the welding bench.   Maybe I should be calling it a metal working bench.   I don't usually weld large things on the bench (large stuff I do on the floor), so the rolling break shear is in an area which is usually just clutter. Notice, at the lower left side, against the wall, all the metal odds and ends.

Closer look at where I store the metal odds-and-ends at the left end of the welding bench.   Its hard to find a short piece when I need it.   One of these got into the overhead door as it was closing and destroyed it last winter.

Metal storage roll around bin.   Made from scrap after dismanteling the old roll around wood storage tower.

Look at the seperate bins from the top.

Loaded with metal odds and ends.

Looking down on top of the odds and ends when the bin is pulled out.   Its a lot easier to see what I've got here.

Metal storage roll-around in place.   You can see some longer pieces still leaning against the wall, but this makes the short stuff easy to find when I need it.

On the right side of the welding bench, I store sheet metal.   This'll be the next rolling storage bin, I think.