I want a fixture table

[Scratch]

Good idea on the dyechem. I hadn’t thought of that.

[Dirtmotor]

I have an Easyscribe and was thinking about drawing the grid lines with that, then just drill at the intersections. Might even be handy to have that grid layed out anyways.

[Joe Jones]

If I build a table like this, I will make a template that lays flat on the table. It will have wooden dowels on the bottom side that allow me to use the last hole drilled to space the mag drill for the next hole. TWO pins would align things perfectly after the first four holes were accurately drilled. Drop the template pins into the last hole drilled and the one previous to that, and set the mag drill into the template opening. Then turn the magnet on, and the holes will be perfectly aligned.

Joe

[PlasmaDon]

I have not seen mention of adjustability of flatness.
'How about some tie rods underneath ?
Much like the ones on a leaf brake.

[Joe Jones]

I have not seen mention of adjustability of flatness.
'How about some tie rods underneath ?
Much like the ones on a leaf brake.

I built an 8' x 14' waffled flatbed for a homemade tow truck many years ago. I will dig up some photos.

When I welded up the bed, it was really BOWED in both directions from all of the welding heat. The center was nearly two inches out of flat, compared to edge-to-edge or corner-to-corner checks. I used to be a AWS certified welder in Commiefornia. I learned how to put a bend into an I-beam using HEAT and cold water. I suspended the truck bed and hit the underside of the frame pieces with a "rosebud" acetylene torch, and then cooled them with cold water.

To measure the flatness of the bed, I tack welded washers around the side edges. I attached 1/8" cable to one washer, and to a spring that attached to the washer on the opposite side. The cable wrapped over the edges of the bed, all around, and criss-crossed the bed every 18 inches. The springs kept the cable tight while still allowing them to stretch a bit as the bed flattened out.

As I heated and cooled various parts of the bed frame, the bed flattened out, and I did this until all of the cables were lying FLAT across the bed frame in both directions. A welder friend told me I couldn't do it, so of course, I HAD to prove him wrong.

Depending on the thickness of a welding table and the size of the rosebud (or dual, or triple rosebuds) used, you CAN flatten a "potato chip" welding table in the same way. As the metal is heated to (dark red to yellow) on the CONVEX side only, the cold water causes it to shrink as it cools. You can flatten VERY thick plates and bent tubing, etc. using this method. This method is also good for taking out non-creased wrinkles in auto bodies and such, as you shrink the sheet metal. It is like pulling a bed sheet tight to remove the wrinkles.

Joe

[Joe Jones]

Don't miss this deal in Nevada!

Joe

http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auction ... 620168ae29

[adbuch]

I have not seen mention of adjustability of flatness.
'How about some tie rods underneath ?
Much like the ones on a leaf brake.

Best to start off with a flat piece of steel of at least 1/2" in thickness for your fixture table.
David

[PlasmaDon]

I have not seen mention of adjustability of flatness.
'How about some tie rods underneath ?
Much like the ones on a leaf brake.

Best to start off with a flat piece of steel of at least 1/2" in thickness for your fixture table.
David

No where did I specify using a thin table.
1/2" thick would be my go to as well.
However thicker would cost more, and any bending or torquing scheme to make flat would probably not work.

[Joe Jones]

HEAT, properly applied and removed, will flatten a 1/2" plate.

Joe