Questions You Should Know about Precision Welding Tables

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keeena said:

Each measurement system has a smaller and larger config:
Metric: 16mm at 50mm spacing; 28mm at 100mm spacing
Bananas: 5/8" at 2" spacing; 1-1/8" at 4" spacing

In some cases I've seen some imperial tables feature metric holes (e.g. 16mm at 2" spacing).

My Q's:

• Do commercially available fixturing tools work with either size class? Or is the tooling specific to the hole size? I realize things like dowel pins would need to be exact fit, but do dogs and the expanding ball-bearing types of fixture pins fit both inch and metric holes?
  
  
• Does one hole size system (metric vs. inch) have better tooling availability?
  
  
• What would go into deciding between the smaller vs. larger holes and spacing (other than the effort of drilling more/less holes)? Should the spacing match the table size? Are fixtures more generally available in the larger spacing or hole size? etc...
  
  
• Is it worth considering a mix of bored and tapped holes?

My table top is 6'x4', 1" thick steel. I'm leaning towards metric holes and a multiple of the standard spacing for now; I figure I can drill the in-between holes in the future if need it.

I have a table which I plan on drilling fixture holes into (similar to what @jmkasunich did in this post) and had a couple questions about factors to consider related to the hole sizes and spacing.Each measurement system has a smaller and larger config:Metric: 16mm at 50mm spacing; 28mm at 100mm spacingBananas: 5/8" at 2" spacing; 1-1/8" at 4" spacingIn some cases I've seen some imperial tables feature metric holes (e.g. 16mm at 2" spacing).My Q's:My table top is 6'x4', 1" thick steel. I'm leaning towards metric holes and a multiple of the standard spacing for now; I figure I can drill the in-between holes in the future if need it.

Click to expand...

16mm is 0.", only 0.005" bigger than 5/8". From my research, tooling intended for 16mm holes works in 5/8" holes, and vice-versa. Although in theory a 16mm tool might not fit in a 5/8" hole if the hole is on the small side (drilled holes rarely are). I chose 5/8" because the slightly smaller holes means a bit less wobble. Plus it was easier to find a 5/8" rotabroach than a 16mm one.

2" and 50mm (1.969") centers are close but not the same, and unlike the hole diameter that difference accumulates over multiple rows of holes. I intend to make fixturing that uses the holes to hold things square and to size, so since I do mostly inch work, I chose an inch grid. If you are only using the holes for clamping or squareness, not size, it doesn't matter.

28mm is 1.102", which is 0.023 smaller than 1-1/8". So that tooling is not going to be interchangeable between inch and metric. The bigger tooling and 4" (or 100mm) centers seem appropriate for big tables and big work. Also that tooling seems to be a lot more expensive. That is a decision you need to make based on the kind of work you will do. Welding heavy structural stuff (4" pipes, 3/8" wall tubing, 8" I-beams, etc) means more clamp force is needed to hold stuff down. I don't do that heavy stuff, 90% of my welding is 1/8" wall or less. So the smaller, less expensive tooling makes sense for me.

16mm is 0.", only 0.005" bigger than 5/8". From my research, tooling intended for 16mm holes works in 5/8" holes, and vice-versa. Although in theory a 16mm toolnot fit in a 5/8" hole if the hole is on the small side (drilled holes rarely are). I chose 5/8" because the slightly smaller holes means a bit less wobble. Plus it was easier to find a 5/8" rotabroach than a 16mm one.2" and 50mm (1.969") centers are close but not the same, and unlike the hole diameter that difference accumulates over multiple rows of holes. I intend to make fixturing that uses the holes to hold things square and to size, so since I do mostly inch work, I chose an inch grid. If you are only using the holes for clamping or squareness, not size, it doesn't matter.28mm is 1.102", which is 0.023 smaller than 1-1/8". So that tooling is not going to be interchangeable between inch and metric. The bigger tooling and 4" (or 100mm) centers seem appropriate for big tables and big work. Also that tooling seems to be a lot more expensive. That is a decision you need to make based on the kind of work you will do. Welding heavy structural stuff (4" pipes, 3/8" wall tubing, 8" I-beams, etc) means more clamp force is needed to hold stuff down. I don't do that heavy stuff, 90% of my welding is 1/8" wall or less. So the smaller, less expensive tooling makes sense for me.

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