How to Weld a Mild Steel Table

Set one piece of 30-inch angle iron and one piece of 18-inch angle iron mitered side down on your workspace. Set a T-square on the workspace and use it to align the ends of the angle iron within the interior angle of the T-square. Clamp the pieces of angle iron together to make the first corner of the table top frame. Use the T-square to align the other 30-inch angle iron and 18-inch angle iron and clamp them together.

Set the voltage dial of your MIG to 4 and the wire speed to 3. Line up the welding tip with the space between the two angle iron pieces of the frame's corner. Melt short 1/2-inch puddles in the edges of the angle iron. Dip the filler metal into the puddle while pushing the weld puddle along the angle joint to finish tack welding the corner pieces together. Repeat this step to make another corner. Continue tack welding the 30-inch and 18-inch angle iron pieces together until you make two rectangular frames, one for the table top and one for the bottom shelf.

Set the frame miter side down onto your workspace. Rest a piece of steel plating over the frame and center it to create the tabletop. Attach the clamp to a piece of scrap metal and set it on top of the table to anchor it in place while you weld. Tack weld all of the corners. Make two evenly spaced tacks between each corner on every side.

Once you have finished the tack welds, go back over them to make a full welding pass that is 3/4-inch in length. Turn the tabletop over. Weld together the underside of the corners. Place another piece of steel plating over the second frame and weld it together to make the bottom shelf.

Stand the table top up on its long side. Attach one of the 1/8-inch-by-1 1/4-inch-by-1 1/4-inch standard steel angle irons that is 36-inches long with a C-clamp to the table top to make the leg. Clamp a long piece of metal to the table top at an angle so the metal rests against the floor and props it up.

Measure 28-inches down from the table top on the leg. Set the bottom shelf there so it is parallel to the table top. Use a C-clamp it affix it to the leg. Clamp another piece of metal to prop the bottom shelf up as well. Position the leg so its end sits against the bottom of an inside corner of the table top and leans against the bottom shelf corner as well. Tack weld the leg to the bottom shelf and table top. Connect the side edges of the leg to the table top and the bottom shelf with 1-inch long welds. Repeat this process for the other three legs. Once you are finished, examine your welds to make sure they are all complete on both sides of each leg.

Insert a coupler nut into the inside corner of the angle iron, slide it flush against the bottom of the leg. Weld a 3/4-inch puddle on each side of the nut. Let it rest until it is cool. Insert a standard nut onto the caster stem as far as it will go. Insert one lock washer onto the caster stem. Thread the caster stem into the coupler nut where it is attached to the leg. Adjust the height of the casters so they are even. Tighten the nuts with a wrench to secure the casters in place. Repeat this for the other three casters.

Stand the table up. Clamp the 3-inch long steel tubing onto the right front corner of the table top. Move the tubing until it is at a 45 degree angle so it can hold the welding gun. Tack weld the tube to the table top. Remove the clamp. Finish the weld, making a 1-inch welding puddle on the topside of the tube to attach it to the table top.