Finally got a fixture table!

[Scratch]

I'm a small time fabricator in my 50's. I've been making signs and the occasional table or something with my CNC plasma cutter for about 15 years, but I've been just ITCHING to get a fixture table ever since I started watching videos from Fireball Tools on YouTube. I'm pretty broke these days so I can't afford something like a Fireball table but I really enjoy working with metal so I do what I can. About 12 years ago I was gifted a 4x6 sheet of 1" steel plate so I made a welding table. It had a pretty big bow in the middle, but I made do with it for all these years. Clamping to the edge of the table like a caveman... Here's a pic of what it "used" to look like.

1.jpg

I found a friend with a laser cutter that said if I paid for the steel, and traded him some old Willys jeep parts, he'd cut me some holes in it for me. He said he could cut 1/2" steel with his laser.
Now... I like my 1" top, but I've really never had a time where I thought, "Golly, I'm glad my top is 1" thick!" so I took him up on his offer and had him cut a 48"x 72" sheet of 1/2" thick steel with (805) 5/8" holes set on a 2" grid pattern. After about a week, he told me it was done. I pulled off the 1" thick top to make room for the new sheet.

2.jpg

Using a skid steer with forks, the new top was on in a jiffy!

4.jpg

I have actually lost sleep over this next part... I really wanted to use Fireball fixtures. I love their tooth block design and the 2 pin design of their fence blocks, but I was literally terrified that their fence blocks weren't going to fit because the holes were just a little bit off. I had heard Jason from Fireball Tools mention once that spacing should be in the +/-.002 range, and my laser guy says his table has a tolerance of about +/-.005, so I was very worried that I was going to have a table that would have great clamping abilities, but not be able to use the Fireball fence blocks (Well, with two pins at least) I also really like their larger fence blocks and the ability to use them in a 45 degree setup, but again... terrified they wouldn't work.
So first test... do I really have a 2" grid pattern.........?
Yes! they fit great!

5.jpg

Next test, can I use the Fireball Tools long fence blocks, set at a 45 degree angle.......?
Yes! They fit great also! I guess lasers do actually work!

6.jpg

I'm assuming these are going to be my bread and butter fixtures for the stuff I'll be making.

8.jpg

Now for flatness. With my old 1" top, it had about a 1/4" gap over the 6' span. I didn't like it, but I made it work. Honestly, if I could make this ANY better than that, I'd be happy. I set my 6' level on the short side of the table. It was nice and flat! Now I didn't get out the feeler gauges, but the level didn't wobble anything noticeable so I was very happy with that.
Over the 6' length though, things were different. There was almost an 1/8" of wobble on the level. Many years ago, I tried to pull my old 1" sheet with clamps and bolts, but it wouldn't budge.
Now with this 1/2" table top, I was hoping I could pull this sheet into place if I needed to, so I tried putting a clamp underneath and was able to pull it perfectly into place! Again... I didn't get out the feeler gauges, but if my 6' level looks good, I'm happy! I’ll weld on a nut or something to make it more permanent.

9.jpg

10.jpg

I also made a rolling cart for my fixtures and clamps. I looked at a bunch of different designs for storage and really liked the design Fireball had, so I based it on their design. I don't have too many fixtures yet, but I hope to change that in the future.

11.jpg

12.jpg

[ROKCRLER]

Nice setup Scratch!

[Dirtmotor]

That looks like a great set up .

[plasmanewbie]

Oooooh man....is that ever sweeeeet! Well done Scratch, what a great looking setup. I am in the same boat as you, not a lot of money kicking around these days but always wanted one of those. Hopefully one day I will find an opportunity to get into something like that for a decent price. Awesome topic, enjoyed the read and the pics

[SegoMan DeSigns]

Looking good, you're a couple of jobs away from saying I should have done this sooner

[martyy]

very nice setup! would love to have something like that. life would be cake

[adbuch]

Your table turned out great!! And I particularly like how you were able to use clamps on the bottom side to pull it flat. Nice job!!
David

[acourtjester]

Scratch do you know there are new jeep bodies being manufacturing in the Philippines?? A guy around here has a stainless steel one built, he put a Chevy 4.3 V6 in it. When I was in the Navy (1965) in the Philippines they used WW2 jeep to make their taxies called Jeepney.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a1534 ... -solution/

[adbuch]

Tom - that's amazing to watch - lots of hand work and assembly - not the standard robotic assembly line that we have come to expect here in the USA today. Thanks for sharing!

David

Jeeps.jpg