Many Welds Later

Following the production of our SceneViz 2D cars, I continued on with my fabrication adventures at ADX by learning to use the MIG welder. Many welds later, I now have myself a new dining room table. The design consists of a steel base and a top made of salvaged Douglas fir. The form was influenced by the rustic appeal of heavy wood ("I want a farm table!") as well as the practical considerations of fitting it into my car.

The legs are angled at about 100 degrees similar to a Nelson Bench. Their point of contact with the tabletop was the most time consuming assembly consideration. Since this was my first time working with 3-inch steel, and most steel furniture uses 1-inch extrusions or thinner, I've compiled some advantages and disadvantages to this design:

Advantages

Stability

1. Each leg is an individual closed shape.

2. A three inch width provides more surface area to support the table top.

Weight Weight creates stability, which makes for a wobble-free work surface.

Structure A wider material opens doors for cantilevered designs.

Disadvantages

Production

1. Creating a clean corner with an angled cut on a material this wide makes for tricky cutting.

2. Removing the darker coating to make the legs shiny was very time intensive (also: don't inhale!).

3. Might try TIG welding next time.

Weight

Close to 300 lbs.

Cost

Three times greater than 1-inch steel.

Structure

A bottom horizontal needs some solid contact points with the floor - leveling feet needed to be added.

Now that my dining room table is complete all I need are some chairs. Looking forward to Thanksgiving!