Outdoor Patio Table (Part 1)

I built this patio table in the summer of 2002 simply for a nice place to sit outside and eat. I purchased all of the metal for this project (rather than use scrap metal.)
All of the projects that I build are designed by me, and because of this, it requires me to think and design as I build.

Of course, there are positives and negatives from doing this: The best part about "design as you go" is that you are constantly challenged to improve the project while the worst part is that there is rarely an opportunity to mindlessly do a task without worrying how it will work.

Anyways, to start off, I built the tabletop frame first. This was just made out of 1" pipe with an 1/8" wall thickness. I made the decision to angle the corners of the tabletop, (which made me pay later) but would help the overall look of the table and make it a bit safer. I cut all of the angles for the top, laid them out on the ground, and welded them. To maintain the right dimensions and reduce warpage, I tack welded the pieces together, and then only welded about an inch at a time on each joint.

As the tabletop was going to need some kind of frame
for support, I built a 1" square tube frame that would connect to the 4"x4" square tube that acts as the main span. Note the tri-square in the picture. In my projects, it is by best friend. I am always checking to see if everything is "square." Especially after welding where the metal is pulled. To see the remaining steps, check back or subscribe to the Welding Shop Blog.

Building the tabletop surface was the hardest yet most rewarding part of the project...