h have some 1.5x.25 inch steel flat bar, a oxy propane torch and other basic tools welders and such. i am looking for some kinda suggestions on how to make these bench legs. i wanna make the top plate with the uprights so i dont have to weld it on. the only welding i wanna do is that middle plate b/w the top plate and the floor.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/62678062/metal-table-legs-use-as-bench-or?ref=sr_gallery_5&ga_search_query=metal+table+legs&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_ref=auto1&ga_search_type=all

That's actually a pretty easy job. You have to establish your outside parameters of overall height and overall width. Then you have to determine the radius you want at the feet.

Bending the feet is very easy if you have a torch. I often use the curvature of a socket for bends like this. I piece of .5" round stock held in the vise will hold a socket that uses a .5" drive. Then all you need to do is pick a socket that has the curve you're looking for. Might not be in the arsenal, but any round stock will work. Have a section of 2" pipe?

What I would do is lay it out on a concrete floor with the OAL and OAH marked and connected with a centerline. From there, I would measure to the halfway point for the cross member and get to bending. Cut the two cross-beams to length and then cut and bend the uprights. Everything about the uprights will depend on the OAL and OAH and the amount of angle you want.

Does that make sense? Really not difficult.

It won't be an easy task to make an exact copy of this without using separate pieces for the top plate and uprights - IF you want an exact copy. The difficulty is in the differing bar widths for the top and uprights. That would require a huge amount of drawing out. Instead I would suggest using one size of bar as follows:

Lay out the desired size and angles either on a large sheet of paper or with chalk on your bench or floor. Make the top plate with the uprights by adding bends where the design you linked to uses welds.
From that develop the lengths of materials you need. You can do this by bending paper or string around your layout.
Find an appropriate diameter piece of pipe or rod to bend the radii around.
Measure and cut your main bar, then mark the center and the start of each bend from the center so it will come out evenly.
Heat it and bend it around the appropriately sized pipe/rod. If it gets out of plane true it back up by hammering on the floor while still hot.
Make the main piece first, then trim the legs and tweak the angles even if they don't come out quite right. Then cut the middle plate to fit and weld it in.

Hope that helps. Measuring from the center and comparing it often to your outline on the floor during fabrication will make this easier.

Good luck on your project.

i like them , might try to make a set..

I would humbly suggest considering orienting the bottom board and its attachment points vertically so as to reduce the likelihood of people bumping their legs against the table support.

I would jig up and just bend it cold. Measure the inside length of the leg and put a stop block and dog so it has both a place to start and will not move. Then bend around the radius mandrel (socket, pipe, whatever gives you the right radius) and over bend the long leg so the spring back gives you the correct radius and direction for the outside leg. Cut the long length to size. This should give you repeatability and the 4 pieces should be very close to the same, if not identical. Cut the straight bars and mark each with the proper placement of the welds. Weld into place

Be sure and place some felt or other protective material on the bottom of the legs so you do not scratch up the floor.

A question you should ask is can you make that for $48. Also It is somebody else's design. Make up your own style of table legs or buy one of theirs.

While Tim has a point (the price is pretty good for the time+materials)

If I was to do this I would use a piece of black pipe the correct od as the ID of the bend and wrap it, hot or cold, using my post vise. With a cold wrap I would clamp some angle stock or a 2x4 to the free end for added leverage and isolation of the bend.

Phil

His design is pretty..... well, stark. Soulless. I think you could take that concept as a jumping off point and run with it. Otherwise, just buy it.

well here is the real situation...investigate those cold / hot bending machines like the Hossfield bender! Upon researching their setup proceedure the answer will emerge quickly, although not economically at todays prices. BUT...if you decided to make some minor changes...like having the back side of the legs (between two sets of legs(bents)) to be vertical, then making them yourself the advantages may really emerge. the example was as if the table was a walk-to on all sides. BUT if you uses a larger, wider table top then vertical legs is not a problem anywhere. Placement of the corresponding extra diagonals becomes paramount though.

Go buy them or create angle iron verticals as most of us have in the past.

Good luck

carry on

"• Wrought steel will not rot in contact with the ground."

Danger Will Robinson, Danger! BS! BS! BS! HYPE! HYPE! HYPE!

I find those a rather ugly design and not suited for a bench unless you run a bar from the crosspiece to close to the middle of the bench to prevent racking.

And as mentioned: copying a commercial design sort of defeats the purpose of doing it yourself.

If you need one with that general shape take a look at Albrecht Durer's signature---a lot more "flare"