..........If I could only weld, I could make my own work tables. (the cost of commercial steel work tables is insane)
I could come out cheaper and more to my needs to go buy a welder and learn to weld. (but I am impatient and set a build schedule for everything and did not plan on the down time to buy a welder and then learn to weld) My fear would be me welding a work table, then having a transmission on it and the darn welds breaking, table collapsing and falling, messing up my trans and breaking my foot too LOL..........
You can weld, you just don't know it. The tables would be a good place to start and they won't fall down. Get a 220 Miller mig about 180 amp and have someone spend an hour with you and it and you will be welding plenty good to make the tables and that will give you confidence for the future.
Just don't be afraid to use some heat and maybe start with the settings a little hotter than what is on the panel on the inside of the welder cabinet. If your weld is hot and red on the other side of the metal and off to the sides of the weld when you stop the weld then you are getting close and fine for those tables.
One thing on the wiring that I recommend to everyone is to put lots of outlets on ..........
..........each side of any doors and windows. I mean at least 2 doubles on each side and even 3 doubles. The ones along the walls get buried behind shelving and junk and you just can't get to them later. Usually right next to the doors doesn't get covered up as much. Put some high ones where your benches will be and I put a couple low ones there and then put..........
................... lots of outlets on the front of the benches for drilling, soldering, etc.. Those outlets are then plugged into the wall if the bench moves or are hard wired into the wall if it doesn't. In the picture the left outlet is 220 so I can move the welder right up to the work bench. The middle arrow points to a normal double outlet and you can see that I should of put more of those in as I put a strip outlet next to that one to plug the drill chargers into. I would feel better safety/fire wise to not be using the strip and will try and replace it in time.
Lots of 220 outlets so you can move your welder, plasma cutter anywhere in the shop and not have long 220 extension cords. Also if you don't have a mill and/or lathe plane for a location for those and put some 220 outlets there for them. I couldn't live without a.........
.......... lathe and a ..........
.................... mill anymore. Something else you can learn to use that is not all that hard.
Is there a reason you aren't putting in at least one high garage door?? Just Curious as I'm glad I have one high one going to the lift in my shop. It still wouldn't be that hard to cut one in.
c ya,
Sum