Welding table on a budget: 3/16" plate, square tubing, and a lot of checking for flat

A 2x3 ft top of 3/16" plate from the local steel yard drop pile was $60. Legs are 2x2x.120 square tubing. The trick is sequence: tack everything, check diagonals and flat with a straightedge, then weld in short alternating stitches so the top does not pull into a taco. It still moved about 1/16" in the middle; a few minutes with a torch on the high side pulled it back.

Drill a grid of 5/8" holes for clamps and dogs before you weld the legs on, when the plate is still easy to move. Add a shelf, casters with leveling feet, and a ground clamp tab. Oil the top or it will rust the first humid week.