Welding Table: Why Has Ø16 mm Become the Universal Standard?

If you have ever compared different welding tables on the market, you have surely noticed a constant: almost all of them use a Ø16 mm bore on a 50 mm grid. But why this precise dimension? And what would happen if you used a different diameter?

🔩 1. A Standard Born from European Compatibility

The Ø16 mm has progressively established itself as the European standard for professional welding tables. This diameter can accommodate the majority of clamping accessories, stops, and clamps on the market, whether they are manufactured in France, Germany, or Poland.

👉 This guarantees that you can combine elements from different brands (StrongHand®, Siegmund®, MetalPoint®, 4A Métal®, etc.) without any incompatibility.

⚙️ 2. An Ideal Balance Between Strength and Precision

The Ø16 mm hole offers the best compromise:

• wide enough to receive robust accessories;
• small enough to maintain a flat, rigid, and stable surface;
• standard 50 mm spacing guaranteeing perfect modularity.

On a 6 mm thick welding table, this configuration ensures perfect repeatability of positioning and precise holding when clamping parts.

🧰 3. Total Compatibility with 4A Métal Accessories

At 4A Métal, all our tables and accessories (extensions, squares, stops, blocks, V-supports, etc.) are designed according to this Ø16 mm / 50 mm standard. This means you can use our accessories on most professional tables on the market — and vice versa.

👉 A single ecosystem, hundreds of possible combinations.

🧱 4. What About Ø28 mm?

There is another standard, the Ø28 mm, used more in heavy industry: massive tables over 15 mm thick, large parts, or high stress. This standard is less common among craftsmen and independent welders, as it makes the table much heavier and more expensive.

The Ø16 mm therefore remains the best option for:

• versatile workshops;
• training and schools;
• independent welders and small industrial structures;
• quick-assembly modular tables.

🇫🇷 5. The 4A Métal Choice: The European Standard, Revisited

All our 4A Métal welding tables are made of 6 mm pickled steel, with a Ø16 mm bore on a 50 mm grid. Our accessories, designed and tested in our workshop in Romilly-sur-Seine, offer total compatibility with European brands.

We chose to adopt the Ø16 mm standard for a simple reason: to give our customers the freedom to choose their accessories, without limits.

🛠️ In Summary

• Ø16 mm / 50 mm = the universal European standard.
• Total compatibility between all major brands.
• Ideal for welding tables 4 to 8 mm thick.
• Modularity, precision, and long-term scalability.

Still hesitating between Ø16 and Ø28? Contact us, we will guide you according to your use: craftsman, industrial, or trainer.

4A Métal – Metal expertise for your projects.