Hi guys, I just got a new welder, and need to whip up a cart for it. This one is a Lincoln 175HD, and it's larger than my old one, so I can't use that cart. Also, I want to use larger wheels, so it can go offroading, and I wanted to put some more storage, and cable/helmet racks or hangers. Any suggestions, or photos of your rigs would be much appreciated! Thanks, Ben
When I made the one for the little lincoln 110v unit I've got I decided I wanted it as compact as possible for the garage. I figured bigger wheels meant more space needed to move it around my cluttered garage. I used shopping cart wheels on that one.
I'm in the process of collecting the parts to build one now. Here are some of the things going through my mind: New lawnmower wheels from K-mart--the big, rear wheels, so I can roll over anything. Tripod base: two wheels in the back, a single foot pad in the front. This will make it rock solid anywhere I move it. You can balance a 3-point base on a sphere if you need to. I don't want the cart to rock or tip like a table in a cheap restaraunt. A set of hinged, folding handles will be mounted at the end with the foot. Swing down out of the way at rest, swing up and lock into place to move the cart like a wheel barrow. The top is a piece of 2x3 3/8-inch steel plate I got at the local s**** yard. I'd kept my eyes open for something like this for a long time. This turns my cart into a small(ish) portable table. I'll mount a small swap-meet vise at one corner. The frame of the cart will be made of 1x1 or 2x2 angle iron. At the back of the table, behind the wheels, I'll build a short shelf to set the bottle on. It's a medium sized bottle, so it won't stick above the table surface. Hanging behind the wheels, it will give me some weight behind the pivot point to help move it. Shelf in the middle, that the welder will set on. Second shelf at the bottom, below the welder. This will probably be a short storage are, since there isn't going to be much room below the welder shelf. I'll close this one off with sheetmetal on three sides, and doors on the fourth side hunt with piano hinges (cut to order from McMaster Carr) and store my mask, gloves, leathers, etc. in the cabines. The work surface will be about the height of a kitchen counter. Basically, I'm making a small welding table, that's portable, with a short storage cabinet at the bottom. This will allow me to move a work surface near any project in the shop. Draw EVERYTHING out on graph paper before you start buying material. -Brad
I found this thread on the garage journal, after posting this thread , I hadn't thought to look there. A couple of things I'm always worried about with my little welder cart is that it'll tip over, or the welder will slide off the top of it... I have the second problem solved... angle iron top, with one of the "legs" pointing up on all sides. The other question I have is, alot of people tilt their welders... what is the benefit of that? Just able to see the controls more easily? Thanks, Ben
Well looks like I have to reload pics of my cart. I build it from 1x1x1/8" angle, 1x1x1/8" square stock and some aluminum diamond plate that I had laying around and some Yellow paint that was laying around as well. It has a shelf on the bottom, a shelf in the middle for my mig, and a shelf on the top for my Arc welder. I used some hooks I got at Lowes for a few bucks and just welded them to the sides to hang my cables and helmet off of. I did not make hangers for the arc cables as they are about 50 feet long each ~ I will post some pics of it in a few minutes, I have to reload them. EDIT::: Ok I went out and shot a few pics, It was pretty simple, and I built it in a couple of hours. almost everything I had laying around the garage. The pic of the bumper is one I am building for a jeep The cart works really well, but There are a few things I will change on it but for the most part it works great for what I need. I hope these help. As for the tilting the welder, I originally had mine on top of the cart, but when I brought my arc welder over it would not fit on the middle shelf so I put it on top and my mig on the bottom. Oh yeah if you bought your welder at Home Depot, you might have problems at your local welding house getting parts for it. The HD supposedly means HOME DEPOT version, and they used to use different parts. Sorry I just replied to another post too. so I guess BTT again sorry guys.
a little bit wider would be nice, but really some more storage on it, and a couple of more hooks. It looks like **** right now, but I have been using the hell outta it this week. I was thinking of extending the back and behind the tank putting a basket or shelf of some type to hold my grinders and spools of wire. Oh yeah use steel casters, or heavy rated ones if you will have more than the mig on it.
my lincoln mig is sitting on a modified gas barbacue stand. they are all over craigslist for free. good start and if you **** up your not out anything.
That's a good idea! I actually have an old one from my inlaws tucked behind the garage waiting to go to the s**** yard. Ben
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