Building a welding cart, looking for ideas & guidance

[DarkMonohue]

Building a welding cart, looking for ideas & guidance (got pics)

I've had a little Lincoln 120V welder for years and have been using it fairly frequently the last few years, and now that we have a reasonably sized garage to play in, I want to put it on a cart. After looking at a few pics around the net I have a fairly good plan roughed out. Nothing terribly fancy, but I want a few goodies like a storage drawer, AC outlets to run other tools (grinder, bandsaw) near the cart, etc.

Please pardon the grainy photos. This was done rather hastily at night under poor lighting, and I'm not looking to win any awards.

Here's the progress so far. It's a simple frame of 1" square 16ga steel tubing. The rear wheels are 7" ball bearing lawn mower wheels, and the fronts are 3" casters. There's a little left to add to the structure, like the missing cross bar at the front, but the heavy lifting is done.

The rear axles are made of 3/8" OD hitch pins, slid into sleeves that are welded to the bottom of the cart. The wheels are retained by hitch pin clips. I don't know why I wasted time coming up with this system, but it's slick and tidy. At the very least it makes wheel removal super fast, which is handy during the mockup and assembly phase.

I found a wooden shelf at the local recycled building materials yard, and although it is too long, it's just the right width to sit the welder on at the top of the cart. I couldn't find any conveniently sized sheet metal to use for this platform, but I'm not sure how dumb an idea it is to park the welder on a piece of wood. I'll be welding a few feet from the cart, not exactly showering it in open flame, but I'm plenty open to suggestions on this one.

Another score from the leftover bin is this oven rack. It is just about the right size to weld to the bottom of the cart and use as a bottom shelf. I wanted expanded metal, but this was cheap and will work just fine. Being open, as opposed to a solid shelf, means that dirt and garbage won't collect on it easily.

Finally, I found a pretty good storage bin in the form of a cast-off cash drawer from work. The lock is missing and the slides are in rough shape, but slides can be replaced, and the lock is of no consequence for this cart. The only bummer is that I didn't find this until after I'd built the frame. The front vertical struts will need to be moved forward an inch to mount the drawer inside the cart, just below the upper platform. A minor headache, but no big deal.

So that's what I have so far. Comments, suggestions, criticism are all welcome!

 

[back2class]

Looks good. 2 Handles sticking out from the front to wheel it around with and act as a place to hang cords and stuff is a feature I would add. I would also consider matching the angle iof the upper frame to the base the welder sits on so it is at 90deg and not 80 deg as pictured.

And why didn't you just weld the casters on?

 

[DarkMonohue]

Looks good. 2 Handles sticking out from the front to wheel it around with and act as a place to hang cords and stuff is a feature I would add.

Thanks! I'll be adding several hooks to hang things on, but the handle itself will be part of an oval, made in round tubing, which will be hinged at the top to fold flat against the front. It will incorporate a small tool tray as well. Should be pretty trick. I will add pics of that when I get there, of course.

I would also consider matching the angle iof the upper frame to the base the welder sits on so it is at 90deg and not 80 deg as pictured.

Thought about that, but everybody else's cart seems to point skyward, so mine does too. The theory is that the welder will be easier to fiddle with if it's pointing up toward me.

And why didn't you just weld the casters on?

Because if I weld them on, Mr. Murphy will make damned sure that one of them fails, or that the cart is warped enough not to roll on all four wheels. Which, in fact, he's already done. One of the casters now has a 1/8" aluminum shim under it, and it rolls nicely.

Also, I may want to go Big Wheel on this thing someday, and I hate painting myself into a corner.

 

[back2class]

I like the angle the unit will sit on!. Just talking about the support/upright in back angled to match the welders platform.

 

[DarkMonohue]

Ah, I see. Not a bad idea, but I was wanting to support the gas bottle as high as possible. You may be on to something. I'll give that some thought!

 

[akdiesel]

Looks good so far. Much stronger looking than the welder carts you see at stores, and some good thinking on the wheels.
Keep in consideration that you have a nice cart to hold your welder and tools but you may have to work on the garage floor because you don't have a metal table to work on.
I first thought about building a similar cart for my welder to practice and too say I made that, but I still needed to have a place to work on, so I included it in the work platform as well.
I will agree about Mr. Murphy. He is my co-pilot.

 

[DarkMonohue]

Keep in consideration that you have a nice cart to hold your welder and tools but you may have to work on the garage floor because you don't have a metal table to work on.

Actually, I have that covered. Between center and 3:00 position in this pic is my metal mechanic's bench, which is 24" deep and 60" wide. It's not 100% flat, but I have a jig for most of the thing I build, and need a platform to hold the jig more than I need a dead-flat surface. I'll be putting it on retractable casters so I can wheel it out from the wall and then set it back on the ground for stability.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I like what you got there so far. The welding carts I've seen in stores are ****. I picked this up on Craigslist a couple years back and have been very happy with it...

Before I hooked up my bottle, of course. Even though this one works very well, I still have plans to make one on my own b/c I've always wanted to do that. On yours, I'd lean towards changing those front castors out to 5 inchers. Might want to take out the lawnmower wheels and put something nicer on there eventually. When I make mine, I'm going to put a lot of thought into the wheels/castors.

This is one of those projects that you upgrade as you go along, seeing what works and what doesn't. I think you're off to a great start and am looking forward to your progress.

 

[Griff93]

I modified an old Cman roll cab I picked up. It has worked really well. If I was to do it again I'd make the bottle mount on the side as it barely fits through a regular door opening. I keep my plasma cutter on it sometimes too depending on what I'm doing.

 

[elmo_4_vt]

I did the same kind of thing and modified a $10 file cabinet... Works great for me so far:

-

 

[TRX]

Mine looks very similar, except I started with a government-surplus Steelcase two-drawer filing cabinet. I welded an angle iron base to hold some heavy-duty casters. All the welding paraphernalia goes in the drawers.

 

[jmh21586]

Posted this in another thread also but here's mine. Mini shopping cart bought at auction for $2.

 

[akdiesel]

An actual 10 items or less cart. Very creative.

 

[danski0224]

Here's mine:

 

[Jared]

when i get to building one I want it to have inflatable tires for use on gravel.

 

[VictorG]

I had to buy a welder to make this welding cart to store the welder I just bought. ;-)

This is my first attempt at welding and all parts are from a junk yard. Still practicing...

 

[Brad54]

I'm also using a vintage Craftsman roll-away. Everything stores neatly in a drawer, keeping the dust out of my stuff, and making sure it's easy to grab.

Not happy with the casters at this point, and want to do something different. I also don't have a bottle rack on it yet, but that's coming (along with a list of other things).

-Brad

 

[DarkMonohue]

Back from the dead here. I have been slacking for a long time, but I actually got quite a bit done this weekend. I have to do a little adjusting to get the bottle to rest on its platform, and then I need to install the drawer slides, maybe a few more hooks and handles, and shoot some paint. Here's what I have so far.


Essentially complete and mostly functional. The welder is located by a couple of chunks of angle bolted to the platform:

The bottle is held by two nylon tie-downs, so it should be nice and secure. The pad should be big enough for two small bottles:

There's a U-bolt welded to the cart to hold my angle grinder and a hook for the cable and gun:

The hoop on the front of the cart is hinged. It swings up to act as a handle, and has a support so it can double as a work tray (obviously not installed yet):

On the other side of the handle/tray is a piece of pipe to hold the gun and a chunk of flat scrap to hold the ground clamp when not in use:

Comments and criticism are welcome.

 

[gsport]

looks very good so far.... a little paint and you're about done.... i'm actually making one right now too. i'm a new weldor and it's my first project, for my new MM 211.

 

[Griff93]

Looks like some you're making good progress. I have a feeling you may find that way of keeping your grinder may be annoying to pull it out to use it. I ended up hanging mine by the guard. I actually started working on my tig cart this evening. I got tired of trying to move this heavy thing while its not on wheels.

 

[DarkMonohue]

I have a feeling you may find that way of keeping your grinder may be annoying to pull it out to use it.

Something to watch out for, I suppose. I like the way the loop holds it securely, and I hate the thought of things falling off as I roll the cart around, but it is a little snug. There are ways to remedy that if it comes to it. Hanging it by the guard is another good option. More than likely it'll just be stored on the cart and left on the bottom tray when actually in use.

 

[BC iron works]

i made this one

 

[slacktide]

I hang my grinders by the guards on an upstanding leg of angle iron. A half-moon recess in my shelf keeps them in place.

 

[nolatoolguy]

Looks pretty good.

The only thing i can think of to help it would be maybe to ad almost like a roll cag e type just some angle iron above an across the sides to protect were the welder at an add some cross bars or think mesh in it to sort of protect it a little just incase

 

[fromttt]

Very nice cart. I like your innovative use of low cost materials. There is an interesting cylinder holding mechanism on Lincoln Electric's welding project page that you may want to incorporate (& ditch the ratcheting straps).

 

[Gary S]

Cheap convertible hand trucks can be had at your local hardware stores for $10-12 on sale. They already have the 4 wheels and most of the frame you need. You add one shelf and a chain to hold the argon tank, and you have a welding cart for under $20.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

The bottle is held by two nylon tie-downs, so it should be nice and secure. The pad should be big enough for two small bottles:

Comments and criticism are welcome.

I'm a little concerned about the bottle moving or sliding at the base. I'd put some brackets in there width wise just to ease my mind that it won't. Doesn't look like it will. But I'm ****!

 

[DarkMonohue]

I don't think it can move - those straps hold it snug! I also have a third set of lugs lower down where I have relocated the bottom strap since the pictures were taken.

 

[BlindViper]

Only advice I can give you is to make it soot your needs. Here is mine hope it helps, it was a clothing rack or something.

I have since added a bottle rack.

 

[LWW]

These are great ideas. I'm a little too impatient to build my own from scratch so I started with this one from HF when it was on sale for $39.95:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90305

I was actually surprised at how sturdy it is given it's HF. I did add some gussets in key places just in case.

I mounted my HyperTherm plasma cutter on the bottom shelf, my MM175 MIG on the top and miscellaneous accessories and grinders on the middle shelf. It came with a hose hook on each side and a decent bottle holder that I modified slightly to make it a form fit so there's absolutely no way it can move while I'm rolling it around.

You guys have given me some good ideas for additional modifications, but unfortunately, I have 3 carts now and any one I modify, my OCD will require I do it to the other two!

I'll be adding a simple u-hook for the grinder and probably a handle on the front. I've been using the front "lip" on the cart to pull it, but a nice round handle that folds down and can be used as a small shelf is a great idea.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I gotta say, you guys are pretty ingenious. I've seen all sorts of interesting things used to make welding carts...from shopping carts to clothes racks.

Good stuff!

 

[Jack Olsen]

I also copped out and got the Harbor Freight model. My only mod was to add bigger front casters.

 

[sberry]

I got a couple dandys.

 

[KM1013]

Nice handle on the front but those straps? Me personally, they'd have to go.

 

[DarkMonohue]

I'd like to know what the objection is to the straps. They are strong enough to hold motorcycles bouncing around the back of pickups - seems like plenty of reserve to me, particularly considering that some people hold their bottles with lightweight chains that aren't especially robust.

 

[4StarCstms]

Nice handle on the front but those straps? Me personally, they'd have to go.

The rest of the cart is so nice...but those straps... I dunno, there has got to be a better way.. Maybe bend up some 1" wide steel and make a couple of loops to slide the cylinder thru then just use a thumbscrew to tighten down the tank..two screws, one on each side should do it... or you can go overkill and use three..

 

[Griff93]

I think some of you guys are bit to critical on using straps for holding welding tanks. I've been using a ratchet strap to hold mine for about 8 years without issue. It also doesn't rattle around like using a chain with a quick clip. I'm thinking about using a chain with a screw down tightening setup but that's just because I'm out of ratchet straps and I have some chain I need to use for something.

 

[Tony T.]

The straps should work just fine, but if when you get it all painted up the way you want you could always get some chrome plated chains for the bottle holder. You did a nice job.

I don't have a mig welder yet but I did make my own running gear for my Hobart Stickmate 235/160 AC/DC. I just copied the optional factory one you can buy for about $50.00 bucks. I figured I would rather keep the cash for other important shop toys.

The handle is stainless steel,it was at one time the framework that held a stainless steel tray like you see in a dental office.

The wheels and axle I robbed off a large trash can someone disguarded on a county road doing some illeagel dumping.

The front legs are 1" sq tubing I had from disassembling my old deer stand tower. I just cut/welded them up to make the legs.

As someone mentioned there are some good ideas for carts on this thread.

Tony

 

[DarkMonohue]

I don't have anything new on the cart, but I did get a little work done on my workbench. Basically, it now has casters that fold up when not in use to make it easier to pull it out when I am working and store it up against the wall when I'm not. Pics are pretty self-explanatory.

 

[Jack Olsen]

I think the issue with nylon straps is that they could conceivably burn or melt. It's not likely, but it's possible.