TIG Welding Cart Design

[welderjosh]

I hate my current TIG cart, so I've decided to upgrade. I based this on a vertical plastic bin storage rack I have built and was hoping to get some opinions from the smart fellers on here.

 

[joe_padavano]

I'm not sure you want to put the welder inside an oven like that.

 

[Balor]

I like it other then the A-frame panels, use some type of wire mesh so the tig can cool and breathe.

 

[welderjosh]

It's a Miller Dynasty 200 DX They cool from the front and back.

 

[matt_i]

Someone chopped a wheel off the grinder

Looks good, make sure not too narrow and tippy. Make sure big enough casters to roll over obstructions like rough pavement or pavement transitions.

Make sure you have places to coil and hang the AC power cord, tig torch, ground lead, and the footpedal. I'm not sure if that model stick welds but it could be useful to have storage for the stinger and a box with an incandescent lightbulb for preserving dry sticks.

It would be worthwhile to have a drawer to store tungstens, gas cups, torch backs, and other consumables.

Having a place to hang your own PPE - jacket, thick and thin gloves and your welding helmet could also come in handy.

 

[welderjosh]

Someone chopped a wheel off the grinder

Looks good, make sure not too narrow and tippy. Make sure big enough casters to roll over obstructions like rough pavement or pavement transitions.

Make sure you have places to coil and hang the AC power cord, tig torch, ground lead, and the footpedal. I'm not sure if that model stick welds but it could be useful to have storage for the stinger and a box with an incandescent lightbulb for preserving dry sticks.

It would be worthwhile to have a drawer to store tungstens, gas cups, torch backs, and other consumables.

Having a place to hang your own PPE - jacket, thick and thin gloves and your welding helmet could also come in handy.

I've included provisions for everything but the stick stuff. If I need to do that then I'll do it at work. I'm not worried about it being tippy because it's wider than the current cart and I've never had any issues with that cart. I was worried more about my hardware cart (of similar design but 7' tall) being tippy but it's rock solid. Thanks for the reply.

 

[nadogail]

May it serve you well for many years, while you enjoy good health.

 

[itb45]

I see you have provisions to chain the bottle at the top. I would add another at the bottom, or at least add a ring the bottle sits in at the bottom.

Otherwise looks great !

 

[welderjosh]

I see you have provisions to chain the bottle at the top. I would add another at the bottom, or at least add a ring the bottle sits in at the bottom.

Otherwise looks great !

I thought about that too. I think I'm going to try to come up with something clever for my smaller bottle that can do double duty as what you're suggesting.

 

[Fueler]

You won't be young forever so I recommend a stepped down shelf for the Argon tank.

 

[welderjosh]

You won't be young forever so I recommend a stepped down shelf for the Argon tank.

That's funny! I'm already too old. Good idea!

 

[Kaizen]

In my opinion that is a lot of wasted real estate for those rod holders. Consider putting them straight up and down and stacked too deep so you can hang other items on the other side such as helmet jacket or the torch.
Where do have consumed rods go? Can’t go back in holders and be easily accessible


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[welderjosh]

In my opinion that is a lot of wasted real estate for those rod holders. Consider putting them straight up and down and stacked too deep so you can hang other items on the other side such as helmet jacket or the torch.
Where do have consumed rods go? Can’t go back in holders and be easily accessible

I thought about that for a long time too. I don't use more than 20 different filler materials and the real oddball stuff i can double up. As they are now they are easily removable just by picking up slightly and tilting them out (for the short rod pieces). I have hooks for all of the leads and power cords. I don't wear a jacket when I TIG weld and I usually just hang my hood on the regulator. I am contemplating moving all the rod holders to one side so I have storage for wire brushes, my third hand, passivation jelly, etc. but I think I still have room with the real estate I have in the current design.

 

[WILD-BILL]

Looks Very similar to the one I built for the TIG at work

 

[brownbagg]

make it where you can have the tig, mig and plasma on one cart, it will help with shop room

 

[Kaizen]

Looks Very similar to the one I built for the TIG at work

Is that a water cooler below? Got the 251 and loving this beast. Not easy being green but fine for me!!


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[MarkG]

My first thoughts are 'lots of wasted space' and 'HEAVY'! Do you really want to bury your machine in a 'house'?? That seems like a bad idea for several reasons to me (poor access, poor cooling, lots of extra weight), but it's your design and your cart------we all build what we think is best for us. If it suits your needs perfectly, go for it.

 

[welderjosh]

make it where you can have the tig, mig and plasma on one cart, it will help with shop room

This is how I have it now and I hate it.

 

[welderjosh]

Thanks for everyone's input. I've incorporated a couple ideas like lowering the shelf that the bottle sits on (genius) and adding a lower locator for the bottle. Time to get cutting metal!

 

[WILD-BILL]

Yes that is the water cooler on the bottom. I don't think you can tell from the pics but I have quick release water fittings in the cart above the top drawer and the cart is plumbed with the lines going to the cooler.

 

[Robert Haas]

The Miller Svncho I own came on its own casters. I had my filler rod storage vertical in PVC tubes on the wall and hated the fact I could not put short semi used pieces in the tubes without having to dump the whole tube out. I wanted to keep them with the machine too.

My solution was to buy a length of .250" wall pipe and cut it into bands and weld it together to build a horizontal "rack" that I bolted directly to the top of the machine itself. My water cooler sits on top of the machine so this is offset.

So now when I am done with a piece of rod I can slip it into the appropriate tube and it is sitting there waiting for the next time I need it.

It works so damn well I have been copied by 4 of my friends.

 

[dr_clyde]

I would make sure you have enough room on the bottom shelf to run a water cooler. I have my Dynasty set up with a Coolmate 3. The Dynasty 200 will run with a Coolmate 1 which is a lot smaller, I just happened to have a 3.

 

[itb45]

I'd consider adding wheels in the back, rather than casters. For those times you need to go over an extension cord or big crack.