What comes first; the cart or the table?

[glsmaverick]

I got a new Millermatic 180 for christmas. I am about to pick up gas and more wire in a few minutes and am wiring up the plug this Saturday. My question is what do you do first; a table or a cart?

I have an old c-man bottom box that will serve as drawers for the cart (I am planning on like an exo skeleton around it) but there is no where for the tank and gun and all of that stuff.

I figure if I build the table first then I will have an area to construct the cart but if I construct the cart first it will keep everything mobile and also secure for when I go to make the table.

I have enough tube to build both but no plate for the table which I plan to make 24x36x1/2". I want to build something in the near future and I guess I need to know if I should go buy some plate or just build the cart and table later.

 

[jhn9840]

If it were me I would do the table then fab up a cart on the table. But since you have all the material for the cart but not the table I would get the cart done.Six of one half dozen of the other really.

jhn9840
John

 

[JayL]

When I got my Millermatic 180 I built the cart first. I needed to be able to move the welder and with it the gas tank.

I used a pair of sawhorses , 3/4" plywood topped with 14 gauge sheet metal as temporary table.

Currently I'm now around 85% done building my welding table.

 

[Steevo]

Cart. Not everything you want to weld can be brought to the table, but the cart can go anywhere.

 

[geologist]

Try building the table before the cart. You'll end up building the cart first. With that said, the cart is the more useful of the two for the reasons Steevo mentioned.

 

[gorilla]

How about buying a welding cart and then building a nice welding table. I would incorporate the bottom box into the welding table not the cart. I'm not fond of dragging a ton of stuff when I need to move a welder around. The Harbor Freight welding cart seem well thought of on this forum.

 

[MFGENG]

I built my cart first, then the table. Having said that, if I were to do it all over again, I would have built the table first, then built the cart on the table.

 

[c/o say]

Get make or buy a cart first then you have some where to keep that new welder. Me I just bought a HF single drawer tool cart and modified it put hangers on it for my leads, pliers,hammer and helmet. Then use the drawer for tips cups extra wire etc. Don't have a tank yet just flux core but when I get one then I will just rework it some more.

 

[KMinAF]

Build a simple cart, then a good solid table and then build an awesome cart. When finished sell the first cart to your neighbor.

 

[jasonreck71]

If it were me I would do the table then fab up a cart on the table. But since you have all the material for the cart but not the table I would get the cart done.Six of one half dozen of the other really.

jhn9840
John

Well said kind sir

 

[crewchief888]

Cart. Not everything you want to weld can be brought to the table, but the cart can go anywhere.

i agree

 

[Larwyn]

A MM 180 can be hand carried easily enough that building a table first would not be that big a deal. A cart is most useful for moving the welder and bottle as one unit. I added a shelf to the Miller cart (included with my MM 180) to carry my plasma cutter, added cable hangars and bigger wheels and it serves just fine. Thought it would be a temporary measure at first but "new welder cart" is not on any of my lists.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

One vote for the cart first.

 

[HubbaBubba]

I"d vote for the horse befor e the cart. Had to say it. Table first. Cart second.

 

[bimmer1980]

Back in the day, I built a small cart that had a small work table on the top of it. I think it was about 14x20" top that was 1/2" aluminum plate. This worked out well. Where ever I could roll the cart, I had a welder and a small work area.

Regardless of what you do, make sure you support the tank until you can get it properly secured to a cart. While the gas is inert, you do need to be concerned about not knocking the valve off.

I'll see if I can find a picture....

 

[bimmer1980]

Ok, I finally found a picture....

The cart/table in in the background of the first photo. It was built with 1" square steel tube and has a 1/2" thick aluminum work table on it. I built it to have wheels set up like a wagon. There is a removable tow arm that fits into the front wheel assembly. Also notice that is has a bar for holding clamps on the right side of it. The tank is well secured to the cart. Hindsight, I could have skipped the steering mechanism and gone with casters, but I had the wheels on hand. This is as good of a picture that I can find in my archives. BTW, this welder is a century 110 welder with the gas. p.s. this welder is now in China--my bro took it with him when he moved over there.....

In the foreground of the picture I'm building a riser stand to hold the wire feeder of a Miller welder. The second picture shows the finished welder setup. Notice the holders for the spool gun.

You can also see the big blue machine in the back left--this is a Miller Syncrowave 250 Tig welder. The two Miller machines reside at my SD shop.

 

[skwirl]

I went with the cart. You guys provided a lot of inspiration.

 

[bauschracing]

Buy a cheep cart first. I bought one for my new Tig at Tractor supply for $49.95. Then build a well planned table. Once that is done, build a cart of your dreams and keep the old cart for a plasma cutter or a Tig. Or sale the old cart on C/L or trade it to a friend.
Mike

 

[BD1]

hi, as far as a table goes check craigs list. There are some great deals ,the problem is finding one near you. Look at the free section too, you may find a old table saw that will have a nice steel top that would work for now. good luck.

 

[glsmaverick]

Thanks for all the tips and responding to the poll all. I am going to go with the cart first because now that the tank is in the garage I don't like the idea of it just setting on the ground. So the cart build will go first then the table; then the drill press/vise/grinder stand!

 

[geologist]

Thanks for all the tips and responding to the poll all. I am going to go with the cart first because now that the tank is in the garage I don't like the idea of it just setting on the ground. So the cart build will go first then the table; then the drill press/vise/grinder stand!

Glad we could help.