My welding cart

[cr500dom]

Hi all,
After seeing all the great stuff on here I thought I better get my **** in gear and do something.
Ive been meaning to do this for a while but never had time.
I first saw this type of inverter cart built by 2 NZ guys that came to do an install of some equipment we had made for them.
They bought an inverter with them and just knocked up a simple mobile cart from a cheap sack barrow, this allowed them to quickly move around on site with everything they needed in one place.

Cue one sack barrow purchased ages ago to do the same thing.

The 2 inverter welders I wanted to mount:

so some 20mm angle later

A couple of simple frames TIG'd together

I decided to use the TIG for all of this as I really need the practice, mig would have been so much easier but I wanted to get the torch time

so sack barrow frame cleaned back and shelves added

And welders added to check it out

 

[Nick DV]

Nice work, but I'd be happier adding a bit more bracing to the two 'shelves' rather than rely on the two welds to the tube.

 

[3000alloy]

^what he said

 

[cr500dom]

Some more pics with welders mounted:

I decided it needed them swapped around and some hangers adding for Cables etc, I also added a little cup and loop to take TIG Filler wires too

The hooks were some stays off another bit of scrap, bent in a hole in my welding / surface table.
The filler rod "Cup" was a lasered hole blank that Id rescued from scrap somewhere and just formed some steel strip around, welded on and cleaned back

the hoop was another strip I clamped to the cup when it was still warm from welding and used it to form the basic shape befoe welding to the top shelf

(Excuse the Scuba tank, it was closer to hand to mock up with than the Argoshield bottle)

I need to add some nice strap retainers for both the welders and the gas bottles, then it can all come apart again for blasting and powdercoating

Thanks for checking in and thanks for all the help and inspiration I get from the everyone here on the Forum
Cheers
Dom

 

[cr500dom]

Nice work, but I'd be happier adding a bit more bracing to the two 'shelves' rather than rely on the two welds to the tube.

Thank you, the lower shelf will get braced down to the axle, and the upper shelf will get removable struts to the lower (So I can get the MIG out) but even as it is, it is very rigid.

The MIG weighs 15kg with a full spool of wire, the TIG weighs very little at all

 

[Munkul]

Good work
I've always loved and hated that style of welding cart. On one hand, it's the most practical design, for site work or even just to save space in a small workshop. Esab, Kemppi and Lorch have offered this style of trolley for years - because it's really sensible.
On the other hand, my eyes like to see a conventional trolley with 4 wheels for shop use... no real reason behind it, since the only advantage is that it rolls easier

I'd echo the comments already made, and say you need some extra bracing on the machine frames, or at least some gussets. Also somewhere/some means to strap the machines into the cart, 100% it will fall over at some point if you use it on site at all - accidents happen.
Are you putting bottle guides and straps on?

 

[cr500dom]

Good work
I've always loved and hated that style of welding cart. On one hand, it's the most practical design, for site work or even just to save space in a small workshop. Esab, Kemppi and Lorch have offered this style of trolley for years - because it's really sensible.
On the other hand, my eyes like to see a conventional trolley with 4 wheels for shop use... no real reason behind it, since the only advantage is that it rolls easier

I'd echo the comments already made, and say you need some extra bracing on the machine frames, or at least some gussets. Also somewhere/some means to strap the machines into the cart, 100% it will fall over at some point if you use it on site at all - accidents happen.

Thank you, and yes ive gone this route mainly for space reasons, it can sit alonside my surface / welding table most of the time but be wheeled out to work on the cars etc if needs be.
It will get straps yes, I `m not using it like this, it was just loaded for pictures.
As soon as you tilt it back to move the welders want to fall off

 

[badabec]

Nice work, out of curiosity, why didn't you build it the other way round, so that the welders would naturally lie back against the spine when moving?

 

[cr500dom]

Nice work, out of curiosity, why didn't you build it the other way round, so that the welders would naturally lie back against the spine when moving?

thank you.
Because thats where the gas bottles sit, flat on the sole plate and strapped back to the main frame

 

[ranchero]

i like this can i ask how stable it is when you take the gas bottle off

 

[moose]

thank you.
Because thats where the gas bottles sit, flat on the sole plate and strapped back to the main frame

Badbec asked the question before me, which I can see your answer, but in the same way, as you have made the trays for the welders could have made sole plate for the bottles to sit on, the bottle would need chaining/securing, but with the welders on the front, (yes will need securing) but as you move the trolley, they would not be in a position to fall off.

I like the concept of using the sack trolley, but am trying to work out if what I am thinking, ie the gas bottle on the back and the welders on the front, is any different. When you arrive at work the welders being at the front will be immediately in the right position. I realise its all to do with the balance, weight distribution. But have I missed something that others can see! or would it be a personal choice.

Sorry to ask so many questions

 

[cr500dom]

Badbec asked the question before me, which I can see your answer, but in the same way, as you have made the trays for the welders could have made sole plate for the bottles to sit on, the bottle would need chaining/securing, but with the welders on the front, (yes will need securing) but as you move the trolley, they would not be in a position to fall off.

I like the concept of using the sack trolley, but am trying to work out if what I am thinking, ie the gas bottle on the back and the welders on the front, is any different. When you arrive at work the welders being at the front will be immediately in the right position. I realise its all to do with the balance, weight distribution. But have I missed something that others can see! or would it be a personal choice.

Sorry to ask so many questions

The gas bottles are significantly heavier that the welders, and the whole assembly is far more stable with the welders behind and the gas bottles sat flat on the sole plate.
Also Id have been limited on bottle size I could use behind and above the axle.

With a single welder on, and no bottle its still stable, but with 2 welders you need a gas bottle to stabilize it.

I agree its not for everyone, but for my use and application it is the best compromise, and I have not lost the functionality of a sack barrow either.

 

[cr500dom]

So last night I put my freshly powdercoated components back together with new stainless hardware, cleaned out and regressed the bearings etc
And added a bit of retro BMX bling in the form of Oury grips

just waiting on some new split pins and then it can all go back together properly



Oury grips



and with the TIG sat on it



thanks for looking as always

 

[Longhorn6120]

Like others have said, my inclination would also have been to mount the bottle on the back, but I can definitely see the advantage of doing it this way.

Nice job, I may just copy it

 

[Nick DV]

So last night I put my freshly powdercoated components back together with new stainless hardware, cleaned out and regressed the bearings etc
And added a bit of retro BMX bling in the form of Oury grips

just waiting on some new split pins and then it can all go back together properly

View attachment 278852View attachment 278853View attachment 278854

Oury grips

View attachment 278855View attachment 278856

and with the TIG sat on it

View attachment 278857View attachment 278858

thanks for looking as always

Very nice

 

[cr500dom]

Like others have said, my inclination would also have been to mount the bottle on the back, but I can definitely see the advantage of doing it this way.

Nice job, I may just copy it

Thank you.
it would be inherently unbalanced with the bottle on the back and as soon as you got it beyond about 5degrees , you’d be fighting it falling over.
Getting it stood back up again with 2 full bottles on would be a challenge too.
This way, with the bottles out front, it behaves just like a sack barrow
But by all means strap a bottle on the back of a barrow and try it yourself

 

[Double D Customs]

This is awesome!! I am planning on doing something like this for my plasma and multi-process welder

 

[Munkul]

Nice What are you doing about straps etc for the machines and bottles?

EDIT: I see the strap retainers now, good work!