Welding Project #2 - Welding Cart Part 1

Next to having a welding table, the next most common welding project that most people tackle is having a welding cart to carry around their welder. Although a lot of companies, including Everlast, offer their own carts, most people prefer to build one to suit their needs. If you are considering a building your own cart, the few blogs will be dedicated to giving some helpful advice on building your own cart.

First, don’t try to overbuild your cart. A heavy cart, while resilient, can break the budget quite quickly. A good welding cart can be made strong and light. Square and rectangular tubing can be made to provide the strength and lightness needed to easily scoot the cart around the shop. When making a cart determine exactly what kind of wheels you are wanting to use. Pneumatic wheels often pose a problem, because the smaller tires used on this application are notorious for leaking down. Plastic wheels can work, but often do not have a bearing surface and the wheel itself serves for a bearing and can be more difficult to push.

Another common choice is a wheel with a bronze bushing. These usually roll fairly well, but may require periodic greasing. I would consider ball bearing wheels with cast iron construction through and through or steel wheels with rubber tread if possible.  Actual cost is not that much more.  A ball bearing wheel should spin smoothly several rotations after force is applied to spin it. An important point is to make sure you use the largest wheels you can find. This will make rolling welder around a dirty and cluttered floor much easier. Use swiveling casters (locking) for the front, and make sure the rear wheels are at least twice the diameter of the front for best rolling. Not only will a small wheel make the cart difficult to push around in the shop, it can make the cart unstable.