Recent Project (250EX) - Welding Cart from Hell

[Gandalf]

Thought I'd share this... I've wanted a nice mobile setup for a while, and finally went for it. Used aluminum scrap (truck drive-shafts, snow-rakes, posts, misc tubing), modified a 700-lb dolly with some large wheel-chocks, bolted on some locking swivel wheels and made two wooden platforms. It holds my argon cylinder (any size), 250EX, three-drawer tool cabinet, bench grinder, vice, and large misc bin underneath.

Then I realized my colossal mistake...
It's not green!! (I kinda just rolled with the original dolly color).







Added an abs plate for the foot of the dolly, and a heavy plastic-coated chain to secure the cylinder. Best thing is, the whole thing rolls into the back of my van.

[its_34]

That looks huge! You have to post some pictures of it loaded.

[DaveO]

It holds my argon cylinder (any size), 250EX, three-drawer tool cabinet, bench grinder, vice, and large misc bin underneath.

That is a beast, for sure, but it looks like you've got "cylinder containment" covered for sure. I just hope the ramp from the van isn't too steep!

[youngnstudly]

What a great use of scraps! I never would have thought to include a hand truck into the picture but it is obviously up to it's task of holding your cylinder in place, regardless of the size you choose! I agree about you taking a picture with the cart loaded...I bet that green welder will look nice in contrast to your welding cart's blue finish. Do you plan on sealing or painting the wood, or leaving it bare?

[Rambozo]

Looks interesting. It's fun to try and figure out where all the re-purposed items are. I'm also curious to see it loaded up. I am concerned about the clearance under the hand truck portion. Looks pretty tight and that is with no weight. At least with the pneumatic tires you can raise it a little with additional pressure.

[breakneckmot]

That looks really neat. Are you planning on keeping all of your supplies on it? It looks pretty big for just the welder/cooler.

[geezer]

my only concern with the design is the clearance of the plate that will hold your bottle,,,looks like it could be an inch or two higher..which in it self is a major mod...as hand carts are made to sit on that plate...

[Gandalf]

Part of the plan was to utilize the fact that the clearance under the handtruck is minimal. If you notice, the handtruck is actually at a slight angle, which gives it clearance. As well, pumping up the tires gives me a good 5/8" at its lowest point, fully loaded. The reason I did this, is so that worst case scenario, if all the weight is removed from the cart (nothing left but the argon cylinder), and something/someone were to pull on the cylinder, the cart's small wheels may lift some inches into the air on the far end, and the handtruck "sits down", but cannot tip over = safe cylinder. The rest of the cart (besides the handtruck) is actually quite light for its strength.

Moving the handtruck's platform up isn't really a big deal, I actually chopped a few inches off the top of the handtruck so it would slip under my van ceiling, lol. However, moving up the platform means it could lean the cylinder over too far before the platform contacts the ground in a worst case scenario. As it is, even with just the weight of the wood added to the cart, the cylinder is stable... and add anything else, the welder, the tool chest, the grinder... not going anywhere.

Been using it for a week now, love it. I'll take a few loaded pics of it tomorrow.

Funniest part of the story... was in a welding shop a month ago picking up some 308, and started looking at carts through a catalog with the desk dude, and he gets this look on his face at the $$$prices... and he goes "just make your own damn cart!"

youngnstudly, I'm going to leave the wood bare, it's probably going to take a beating, and I tiptoe around my welder enough as it is already, lol.

[Gandalf]

That looks really neat. Are you planning on keeping all of your supplies on it? It looks pretty big for just the welder/cooler.

Yes, it's meant for pretty much everything, plus has room for the cooler below (don't have a cooler yet).