The ultimate welding "dolly"

[Sonicwonder2000]

Hi guys; I'm a rank newbee stick welding but have decided to build (of all things) a welding cart as my first project. Since I am operating out of a 4'x6' area in my Dad's garage, space is of the essence. I have come up with the following design and have started construction of the frame. It was designed around scrap metal I had on hand so if the project is a failure, at least it will be a good learning experience and not too costly .

The cart will hold my new ('73 vintage) lincoln tombstone and HF 110V flux welder as well as some clamps, my helmet, grinder, and whatever other knick-knacks I can fit in. The "twist" is that the whole thing will be in the form of a dolly; but a table will swing out for a welding work-surface as shown below. The entire footprint will be 2' x 2' but with a work-surface area of 36" x 20" when the table is open. I have already started welding the frame together and have been discovering that distortion is a real problem to content with. I have, therefore, re-designed the table to be fully adjustable and levelable to compensate for my lack of skill welding. So far my biggest problem has been slag inclusions in my welds . I'll post some bead pics when I have a chance.

pic 1 - welding dolly closed
pic 2 - welding dolly with worksurface extended
pic 3 - bare frame detail 1
pic 4 - bare frame detail 2

[LarryO]

Seems like a good design.
WOW. Those design drawings look a lot better than my scribble ( and Sam's )
If you do a search, you will find some helpful threads on minimizing distortion.

[STwelder]

Very nice!

[wannabe_welder]

Looks like it might get a bit top heavy. How's the fab coming?

[JC'sWelding]

Really cool design!

[Sonicwonder2000]

Originally Posted by wannabe_welder

Looks like it might get a bit top heavy. How's the fab coming?

The fab is going really well except for my exceptionally crappy welds. I did consider the balance issue; the tombstone weighs in at about 110Lbs and my flux core is about 30Lbs. I think the cart will be fairly stable with all that weight on the bottom, but time will tell

[wannabe_welder]

Originally Posted by Sonicwonder2000

The fab is going really well except for my exceptionally crappy welds. I did consider the balance issue; the tombstone weighs in at about 110Lbs and my flux core is about 30Lbs. I think the cart will be fairly stable with all that weight on the bottom, but time will tell

I saw the narrow base and the height so I was just wondering. You may want to look at stretching your base a couple inches and moving your tombstone forward if it turns out to be the case. Any pictures yet?

[fluffy]

One thing that you may want to consider, and you may have already taken this into account: what happens to that table when you tilt the dolly back to move everything? The top will stay in place due to the apparent hinge design (very nice by the way), but I would put some sort of latch on the bottom to hold it all together. Even a bungee cord would work, but I would go with something a little more premanent, and less likely to be "borrowed" by someone. The first time someone takes it off and you go to tilt it back, the table will come down and say "hello" to your shins. Just a thought.

Other than that, I am also kind of "iffy" when looking at the balance issue. I think you should be fine, especially when the table it out, but if it were me, I would extend the base a little in front, and bring the wheels a little further back. Those clamps, hammers, brushes, grinders, etc. will really start to load that cart up in a hurry. Like I said, that is just me. It may be fine. I agree however: only time will tell for sure.

One last question: what re you using for your construction? It looks like square tube and angle from here.

[Sonicwonder2000]

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys - every time I take a look at my welds, I think of scrapping the whole darn project ...

Originally Posted by fluffy

One thing that you may want to consider, and you may have already taken this into account: what happens to that table when you tilt the dolly back to move everything? The top will stay in place due to the apparent hinge design (very nice by the way), but I would put some sort of latch on the bottom to hold it all together. Even a bungee cord would work, but I would go with something a little more premanent, and less likely to be "borrowed" by someone. The first time someone takes it off and you go to tilt it back, the table will come down and say "hello" to your shins. Just a thought.

Other than that, I am also kind of "iffy" when looking at the balance issue. I think you should be fine, especially when the table it out, but if it were me, I would extend the base a little in front, and bring the wheels a little further back. Those clamps, hammers, brushes, grinders, etc. will really start to load that cart up in a hurry. Like I said, that is just me. It may be fine. I agree however: only time will tell for sure.

One last question: what re you using for your construction? It looks like square tube and angle from here.

Re: holding everything in place when the dolly tilts - If you look at the rendering, there are green tabs that will have a pin placed in them to hold the table in place when the dolly is tilted.

Re: Balance - I have placed the tombstone on the dolly and tested the stability and it is very difficult to topple, but the upper shelving has not been welded into place yet... The Mig flux-core welder could also be placed on the second shelf (there is enough clearance) but that would mean not having access to changing wire spools without removing the unit from the shelf . That tombstone is a lead brick - it almost gave me a hernia lifting it to put it on the dolly

Re: Const. matl's - I am using a bunch of old scrap I scrounged. Mainly 1/4"x1-1/2" angle iron, 3/16" x 1-1/2" angle iron, 1/8"x1" angle iron, and REALLY rusty 1.75" square thin wall tubing.

Re: Pics -

DISCLAIMER: IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED BY POOR WELDS OR ARE INCLINED TO LOOSE YOUR LUNCH AT THE SIGHT OF SLAG INCLUSIONS, UNDERCUTS, AND VARIOUS SUNDRY OF OTHER WELDING SINS, PLEASE DO NOT VISIT THE FOLLOWING LINK:

OTHERWISE - laugh it up . Also, any tips to help improve my welding are duly appreciated.

http://s704.photobucket.com/albums/w...lding%20Dolly/

[fluffy]

I agree with the fact that you want the flux-core unit on the top rack. It really does get to be a pain if you have to move the unit to get into it.

As far as the welds are concerned, try this: first and foremost, CLEAN THE METAL!!! Take your grinder and get down to shiney, bare metal, at least 1" back from the joint to be welded. Make sure you clean all sides of the metal, or as many as you can. That alone will help you out tremendously. Use a flap disk, around a 120 grit would work well for you I think.

With the thick angle, turn your heat up, but keep your travel speed the same. This will put more heat into the joint, thus helping your bead to lay down a bit more.

Also, try to make as many welds as possible in the flat position. Tilt the cart on it's side if need be. There are no rules here. It is your cart, so do what you need to in order to get sound welds. You are obviously not ready to try any out-of-position welds, so bring the work into your realm, rather than trying to challenge yourself right now. Master one technique, then move on after that.

Depending on your heat settings/abilities, you may want to pre-heat the metal a little bit. Even enough to sweat the metal and get the moisture out of the area will help with your situation.

Other than those things, try making little circles with the puddle as you move along the joint. This is one way of getting the "perfect dimes" effect that everyone at WW has a hard on for. You can also start, move half the distance of one tack weld, hold, move another 1/2 distance of a tack weld, move, etc. This will also give you a stacked effect in your bead. You can also just keep a consistent speed and get a smooth bead.

As far as clean-up goes, do yourself a favor early and get yourself a wire wheel and/or cup brush for your grinder. After you use one, you will wonder how you got along without it. I use the stiffest one I can find to get the slag off of FCAW welds.

All in all, they are by far the best ever, but you will get the hang of it. We all started somewhere.

[Sonicwonder2000]

Originally Posted by fluffy

I agree with the fact that you want the flux-core unit on the top rack. It really does get to be a pain if you have to move the unit to get into it.

As far as the welds are concerned, try this: first and foremost, CLEAN THE METAL!!! Take your grinder and get down to shiney, bare metal, at least 1" back from the joint to be welded. Make sure you clean all sides of the metal, or as many as you can. That alone will help you out tremendously. Use a flap disk, around a 120 grit would work well for you I think.

With the thick angle, turn your heat up, but keep your travel speed the same. This will put more heat into the joint, thus helping your bead to lay down a bit more.

Also, try to make as many welds as possible in the flat position. Tilt the cart on it's side if need be. There are no rules here. It is your cart, so do what you need to in order to get sound welds. You are obviously not ready to try any out-of-position welds, so bring the work into your realm, rather than trying to challenge yourself right now. Master one technique, then move on after that.

Depending on your heat settings/abilities, you may want to pre-heat the metal a little bit. Even enough to sweat the metal and get the moisture out of the area will help with your situation.

Other than those things, try making little circles with the puddle as you move along the joint. This is one way of getting the "perfect dimes" effect that everyone at WW has a hard on for. You can also start, move half the distance of one tack weld, hold, move another 1/2 distance of a tack weld, move, etc. This will also give you a stacked effect in your bead. You can also just keep a consistent speed and get a smooth bead.

As far as clean-up goes, do yourself a favor early and get yourself a wire wheel and/or cup brush for your grinder. After you use one, you will wonder how you got along without it. I use the stiffest one I can find to get the slag off of FCAW welds.

All in all, they are by far the best ever, but you will get the hang of it. We all started somewhere.

Hey Fluffy,

Thanks for the welding input. On some of the welds, I did clean the paint off the metal with a grinder, but the angles were difficult to get into. Amazingly, even the areas that I cleaned don't look that hot

I do have a grinder with a wire wheel attachment, and those beads have been given a cleaning (where accessible). What you are seeing are slag inclusions in the bead. I'm using 6013 and am having difficulty distinguishing the flux from the molten pool. I got so frustrated, that I switched to 6011, but then the arc is so aggressive there I tended to get a lot of blowthrough. I'm using 75-90A for 1/8"-1/4" angle, does this sound about right? I can get the bead looking better if I reduce to about 60A, but then I'm concerned about adequate penetration.

And I wouldn't even THINK about trying non-horizontal beads right now - all I'd get is one gloppy mess. Of course, that's about what I'm getting right now ...

[wb4rt]

Hey, Sonicwonder2000.
I'm trying to teach myself stick welding, too. My MIG is usually acceptable, but stick is another story. Try some 7014 rods. I have found them much easier than 6011. Don't even buy 7018 yet, or you'll probably be even more discouraged. The good news is the the more I weld, the better I get and there is still a lot of room for improvement.
I like your cart design, and I like your CAD drawings. I'll bet you have spent a lot more time with your computer than your welder. Now think about your first CAD drawings. See, you'll be a much better welder soon.
It is a great hobby and if you're young and so inclined, it can be a great career. Plus you'll always have friends wanting you to fix something.

[duaneb55]

I don't mean to alarm you Sonicwonder2000, but somebody stole the guts out of your Tombstone.

I agree with fluffy on your welds - more heat. If you've got enough scrap, do some practice welds until you get it the way it should be then turn it loose on the cart.

[Sonicwonder2000]

Wb4rt - Stick is a b*tch, ain't it! I think that 7014 is a DC rod if I am not mistaken. My tombstone is the straight old AC design; I'm using 6013 which is a little less agressive than 6011, but it has a LOT of flux (I think it might be akin to a 7018). Thanks for the compliments on my CAD skills, sketch-up makes it easy

duaneb55 - I cut the dern thing open and laid waste to the guts when I saw the weld beads it created (like I had nothing to do with those beads). I'm a little afraid of more heat because I am already burning though my 1/8" material. I guess my arc length must have gotten long and burned through? Part of the problem is I'm using a buch of different stock thicknesses and when I feel like I have enough penetration on the thicker piece, it burns through the thinner piece. What is a good way to weld a fillet between 1/8" to 1/4" stock?

[duaneb55]

Originally Posted by Sonicwonder2000

duaneb55 - I cut the dern thing open and laid waste to the guts when I saw the weld beads it created (like I had nothing to do with those beads).

Don't get discouraged. Keep at it trying a different things to see how they change. The manual http://content.lincolnelectric.com//...r/im/IM237.pdf for that buzzbox outlines alot of good stick welding techniques in it starting at page 15 if you haven't seen them yet.

Originally Posted by Sonicwonder2000

What is a good way to weld a fillet between 1/8" to 1/4" stock?

Favor the 1/4" material with your arc.

[fluffy]

keep your rod angled slightly more towards the 1/4" piece. You will be adding more heat to the piece that needs it. Then weave. Like was said before, bring the work to you, not the other way around. Lay the cart down to get a flat weld joint as much as possible. There is no reason to try and give yourself a hard time by trying vertical or overhead joints right now. Master the basics, then move on.

One thing to keep in mind, like Duane said, get some practice metal and try to get the slag to peel itself off. If you are doing everything just right, the slag will start to crack and curl up from the start of the weld on its own, before you even break the arc. It's hard to do, but once you get practice and some more arc time, you will see how your specific welder works and how it reacts to different settings, rods, etc.

[fluffy]

By the way, how have you been storing your rods? keep them dry. No matter the rod, I try to warm them up a little bit before use. Not everyone has a rod warmer/oven, but you can put them in front of a high-powered lightbulb for a while. Think of an easy-bake oven on steroids.

[Sonicwonder2000]

Fluffy & duaneb55 - I would like to blame my rods but they are brand new and stored in one of those air tight rod containers. I'm afraid I personally am responsible for the suckiness of these welds Thanks for the tips; I'm gonna practice a little later today.

[viper522]

Keep at it. Nobody starts in the major leagues. Eventually you'll be able to look back and reminisce about how you USED to weld.

[Sonicwonder2000]

Thanks for all the kind words guys - hopefully this darn thing wont fall apart while using it

Here's a quick question for those in the know: when welding a mitered angle-iron corner, how do you prevent burnthrough at the end of the weld? Also, how do you fill rather substantial (1/8") gaps when the fit-up is not great; I get the same problem - burnthrough .

[viper522]

Bondo.

wait, no, that's not the right answer at all, sorry!

[Pookie]

In looking at your welds, the heat issue aside, one thing is glaring...

You are not watching the puddle. I had the same issue. Once I learned to watch the puddle, and watch it flow, my welds changed overnite.

[NOMADMAD]

practice makes perfect. looks like a cool design and when you do put it together you may find different things that you might want to changeand make them better. that is the greatnessabout metal. you can always cut it off and reweld it to the way you want it.

[Sonicwonder2000]

Originally Posted by Pookie

In looking at your welds, the heat issue aside, one thing is glaring...

You are not watching the puddle. I had the same issue. Once I learned to watch the puddle, and watch it flow, my welds changed overnite.

Man, I've heard it before but I didn't "get it" - until I finally got it. I learned to "watch the pool" yesterday. Made all the difference in the world in my beads. They're getting much better! My fillets on the other hand ....

[Sonicwonder2000]

Okay - the good, the bad, and the fugly.

My welding dolly is about 75% done; I have yet to add some hanging fixtures for tools, a swingout table, and a few other goodies I have lined up. The welds are horribly ugly but will hold ... hopefully when the table is done, I'll be able to practice a bit more

A big thanks to everyone who has been helping me improve my pathetic (but improving ) skills! Here are a few update pics - as usual, there is crap all over the dolly already, but I'll take "neat" pics when the proj is done.

PS: YES - I purchased the tombsone without a back. It is a circa 1973 welder, rusted to all hell, buit works gr8