Plasma Stand

[jtrapper]

Here is my next little project. Needed a little cart for my cutter so I'm letting my imagination loose. The air drier filter will mount at the rear of the cutter, and storage for tip kit, and circle cutting kit below it. Going to use diamond plate for the sides with cut ins of spider webs. It's kind developing as I go.

[Skwerly]

Nice! Lookin good man, I'm sure that thing will work out excellent .

[Jeep07]

Nice. You will love it mounted on a cart. I just built this one wed night. I used all scrap though so yours will be prettier.





I think the machines take alot less physical abuse mounted on a cart... Not to mention my back takes alot less abuse too!.

[Me!]

I did not know Hypertherm had covers for there cutters... I am getting one! and That is a nice stand!

[Rick Moran]

Nice stand, it ooks very well made. Covers are important to keep out the grinder grit & dust too.

Now don't take this wrong and it's just user preference, but, I never understood why everyone mounts their MIG or Plasma on an angle. You really don't have to do too much adjusting on them. Just a quick initial setup for the job at hand is all it takes. I don't think I've hardly ever adjusted my plasma other than a quick flip for the thickness I'm working with. Air never changes and it's just on or off. Sometimes I think that it's just because they sell alot of the smaller MIG carts that way. You never see the bigger machines on an angle and some of the controls are not that high.

Disclaimer: My MIG is at a waist high level because I put the plasma UNDER it on a double deck cart, so I wouldn't have to have 2 carts.

[jtrapper]

I can't speak for anyone else, but for me it was so I could see at a glance that occasional adjustment I might make. I wanted to keep it low to the ground to keep it from being top heavy. And being low to the ground I would have to stand on my head to see the front of it.

[Jeep07]

I did mine on an angle because thats what the scrap steel supply allowed for (Rear legs were already shorter from were I cut'm off something else.)

[jtrapper]

Finally got around to doing a little work on the cart today. It got put on the back burner for long enough now. I'lll post some more next week. Going to use diamond plate for insets and some handles too.

[jtrapper]

Had a little time today. So got the 1/4" round bent and welded for the straps to be hooked to. And the back stop for the torch lead, and a little strip to keep my circle cutter and tip accessories from falling into the bottom.

[specter]

Nice trapper I have made a cart similiar to that using steel bedframes I picked up along the road. The bed frame steel works out just right for making a resting inset for the unit to fit into so you don't have to strap it to the incline of the cart..

Oh by the way for your info those covers sell for about $40-50 depending on the size of the unit. Go to your search engine and type in keyword hypertherm plasma cutter covers! You find a bunch of sellers

Tom

[farmersamm]

There's a lot to be said for grinding the welds flush. It sure gives it a clean look. Maybe I ought to consider doing it once in a while.

How much will the cart weigh? It looks easy to move around bein' aluminum.

[duaneb55]

Nice looking cart jtrapper. Anxious to see the finished product.

[jtrapper]

Looks lile it will be a couple more weekends now at this rate. Oh well this project has been on the back burner for awhile anyway.

[jtrapper]

One more.

[rwells173]

lookin' good

[Joker11]

I like the cart. I think it shows some great ability and design points.
I think you ghetto'd the whole thing up with the nylon straps though.
I think you should have made some nice aluminum clamps to hold it down. Something like the billet battery clamps in hot rods.
I have seen some nice quick release wing nut clamps.
Great project. I just think it deserves better than nylon straps. My .02 cents.

[familyxj]

I like the cart. I think it shows some great ability and design points.
I think you ghetto'd the whole thing up with the nylon straps though.
I think you should have made some nice aluminum clamps to hold it down. Something like the billet battery clamps in hot rods.
I have seen some nice quick release wing nut clamps.
Great project. I just think it deserves better than nylon straps. My .02 cents.

X2. I totally agree. You should make some aluminum straps and you can use the foam sealing strips that they sell for window seals to keep from scratching your plasma cutter.

[Craig in Denver]

I like the rounded corners on the front notch, nice attention to detail.

If you keep the straps, maybe change 'em to black.

[jtrapper]

Allrighty than, you know thats why I like posting here, know one is afraid of putting in their two cents. Honestly I agree those straps gotta go. Now I just gotta come up with a better idea. Thanks you two I will begin the search soon. And the idea about the foam strips will reduce the scratching problem.

[Joker11]

I did intend for my comments to be suggestive and not critical. I hope you were not offended.

Again, great project!!

Ok, I have a Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101....go ahead and make a cart for mine. If you have to use straps...ok, go ahead. I won't complain. hehehe

[MoonRise]

Now wait just a minute there son!

This here's a WELDING site. You can't use pop rivets, you have to plug weld things together.

OR fully fillet weld the aluminum diamond plate to the aluminum frame. You know, to keep things from falling through that tiny gap between the diamond plate and the frame.

Hmmm, those web straps really don't look as 'professional' as the rest of the cart. Better than some bungie straps though. And they will keep the machine on the cart, even if you turn the cart upside down or sideways or whatever.

You went to all that thinking and fabbing and welding for those bent rods for the straps to hook to. As well as cutting out notches in the diamond plate to reach down to the rod loops.

Maybe the already mentioned billet-style battery hold-down top bar and some rods running down to the hold-down loops? Then some tricked out J-hooks that slide onto the down-rods and some wingnuts underneath to tighten everything up.

Or just some flat bars underneath the machine attached through the feet holes/screws and then hook those to the looped rods.

Ahh, those are just the pull-strap type straps, not the ratchet straps. Otherwise I'd caution you to easy on tightening the ratchet straps, cause you can crush the machine sheetmetal if you crank on the ratchets.

You planning on off-roading that cart? Because with all the under brackets and cross-bracing and such, it sure does seem pretty beefy.

[jtrapper]

Oh man, not only this site informative from experienced welders, but also supplies a lot of laughs, LMAO. I got admit the cart is a little over the top. But this is what happens to a welder when he quits welding for a living and has no customers. I got to get my hand back in the groove, and my creative juices going. And thanks again for the crticism, my feelings don't get hurt, everyone has an opinion, and I'm not one shrink from it. It's through the crucible of our peers that we progress, and I appreciate every comment

[11b]

Sir I really like your cart! OK if I had to judge,,,all it needs is a blower and a 4 link!

[Ultrachop]

Jtrapper,

Nice work!! I plan on building one for my new little PM-45 and you gave me just the inspiration I needed. I am getting better consistancy with my tig welding AL with the new Dynasty200dx with the help of all the experts on this site!

Question: why does Hypertherm make that darn ground cable so stinkin stiff!!! It doesn't coil worth a darn! I have a retractable ground cable from my A/C days I think I will try and use, should carry the ground return ok?? Can anyone tell me, does the ground have to carry the full 45amps??

Sure gotta love this site!

Tim

[jtrapper]

And a little more stuff. Five more for the sides, and a door to go.