HTP Weld Cart - Design Done, Parts Bought, Waiting

[thegiff]

So I've been working at my day job mostly, and here and there playing with my shop tools. The Covid-19 ventilator I am project manager of has received EUA authorization from FDA, so that is good news. Things slowed down a little. Took a stab at my workbench, which I will show progress, then my step backwards, and progress on in another thread. I had to purchase replacement panels for that project, so I figured it is high time to get my weld cart design done and get those parts also. So previously, about 4 or 5 months ago, I asked for a critique on my weld cart design. I took the suggestions and critiques in, took a hard look at my space and what I like and the various contributions from that thread. And decided on the below. So I quoted out the sheet metal at OSH https://www.oshcut.com/ (no affiliation), I found them on web searches looking for a laser cutting service, and they had come back with a nice web quoting portal and what looks like good pricing to me, so I purchased the parts from them. Should be done on April 29th and will probably take a couple days to ship, so should arrive around May 3 - 4th I would guess.




So what is most important to me is smallest overall footprint. So I shrank it down more from the earlier thread. Someone suggested just using regular casters on it instead of rollers on the back and casters on the front. that shaves more than 4 inches off the width. Someone else said it would be difficult to lift the cylinder onto the cart, but then, what if I drop it out of my truck onto the cart, then lift it up onto my truck from the cart, so theoretically it will never touch the ground. Besides, I plan to get or build a hoist anyway. So now the cart is only as wide as the cylinder and the cooler + one cross rail and the width of the metal parts to hold it all together. Should all-up weigh about 350 pounds with cylinder and welder. Bottom is 1/8" sheet steel, which lowers the center of gravity a bit to keep it from tipping. Why I like a drawer (I know a couple of you don't). I don't weld much. I machine metals including tool steels sometimes. Those throw the nastiest, sharpest chips you will ever see, and you need to hide everything within about 5 to 10 feet of your mill and lathe or you will be picking them out of all parts of your soft tissue for days. They really suck. And they even magnetize when you cut them, so the always stick pointy end out. Anyway, I want my stuff in cabinets, that's where it spends 99% of it's life, and when I want to use something it is clean and ready to go.

The parts are all tabbed together, the thing should be self-aligning and square up without need for any tools except wood cabinet style clamps. Overall screenshot pic above, and pricing below, much easier to have these laser cut than cut myself, I'm a designer and project manager by day, and build things here and there for fun. Worth it to me, I don't have the time or energy to do it myself, even though I do have the skills and equipment (I do have a CNC mill after all). Shipping is from Utah to California. And if you are looking close, the first 2 items are for my workbench, the rest are for the cart.

[Mikel_24]

So.... did I miss something or you just dropped short of 1K in laser cut steel pieces for A WELDING CART??? And you still need to buy casters.

I am all for doing stuff right... but 1K-right for a cart that could be easily made out of drops and leftovers from a steel suplier for 1/10th of the price... probably not.

I mean, it is your project and your money but the precission level achieved by laser cutting, tabbing everything, etc. is not requried for a welding cart.

Mikel

[tapwelder]

It will be a nice cart. How will you manage cords? Will you stick weld?

I can see the time savings in pre cut parts.
I built a cart for a client last week. He supplied the cut/ notched metal. The metal was clean and true. Ready to weld.

[Oscar]

Seems to look nice. Yea to each his own. I cant say I haven't spent money on stuff that too nice for me.

[snoopdogg]

Solid design,for your needs.

[thegiff]

I have had casters lying around for years, no cost. The way I look at the cost breakdown is:
Workbench parts w/ half of shipping: $410
Cart parts w/ half of shipping: $518

Buy a ZT fab cart for $490, and you still have to ship it, nice looking but way too big for me, so costs about the same but doesn't fit. And you still have to build it. Then everyone says it's great! Give me a break. Costs the same and I get what I want.

[VaughnT]

The only thing I would change is to make the bottom section a drawer unit somehow. Even if it's only a half-drawer, it'd be a nice place to stick the helmet and gloves, keeping things organized and clean. And make sure the whole thing doesn't tip over with the weight of the bottle.

[Lis2323]

Buy a ZT fab cart for $490, and you still have to ship it, nice looking but way too big for me, so costs about the same but doesn't fit. And you still have to build it. Then everyone says it's great! Give me a break. Costs the same and I get what I want.

Plus the fact everyone that looked at it would say “cool another ZT Fab cart...how novel”. LOL

Build your own. Costs are irrelevant if you get what you want and that’s what you want to do.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[thegiff]

Well Mr. VaughnT, the bottom is a drawer, 18" deep and about 22" wide. Getting closer, they just charged my card, so metal is being cut today or tomorrow. I'll post pics of the parts as soon as it comes in. Means I need to order the drawer slides, I have some other parts in a McMaster Carr shopping cart anyway, getting some rubber for milling machine way covers, more weld nuts for my workbench to fix my screwup (the other parts in the order, and again, a topic for another thread), and I forget what else. I also bought some 90° weld vises, I've been wanting them for a while and found some that have the outside faces machined also so they can stand vertical as well as lay flat. Should also help with woodworking once in a while.

[thegiff]

Been busy this last couple weeks. I got the parts in and had started putting it together. The base and drawer are together and I installed the casters. One caster was not the same as the others, same make but was about 3/8" taller than the others. Looked into buying a replacement, $45 bucks, not including shipping! Then thought, hey, I got a welder and a dremel, and a milling machine and so on and so moved the axle down and made it the same. These are Darnell casters, which I like, these ones are 2" wheels and are 375 pound load rating each. The entire cart with everything should be about 350 pounds so no problem with load rating.

The parts fit exactly as designed, deciding what do do with the mismatched caster took a couple hours, first to figure out where to get a replacement, then to mill out the axle holes and reweld it to the new height.

This next weekend I plan to make the shelf framing and tank mount, and mount the drawer. I'm thinking of using corian for the drawer front if I can get a piece from a local kitchen installer for cheap or free. Or maybe use one of the cubicle shelves I have. To mount the drawer, I need to make some threaded spacers that fit in the holes in the side. I'll screw those to the drawer slides and mount the drawer. Then weld the threaded spacers into the holes in the side and grind them flush. This will account for any warping of the assembly and ensure the drawer slides smoothly.

[Mikel_24]

Looking good! I would have just bolted the casters and shimmed accordingly... if you ever need to replace them it is just a matter of nuts on bolts... now you need to take a grinder to it, and if you happen to paint it (which I guess you will) you will need to refinish that area).

Either way, great build.

Mikel

[Munkul]

That looks like a satisfying build. Looking forward to seeing progress

Only criticism I'd have, is the castors are too small. They'll work, but you will curse them at some point when they just don't roll smoothly. Unless your shop has extremely smooth concrete...

[Oscar]

Casters look beefy, like a 4x4 dually. Do those roll around well?

[thegiff]

Sorry for the late reply, went on vacation to Yellowstone the week before Memorial day so of course the project was put on hold. Among other things my phone battery decided to get 3X thicker and blew my phone apart. So when I got home spent a day getting a new phone up and running. Then worked on it all on Memorial day when I got back, and all day today but was too worn out to post.

The casters roll a bit too easy, they are really smooth rolling. But being small can hang up on small objects. Also I'm working on a design for a brake now. Something simple, maybe a screw from a wood clamp mounted on the back.

All that is left is:
Make and install the mount spacers for the drawer and mount the drawer.
Make upper drawer and install
Clamp for the gas cylinder
Cable and cord hangers and hooks
Clamp screws for the tig rod holders
Design and install brake
Paint

Probably need to design and build a cylinder lift, I have an idea for a really simple one,