Building an O/A tank cart

[Mike Ault]

Does anyone have a do-it-yourself plan/sketch/blueprint/etc. for building an Oxy/Acetalyne tank cart? I'm thinking of making one.

[whateg0]

Welcome! (I think you're still new enough to say that too.:rolleyes:)

There are a lot of ideas here for an O/A cart. Most aren't really plans, but are fairly simple. The simplest is just to take a 2 wheel hand truck and put a chain on the front and maybe something around the bottom to keep the bottles from rolling off. Others have built wagon like carts with the bottles on one end and a worksurface or MIG using the space left over.

Are you wanting to build one because it'll be cheaper? or do you have some scrap laying around to use up? or is it the satisfaction of having built it yourself?

If it's because of the money, you may find that it's just as cheap to catch one on sale at NT or HF. You can probably figure nearly $20 for wheels, $5 for a chain, $10-$20 for metal, - it all adds up.

Here are some pics I had laying around of my cart. I built mine just cuz. It's just a basic U-shaped piece of 1" round tubing for then handle and sides, some 1" square tubing and 1" angle for the rest of the frame, a couple of pieces of 1/8" sheet for the axle brackets, 5/8" rod for the axle, 14 ga. sheet for the bottom. Still needs a place to put gloves, striker, and other stuff. I don't have any plans, but maybe you can get some ideas.

http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=19317&d=1157249755

http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=19318&d=1157249763

http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=19316&d=1157249745

Dave

[Rocky D]

bicycle wheels make a good cart, too, and you want to have a tray, or tool box welded on for tips, striker and tip cleaners, etc.

[Mike Ault]

As for Dave's questions, I want to build one because the ones at Tractor Supply and Airgas looked cheesy and flimsy. Plus, it gives me a project! I've never O/A welded so this could get interesting. I'm pretty good with my little 100 amp wire feed, and "OK" with stick welding.

Ironically Dave, I have the bottles chained up to a refrigerator dolly right now.

Anyhow, thanks for the feedback!

Mike

[hankj]

Mike,

Here's the ones I built. If I do another one, I'll have a bigger storage capacity.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/hjuska5805/new%20cart/ready4paint002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/hjuska5805/new%20cart/finalfinal001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/hjuska5805/new%20cart/finalfinal002.jpg

Hank

[Rocky D]

I remember the first time I built a tank carrier...I was so proud of myself...the tanks fit like a glove....then came the time to change tanks...that's when I learned that tanks will vary in diameter quite a bit! :o

[84ZMike]

Here are some pics of mine that I build by modifying a hand cart that I picked up at Northern tools for $20.
Mike

[3 weelin geezer]

Are any of youse guy's carts big enough to lug around a 'T' size cylinder? I was thinking the same idea about the dolly cart but its such a shame to have to monkey with it. I could just go get another and considering 'they' want around $150 for a professional cart, its more about ruining a perfectly good for everything else dolly to make a cart but if its gotta be, its gotta be. :D Anyone make one out of a shopping cart base? Would the weels last? Oh, yeah. Its for making a mig welding cart. So I would also need a shelf for the machine so a shopping cart base looks nice and pretty with all the right bends to avoid having to waste time bending stuff.

[keenavv]

You can't buy the parts for $40!!!http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=24678&stc=1&d=1193506072

[Rocky D]

.... :D Anyone make one out of a shopping cart base? Would the wheels last? ...
http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=5356&d=1086052980
Sberry version

[3 weelin geezer]

Keen, where is that??? Thats what they want $150 for here! Highway robbery!!! Now, where do you put the welder?
You're so right that I can't get the parts for that money but then again, shopping carts in the dumpster or around it are FREE in the middle of the night!:D
________________________________-

I like that cart but what I ended up with is the part that you cut off as a small shelf there Rocky. I'm gonna have to get another since the idea just didn't pan out to stick such a large bottle on the back. So, the jury has reached a verdict and it seems that the bottle will go strapped to the dolley and the welder will go on a cart seperately to be carefully positioned to be out of my way ( major aggravating factor ) before any work starts.

Its amazing how light that welder is now that its on wheels. Too bad I had to cut the side handle supports. Still, its so easy to move it around. I mentioned that, didn't I? http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g257/3_weelin_geezer/smileys/pat.gif

[Rocky D]

I should have been more clear....that's not my cart...it's Sberry's. :eek: :D I'm not into red machines...I'm true blue...and orange

[3 weelin geezer]

Well, yours or Sberry's its a nice cart.

[Sberry]

Yes, that worked well enough that I never built another one for that machine. I like it high and it hangs around my bench most of the time although it is the usual portable machine in my shop. My torch cart was home made, conduit on a flat plate with 4 wheels. I built another fancy cart for a 210 and later my plasma which is my favorite due to the amount of work it took. On the Hobart cart I think I cut about one piece of steel, the stiffener rod. Its built like a modern bridge,,, "just strong enough" That frame was an old chair.

[Rocky D]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/RockyD/Dans%20Brake/Emoticons/rofll.gifhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/RockyD/Dans%20Brake/Emoticons/rofll.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/RockyD/Dans%20Brake/Emoticons/appl.gif

[Sberry]

I did put swivel wheels on the Hobart cart but I spose a guy could use the mower wheels with some design changes, this was a "just in time" job. I like swivels on the torch cart too.

[3 weelin geezer]

I dunno but like the shopping cart a lot and with a hole in the basket, it would look right with the bottle up front and the machine facing back but the thing is that it points the face down that way.

[Sberry]

I agree it should be reworked, it was a big redneck deal when we did it, just kind of happened and came to stay, was never engineered. We finally widened the front wheels at some point but the rest took about 10 minutes probably late at night, we bought the machine and never considered a cart was needed. duh

[TexHand]

Keen, where is that??? Thats what they want $150 for here!

That's at Harbor Freight.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43615

[3 weelin geezer]

Oh! Never mind then. It would probably fall apart soon as I get it home and/ or go flat if those wheels aren't solids or be missing key parts. Then, I will be going http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g257/3_weelin_geezer/smileys/omfg.gifhttp://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g257/3_weelin_geezer/smileys/bs2.gif

I just went and collected a small one but of all the ones that were laying around, I had to get the one with the busted (in half) front wheel! Dammit! Oh, wait. I have the other one I messed up for parts. Sberry, lets say you don't use the back doggy door thing (where your machine is sitting), Ya think I can lose that part or should I keep it along with the handle part but just cut off the top of the basket? Lemme see if I can go snap a quick pic of the 'new' one.


http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g257/3_weelin_geezer/dsc02513.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g257/3_weelin_geezer/dsc02514.jpg

[3 weelin geezer]

Ok, I finished it this morning. Here its what it looks like. Thanks for the idea Sberry.:D

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g257/3_weelin_geezer/DSC02515.jpg

[Some Creep]

"Luke, I am your FATHER.........(wheeeeeze.........wheeeeeeeeeze... ...)"

Sorry, that pic made me do it. :D

[Rocky D]

Did ya hafta beat up a homeless person for that there cart?? Say, who is that masked man, Kemosabe???

[Sberry]

Nice, way lower center of gravity. I had mine knotched out as I had a transformer sit under it at one time for use in a factory.

[Some Creep]

Did ya hafta beat up a homeless person for that there cart??

Homeless folks call them 'cars' or 'Cadillacs' as in "Hey Stumpy, where'd I park my car full of cans?" or "You seen Old Willy drivin his bag Cadillac today?".

Don't ask me how I know......... I'm just weird that way. :)

Don't forget, he used 2 'Cadillacs' for this project! There's gonna be some angry guys at the shelter tonight!

Good idea BTW.

[drizler]

Rocky thats just what I was thinking. Someplace some poor bum is doing without his poor man's pick um up truck.. Now the poor sod will have to go get a job all because of you......................................:D

[3 weelin geezer]

LMAOROTF!!!http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g257/3_weelin_geezer/smileys/anim_rofl2.gif

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxuhpGS4uew

I didn't steal if from a bum which is what they are around here, I got it by a local motel's dumpster. Actually, it was across the street but close enough. People take them home but don't go get them the next time they run to the store so they pile up until someone comes to retrieve them in a truck. Besides, it had a flat and what "homeless" would want to have to work to make his house not tip over to one side?

Actually, creep I used one. The other is for parts and an idea that seemed better on paper so technically its one and ....3/4. :) I turned out the other cart was just way too big since the bottle won't fit on it and not tip over. Thats where this compact model came in. Didn't even have to wait more than a day for it to arrive.

I wouldn't want to take a bum's home as they reek even after you take all that trash off of them and burn it.

[drizler]

See around here you need one of the off-road models. Our bums around here, lovingly called "CHEWES" pronounced chee wee with long e's are rough and gruff. They use em for everything in the city. Strangely they never got popular for hauling home wood for the fire. No, wait they don't burn wood just the rich folks do. See they have fuel subsidies round here. Besides most of the chewees have disabilities and cutting wood would be work wouldn't it?
Aye one thing straight and true here though ( besides the bums, they really are) is this. Put small wheels on your cart and you won't like it. I made mine small for my small set of tanks mainly for if I had to cross country it for wherever my 1949 Cat would decide to die. Dozers nearly never do anything bad out of the mud and crap you know. I put these 6" wheels on there and they certainly do blow bigtime. Eventually, when I see some cheap enough I will be getting a set of small bicycle tires off a childs bike when I come across one in the scrap yard. Those 6"ers won't roll over anything bigger than your toes without a battle. Put a set of 16" on there and they will go about anywhere comfortably not getting stuck on an electric extension cord:mad::mad::mad:

[3 weelin geezer]

Say thats not a bad idea! I know a guy that put mudboggers on a wheelbarrow. I wish I knew where I put that picture. Think of a swat wheelbarrow to be used to arrest SHREK in his swamp. Half boat half tractor. With a large gun sticking out front.:eek: